Book Made Easy | 48 Laws of Power | On Going Work

LAW 1 

Never Outshine the Master

Judgment

Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please and impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite- inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

There are two stories: 

First one is about a finance minister who throws a lavish party for the new king and got executed. 

Second one is about the Galileo who intelligently given the credits to the Medicis.

The grand party thrown by the finance minister made the new king feel insecure about his position as the finance minister was displaying like great connection with people during the party. Each smile the finance minister had given to any of the party comer made the king feel less trustworthy for him. King got the wrong impression of like, "You are the King but I am the Man everybody knows and respect.", which got our rich, fancy, finance mister's head roll down from his body. 

Galileo had done a beautiful job in securing is finance and also his protection as well as his future and his name by giving the credits of his work and attaching the name of Medicis family to the Jupiter planet and making them feel that they are the Chosen one. This led the Medicis to safeguard Galileo for the life because Galileo become someone who had brought respect and divine attachment to their name. It's like Galileo's words work like nectar the Medicis and build a trust for the Medicis in the people by connecting them with the 'Chosen one' kind of stuffs. 

LAW 2

Never Put Too Much Trust in Friends,

Learn How to Use Enemies

JUDGMENT

Be wary of friends- they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.

A young man named Michael III was on the throne of the Byzantine Empire. He was once saved by Basilius. Michael got impressed and constantly try to promote him, from his work with horse to the head of the stable. Their friendship grew strong, and Michael III was in such phase of the friendship where you can trust the other person with the blind.