《智慧书·第五辑·二〇一至二五〇》第20则
If you cannot clothe Yourself in Lionskin use Foxpelt. To follow the times is to lead them. He that gets what he wants never loses his reputation. Cleverness when force will not do. One way or another, the king's highway of valour or the bypath of cunning. Skill has effected more than force, and astuteness has conquered courage more often than the other way. When you cannot get a thing then is the time to despise it.
注释摘要
葛拉西安这则格言从动物寓言起笔，落的却是行动策略。狮子皮与狐狸皮的对句，径直借用了马基雅维利在《君主论》第十八章里那句著名的比喻：君主应当同时效法狮子与狐狸，因为狮子不能自保于陷阱，狐狸不能自保于狼群。但葛拉西安这里的措辞有一个微妙的位移——他不是说两者兼用，而是说“如果不能披上狮子皮，那就用狐狸皮”。这是一个退而求其次的句式，默认的前提是：你本来应该以力…