A battle that you win cancels any other bad action of yours. In the same way, by losing one, all the good things worked by you before become vain.
Necessities can be many, but the one that is stronger is that which constrains you to win or to die.
Never lead your soldiers to battle if you have not first confirmed their spirit and known them to be without fear and ordered; and never test them except when you see that they hope to win.
Present wars impoverish the lords that win as much as those that lose.
