Total War

"Whoever devotedly undertakes and performs this most holy journey...shall have the enjoyment of eternal reward from the repayer of all men."

"Surrender before you all die by the sword, for I do not wish you to perish."

"Put an end to so great an evil and arrive at a peace settlement whatever the outcome, and whatever the conditions."

"Take up the weapons of the glorious army for the salvation of many thousands."

"They assembled from all sides, one after another, with arms and horses and all the panoply of war..."

"Alas! How many noble and valiant knights we lost."

"The Frankish duke wept bitterly to see his soldiers massacred."

"He withdrew, himself wounded, and was compelled to return home inglorious, weeping ** he who had once vainly hoped for the glory of a triumph."

"Set out on pilgrimage and triumph gloriously over the infidels in the East."

"If some among them are innocent, it is expedient that they should be assayed like gold in the furnace and purged by proper judicial examination."

"It is not titles that honour men, but men that honour titles."

"One should never risk one's whole fortune unless supported by one's entire forces."

"It is carelessness to go about with one's hands inside the slits in the sides of his hakama."

"To cut and slash are two different things. Cutting, whatever form of cutting it is, is decisive, with a resolute spirit. Slashing is nothing more than touching the enemy."

"Through the autumn fields; his steed, swift as typhoon winds; the arrow, fleeter."

"Twice I awaken; once at the first burst of spring; once in wintertime."

"Be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction. Other than continuing to exert yourself, enter into nothing else, but go to the extent of living single thought by single thought."

"A samurai will use a toothpick even though he has not eaten. Inside the skin of a dog, outside the hide of a tiger."

"There is not a man who does not get senile by the time he reaches sixty. And when one thinks that he will not be senile, he is already so."

"The warmth of summer; an arrow floats on the breeze; bringing with it death."

"A soul ship finds me; crystal waters call my name; I am dragged below."

"An affected laugh shows lack of self-respect in a man and lewdness in a woman."

"Up into the sky; I kiss the falling snowflakes; as they pass me by."

"My acts mark the land; time makes ghosts of every deed; as snow hides footprints."

"If one thinks only of winning, a sordid victory will be worse than a defeat. For the most part, it becomes a squalid defeat."

"In the Wu Tzu it says: "He who would save his life shall lose it, and he who would give up his life shall save it.""

"If the enemy thinks of the mountains, attack like the sea; and if he thinks of the sea, attack like the mountains."

"Laying in the shade; dappled sunlight warms my face; a welcome farewell."

"A flash of lightning; illuminates man’s journey; then darkness returns."

"Snowflakes in the air; a cold wind carries them on; to my sacred home."

"The new year begins; my eyes hunger for the sight; of my last sunrise."

"It is said that one should not hesitate to correct himself when he has made a mistake. If he corrects himself without the least bit of delay, his mistakes will disappear."

"Second is the way of the merchant. The wine maker obtains his ingredients and puts them to use to make his living. The way of the merchant is always to live by taking profit."

"A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams."

"Sunset seduces; each step brings me no closer; the horizon flees."

"Take care of yourself so you can serve your master."

"The gaze should be large and broad. This is the twofold gaze 'Perception and Sight'. Perception is strong and sight weak."

"There is one transcending level, and this is the most excellent of all. This person is aware of the endlessness of entering deeply into a certain Way and never thinks of himself as having finished."

"The person who practices an art is an artist, not a samurai, and one should have the intention of being called a samurai."

"A cold, low whistle; accompanies my last breath; wind in sympathy."

"This life is inconsequential; I am merely concerned about your facing the evil paths in the next one."

"When you take up a sword, you must feel intent on cutting up the enemy. As you cut an enemy you must not change your grip, and your hands must not cower."

"The depths of winter; the wolf stalks his prey by night; red blood on white snow."

"The void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void."

"Melting icicles; once proud soldiers, lose all form; returning to streams."

"A tree’s skeleton; exposed by autumn season; ready for new life."

"Give my dream back raven! The moon you woke me to is misted over."

"Many men feel that they should act according to the time or the moment they are facing, and thus are in confusion when something goes beyond this and some difficulty arises."

"When a flower is composed, it does not bloom all at once although the spring has come. Otherwise, yesterday's friend will become today's enemy, as yesterday's flower will become today's dust."

"Blossom on the breeze; settles on the face of a corpse; beauty masking death."