On Military Matters

For gaining glory and spreading the eternal memory of great deeds, the greatest help and strongest support is Literary Learning. The author uses the word "litteratura" to mean a deep, scholarly education in the liberal arts, rather than just basic literacy. By this, I do not mean the common, crude, and barbaric learning used by the commanders who currently inhabit military camps. I mean that excellent and precise learning joined with the knowledge of many subjects. A person who has not been polished by such education will not sufficiently understand the instructions of those who wrote in the past, nor the examples of the men they wrote about.

Our diligence and care are most needed to obtain this knowledge. Times and hours often occur when it is necessary to be free from these military matters. Wars are not fought constantly. Every day and night has some interval of rest where you can stay at home and be alone with old friends, that is, with books. Above all, the mind must be shaped and, as it were, initiated by the work of a supreme teacher.

Considering this, Philip, the most wise king of the Macedonians, entrusted his son Alexander to Aristotle, the greatest philosopher of that age, to be steeped in letters. He did this so that Alexander might achieve that excellence of learning and education I just mentioned. This most prudent king would not have done so unless he himself had been educated. While he was held as a hostage by the Thebans in place of his brother, Philip was instructed for three years by Epaminondas, a most vigorous commander and a great philosopher. Epaminondas was a famous Theban general and statesman of the 4th century BCE, known for his tactical genius and integrity. Nor would such a great philosopher as Aristotle have taken up this duty if the seeds of the most honorable arts did not require the best teacher.

Regarding this matter, Philip's letter to Aristotle about his son Alexander still exists, written in this manner: "Know that a son has been born to me. I give thanks to the gods for this, not so much because he was born, but because it happened that he was born during your lifetime. I hope that, after being educated and instructed by you, he will become worthy of us and of the undertaking of these affairs."

These are most wise words, worthy of such a great prince. He believed his son would only be worthy of the kingdom and the administration of such great things if he were educated in letters and disciplines. And it was plainly so. First by his own nature, then by conversation, and finally by the teachings and instructions of such a great philosopher, Alexander was adorned. The King acted in such a way that he was believed to be born of a god and most like a god. After his childhood was completed, he spent five years with Aristotle and then with Callisthenes Callisthenes was a historian and the great-nephew of Aristotle who accompanied Alexander on his Asiatic expedition. the rhetorician. He then attacked the world, conquered innumerable forces and nations, and illustrated nearly the entire world with his victories. Since at that time the common army was being trained in arms...