《史记·七十列传·卫将军骠骑列传》
霍去病善于骑马射箭，两次随从大将军出征，大将军奉皇上之命，拨给他一些壮勇的战士，任命他为剽姚校尉。他同八百名轻捷勇敢的骑兵，径直抛开大军几百里，寻找有利的机会攻杀敌人，他们所斩杀的敌兵数量超过了他们的损失。
善骑射，再从大将军，受诏与壮士，为剽姚校尉，与轻勇骑八百直弃大军数百里赴利，斩捕首虏过当。
Huo Qubing was good at riding horses and shooting arrows. He followed the general and went to war twice. Following the orders of the emperor, the general gave him some strong and brave warriors and made him the general of the Piao Yao Cavalry. He went with eight hundred light and brave cavalrymen for a few hundred miles, straight ahead of the massive troops, looking for a good opportunity to attack and kill the enemy. The number of enemy troops he killed and injured was much more than the number of his own troops killed and injured.