<SPAN name="c11"></SPAN>
<h3>OF THEIR MILITARY DISCIPLINE</h3>
<p>They detest war as a very brutal thing, and which, to the reproach
of human nature, is more practised by men than by any sort of beasts.
They, in opposition to the sentiments of almost all other nations, think
that there is nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained
by war; and therefore, though they accustom themselves daily to military
exercises and the discipline of war, in which not only their men, but
their women likewise, are trained up, that, in cases of necessity, they
may not be quite useless, yet they do not rashly engage in war, unless
it be either to defend themselves or their friends from any unjust aggressors,
or, out of good nature or in compassion, assist an oppressed nation
in shaking off the yoke of tyranny. They, indeed, help their friends
not only in defensive but also in offensive wars; but they never do
that unless they had been consulted before the breach was made, and,
being satisfied with the grounds on which they went, they had found
that all demands of reparation were rejected, so that a war was unavoidable.
This they think to be not only just when one neighbour makes an inroad
on another by public order, and carries away the spoils, but when the
merchants of one country are oppressed in another, either under pretence
of some unjust laws, or by the perverse wresting of good ones.
This they count a juster cause of war than the other, because those
injuries are done under some colour of laws. This was the only
ground of that war in which they engaged with the Nephelogetes against
the Aleopolitanes, a little before our time; for the merchants of the
former having, as they thought, met with great injustice among the latter,
which (whether it was in itself right or wrong) drew on a terrible war,
in which many of their neighbours were engaged; and their keenness in
carrying it on being supported by their strength in maintaining it,
it not only shook some very flourishing states and very much afflicted
others, but, after a series of much mischief ended in the entire conquest
and slavery of the Aleopolitanes, who, though before the war they were
in all respects much superior to the Nephelogetes, were yet subdued;
but, though the Utopians had assisted them in the war, yet they pretended
to no share of the spoil.</p>
<p>“But, though they so vigorously assist their friends in obtaining
reparation for the injuries they have received in affairs of this nature,
yet, if any such frauds were committed against themselves, provided
no violence was done to their persons, they would only, on their being
refused satisfaction, forbear trading with such a people. This
is not because they consider their neighbours more than their own citizens;
but, since their neighbours trade every one upon his own stock, fraud
is a more sensible injury to them than it is to the Utopians, among
whom the public, in such a case, only suffers, as they expect no thing
in return for the merchandise they export but that in which they so
much abound, and is of little use to them, the loss does not much affect
them. They think, therefore, it would be too severe to revenge
a loss attended with so little inconvenience, either to their lives
or their subsistence, with the death of many persons; but if any of
their people are either killed or wounded wrongfully, whether it be
done by public authority, or only by private men, as soon as they hear
of it they send ambassadors, and demand that the guilty persons may
be delivered up to them, and if that is denied, they declare war; but
if it be complied with, the offenders are condemned either to death
or slavery.</p>
<p>“They would be both troubled and ashamed of a bloody victory
over their enemies; and think it would be as foolish a purchase as to
buy the most valuable goods at too high a rate. And in no victory
do they glory so much as in that which is gained by dexterity and good
conduct without bloodshed. In such cases they appoint public triumphs,
and erect trophies to the honour of those who have succeeded; for then
do they reckon that a man acts suitably to his nature, when he conquers
his enemy in such a way as that no other creature but a man could be
capable of, and that is by the strength of his understanding.
Bears, lions, boars, wolves, and dogs, and all other animals, employ
their bodily force one against another, in which, as many of them are
superior to men, both in strength and fierceness, so they are all subdued
by his reason and understanding.</p>
<p>“The only design of the Utopians in war is to obtain that by
force which, if it had been granted them in time, would have prevented
the war; or, if that cannot be done, to take so severe a revenge on
those that have injured them that they may be terrified from doing the
like for the time to come. By these ends they measure all their
designs, and manage them so, that it is visible that the appetite of
fame or vainglory does not work so much on there as a just care of their
own security.</p>
<p>“As soon as they declare war, they take care to have a great
many schedules, that are sealed with their common seal, affixed in the
most conspicuous places of their enemies’ country. This
is carried secretly, and done in many places all at once. In these
they promise great rewards to such as shall kill the prince, and lesser
in proportion to such as shall kill any other persons who are those
on whom, next to the prince himself, they cast the chief balance of
the war. And they double the sum to him that, instead of killing
the person so marked out, shall take him alive, and put him in their
hands. They offer not only indemnity, but rewards, to such of
the persons themselves that are so marked, if they will act against
their countrymen. By this means those that are named in their
schedules become not only distrustful of their fellow-citizens, but
are jealous of one another, and are much distracted by fear and danger;
for it has often fallen out that many of them, and even the prince himself,
have been betrayed, by those in whom they have trusted most; for the
rewards that the Utopians offer are so immeasurably great, that there
is no sort of crime to which men cannot be drawn by them. They
consider the risk that those run who undertake such services, and offer
a recompense proportioned to the danger—not only a vast deal of
gold, but great revenues in lands, that lie among other nations that
are their friends, where they may go and enjoy them very securely; and
they observe the promises they make of their kind most religiously.
