For surely an army, if it is to fulfil its function at all, must always be engaged in hurting the foe or helping itself.

A single man is hard enough to support in idleness, a household is harder still, an army hardest of all.

There are more mouths to be filled, less wealth to start with, and greater waste; and therefore an army should never be unemployed." [18] "If I take your meaning," answered Cyrus, "you think an idle general as useless as an idle farmer.
And here and now I answer for the working general, and promise on his behalf that with God's help he will show you that his troops have all they need and their bodies are all they ought to be.

And I think," he added, "I know a way by which an officer might do much towards training his men in the various branches of war.

Let him propose competitions of every kind and offer prizes; the standard of skill will rise, and he will soon have a body of troops ready to his hand for any service he requires." "Nothing could be better," answered the father.