My culled excerpts, clipped from a Project Gutenberg eBook – that first one. Should get the ideogram of it for my friends.
Book 7
35. Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy.
36. When you surround an army, leave an outlet free.
(I’ll take this to mean, like, when you’ve got someone cornered, don’t let them think there is no outlet because your enemy will fight with desperation, cf., Scorpio, “Never corner anything meaner than you.”)
Book 9, army on the move
18. When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on the natural strength of his position.
35. The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file.
Book 10
24. Soldiers when in desperate straits lose the sense of fear. If there is no place of refuge, they will stand firm. If they are in hostile country, they will show a stubborn front. If there is no help for it, they will fight hard.
60. Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy’s purpose.
61. By persistently hanging on the enemy’s flank, we shall succeed in the long run in killing the commander-in-chief.
Book 12
16. Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.
