The king
should always honour the foes of his foes. He should take his own spies
as agents employed by his foes. The king should see that his own spies
are not recognised by his foe. He should make spies of atheists and
ascetics and send them to the territories of his enemies. Sinful thieves,
who offend against the laws of righteousness and who are thorns in the
side of every person, enter gardens and places of amusement and houses
set up for giving drinking water to thirsty travellers and public inns
and drinking spots and houses of ill fame and holy places and public
assemblies. These should be recognised and arrested and put down. The
king should not trust the person that does not deserve to be trusted nor
should he trust too much the person that is deserving of trust. Danger
springs from trust. Trust should never be placed without previous
examination. Having by plausible reasons inspired confidence in the
enemy, the king should smite him when he makes a false step. The king
should fear him, from whom there is no fear; he should also always fear
them that should be feared. Fear that arises from an unfeared one may
lead to total extermination. By attention (to the acquisition of
religious merit), by taciturnity, by the reddish garb of ascetics, and
wearing matted locks and skins, one should inspire confidence in one's
foe, and then (when the opportunity comes) one should jump upon him like
the wolf. A king desirous of prosperity should not scruple to slay son or
brother or father or friend, if any of these seek to thwart his objects.
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