Sun Tzu

"Therefore a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy"

"The commander stands alone, responsible for the victory or defeat of his nation"

"Secrecy is the soul of all military operations"

"Rapidity is the essence of war"

"The strong and weak are matters of disposition"

"To know your enemy, you must become your enemy"

"The supreme art is not to fight at all, but to win without conflict"

"A victorious army seeks to win first and then seeks to engage the enemy"

"Foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits, nor from the gods, but must be obtained from men"

"The general who loses makes but few calculations beforehand"

"Fire may serve as a substitute for a frontal attack in the right circumstances"

"When strong, avoid your enemy; when weak, avoid his strength"

"The highest excellence is like that of water, which flows freely in all directions"

"A leader leads by example; soldiers will follow a commander who shows bravery"

"By holding out baits, you can manipulate the enemy; by pretending to retreat, you can break his spirit"

"The true measure of a commander is his ability to minimize casualties while maximizing victory"

"Perfect strategy is to avoid battle altogether through preparation and positioning"

"Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered; those who are skilled in winning do not become fearful"

"The pivot of victory lies in the arrangement of forces and in reading the enemy's intentions"

"A commander is victorious in advance; a commander who is defeated has already been conquered in his own mind"