in this book for both construction and use, proceeding in order, we have set it forth, having written it down systematically. And let no nitpicker of words, seeking an Atticizing composition or cleverness of speech, beauty and harmony, and the good rhythm of figures, hold us accountable for being plain and simple, hearing from the wise men of old that any discourse made for a siege, being clear and full of tautologies and repetitions and supplementary arguments for the comprehension of both thoughts and actions, is alien 201 to the precepts of dialectic or their opposites; knowing that even the great Plotinus wrote, as Porphyry, so great in wisdom, says, neither forming his letters for beauty, nor dividing the syllables clearly, nor caring for spelling, but holding only to the thought and the subject matter. For he understood beings to be threefold: in sounds, in meanings, and in things; and that he who errs in sounds should not be censured at all, as one damaging neither the meaning nor the thing; but that he who errs in meanings should be bitterly refuted, as one speaking of the things in question unintelligently; and that he who is blind about the facts should be much more condemned, as being foolish and a false writer, falling into that ignorance of disposition which Plato calls double, because of thinking that he knows, but not understanding that he is ignorant. But also the historian Callisthenes says that one attempting to write something must not miss the character, but must set down the words appropriately for both it and the subject matter [of wisdom] For what practical benefit 202 could one derive, from the works of Philolaus and Aristotle, Isocrates and Aristophanes and Apollonius and those who have written similar things; for to younger students they will seem not useless for acquiring the habit of being instructed, but for those already wishing to do something, they would be completely far from and detached from practical theory; Whence also Hero the mathematician, understanding that Delphic precept which reminds us to be sparing of time and that one must know the measures of opportunity as being a definition of wisdom, thought that the greatest and most necessary part of the pursuit of philosophy, and sought by many even until now, is that concerning tranquility, and said that it would never find its end through words. But mechanics, having surpassed the teaching in words through deeds, taught all men to know how to live tranquilly through one of its parts, that which is called the art of making projectiles; so as never to be disturbed by the attacks of enemies and foes, 203 neither in a peaceful state nor when war has begun, if at all times and in every condition, along with prepared provisions both in sieges and for armies, with scant rations, with so-called long-lasting drugs, and even with the smallest filling foods that create a lack of thirst, we take the utmost care for the instruments of projectile-making. And since those who understand the whole art of siegecraft rightly also know its opposites, and of opposites there is one science, those therefore who are able, through mechanics and the preparation of frugal all-day nourishment and of a common diet for all with good order, to conduct or to break a siege will always live in tranquility. It is not unlikely therefore that Calanus the Taxilian Indian also said to those who write much and waste time on unnecessary words, who use flowery language for empty speeches, who adorn inanimate objects in their descriptions and praise or blame animals not according to their worth for the sake of displaying their own great learning: We are not like 204 the Greek philosophers, among whom many and clever words are spent on small and simple matters; for we are accustomed to give the briefest and simplest instructions on the greatest and most useful matters of life, so that they are easy for all to remember. The most strategic commander, preserved for piety by providence from above, obeying the command and judgment and good counsel of the most divine emperors, and being about to besiege both enemies and apostates, the

