profitable according to what seems best to them, and when they perceive you have arrived, they will encamp for the night, having pitched their tents, then you shall make a night attack against them. 24.2 But you must arrange the war against them in this way. You shall make the attack from the rear with the infantry battle line. Divide the remaining infantry units into six parts, and station three on the right of the enemy on their flank, and three on the left, if the nature of the place forces them to set up their camp lengthwise, keeping them about a bowshot apart from each other, or a little less, leaving open and unguarded only the road that brings the enemy safely to their own territory, so that when the war is pressed upon them most vehemently and they find the road open, by the deceit of being saved and escaping the war and reaching their own land, they may mount their horses and rush to flight through it, each one securing only his own safety. 24.3 But if they have not made their camp long, but the nature of the place has made it circular, you must order these infantry battle lines to be prepared for war all around, but only, as we said, to leave the road free and open, the one leading to their own lands. 24.4 After drawing up the infantry in this manner, you will order them to encamp near the enemy and to light many fires in abundance. And in each infantry battle line you will appoint a commander from among the useful and brave men; and with them cavalry in each battle line, standing in the rear, if the ground allows, having notable men as leaders; and you will order all the people of the infantry units to obey them. 24.5 After being prepared in this way, separate from the light-armed troops the brave and swift of foot, and send them ahead to go down in silence and get very close to the enemy, and to give them orders that first those stationed in the middle shall make the attack, and then those in front. And if on both sides the lay of the land places the infantry units on higher ground than the enemy, the enemy, being pelted with stones from hand and slings and with arrows from above from both sides, will be easily destroyed. But if the lay of the land is not so, but the high ground lies on one side, likewise let them send volleys of stones and arrows against them more easily from there. However, from the level ground the battle must be waged more carefully. But if the enemy should wish to mount their horses and charge against them, they will do no harm to the light-armed troops, since the terrain helps them, but rather will cause great harm to themselves. 24.6 Let all the infantry units descend together from both sides and let them all sound the trumpet with a shout and a war cry. Then let the general also from the rear strongly kindle the war. And if the enemy still holds out and does not rush to flight, let the swift light-armed troops who were sent ahead be urged by their commanders to go into the tents of the enemy; for this will be easy for them because of the roughness of the terrain. And when they begin to seize horses or mules and the baggage of the enemy and to enslave people, and such a beginning is made, all will rush to such plunder and will mercilessly go inside the tents, cutting them down with the sword. 24.7 And then all will rush to flight, as many as are able to mount horses, and others on foot, so that they might be able to hide in mountains and ravines and find safety. And if, with the help of God, the end of the war turns out this way, through the intercessions of His all-pure mother and Theotokos, the holy emperors will receive glory, and the entire Roman army might, with the enemy no longer being able to stand before them. 24.8 But if they come upon level ground when day dawns, and into

κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς λυσιτελοῦσαν, καί, ἡνίκα σε καταλαβόντα αἴσθονται, νυκτὸς καὶ ἀπληκεύσουσι τὰς σκηνὰς πηξάμενοι, τότε νυκτοπόλεμον κατ' αὐτῶν ἐργάσῃ. 24.2 Πλὴν οὕτως σε τὸν κατ' αὐτῶν χρὴ διαθεῖναι πόλεμον. Σὺ μὲν ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν μετὰ πεζικῆς παρατάξεως τὴν προσβολὴν ποιήσεις. Τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς πεζικὰς τάξεις διελεῖν εἰς ἓξ μερίδας, καὶ τρεῖς μὲν κατὰ τὸ δεξιὸν τῶν πολεμίων ἐκ πλαγίου αὐτῶν, τρεῖς δὲ κατὰ τὸ εὐώνυμον καταστῆσαι, εἴγε εἰς μῆκος ἡ τοῦ τόπου θέσις τὸ ἑαυτῶν ἄπληκτον καταστῆσαι καταναγκάσει, ἀπεχούσας ἀλλήλων ὡσεὶ τόξου βολήν, ἢ καὶ μικρὸν ἔλαττον, μόνην ἀνεῳγμένην καὶ ἀφύλακτον καταλιμπάνων τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν πρὸς τὰ οἰκεῖα τοὺς πολεμίους διασῴζουσαν, ὅπως σφοδροτάτου αὐτοῖς ἐπιτεθέντος τοῦ πολέμου καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀνεῳγμένην ἐφευρηκόσι, ἀπάτῃ τοῦ διασωθῆναι καὶ τὸν πόλεμον διαφυγεῖν καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν καταλαβεῖν, ἐπιβῶσι τῶν ἵππων καὶ δι' αὐτῆς πρὸς φυγὴν ὁρμήσωσι, μόνην ἕκαστος τὴν ἰδίαν περιποιούμενος σωτηρίαν. 24.3 Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐπίμηκες πεποιήκεσαν τὸ ἑαυτῶν ἄπληκτον, ἀλλ' ἡ τοῦ τόπου θέσις κυκλοτερὲς αὐτὸ ἀπειργάσατο, χρή σε τὰς πεζικὰς ἱστῶν παρατάξεις γύροθεν παρασκευασθῆναι ταύτας προστάξαι πρὸς πόλεμον, μόνον δέ, ὡς ἔφημεν, τὴν ὁδὸν ἄφετον καὶ ἀνεῳγμένην καταλιπεῖν, τὴν πρὸς τὰ ἴδια τούτων φέρουσαν. 24.4 Μετὰ δὲ τὸ διατάξασθαι τοὺς πεζοὺς τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον, παραπληκεῦσαι τοῖς πολεμίοις προστάξεις καὶ πυρὰ εἰς πλῆθος ἀνάψαι πολλά. Ἐν μιᾷ δὲ ἑκάστῃ παρατάξει τῶν πεζῶν καὶ ἄρχοντα καταστήσεις τῶν χρησίμων καὶ ἀνδρείων· σὺν αὐτοῖς δὲ ἱππεῖς ἐν μιᾷ ἑκάστῃ παρατάξει, ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν ἱσταμένους, εἴγε καὶ ὁ χῶρος δίδωσιν, ἔχοντας ἀρχηγοὺς ἄνδρας ἀξιολόγους· πείθεσθαί τε αὐτοῖς προστάξεις καὶ ἅπαντα τὸν λαὸν τῶν πεζικῶν τάξεων. 24.5 Μετὰ δὲ τὸ οὕτως παρασκευασθῆναι, διαχωρίσαι τῶν ψιλῶν ἀνδρείους καὶ ταχεῖς τοῖς ποσί, καὶ ἔμπροσθεν ἀποστεῖλαι τοῦ σιγῇ κατελθεῖν καὶ ἔγγιστα τῶν πολεμίων γενέσθαι, καὶ διορίσασθαι αὐτοῖς ἵνα πρῶτον μὲν οἱ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἱστάμενοι τὴν προσβολὴν ποιήσονται, εἴθ' οὕτως οἱ ἔμπροσθεν. Καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν μερῶν ἡ τοῦ τόπου θέσις ὑψηλοτέρως φέρει τὰς πεζικὰς τάξεις κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων, βαλλόμενοι οἱ πολέμιοι τοῖς ἐκ χειρῶν καὶ σφενδονῶν λίθοις καὶ τόξοις ἄνωθεν ἐξ ἑκατέρων εὐχερῶς καταλυθήσονται. Εἰ δὲ μὴ οὕτως ἔχει ἡ τοῦ τόπου θέσις, ἀλλ' ἐξ ἑνὸς μέρους τὸ ὑψηλὸν ὑπέρκειται, καὶ ὡσαύτως ἐκεῖθεν εὐχερέστερον τῶν λίθων καὶ τόξων τὰς βολὰς κατ' αὐτῶν πεμπέτωσαν. Πλὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἐφομάλου ἐπιμελέστερον ἔχεσθαι δεῖ τῆς μάχης. Εἰ δὲ βουληθῶσιν οἱ πολέμιοι ἐπιβῆναι ἵππων καὶ κατ' αὐτῶν ὁρμῆσαι, οὐδὲν μὲν τοῖς ψιλοῖς δεινὸν ἐργάσονται, τοῦ τόπου βοηθοῦντος αὐτοῖς, ἑαυτοῖς δὲ μᾶλλον μεγάλην προξενήσουσι βλάβην. 24.6 Συγκαταβήτωσαν δὲ πᾶσαι αἱ πεζικαὶ τάξεις ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν μερῶν καὶ σαλπισάτωσαν ἅπασαι μετὰ κραυγῆς καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ. Ἔπειτα καὶ ὁ στρατηγὸς ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν ἰσχυρῶς ἀναψάτω τὸν πόλεμον. Καὶ εἰ ἔτι καρτεροῦσιν οἱ πολέμιοι καὶ μὴ πρὸς φυγὴν ὁρμήσουσιν, οἱ ταχεῖς ψιλοὶ καὶ οἱ ἔμπροσθεν ἀποσταλέντες παρορμηθήτωσαν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων αὐτῶν ἔνδον εἰς τὰς σκηνὰς χωρῆσαι τῶν πολεμίων· εὐχερὲς γὰρ τοῦτο ἔσται αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ τόπου σκληρότητος. Καὶ ἡνίκα ἄρξονται ἀναλαμβάνειν ἵππους ἢ ἡμιόνους καὶ πράγματα τῶν πολεμίων καὶ ἀνθρώπους ἀνδραποδίζειν, καὶ ἀρχὴ τοιαύτη γένηται, ὁρμήσουσιν ἅπαντες εἰς τὴν τοιαύτην διαρπαγὴν καὶ ἀφειδῶς ἔνδον χωρήσουσι τῶν σκηνῶν ξίφει αὐτοὺς κατακόπτοντες. 24.7 Καὶ τότε πρὸς φυγὴν ὁρμήσουσιν ἅπαντες, ὅσοι μὲν ἰσχύσουσιν ἐπιβῆναι ἵππων, οἱ δὲ καὶ πεζῇ, ὡς ἂν δυνηθῶσιν ὄρεσί τε καὶ φάραγξι κρυβῆναι καὶ σωτηρίας τυχεῖν. Καὶ εἰ τοιοῦτον τῇ βοηθείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ γένηται τὸ τοῦ πολέμου πέρας, διὰ πρεσβειῶν τῆς παναχράντου μητρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ Θεοτόκου, δόξαν μὲν οἱ ἅγιοι βασιλεῖς λήψονται, καὶ κράτος ἅπαν τὸ ῥωμαϊκὸν στράτευμα, μηκέτι τῶν πολεμίων κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν στῆναι δυναμένων. 24.8 Εἰ δέ γε ὁμαλοῦ ἐπιτύχωσι χώρου τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπιφανούσης, καὶ εἰς