The 48 Laws of Power: Images

Question 1

NEVER OUTSHINE THE MASTER

Answer 1

The Stars in the Sky.

There can only be one sun at a time. Never obscure the sunlight, or rival the sun’s brilliance; rather, fade into the sky and find ways to heighten the master star’s intensity.

Question 2

NEVER PUT TOO MUCH TRUST IN FRIENDS, LEARN HOW TO USE ENEMIES

Answer 2

The Jaws of Ingratitude.

Knowing what would happen if you put a finger in the mouth of a lion, you would stay clear of it. With friends you will have no such caution, and if you hire them, they will eat you alive with ingratitude.

Question 3

CONCEAL YOUR INTENTIONS

Answer 3

A Sheep’s Skin.

A sheep never marauds, a sheep never deceives, a sheep is magnificently dumb and docile. With a sheepskin on his back, a fox can pass right into the chicken coop.

Question 4

ALWAYS SAY LESS THAN NECESSARY

Answer 4

The Oracle at Delphi.

When visitors consulted the Oracle, the priestess would utter a few enigmatic words that seemed full of meaning and import. No one disobeyed the words of the Oracle - they held power over life and death.

Question 5

SO MUCH DEPENDS ON REPUTATION - GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE

Answer 5

A Mine Full of Diamonds and Rubies.

You dug for it, you found it, and your wealth is now assured. Guard it with your life. Robbers and thieves will appear from all sides. Never take your wealth for granted, and constantly renew it - time will diminish the jewel’s luster, and bury them from sight.

Question 6

COURT ATTENTION AT ALL COSTS

Answer 6

The Limelight.

The actor who steps into this brilliant light attains a heightened presence. All eyes are on him. There is room for only one actor at a time in the limelight’s narrow beam; do whatever it takes to make yourself its focus. Make your gestures so large, amusing, and scandalous that the light stays on you while the other actors are left in the shadows.

The Dance of the Veils -

the veils envelop the dancer. What they reveal causes excitement. What they conceal heightens interest. The essence of mystery.

Question 7

GET OTHERS TO DO THE WORK FOR YOU, BUT ALWAYS TAKE THE CREDIT

Answer 7

The Vulture.

Of all the creatures in the jungle, he has it the easiest. The hard work of others becomes his work; their failure to survive becomes his nourishment. Keep an eye on the Vulture - while you are hard at work, he is circling above. Do not fight him, join him.

Question 8

MAKE OTHER PEOPLE COME TO YOU - USE BAIT IF NECESSARY

Answer 8

The Honeyed Bear Trap.

The bear hunter does not chase his prey; a bear that knows it is hunted is nearly impossible to catch and is ferocious if cornered. Instead, the hunter lays traps baited with honey. He does not exhaust himself and risk his life in pursuit. He baits, then waits.

Question 9

WIN THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS, NEVER THROUGH ARGUMENT

Answer 9

The See-Saw.

Up and down and up and down go the arguers, getting nowhere fast. Get off the seasaw and show them your meaning without kicking or pushing. Leave them at the top and let gravity bring them gently to the ground.

Question 10

INFECTION: AVOID THE UNHAPPY AND UNLUCKY

Answer 10

A Virus.

Unseen, it enters your pores without warning, spreading silently and slowly. Before you are aware of the infection, it is deep inside you.

Question 11

LEARN TO KEEP PEOPLE DEPENDENT ON YOU

Answer 11

Vines with Many Thorns.

Below, the roots grow deep and wide. Above, the vines push through the bushes, entwine themselves around trees and poles and window ledges. To get rid of them would cost such toil and blood, it is easier to let them climb.

Question 12

USE SELECTIVE HONESTY AND GENEROSITY TO DISARM YOUR VICTIM

Answer 12

The Trojan Horse.

Your guile is hidden inside a magnificent gift that proves irresistible to your opponent. The walls open. Once inside, wreak havoc.

Question 13

WHEN ASKING FOR HELP, APPEAL TO PEOPLE’S SELF-INTERST, NEVER TO THEIR MERCY OR GRATITUDE

Answer 13

A Cord that Binds.

