13．有時三思而行，有時立下決斷

    有時三思而行，有時立下決斷。生活就是一場與邪惡的戰争。睿智的鬥争伴随着意圖的戰略性改變&mdash&mdash恐吓是假，聲東擊西。他總是隐藏自己的意圖，先是老練地虛晃一槍，然後出其不意地猛擊對方要害。他透露出一個意圖，隻是為了吸引對方的注意力，然後再伺機出奇制勝。但是，明智的人可以警惕地預料到這一招，然後隐藏起來&mdash&mdash明智者總能看清對手希望自己了解的情況之反面，看破對方每個虛招詭計。他會放過第一次出擊，等待第二個時機，甚至第三次出擊的機會。當狡詐者發現自己的陰謀被人識破，就會使出更高的招數：改變策略，以改變欺詐，想要用真相本身來蒙蔽，用不欺騙來達到欺騙的目的，把欺騙建立在最大程度的坦誠上。但是，明智者更會警覺起來，發現其光明外表下暗藏的陰謀詭計，解讀其每個行動的真實含義，對方外表越單純，可能心計越狡詐。蟒蛇怪皮同(1)用陰謀詭計與阿波羅的明光相鬥時的情況正是如此。

    

    13．Actsometimesonsecondthoughts,sometimesonfirstimpulse

    Actsometimesonsecondthoughts,sometimesonfirstimpulse.Man'slifeisawarfareagainstthemaliceofothers.Sagacityfightswithstrategicchangesofintention:itneverdoeswhatitthreatens,itaimsonlyatescapingnotice.Itaimsintheairwithdexterityandstrikeshomeinanunexpecteddirection,alwaysseekingtoconcealitsgame.Itletsapurposeappearinordertoattracttheopponent'sattention,butthenturnsroundandconquersbytheunexpected.Butapenetratingintelligenceanticipatesthisbywatchfulnessandlurksinambush.Italwaysunderstandstheoppositeofwhattheopponentwishesittounderstand,andrecognizeseveryfeintofguile.Itletsthefirstimpulsepassbyandwaitsforthesecond,oreventhethird.Sagacitynowrisestohigherflightsonseeingitsartificeforeseen,andtriestodeceivebytruthitself,changesitsgameinordertochangeitsdeceit,andcheatsbynotcheating,andfoundsdeceptiononthegreatestcandour.Buttheopposingintelligenceisonguardwithincreasedwatchfulness,anddiscoversthedarknessconcealedbythelightanddecipherseverymove,themoresubtlebecausemoresimple.InthiswaytheguileofthePythoncombatsthefardartingraysofApollo.

    (1)是古希臘神話中大地女神蓋亞之子，代表黑暗，後被阿波羅用弓箭和火炬殺死。