that it was just these little things that gave the Romans their
fighting power; that it was because the whole company moved as one
man, and fought as one man, each knowing his place and falling into
it, however great the confusion, however sudden the alarm, that
made them what they were.

"Why do they conquer you?" he said. "Chiefly because you can never
throw them into confusion. Charge down upon them and break them,
and they at once reunite and a solid wall opposes your scattered
efforts. You know how cattle, when wolves attack them, gather in
a circle with their horns outwards, and so keep at bay those who
could pull them down and rend them separately. At present it seems
ridiculous to you that every position of the hand, every movement
of the arm, should be done by rule; but when you have practised them
these will become a second nature; so with your other movements.
It seems folly to you to do with measured steps what it seems you
could do far more quickly by running together hastily; but it is
not so. The slowest movement is really the quickest, and it has the
advantage that no one is hurried, that everything is done steadily
and regularly, and that even in the greatest heat and confusion of
a battle every man takes his place, as calm and ready to fight as
if no foe were in sight. Now let us try this again. At the end of
the day I shall pick out some of those who are quickest and most
attentive, and make of them officers under me. They will have more
work to do, for they will have to understand and teach my orders,
but also they will gain more honour and credit."

For hours the drill went on; then they broke off for dinner and
again worked until evening, and by that time had made sufficient
progress in their simple movements to begin to feel that there