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The General History (4); Tr. From the Greek
The General History Tr From the Greek - 4 Author:Polybius Volume: 4 General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1773 Original Publisher: Printed by H. S. Woodfall for J. Dodsley Subjects: History, Ancient Rome Greece History / Ancient / General History / Ancient / Greece History / Ancient / Rome History / Europe / Greece Notes: This is a black and white OCR re... more »print of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: EXTRACT the THIRD. The fentiments of Philopcemen concerning the brightness and neatnefe of arms. The character of this General. He gains a complete victory againji Machanides the tyrant of Sparta, in the battle of Mantinea. UPON this occafion it was faid by Philopcemen : " that the bright- nefs of arms very much contributed to ftrike an enemy with terror; and that great advantage alfo arofe in action, from having the feveral parts of the armour well fitted to the body. That it was much to be wifhed, that men would transfer that attention to their armour, which they now beftowed upon their common drefs ; and become as negligent in the care of their drefs, as they had hitherto been in that of their arms. That fuch a . change would both be ferviceable to their private fortunes, and be attended likewife with manifeft advantage with refpeft to the public fafety. If a man therefore, continued he, be preparing himfelf for any military exercife, or for an expedition in the field, when he puts on his boots, let him be more careful in obferving whether they are bright and well fitted to his legs, than in examining his fhoes or fandals. When he takes his buckler, his breaftplate, or his helmet, let him defire to fee more fplendour, and more coftly ornaments, in thefe parts of his armour, than in his coat or mantle. For when men preferred mere mew and oftentation to things of real ufe, it was ...« less