The cord of mercy and gratitude is threadbare, and will break at the first shock. Do not throw such a lifeline. The cord of mutual self-interest is woven of many fibers and cannot easily be severed. It will serve you well for years.

Question 14

POSE AS A FRIEND, WORK AS A SPY

Answer 14

The Third Eye of the Spy.

In the land of the two-eyed, the third eye gives you the omniscience of a god. You see further than others, and you see deeper into them. Nobody is safe from the eye but you.

Question 15

CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY

Answer 15

A viper crushed beneath your foot but left alive, will rear up and bite you with a double dose of venom. An enemy that is left around is a like a half-dead viper that you nurse back to health. Time makes venom grow stronger.

Question 16

USE ABSENCE TO INCREASE RESPECT AND HONOR

Answer 16

The Sun.

It can only be appreciated by its absence. The longer the days of rain, the more the sun is craved. But too many hot days an the sun overwhelms. Learn to keep yourself obscure and make people demand your return.

Question 17

KEEP OTHERS IN SUSPENDED TERROR: CULTIVATE AN AIR OF UNPREDICTABILITY

Answer 17

The Cyclone.

A wind that cannot be forseen. Sudden shifts in the barometer, inexplicable changes in direction and velocity. There is no defense: A cyclone sows terror and confusion.

Question 18

DO NOT BUILD FORTRESSES TO PROTECT YOURSELF - ISOLATION IS DANGEROUS

Answer 18

The Fortress.

High up on the hill, the citadel becomes a symbol of all that is hateful in power and authority. The citizens of the town betray you to the first enemy that comes. Cut off from communication and intelligence, the citadel falls with ease.

Question 19

KNOW WHO YOU’RE DEALING WITH - DO NOT OFFEND THE WRONG PERSON

Answer 19

The Hunter.

He does not lay the same trap for a wolf as for a fox. He does not set bait where no one will take it. He knows his prey thoroughly, its habits and hideaways, and hunts accordingly.

Question 20

DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYONE

…BUT BE COURTED BY ALL

… - STAY ABOVE THE FRAY

Answer 20

The Virgin Queen.

The center of attention, desire, and worship. Never succumbing to one suitor or the other, the Virgin Queen keeps them all revolving around her like planets, unable to leave her orbit but never getting any closer to her.

A Thicket of Shrubs.

In the forest, one shrub latchs onto another, entagling its neighbor with its thorns, the thicket slowly extending its impenetrable domain. Only what keeps its distance and stands apart can grow and rise above the thicket.

Question 21

PLAY A SUCKER TO CATCH A SUCKER - SEEM DUMBER THAN YOUR MARK

Answer 21

The Opossum.

In playing dead, the opossum plays stupid. Many a predator has therefore left it alone. Who could believe that such an ugly, unintelligent, nervous little creature couple be capable of such deception?

Question 22

USE THE SURRENDER TACTIC: TRANSFORM WEAKNESS INTO POWER

Answer 22

An Oak Tree.

The oak that resists the wind loses its branches one by one, and with nothing left to protect it, the trunk finally snaps. The oak that bends lives longer, its trunk growing wider, its roots deeper and more tenacious.

Question 23

CONCENTRATE YOUR FORCES

Answer 23

The Arrow.

You cannot hit two targets with one arrow. If your thoughts stray, you miss the enemy’s heart. Mind and arrow must become one. Only with such concentration of mental and physical power can your arrow hit the target and pierce the heart.

Question 24

RE-CREATE YOURSELF

Answer 24

The Greek Sea-God Proteus.

His power came from his ability to change shape at will, to be whatever the moment required. When Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon, tried to sieze him, Proteus transformed himself into a lion, then a serpent, a panther, a boar, running water, and finally a leafy tree.

Question 25

KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN:

…CONCEAL YOUR MISTAKES - HAVE A SCAPEGOAT AROUND TO TAKE THE BLAME

…MAKE USE OF THE CAT’S PAW

Answer 25

The Innocent Goat.

