'Sir,' said Peter, 'I do not know whether you are my friend or my foe, but I should count it to my honour to have you for either. Has not one of the poets said that a noble friend is the best gift and a noble enemy the next best?' (ch. 14)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Peter honors both friends and enemies equally, citing poetry that values noble adversaries nearly as much as noble allies.
- In plain terms
- Respect both friends and foes, since a worthy opponent can be as valuable as a good friend.
- What can you take from it?
- Value noble adversaries as much as allies.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can an enemy teach you something a friend cannot?
- How do you treat opponents with respect?
Another view
Idealizes enemies as potentially noble, which may not reflect reality.
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