--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In every tyrant's heart there springs in…" description: "\"In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.\" — Aeschylus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png" --- # In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this… ![“In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.” quote by Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png) > “In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.” [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A ruler's paranoia breeds distrust, making even friendship seem poisonous. **In simple terms:** Leaders often cannot trust friends due to fear. Key Takeaway Beware of suspicion that poisons relationships. Themes power trust paranoia leadership Mood cautious reflective Type cautionary political When to use this quote - political negotiations - corporate leadership - personal relationships - team management Key Concepts political psychology fear of betrayal authoritarianism Questions to Reflect On - How does fear shape a leader's decisions? - Can trust be rebuilt after betrayal? A Different Perspective Even a tyrant may find genuine allies if he overcomes fear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End Poison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-poison-2790417/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Poison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poison/) [Poison Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poison-trust-2790416/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) [Trust A Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-a-friend-222289/) [Trust Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust-friend-1029973/) [Tyrant Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyrant-heart-1122060/) ## Related quotes > [Once an audience feels that you trust them like you trust a friend, they do become your friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/signe-baumane/once-an-audience-feels-that-you-trust-them-like-you-trust-a-friend/) [Signe Baumane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/signe-baumane/) > [“If you’re the person who is being asked to be friends, say no. If your ex is saying that he or she simply can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-elliott/if-you-re-the-person-who-is-being-asked-to-be-friends-say-no-if-your/) [Susan J. Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-elliott/) > [There's ways you can trust an enemy you can't always trust a friend. An enemy's never going to betray your trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-abraham/there-s-ways-you-can-trust-an-enemy-you-can-t-always-trust-a-friend/) [Daniel Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-abraham/) > [“We have very little faith in the Lord, very little trust. If we trusted the Lord as much as we trust a friend when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elder-thaddeus-of-vitovnica/we-have-very-little-faith-in-the-lord-very-little-trust-if-we-trusted/) [Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elder-thaddeus-of-vitovnica/) > [“If you build the faith to trust a friend as God, then your heart can never be broken.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/if-you-build-the-faith-to-trust-a-friend-as-god-then-your-heart-can/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Love reigns a very tyrant in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-otway/love-reigns-a-very-tyrant-in-my-heart/) [Thomas Otway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-otway/) > [Love is the tyrant of the heart; it darkens Reason, confounds discretion; deaf to Counsel It runs a headlong course to desperate madness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/love-is-the-tyrant-of-the-heart-it-darkens-reason-confounds/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) > [You Meet A Friend. You Like A Friend. You Love A Friend. You Trust A Friend. You Date A Friend. You Fuck A Friend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-meet-a-friend-you-like-a-friend-you-love-a-friend-you-trust-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never trust a friend, a brother, a wife, and a father because they can betray you. Consider what Judas did to Jesus, what Cain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/never-trust-a-friend-a-brother-a-wife-and-a-father-because-they-can/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [I trust her for being my friend, but lately, I found out that she started to broke up my trust on her. Hope she'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glory-gajo/i-trust-her-for-being-my-friend-but-lately-i-found-out-that-she/) [Glory Gajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glory-gajo/) > [My own definition of a friend: A true friend is someone who you can rely on , when you can trust no one ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/my-own-definition-of-a-friend-a-true-friend-is-someone-who-you-can/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Trust and Friend are two examples of words that have been overused too many time that some people have forgotten the meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaitan-fagbamila/trust-and-friend-are-two-examples-of-words-that-have-been-overused/) [OLAITAN FAGBAMILA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaitan-fagbamila/) > [Trust no friend without faults, and love a woman, but no angel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/trust-no-friend-without-faults-and-love-a-woman-but-no-angel/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [How can I trust you? How can I call you my friend? You're backstabbing me, don't expect anything from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-can-i-trust-you-how-can-i-call-you-my-friend-you-re-backstabbing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it's the spiritual inspiration that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-glory-of-friendship-is-not-the-outstretched-hand-nor-the-kindly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Aeschylus > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [May dawn, as the proverb goes, bring happy tidings coming from her mother night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/may-dawn-as-the-proverb-goes-bring-happy-tidings-coming-from-her/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [In visions of the night, like dropping rain, Descend the many memories of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/in-visions-of-the-night-like-dropping-rain-descend-the-many-memories/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The cure is in the house, not brought by other hands from distant places, but by its own, in agony and blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-cure-is-in-the-house-not-brought-by-other-hands-from-distant/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The tongue of slander is too prompt with wanton malice to wound the stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-tongue-of-slander-is-too-prompt-with-wanton-malice-to-wound-the/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [The holy heaven yearns to wound the earth, and yearning layeth hold on the earth to join in wedlock; the rain, fallen from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/the-holy-heaven-yearns-to-wound-the-earth-and-yearning-layeth-hold-on/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [God loves to help him who strives to help himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/god-loves-to-help-him-who-strives-to-help-himself/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Good fortune is a god among men, and more than a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/good-fortune-is-a-god-among-men-and-more-than-a-god/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Zeus, first cause, prime mover; for what thing without Zeus is done among mortals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/zeus-first-cause-prime-mover-for-what-thing-without-zeus-is-done/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [God planteth in mortal men the cause of sin whensoever he wills utterly to destroy a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/god-planteth-in-mortal-men-the-cause-of-sin-whensoever-he-wills/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Human prosperity never rests but always craves more, till blown up with pride it totters and falls. From the opulent mansions pointed at by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/human-prosperity-never-rests-but-always-craves-more-till-blown-up/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [To be free from evil thoughts is God's best gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/to-be-free-from-evil-thoughts-is-god-s-best-gift/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [Hungry wailing standeth not aloof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hungry-wailing-standeth-not-aloof/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [“If libations were proper to pour above the slain, this man deserved, more than deserved, such sacrament. He filled our cup with evil things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/if-libations-were-proper-to-pour-above-the-slain-this-man-deserved/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/for-there-is-no-defense-for-a-man-who-in-the-excess-of-his-wealth-has/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) [Explore all 382 Aeschylus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Aeschylus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in-the-end-this-poison-that-he/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friendship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in-the-end-this-poison-that-he/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/aeschylus-749_friendship_in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in_1087079.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In every tyrant's heart there springs in the end this poison, that he cannot trust a friend.” — Aeschylus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Aeschylus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In every tyrant's heart there springs...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in-the-end-this-poison-that-he/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/in-every-tyrant-s-heart-there-springs-in-the-end-this-poison-that-he/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```