This is a Maxim that is especially relevant to our military forces. But really, it is also relevant to the rest of us as well. Danger comes in all sorts of shapes and it is up to us to recognize it and be able to deal with it. This is one of the Maxims that is interesting in what it does NOT say. It does not tell us to avoid danger altogether, but to be prudent in how we handle it.

This is a Maxim that we should carefully look at. The 300 did venture prudently into the dangers of battle even though they knew that they would perish in the conflict. They chose their battle ground to maximize their effectiveness. This is how we must handle the dangers of our daily lives. We must be like the 300 in choosing when and where to deal with them. We must choose the way that we will be the most effective.

In order to do this we must understand what we are facing, and that is where the heart of this Maxim lies. If we cannot understand the danger, we cannot then understand how to best and most prudently handle it, and above all, that is what this Maxim would have us do.