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest brings the goat into the temple, places his hands on its head, and confesses the people’s sins, transferring guilt to the guiltless beast, which is then led into the wilderness and abandoned, the people’s sins and blame vanishing with him.

The Cat’s Paw.

It has long claws to grab things. It is soft and padded. Take hold of the cat and use its paws to pluck things out of the fire, to claw your enemy, to play with the mouse before devouring it. Sometimes you hurt the cat, but most often it doesn’t feel a thing.

Question 26

PLAY ON PEOPLE’S NEED TO BELIEVE TO CREATE A CULTLIKE FOLLOWING

Answer 26

The Magnet.

An unseen force draws objects to it, which in turn become magnetized themselves, drawing other pieces to them, the magnetic power of the whole constantly increasing. But take away the original magnet and it all falls apart. Become the magnet, the invisible force that attracts people’s imaginations and holds them together. Once they have clustered around you, no power can wrest them away.

Question 27

ENTER ACTION WITH BOLDNESS

Answer 27

The Lion and the Hare.

The lion creates no gaps in his way - his movements are too swift, his jaws too quick and powerful. The timid hare will do anything to escape danger, but in its haste to retreat and flee, it backs into traps, hops smack into its enemies’ jaws.

Question 28

PLAN ALL THE WAY TO THE END

Answer 28

The Gods on Mount Olympus.

Looking down on human actions from the clouds, they see in advance the endings of all the great dreams that lead to disaster and tragedy. And they laugh at our inability to see beyond the moment, and how we delude ourselves.

Question 29

MAKE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SEEM EFFORTLESS

Answer 29

The Racehorse.

From up close we would see the strain, the effort to control the horse, the labored, painful breathing. But from the distance where we sit and watch, it is all gracefulness, flying through the air. Keep others at a distance and they will only see the ease at which you move.

Question 30

CONTROL THE OPTIONS: GET OTHERS TO PLAY WITH THE CARDS YOU DEAL

Answer 30

The Horns of the Bull.

The bull backs you into the corner with its horns - not a single horn, which you might be able to escape, but a pair of horns that trap you within their hold. Run right or left - either way you move into their piercing ends and are gored.

Question 31

PLAY TO PEOPLE’S FANTASIES

Answer 31

The Moon.

Unattainable, always changing shape, disappearing and reapearing. We look at it, imagine, wonder, and pine - never familiar, continuous provoker of dreams. Do not offer the obvious, promise the moon.

Question 32

DISCOVER EACH MAN’S THUMBSCREW

Answer 32

The Thumbscrew.

Your enemy has secrets that he guards, thinks thoughts he will not reveal. But they come out in ways he cannot help. It is there somewhere, a groove of weakness on his head, at his heart, over his belly. Once you find the groove, put your thumb in it and turn him at will.

Question 33

BE ROYAL IN YOUR FASHION: ACT LIKE A KING TO BE TREATED LIKE ONE

Answer 33

The Crown.

Place it upon your head and assume a different pose - tranquil yet radiating assurance. Never show doubt, never lose your dignity beneath the crown, or it will not fit. It will seem to be destined for one more worthy. Do not wait for coronation; the great emperors crown themselves.

Question 34

MASTER THE ART OF TIMING

Answer 34

The Hawk.

Patiently and silently it circles the sky, high above, all-seeing with its powerful eyes. Those below have no awareness that they are being tracked. Suddenly, when the moment arrives, the hawk swoops down with a speed that cannot be defended against; before its prey knows what has happened, the bird’s viselike talons have carried it up in the sky.

Question 35

DISDAIN THE THINGS YOU CANNOT HAVE: IGNORING THEM IS THE BEST REVENGE

Answer 35

The Tiny Wound.

It is small but painful and irritating. You try all sorts of medicaments, you complain, you scratch and pick at the scab. Doctors only make it worse, transforming the tiny wound into a grave matter. If you only you had left the wound alone, letting time heal and freeing yourself of worry.

Question 36

CREATE COMPELLING SPECTACLES

Answer 36

The Cross and the Sun.

Crucifixion and total radiance. With one imposed over the other, a new reality takes shape - a new power is in the ascendant. The symbol - no explanation necessary.

