“Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues”
— Thomas Hobbes
Simplified Meaning:
In war, using power and trickery are seen as the most important skills. Imagine a chess game where each player tries to outsmart the other. One player might move their pieces very aggressively, taking control of the board with strong, direct moves. This is like using force in war. Meanwhile, the other player might use sneaky tactics, setting traps and hiding their true intentions. This is like using fraud in war. Both strategies are important to win the game or a war. In real-life battles, generals use their armies' strength (force) to fight directly, and spies (fraud) to get secret information or confuse the enemy. If someone wants to apply this idea in their life, they could use their skills and cleverness to solve problems or achieve goals, but they should be mindful of using these tactics ethically.