They very much approve of this way of corrupting their enemies, though
it appears to others to be base and cruel; but they look on it as a
wise course, to make an end of what would be otherwise a long war, without
so much as hazarding one battle to decide it. They think it likewise
an act of mercy and love to mankind to prevent the great slaughter of
those that must otherwise be killed in the progress of the war, both
on their own side and on that of their enemies, by the death of a few
that are most guilty; and that in so doing they are kind even to their
enemies, and pity them no less than their own people, as knowing that
the greater part of them do not engage in the war of their own accord,
but are driven into it by the passions of their prince.</p>
<p>“If this method does not succeed with them, then they sow seeds
of contention among their enemies, and animate the prince’s brother,
or some of the nobility, to aspire to the crown. If they cannot
disunite them by domestic broils, then they engage their neighbours
against them, and make them set on foot some old pretensions, which
are never wanting to princes when they have occasion for them.
These they plentifully supply with money, though but very sparingly
with any auxiliary troops; for they are so tender of their own people
that they would not willingly exchange one of them, even with the prince
of their enemies’ country.</p>
<p>“But as they keep their gold and silver only for such an occasion,
so, when that offers itself, they easily part with it; since it would
be no convenience to them, though they should reserve nothing of it
to themselves. For besides the wealth that they have among them
at home, they have a vast treasure abroad; many nations round about
them being deep in their debt: so that they hire soldiers from all places
for carrying on their wars; but chiefly from the Zapolets, who live
five hundred miles east of Utopia. They are a rude, wild, and
fierce nation, who delight in the woods and rocks, among which they
were born and bred up. They are hardened both against heat, cold,
and labour, and know nothing of the delicacies of life. They do
not apply themselves to agriculture, nor do they care either for their
houses or their clothes: cattle is all that they look after; and for
the greatest part they live either by hunting or upon rapine; and are
made, as it were, only for war. They watch all opportunities of
engaging in it, and very readily embrace such as are offered them.
Great numbers of them will frequently go out, and offer themselves for
a very low pay, to serve any that will employ them: they know none of
the arts of life, but those that lead to the taking it away; they serve
those that hire them, both with much courage and great fidelity; but
will not engage to serve for any determined time, and agree upon such
terms, that the next day they may go over to the enemies of those whom
they serve if they offer them a greater encouragement; and will, perhaps,
return to them the day after that upon a higher advance of their pay.
There are few wars in which they make not a considerable part of the
armies of both sides: so it often falls out that they who are related,
and were hired in the same country, and so have lived long and familiarly
together, forgetting both their relations and former friendship, kill
one another upon no other consideration than that of being hired to
it for a little money by princes of different interests; and such a
regard have they for money that they are easily wrought on by the difference
of one penny a day to change sides. So entirely does their avarice
influence them; and yet this money, which they value so highly, is of
little use to them; for what they purchase thus with their blood they
quickly waste on luxury, which among them is but of a poor and miserable
form.</p>
<p>“This nation serves the Utopians against all people whatsoever,
for they pay higher than any other. The Utopians hold this for
a maxim, that as they seek out the best sort of men for their own use
at home, so they make use of this worst sort of men for the consumption
of war; and therefore they hire them with the offers of vast rewards
to expose themselves to all sorts of hazards, out of which the greater
part never returns to claim their promises; yet they make them good
most religiously to such as escape. This animates them to adventure
again, whenever there is occasion for it; for the Utopians are not at
all troubled how many of these happen to be killed, and reckon it a
service done to mankind if they could be a means to deliver the world
from such a lewd and vicious sort of people, that seem to have run together,
as to the drain of human nature. Next to these, they are served
in their wars with those upon whose account they undertake them, and
with the auxiliary troops of their other friends, to whom they join
a few of their own people, and send some man of eminent and approved
virtue to command in chief. There are two sent with him, who,
during his command, are but private men, but the first is to succeed
him if he should happen to be either killed or taken; and, in case of
the like misfortune to him, the third comes in his place; and thus they
provide against all events, that such accidents as may befall their
generals may not endanger their armies. When they draw out troops
of their own people, they take such out of every city as freely offer
themselves, for none are forced to go against their wills, since they
think that if any man is pressed that wants courage, he will not only
act faintly, but by his cowardice dishearten others. But if an
invasion is made on their country, they make use of such men, if they
have good bodies, though they are not brave; and either put them aboard
their ships, or place them on the walls of their towns, that being so
posted, they may find no opportunity of flying away; and thus either
shame, the heat of action, or the impossibility of flying, bears down
their cowardice; they often make a virtue of necessity, and behave themselves
well, because nothing else is left them. But as they force no
man to go into any foreign war against his will, so they do not hinder
those women who are willing to go along with their husbands; on the
contrary, they encourage and praise them, and they stand often next
their husbands in the front of the army. They also place together
those who are related, parents, and children, kindred, and those that
are mutually allied, near one another; that those whom nature has inspired
with the greatest zeal for assisting one another may be the nearest
and readiest to do it; and it is matter of great reproach if husband
or wife survive one another, or if a child survives his parent, and
