The Looking Glass of the Holy War, Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVIII. Of the Carriage of the Conquerour.
TO begin then firſt with the victor: Victoria eſt ſemper inſolens.for (as Tully obſerveth) victory is alwayes raſh and inſolent. For the ordering of victory there be two ſorts of directions, the former for making of it up, the latter for the right uſage of it, when it is fully a…ained. In the former there be theſe two obſervatiōs. Be carefull to make up the victory.Firſt the conquerour muſt take heed of the raſh and diſordered purſuite of the enemie. To this effect ſerveth well that counſell of Iphicrates ioyned with his practize. This Commander following his flying enemie, at his leaſure in good order, gaue order to his ſouldiers in the purſuite, that they ſhould beware of ambuſhment, and that they ſhould not follow too hard, Lib. 3.nor neere to the Wals or forts planted with munition, giving a good reaſon as Polyaenus well obſerveth, that many by doing ſo hauehave loſt the victory, that they had obtayned. Vegetius telleth us, Frequenter jam fuſi aeies diſ…erſo…, ac paſſim ſequentes reparatis viribus interimit. lib. 3. cap. 25.that it often ſo falleth out, that forces put to flight, recollecting themſelues against the diſordered purſuers, doth alter the caſe, and killeth them right downe as conquered, that ere while were the conquerors. This change of fight, by way of a proverbiall ſpeech, is called oſculana pugna, or a battle wherein they, which before had the victory, are now overcome; as though victory with a kiſſe had ſaluted them, and ſo forſaken them. So it fell out with Pirrhus, who having in a manner overcome Valerius Laevinus, the Roman Commander, was by him in the ſame battle by the recollection of forces overcome. A notable inſtance of this, Hiſtorians give in Q. Fulvius that noble Roman Commander, who being overcome by Carus, Generall of the Segadans, and hauing loſt ſix thowſand, he obſerved the diſordered purſute of the enemy, out of his too too much pride and confidence, as though there had bene no danger of re-encounter; whereupon he commanded ſome troupes of Horſe being laid to keepe the ſtrayts, to charge the diſorderly purfuying enemie; who preſently-unhorſed & killed the Generall Carus, Appienus de bello Hiſpanie.being in the front of the followers: beſides him they ſlew 6000, and purſued the victory till night.
Yet with this caution, another extreme is to be avoided, namely the ſlacking ſo of the purſuite, that they looſe more which they might hauehave, then that which they obtayne is worth. This neglect of Hanibal at the battle of Cannas loſt Rome, which would hauehave been the crowne indeed of the Charthaginian war: had he, according to the counſell of his friends, flowne to the marke, that is, purſued the defeated and routed, Romanes into the cittie; he might hauehave taken the prey, of which againe he had never ſo faire an offer; neither doe I thinke (though otherwiſe a great Commander) that he could giuegive any good account of his neglect; o…ely this generall might excuſe him; no man is wiſe at all times. Nem… omn…s boris ſapit. Vincere ſcis H…mb…l. victor…a utineſ….For this Barchab the Carthaginian gaue him this Motto, to his ever laſting blemiſh; thou canſt overcome Haniball, but thou canſt not uſe the victory, to thy beſt advantage.
The ſecond obſervation is, that they abſtayne from ſpoyle, till …hey hauehave fully ſecured themſelues, Avi…itate prae…ae ſaepe exercuus victoriam camiſerunt. Hantbal. Scotus Placentinus.from any further reattempt of the enemie: ſome ſnatching at the prey before the victory inſured hauehave often loſt, both prey & victory. Tacitus giveth an inſtance in the Germanes, who onelyonly out of their greedines of the prey, were overthrowne by the Romanes at the battle of ‘Lib. 1. Aunal.Horminius. Therefore Saxo Gramaticus giveth a good rule for this: with ”Auro ſpreto, anr… d… m…nos in ſequimin….contempt of gold it ſelf, purſue the p…ſſeſſors of the gold. Many examples there be of this kind, let this one more ſuffice. The Germans at the battle of Erlam in Hungarie, Anno 1596, having thrice defeated the Turkes; yet through untimely falling on the ſpoile, were themſelues defeated. And ſo much for the inſuring of the victory.