they will break camp, having pitched their tents, and it is not easy for a night battle to be arranged in such a place, the general must again get ahead with all the infantry and cavalry forces and seize the higher parts of the mountains and likewise secure the passage of the road. And since all the roads leading into enemy territory, as we have said, through all the themes which I have enumerated and have seen with my own eyes, happen to be difficult to pass through in the mountains that divide both countries, hasten to occupy their passage in advance and without hesitation arrange a frontal battle against them, and by the grace of Christ our God you will prevail over them and, having defeated them, you will deliver them to complete annihilation. 25.τ Concerning another way of seizing a road that creates a difficult passage on the descent 25.1 If indeed the road, by which they are returning, is found to lead the enemy from above and is level, not having a difficult passage for resisting them frontally, but when it inclines downward, it is then narrow and difficult to pass, throwing their formations into confusion and forcing a few to pass through and compelling the others to prepare to follow and pass through in the same way, in those narrow passes it is necessary to station infantry units on both sides of the enemy, two on the right, and two on the left, separated from each other. But also to post in ambush behind them a force of infantry with cavalry and a brave and most experienced commander, if they have left their so-called rear guard to be stationed above and to guard the road, but not too close, so as not to be discovered. 25.2 And if those stationed in ambush above are eager to join the battle, when our formations stationed below make the attack against the enemy passing in front, let those stationed in ambush, both infantry and cavalry, also come forth and join the battle behind them against the enemy. But if those stationed in the ambush do not dare to attack it from below, as the rear guard is stationed in a level place, they will wait in ambush, and, since it is hastening to pass through and catch up with its own men—for it is not possible to stand there for long—, when they take the road leading down, then let those in ambush come forth, and having seized the road and being above them, let them charge down on them. 25.3 And they will not be able to resist and defend themselves, being pelted by them, with the terrain being against them; but they will hasten to catch up with their own men, being fought in the narrows by our formations stationed below, in the hope of passing through and reaching their own. But they will by no means succeed in this, if indeed the war against them is prepared as we have set forth, but rather they will be utterly defeated by the grace of our true God; to whom be the glory and the power with the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

