BOOK III
If the preceding books have corresponded to their titles, and I have held the attention of the reader up to this point, I will now treat of ruses that deal with the siege and defence of towns. Waiving any preface, I will first submit those which are useful in the siege of cities, then those which offer suggestions to the besieged. Laying aside also all considerations of works and engines of war, the invention of Avhich has long since reached its liniit,^ and for the improve- ment of which 1 see no further hope in the applied arts, I shall recognize the following types of stratagems connected with siege operations :
I. On surprise attacks. II. On deceiving the besieged. III. On inducing treachery. IV. By what means the enem}-^ may be reduced
to want. V. How to persuade the enemy that the siege
will be maintained. 'I. On distracting the attention of a hostile garrison. VII. On diverting; streams and contaminating waters. VI 11. On terrorizing the besieged. IX. On attacks from an unexpected quarter. X. On setting traps to draw out the besieged. XI. On pretended retirements.
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