τῇδε τῇ δέλτῳ πρός τε κατασκευὴν καὶ χρείαν καθεξῆς προϊόντες, κατὰ τάξιν ἀναγράψαντες ἐξεθέμεθα. Καὶ μή τις λέξεων ἐξονυχιστής, συνθήκην ἀττικίζουσαν ἐρευνῶν ἢ δεινότητα λόγου κάλλος τε καὶ ἁρμονίαν καὶ σχημάτων εὐρυθμίαν, περὶ τὸ ἰδιωτικὸν καὶ ὕπτιον ἡμᾶς εὐθύνῃ, τῶν πάλαι σοφῶν ἀκούων ὅτι ὁ πρὸς πολιορκίαν γινόμενος ἅπας λόγος σαφηνής τε καὶ πλήρης ταυτολογιῶν καὶ ἐπαναλήψεων καὶ ἐπενθυμημάτων πρὸς κατάληψιν τῶν τε διανοημάτων καὶ πράξεων διαλεκτικῶν δὲ παραγγελμάτων ἢ τῶν τούτοις ἀντιστρόφων ἀνοίκειος 201 τυγχάνει· εἰδὼς δὲ ὅτι καὶ Πλωτῖνος ὁ μέγας ἔγραφεν, ὥς φησιν ὁ πολὺς ἐν σοφίᾳ Πορφύριος, οὔτε εἰς κάλλος ἀποτυπούμενος τὰ γράμματα, οὔτε εὐσήμως τὰς συλλαβὰς διαιρῶν, οὔτε τῆς ὀρθογραφίας φροντίζων, ἀλλὰ μόνου τοῦ νοῦ καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐχόμενος. Τριττὰ γὰρ τὰ ὄντα ἠπίστατο, ἔν τε φωναῖς νοήμασί τε καὶ πράγμασι· καὶ τὸν μὲν περὶ τὰς φωνὰς σφαλλόμενον μηδὲν διασύρεσθαι, ὡς οὐδὲν τὸ νόημα ἢ τὸ πρᾶγμα λυμαινόμενον· τὸν δὲ τὰ νοήματα ἁμαρτάνοντα πικρῶς διελέγ χεσθαι, ὡς τῶν καλουμένων ἀδιανοήτως φθεγγόμενον· πολλῷ δὲ ἄρα τὸν περὶ τὰ πράγματα τυφλώττοντα καταγινώσκεσθαι, ὡς ἠλίθιον ὄντα καὶ ψευδογράφον, εἰς τὴν κατὰ διάθεσιν ἐμπίπτοντα ἄγνοιαν, ἥντινα διπλῆν ὁ Πλάτων καλεῖ, διὰ τὸ εἰδέναι μὲν οἴεσθαι ὅτι γινώσκει, μὴ ἐπίστασθαι δὲ ὅτι ἀγνοεῖ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ἱστοριογράφος Καλλισθένης φησὶ δεῖν τὸν γράφειν τι πειρώμενον μὴ ἀστοχεῖν τοῦ προσώπου, ἀλλ' οἰκείως αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς πράγμασι τοὺς λόγους θεῖναι [τῆς σοφίας] Τουτὶ γὰρ ἄν τις εἰς πραγμάτων λόγον ὠφεληθεὶς 202 ἀπέλθοι, ἢ ἐκ τῶν Φιλολάου καὶ Ἀριστοτέλους, Ἰσοκράτους τε καὶ Ἀριστοφάνους καὶ Ἀπολλωνίου καὶ τῶν παραπλήσια ἐκείνοις γεγραφότων· νεωτέροις μὲν γὰρ φιλομαθοῦσιν οὐκ ἄχρηστα πρὸς ἕξιν τοῦ στοιχειωθῆναι φανήσονται, τοῖς δὲ βουλομένοις ἤδη τι πράττειν πόρρω παντελῶς ἂν εἴη καὶ ἀπηρτισμένα τῆς πραγματικῆς θεωρίας· Ὅθεν καὶ Ἥρων ὁ μαθηματικὸς, συνεὶς τὸ ∆ελφικὸν ἐκεῖνο παράγγελμα τὸ ὑπομιμνῆσκον ἡμᾶς χρόνου φείδεσθαι καὶ ὅτι τὰ τοῦ καιροῦ μέτρα δεῖ εἰδέναι ὡς ὑπάρχοντος ὅρου τῆς σοφίας, τὸ μέγιστον καὶ ἀναγκαιότατον μέρος τῆς ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ διατριβῆς καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν παρὰ πολλῶν ζητούμενον περὶ ἀταραξίας ὑπάρχειν ᾤετο, καὶ μηδέποτε διὰ τῶν λόγων τέλος ἕξειν ἔλεγεν. Μηχανικὴ δὲ, τὴν ἐν λόγοις δι' ἔργων ὑπερβᾶσα διδασκαλίαν, πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἐδίδαξεν ἀταράχως ζῆν ἐπίστασθαι δι' ἑνὸς αὐτῆς μέρους τοῦ κατὰ τὴν βελοποιΐαν καλουμένου· ὡς μήτε ἐν εἰρηνικῇ καταστάσει ταράττεσθαί ποτε ἐχθρῶν καὶ πολεμίων 203 ἐφόδους μήτε πολέμου ἐνστάντος, εἰ ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ καὶ καταστήματι σὺν τοῖς σκευαζομένοις τροφίμοις ἔν τε πολιορκίαις καὶ στρατεύμασιν ὀλιγαρκέσιν ἐπιμονιδίοις λεγομένοις φαρμάκοις καὶ ἔτι σμικροτάτοις βρώμασι πλησμίοις ἀδιψίαν ἐμποιοῦσι, καὶ τὴν τῶν βελοποιϊκῶν ὀργάνων μάλιστα ποιούμεθα πρόνοιαν. Καὶ ἐπεὶ οἱ τὰ πρὸς πολιορκίαν καθ' ὅλου ἐπιστάμενοι ὀρθῶς καὶ τὰ ἀντικείμενα ἴσασι, τῶν δ' ἀντικειμένων μία ἐστὶν ἐπιστήμη, οἱ διὰ μηχανικῆς ἄρα παρασκευαστικῆς τε ὀλιγαρκοῦς πανημερίου βρώσεως καὶ κοινῆς ἁπάσης ἐπ' εὐταξίᾳ διαίτης πολιορκίαν συνιστᾶν ἢ λύειν δυνάμενοι ἀεὶ ἐν ἀταραξίᾳ διάξουσιν. Οὐκ ἀπεικὸς οὖν πρὸς τοὺς πολυγραφοῦντας καὶ εἰς οὐκ ἀναγκαίους λόγους τὸν χρόνον καταναλίσκοντας, ἀνθηρολεκτοῦντας πρὸς κενοὺς λόγους, ἄψυχα ἐκφράζοντας κοσμεῖν καὶ ζῶα αἰνοῦντας ἢ ψέγοντας οὐ κατ' ἀξίαν δι' ἔμφασιν τῆς ἑαυτῶν πολυμαθείας, καὶ Κάλανον τὸν Ταξιληνὸν Ἰνδὸν εἰρηκέναι· Ἑλλήνων φιλοσόφοις οὐκ ἐξο204 μοιούμεθα παρ' οἷς ὑπὲρ μικρῶν καὶ ἀφελῶν πραγμάτων πολλοὶ καὶ δεινοὶ ἀναλίσκονται λόγοι· ἡμεῖς γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν μεγίστων καὶ βιωφελεστάτων ἐλάχιστα καὶ ἁπλᾶ, ὡς πᾶσιν εὐμνημόνευτα, παραγγέλλειν εἰώθαμεν. Τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ἄνω προνοίας ἐπ' εὐσεβείᾳ συντηρούμενον στρατηγικώτατον ἄρχοντα, τῇ κελεύσει καὶ γνώμῃ καὶ εὐβουλίᾳ τῶν θειοτάτων αὐτοκρατόρων ὑπείκοντα, καὶ δυσμενεῖς καὶ ἀποστάτας πολιορκεῖν μέλλοντα, τὰς