--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A prince is also esteemed when he is a…" description: "\"A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a true enemy.\" — Niccolo Machiavelli" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg" --- # A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a… ![“A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a true enemy.” quote by Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg) > “A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a true enemy.” [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## 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 gains respect both by being a loyal friend and a formidable adversary, showing versatility in relationships. **In simple terms:** A prince is valued as a friend and as a strong enemy. Key Takeaway Cultivate both trust and strategic strength. Themes politics leadership strategy Mood strategic analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - negotiations - conflict resolution - team leadership - diplomacy Key Concepts realpolitik dual roles trust dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance friendliness with firmness? - When should a leader act as an adversary? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on being an enemy can erode long‑term alliances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [True friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-friend/) ## Related quotes > [“A prince is also esteemed when he shows himself a true friend or a true enemy, that is, when, without reservation, he takes his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-shows-himself-a-true-friend-or-a/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [A prince is also respected when he is a true friend and a true enemy; that is, when he declares himself on the side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-is-also-respected-when-he-is-a-true-friend-and-a-true-enemy/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Beware of the fish people, they are the true enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/beware-of-the-fish-people-they-are-the-true-enemy/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [The true enemy of man is generalization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-true-enemy-of-man-is-generalization/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If we keep fighting our own inner battles. We'll never have the strength to stand up and fight our true enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/if-we-keep-fighting-our-own-inner-battles-we-ll-never-have-the/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [Corruption is a true enemy to development.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsakhiagiin-elbegdorj/corruption-is-a-true-enemy-to-development/) [Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsakhiagiin-elbegdorj/) > [The enemy of science is not religion... . The true enemy is the substitution of thought, reflection, and curiosity with dogma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/the-enemy-of-science-is-not-religion-the-true-enemy-is-the/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [The self is every person's true enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ding-ling/the-self-is-every-person-s-true-enemy/) [Ding Ling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ding-ling/) > [100 True Enemy Is Better Than 1 Fake Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soldeir-the-rapper/100-true-enemy-is-better-than-1-fake-friend/) Soldeir The Rapper > [“Instead of blaming us, find your true enemy. And, where the offence is, there let the great axe fall.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marsden/instead-of-blaming-us-find-your-true-enemy-and-where-the-offence-is/) [John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marsden/) > [Fear is the only true enemy, born of ignorance and the parent of anger and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albert/fear-is-the-only-true-enemy-born-of-ignorance-and-the-parent-of-anger/) [Edward Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albert/) > [“...that's the true enemy of the future. Ignorance. Indifference. Failure to adapt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-littlefield/that-s-the-true-enemy-of-the-future-ignorance-indifference-failure-to/) [Sophie Littlefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-littlefield/) > [In my humble opinion, in the nuclear world, the true enemy is war itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/in-my-humble-opinion-in-the-nuclear-world-the-true-enemy-is-war-itself/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [“The true enemy of this bunch was not State Power but Lack of Imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-true-enemy-of-this-bunch-was-not-state-power-but-lack-of/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“The true enemy of humanity was not Evil, an abstract idea personified by some sort of crimson-faced creature dancing in flames, but Chance, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dexter-palmer/the-true-enemy-of-humanity-was-not-evil-an-abstract-idea-personified/) [Dexter Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dexter-palmer/) ## More by Niccolo Machiavelli > [Men generally decide upon a middle course, which is most hazardous, for they know neither how to be entirely good nor entirely bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-generally-decide-upon-a-middle-course-which-is-most-hazardous-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [It is the duty of a man of honor to teach others the good which he has not been able to do himself because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/it-is-the-duty-of-a-man-of-honor-to-teach-others-the-good-which-he/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who believes that new benefits make men of high station forget old injuries deceives himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-believes-that-new-benefits-make-men-of-high-station-forget/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [He who has once begun to live by rapine always finds reasons for taking what is not his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-has-once-begun-to-live-by-rapine-always-finds-reasons-for/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Everyone who wants to know what will happen ought to examine what has happened: everything in this world in any epoch has their replicas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/everyone-who-wants-to-know-what-will-happen-ought-to-examine-what-has/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Speaking generally, men are ungrateful, fickle, hypocritical, fearful odanger and covetous ogain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/speaking-generally-men-are-ungrateful-fickle-hypocritical-fearful/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [There is nothing as likely to succeed as what the enemy believes you cannot attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/there-is-nothing-as-likely-to-succeed-as-what-the-enemy-believes-you/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance, as though they were realities and are often more influenced by the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/for-the-great-majority-of-mankind-are-satisfied-with-appearance-as/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [That prince is highly esteemed who conveys this impression of himself, and he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against; for, provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/that-prince-is-highly-esteemed-who-conveys-this-impression-of-himself/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“Anyone who studies present and ancient affairs will easily see how in all cities and all peoples there still exist, and have always existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/anyone-who-studies-present-and-ancient-affairs-will-easily-see-how-in/) [Niccolò Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [I believe that it is possible for one to praise, without concern, any man after he is dead since every reason and supervision for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/i-believe-that-it-is-possible-for-one-to-praise-without-concern-any/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Men are always averse to enterprises in which they foresee difficulties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/men-are-always-averse-to-enterprises-in-which-they-foresee/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [“He who causes another to become powerful ruins himself, for he brings such a power into being either by design or by force, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/he-who-causes-another-to-become-powerful-ruins-himself-for-he-brings/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [One never finds anything perfectly pure and ... exempt from danger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/one-never-finds-anything-perfectly-pure-and-exempt-from-danger/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) [Explore all 590 Niccolo Machiavelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. Everything else is rubbish!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/in-this-business-you-find-the-enemy-then-go-after-and-destroy-him/) [Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a true enemy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Niccolo Machiavelli" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-true-friend-and-a-true-enemy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-true-friend-and-a-true-enemy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45b/niccolo-machiavelli-368_enemy_a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-t_1572342.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A prince is also esteemed when he is a true friend and a true enemy.” — Niccolo Machiavelli", "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": "Niccolo Machiavelli", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A prince is also esteemed when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-true-friend-and-a-true-enemy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/a-prince-is-also-esteemed-when-he-is-a-true-friend-and-a-true-enemy/#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 } } ] } ```