Pagina 140 de 266

[This is an obscure sentence, and none of the commentators

succeed in squeezing very good sense out of it. I follow Li

Ch'uan, who appears to offer the simplest explanation: "Only the

side that gets more men will win." Fortunately we have Chang Yu

to expound its meaning to us in language which is lucidity

itself: "When the numbers are even, and no favourable opening

presents itself, although we may not be strong enough to deliver

a sustained attack, we can find additional recruits amongst our

sutlers and camp-followers, and then, concentrating our forces

and keeping a close watch on the enemy, contrive to snatch the

victory. But we must avoid borrowing foreign soldiers to help

us." He then quotes from Wei Liao Tzŭ, ch. 3: "The nominal

strength of mercenary troops may be 100,000, but their real value

will be not more than half that figure."]

41. He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his

opponents is sure to be captured by them.