Pagina 155 di 734

In fact, the regular troops come to be cowards whenever the

danger is greater than their means of meeting it; supposing, for

example, that they are inferior in numbers and resources: then

they are the first to fly, but the mere militia stand and fall on

the ground (which as you know really happened at the

Hermaeum),[22] for in the eyes of these flight was disgraceful

and death preferable to safety bought at such a price: while "the

regulars" originally went into the danger under a notion of their

own superiority, but on discovering their error they took to

flight,[23] having greater fear of death than of disgrace; but

this is not the feeling of the Brave man.