5–7
Hence you need not fear their daring. On the contrary, you inspire in them a dread far greater and better justified, both because you have already defeated them and because they think that you would not be facing them at all unless you expected to achieve a result commensurate with the very great odds.
For most men, when, like our present opponents, they are equal to their foes, rely more upon their strength when they advance to the attack thLn upon their resolution; whereas those who dare oppose them with greatly inferior numbers, and at the same time without being compelled to do so. must possess in a high degree the quality of unwavering resolution. Taking all these things into consideration, our enemies have come to fear us more on account of what is amazing in our conduct than they would if our preparations were less out of proportion to their own.
Furthermore many an army has before now been overthrown by smaller numbers through its own want of experience, and sone too through a deficiency of daring, and at this moment we can be charged with neither.