Question 37

THINK AS YOU LIKE BUT BEHAVE LIKE OTHERS

Answer 37

The Black Sheep.

The herd shuns the black sheep, uncertain whether it belongs with them. So it straggles behind, or wanders away from the herd, where it is cornered by wolves and promptly devoured. Stay with the herd - there is safety in numbers. Keep your differences in your thoughts and not in your fleece.

Question 38

STIR UP WATERS TO CATCH FISH

Answer 38

The Pond of Fish.

The waters are clear and calm, and the fish are well below the surface. Stir the waters and they emerge. Stir it some more and they get angry, rising to the surface, biting whatever comes near- including a freshly baited hook.

Question 39

DESPISE THE FREE LUNCH

Answer 39

The River.

To protect yourself or to save the resource you dam it up. Soon, however, the waters become dank and pestilent. Only the foulest forms of life can live in such stagnant waters; nothing travels on them, all commerce stops. Destroy the dam. When water flows and circulates, it generates abundance, wealth, and power in ever larger circles. The River must flood periodically for things to flourish.

Question 40

AVOID STEPPING INTO A GREAT MAN’S SHOES

Answer 40

The Father.

He casts a giant shadow over his children, keeping them in thrall long after he is gone by tying them to the past, squashing their youthful spirit, and forcing them down the same tired path he followed himself. His tricks are many. At every crossroads you must slay the father and step out of his shadow.

Question 41

STRIKE THE SHEPARD AND THE SHEEP WILL SCATTER

Answer 41

A Flock of Fatted Sheep.

Do not waste precious time trying to steal a sheep or two; do not risk life and limb by setting upon the dogs that guard the flock. Aim at the shepherd. Lure him away and the dogs will follow. Strike him down and the fock will scatter - you can pick them off one by one.

Question 42

WORK ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF OTHERS

Answer 42

The Keyhole.

People build walls to keep you out; never force your way in - you will only find more walls within walls. There are doors in these walls, doors to the heart and the mind, and they have tiny keyholes. Peer through the keyhole, find the key that opens the door, and you have access to their will with no ugly signs of forced entry.

Question 43

DISARM AND INFURIATE WITH THE MIRROR EFFECT

Answer 43

The Shield of Perseus.

It is polished into a reflecting mirror. Medusa cannot see you, only her own hideousness reflected back at her. Behind such a mirror you can deceive, mock, and infuriate. With one blow you sever Medusa’s unsuspecting head.

Question 44

PREACH THE NEED FOR CHANGE, BUT NEVER REFORM TOO MUCH AT ONCE

Answer 44

The Cat.

Creature of habit, it loves the warmth of the familiar. Upset its routines, disrupt its space, and it will grow unmanageable and psychotic. Placate it by supporting its rituals. If change is necessary, deceive the cat by keeping the smell of the past alive; place objects familiar to it in strategic locations.

Question 45

NEVER APPEAR TOO PERFECT

Answer 45

A Garden of Weeds.

You may not feed them but they spread as you water the garden. You may not see how, but they take over, tall and ugly, preventing anything beautiful from flourishing. Before it is too late, do not water indiscriminately. Destroy the weeds of envy by giving them nothing to feed on.

Question 46

DO NOT GO PAST THE MARK YOU AIMED FOR; IN VICTORY, LEARN WHEN TO STOP

Answer 46

Icarus Falling from the Sky.

His father Daedalus fashions wings of wax that allow the two men to fly out of the labyrinth and escape the Minotaur. Elated by the triumphant escape and the feeling of flight, Icarus soars higher and higher, until the sun melts his wings and he hurtles to his death.

Question 47

ASSUME FORMLESSNESS

Answer 47

Mercury.

The winged messenger, god of commerce, patron saint of thieves, gamblers, and all those who deceive through swiftness. The day Mercury was born he invented the lyre; by that evening he had stolen the cattle of Apollo. He would scour the world, assuming whatever form he desired. Like the liquid metal named after him, he embodies the elusive, the ungraspable - the power of formlessness.