28. 是故朝氣銳晝氣惰暮氣歸
Now a soldier’s spirit is keenest in the morning;
Always provided, I suppose, that he has had breakfast. At the battle of the Trebia, the Romans were foolishly allowed to fight fasting, whereas Hannibal’s men had breakfasted at their leisure. See Livy, XXI, liv. 8, lv. 1 and 8.
by noonday it has begun to flag; and in the evening, his mind is bent only on returning to camp.
29. 故善用兵者避其銳氣擊其惰歸此治氣者也
A clever general, therefore,
The 故, which certainly seems to be wanted here, is omitted in the T‘u Shu.
avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods.
The T‘ung Tien, for reasons of 避諱 “avoidance of personal names of the reigning dynasty,” reads 理 for 治 in this and the two next paragraphs.
30. 以治待亂以靜待譁此治心者也