XI
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Sadi and Ross, James
A reduced foe, who offers his submission and courts your amity, can only have in view to become a strong enemy, as they have said: "You cannot trust the sincerity of friends, then what are you to expect from the cajoling of foes?" Whoever despises a weak enemy resembles him who neglects a spark of fire:—To-day that thou canst quench it, put it out; for let fire rise into a flame, and it may consume a whole world. Now that thou canst transfix him with thy arrow, permit not thy antagonist to string his bow.