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" Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge. "

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" The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable. "

Sun Tzu

Enemy

Him

Own

" If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. "

" When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce. "

" The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. "

" Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts. Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared. "

" He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. "

" All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved. "

" Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory. "

" Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. "

" If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to longevity. "

" He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious. "

" For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill. "

" If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near. "

" The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim. "

Sun Tzu

Quality

Destroy

" To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence. "

" Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance. "

" To fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. "

" The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom. "

" The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. "

" Invincibility lies in the defence; the possibility of victory in the attack. "

" The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand. "

" Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations. "

Sun Tzu

Liberal

Matters

" For them to perceive the advantage of defeating the enemy, they must also have their rewards. "

" He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. "

" Quickness is the essence of the war. "

" Confront them with annihilation, and they will then survive; plunge them into a deadly situation, and they will then live. When people fall into danger, they are then able to strive for victory. "

" It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results. "

" In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. "

" Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. "

" He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. "