35.28
Philopoemen possessed exceptional skill
in the conduct of a march and the selection of positions; he had made these
the objects of special attention in peace as well as in war. It was his habit,
when he was travelling and had come to a mountain pass difficult to traverse,
to study the ground in all directions. If he was alone he would think the
matter over, if he were accompanied he would ask those with him what they
would do if an enemy showed himself there, what tactics they would employ
according as the attack was made upon their front, or on either flank or on
their rear; the enemy in battle order might possibly come upon them whilst
they were deployed for action or possibly whilst they were in column of
march, unprepared for attack. He used to think out for himself and question
others as to some position which he intended to secure, what numbers and
what weapons -for these differed considerably -he ought to employ; where
he ought to deposit the baggage and the soldiers' kits; where the
non-combatants ought to be placed; what ought to be the strength and
nature of the baggage guard; and whether it would be better to go forward
or for the army to retrace its steps. He used also to consider very carefully
the sites he ought to select for his camp, the amount of ground to be
enclosed, the supply of water, fodder and wood, the safest route to take on
the morrow and the best formation in which to march. He had exercised his
mind on these problems from earliest manhood to such an extent that there
was no device for meeting them with which he was not familiar. On the
present occasion he first of all halted the column, and then sent up to the
front the Cretan auxiliaries and the so-called Tarentine horse, and the rest of
the cavalry were ordered to follow them. He then took possession of a rock
which overhung a mountain torrent, so that he might have a water supply.
Here he collected the camp-followers and the whole of the baggage and
surrounded them with a guard. His entrenchments were such as the nature of
the position allowed, and the setting up of the tents on such rough and
uneven ground presented considerable difficulty. The enemy were half a mile
distant, both sides watered at the same stream under the protection of the
light infantry, and as usually happens when the camps are near one another,
night intervened before the forces engaged. It was quite certain, however,
that there would be a battle between the detachments who were guarding the
water-carriers, and in view of this Philopoemen during the night posted in a
valley out of the enemy's view as large a force of his caetrati as the ground
would conceal.