If that's not a novelist's description of what a lost cause is I've never read one.

这就是一个小说家所描述的失败的代价,我从未读到过更贴切的说法了

耶鲁公开课 - 美国内战与重建课程节选

If the invader chooses the hard pass he will lose one battalion of his army simply in getting over the mountains, simply in going through the hard pass.

如果侵略者选择崎岖的路,仅在穿越阿尔卑斯山的途中,他就要损失一个营的兵力,这就是选崎岖之路的代价

耶鲁公开课 - 博弈论课程节选