therefore when they come to be engaged in action, they continue to fight
to the last man, if their enemies stand before them: and as they use
all prudent methods to avoid the endangering their own men, and if it
is possible let all the action and danger fall upon the troops that
they hire, so if it becomes necessary for themselves to engage, they
then charge with as much courage as they avoided it before with prudence:
nor is it a fierce charge at first, but it increases by degrees; and
as they continue in action, they grow more obstinate, and press harder
upon the enemy, insomuch that they will much sooner die than give ground;
for the certainty that their children will be well looked after when
they are dead frees them from all that anxiety concerning them which
often masters men of great courage; and thus they are animated by a
noble and invincible resolution. Their skill in military affairs
increases their courage: and the wise sentiments which, according to
the laws of their country, are instilled into them in their education,
give additional vigour to their minds: for as they do not undervalue
life so as prodigally to throw it away, they are not so indecently fond
of it as to preserve it by base and unbecoming methods. In the
greatest heat of action the bravest of their youth, who have devoted
themselves to that service, single out the general of their enemies,
set on him either openly or by ambuscade; pursue him everywhere, and
when spent and wearied out, are relieved by others, who never give over
the pursuit, either attacking him with close weapons when they can get
near him, or with those which wound at a distance, when others get in
between them. So that, unless he secures himself by flight, they
seldom fail at last to kill or to take him prisoner. When they
have obtained a victory, they kill as few as possible, and are much
more bent on taking many prisoners than on killing those that fly before
them. Nor do they ever let their men so loose in the pursuit of
their enemies as not to retain an entire body still in order; so that
if they have been forced to engage the last of their battalions before
they could gain the day, they will rather let their enemies all escape
than pursue them when their own army is in disorder; remembering well
what has often fallen out to themselves, that when the main body of
their army has been quite defeated and broken, when their enemies, imagining
the victory obtained, have let themselves loose into an irregular pursuit,
a few of them that lay for a reserve, waiting a fit opportunity, have
fallen on them in their chase, and when straggling in disorder, and
apprehensive of no danger, but counting the day their own, have turned
the whole action, and, wresting out of their hands a victory that seemed
certain and undoubted, while the vanquished have suddenly become victorious.</p>
<p>“It is hard to tell whether they are more dexterous in laying
or avoiding ambushes. They sometimes seem to fly when it is far
from their thoughts; and when they intend to give ground, they do it
so that it is very hard to find out their design. If they see
they are ill posted, or are like to be overpowered by numbers, they
then either march off in the night with great silence, or by some stratagem
delude their enemies. If they retire in the day-time, they do
it in such order that it is no less dangerous to fall upon them in a
retreat than in a march. They fortify their camps with a deep
and large trench; and throw up the earth that is dug out of it for a
wall; nor do they employ only their slaves in this, but the whole army
works at it, except those that are then upon the guard; so that when
so many hands are at work, a great line and a strong fortification is
finished in so short a time that it is scarce credible. Their
armour is very strong for defence, and yet is not so heavy as to make
them uneasy in their marches; they can even swim with it. All
that are trained up to war practise swimming. Both horse and foot
make great use of arrows, and are very expert. They have no swords,
but fight with a pole-axe that is both sharp and heavy, by which they
thrust or strike down an enemy. They are very good at finding
out warlike machines, and disguise them so well that the enemy does
not perceive them till he feels the use of them; so that he cannot prepare
such a defence as would render them useless; the chief consideration
had in the making them is that they may be easily carried and managed.</p>
<p>“If they agree to a truce, they observe it so religiously that
no provocations will make them break it. They never lay their
enemies’ country waste nor burn their corn, and even in their
marches they take all possible care that neither horse nor foot may
tread it down, for they do not know but that they may have use for it
themselves. They hurt no man whom they find disarmed, unless he
is a spy. When a town is surrendered to them, they take it into
their protection; and when they carry a place by storm they never plunder
it, but put those only to the sword that oppose the rendering of it
up, and make the rest of the garrison slaves, but for the other inhabitants,
they do them no hurt; and if any of them had advised a surrender, they
give them good rewards out of the estates of those that they condemn,
and distribute the rest among their auxiliary troops, but they themselves
take no share of the spoil.</p>
<p>“When a war is ended, they do not oblige their friends to reimburse
their expenses; but they obtain them of the conquered, either in money,
which they keep for the next occasion, or in lands, out of which a constant
revenue is to be paid them; by many increases the revenue which they
draw out from several countries on such occasions is now risen to above
700,000 ducats a year. They send some of their own people to receive
these revenues, who have orders to live magnificently and like princes,
by which means they consume much of it upon the place; and either bring
over the rest to Utopia or lend it to that nation in which it lies.
This they most commonly do, unless some great occasion, which falls
out but very seldom, should oblige them to call for it all. It
is out of these lands that they assign rewards to such as they encourage
to adventure on desperate attempts. If any prince that engages
in war with them is making preparations for invading their country,
they prevent him, and make his country the seat of the war; for they
do not willingly suffer any war to break in upon their island; and if
that should happen, they would only defend themselves by their own people;
but would not call for auxiliary troops to their assistance.</p>
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