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<v Speaker 1>Chapter four of the Art of War. This is a

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in a public domain.

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<v Speaker 1>For more information or to volunteer, please visit librivos dot org.

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<v Speaker 1>Recording by Paul z. The Art of War by Swinzer,

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter four, Tactical dispositions. One, Swinzer said, the good fighters

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<v Speaker 1>of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat,

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<v Speaker 1>and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. Two.

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<v Speaker 1>To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands.

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<v Speaker 1>But the opportunity of defeating the enemy is proved by

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<v Speaker 1>the enemy himself. Three. Thus the good fighter is able

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<v Speaker 1>to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of

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<v Speaker 1>defeating the enemy. Four. Hence the saying one may know

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<v Speaker 1>how to conquer without being able to do it. Five.

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<v Speaker 1>Security against defeat implies defensive tactics. Ability to defeat the

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<v Speaker 1>enemy means taking the offensive. Six. Standing on the defensive

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<v Speaker 1>indicates insufficient strength. Attacking a super abundance of strength. Seven.

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<v Speaker 1>The general who is skilled in defense hides in the

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<v Speaker 1>most secret recesses of the earth. He who is skilled

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<v Speaker 1>in attack, flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven. Thus,

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<v Speaker 1>on the one hand, we have ability to protect ourselves.

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<v Speaker 1>On the other, a victory that is complete. Eight. To

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<v Speaker 1>see victory only when it is within the can of

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<v Speaker 1>the common herd is not the acme of excellence. Nine.

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<v Speaker 1>Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight

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<v Speaker 1>and conquer and the whole empire says well done. Ten.

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<v Speaker 1>To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength.

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<v Speaker 1>To see the sun and moon is no sign of

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<v Speaker 1>sharp sight. To hear the noise of thunder is no

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<v Speaker 1>sign of a quick ear Eleven. What the ancients called

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<v Speaker 1>the clever fighter is one who not only wins, but

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<v Speaker 1>excels in winning with ease. Twelve. Hence, his victories bring

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<v Speaker 1>him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for carriage. Thirteen.

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<v Speaker 1>He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no

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<v Speaker 1>mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it

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<v Speaker 1>means conquering enough an enemy that is already defeated. Fourteen. Hence,

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<v Speaker 1>the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes

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<v Speaker 1>defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating

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<v Speaker 1>the enemy. Fifteen. Thus it is that in war, the

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<v Speaker 1>victorious strategist only seeks back after the victory has been won,

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<v Speaker 1>whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and

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<v Speaker 1>afterwards looks for victory. Sixteen. The consummate leader cultivates the

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<v Speaker 1>moral law and strictly adheres to method and discipline. Thus

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<v Speaker 1>it is in his power to control success seventeen. In

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<v Speaker 1>respect of military method, we have firstly measurement, secondly estimation

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<v Speaker 1>of quantity, thirdly calculation, fourthly balancing of chances, fifthly victory eighteen.

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<v Speaker 1>Measurement owes its existence to earth, estimation of quantity to measurement,

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<v Speaker 1>calculation to estimation of quantity, balancing of chances to calculation,

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<v Speaker 1>and victory to balancing of chances. Nineteen. A victorious army

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<v Speaker 1>opposed to a rooted one is as a palm's weight

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<v Speaker 1>placed in the scale against a single grain. Twenty. The

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<v Speaker 1>onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of

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<v Speaker 1>pent up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.

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<v Speaker 1>End of Chapter four