How to benefit from your enemies

Author's name: Plutarch

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Human nature is one, constant across eras and places. This is proven by these two texts by Plutarch, the Greek thinker who, since his time, sensed the need to help his contemporaries "benefit from their enemies" and "distinguish between a flatterer and a friend." In this engaging book, which blends humor, anecdotes, myth, and history, Plutarch reveals all the tricks of flattery and teaches us to beware of honeyed praise, false frankness, and hypocritical friends. He even goes so far as to prove the usefulness of enemies, who push us to be cautious, motivating us to develop ourselves and achieve the best version of ourselves, which ultimately constitutes the best and most noble response and revenge we can offer to our adversaries. These enlightening pages, written centuries ago, still retain their full relevance, which is the best evidence of their validity, accuracy, and wisdom.