αὐτὸν καταλύσουσι τὰς σκηνὰς πηξάμενοι, καὶ οὐκ εὐχερῶς ἐν τῷ τοιούτῳ τόπῳ τὸν ἐν νυκτὶ πόλεμον ἁρμόζει γενέσθαι, δεῖ τὸν στρατηγὸν μετὰ πασῶν τῶν πεζικῶν τε καὶ ἱππικῶν δυνάμεων ἔμπροσθεν πάλιν γενέσθαι καὶ τὰ ὑψηλότερα τῶν ὀρῶν κατασχεῖν καὶ τὴν διάβασιν τῆς ὁδοῦ ὁμοίως ἀσφαλίσασθαι. Καὶ ἐπεὶ πᾶσαι, ὡς ἔφημεν, αἱ ὁδοὶ αἱ πρὸς τὴν πολεμίαν εἰσάγουσαι, διὰ τῶν ὅλων ὧν ἀπηριθμησάμην θεμάτων καὶ οἰκείοις ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐθεασάμην, δύσβατοι τυγχάνουσιν ἐν ὄρεσι τοῖς διορίζουσι τὰς ἄμφω χώρας, σπεῦδε προκαταλαβεῖν τὴν διάβασιν αὐτῶν καὶ τὸν κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἀδιστάκτως διατίθεσο πόλεμον, καὶ χάριτι Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ὑπερισχύσεις αὐτῶν καὶ τούτους καταβαλὼν τελείῳ παραδώσεις ἀφανισμῷ. 25.τ Περὶ ἑτέρας κατασχέσεως ὁδοῦ τῆς εἰς τὴν κατάβασιν δυσχωρίαν ἀποτελούσησ 25.1 Εἰ δέ γε ἡ ὁδός, ἣν ὑποστρέφουσιν, εὑρεθῇ φέρουσα τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐφόμαλός ἐστι, μὴ ἔχουσα δυσχωρίαν τοῦ κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτῶν ἀντιστῆναι, ἀλλ' ἡνίκα πρὸς τὸ καταφερὲς ἐπικλίνει, τότε στενὴ καὶ δύσβατός ἐστι, συγχέουσα τὰς παρατάξεις αὐτῶν καὶ ὀλίγους διέρχεσθαι ἀναγκάζουσα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὁμοίως παρασκευάζειν ἐπακολουθεῖν καὶ διέρχεσθαι, ἐν ἐκείνοις τοῖς στενωποῖς δέον πεζικὰς τάξεις καταστῆσαι ἔνθεν κἀκεῖθεν τῶν πολεμίων, δύο μὲν κατὰ τὸ δεξιόν, δύο δὲ κατὰ τὸ εὐώνυμον, ἀπ' ἀλλήλων διακεκριμένας. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ὄπισθεν εἰς λόχον καταστῆσαι πεζικὴν λαοῦ δύναμιν μεθ' ἱππέων καὶ ἄρχοντος ἀνδρείου καὶ ἐμπειροτάτου, εἴπερ τὸ λεγόμενον σάκα αὐτῶν ἄνωθεν κατέλιπον ἵστασθαι καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν φυλάσσειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ σύνεγγυς, πρὸς τὸ μὴ διαγνωσθῆναι. 25.2 Καὶ εἰ μὲν οἱ εἰς τὸν λόχον ἱστάμενοι ἄνωθεν πρόθυμοί εἰσι παρασυνάψαι πόλεμον, ἡνίκα αἱ κάτωθεν παρατάξεις ἡμῶν ἱστάμεναι κατὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν διερχομένων πολεμίων τὴν προσβολὴν ποιήσονται, ἐξερχέσθωσαν καὶ οἱ εἰς τὸν λόχον ἱστάμενοι πεζοί τε καὶ ἱππεῖς καὶ συναπτέτωσαν πόλεμον μετ' αὐτοὺς κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων. Εἰ δὲ οὐ θαρρήσουσιν οἱ εἰς τὸν λόχον ἱστάμενοι κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐπελθεῖν κάτωθεν, σάκα εἰς ἐφόμαλον τόπον ἱσταμένου, καρτερήσουσιν εἰς τὸν λόχον, καί, ἐπεὶ αὐτὸ διελθεῖν κατεπείγεται καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους καταλαβεῖνοὐ γάρ ἐστι τῶν ἐνδεχομένων ἐκεῖσε ἐπὶ πολὺ ἵστασθαι, ἡνίκα τῆς εἰς κατάβασιν φερούσης ὁδοῦ ἐπιλάβωνται, καὶ ἐξερχέσθωσαν οἱ ἐν τῷ λόχῳ, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν κατασχόντες καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν γενόμενοι κατ' αὐτῶν ὁρμησάτωσαν. 25.3 Καὶ οὐ δυνήσονται ἀντιστῆναι καὶ ἀμύνασθαι, παρ' αὐτῶν βαλλόμενοι, τοῦ τόπου αὐτοῖς ἐναντιουμένου· ἀλλὰ σπεύσουσι τοὺς ἰδίους καταλαβεῖν πολεμούμενοι ἐν τοῖς στενώμασι παρὰ τῶν κάτωθεν ἡμῶν ἱσταμένων παρατάξεων, ἐπ' ἐλπίδι διελθεῖν καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν καταλαβεῖν. Ἀλλ' οὐδαμῶς τούτου ἐπιτύχωσιν, εἴπερ δὴ ὡς ἐξεθέμεθα ὁ κατ' αὐτῶν παρασκευασθῇ πόλεμος, μᾶλλον δὲ κατὰ κράτος ἡττηθήσονται χάριτι τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν· ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος σὺν υἱῷ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.