No, this post is not what you might think it is! As a writer of historical fiction, I often have occasion to look up various sayings, idioms, and proverbs, which has led me to learn some interesting things about our language. I thought it would be interesting to dissect some of these saying occasionally to learn where they come from. The first I thought I would tackle is “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

As a definition, this saying basically refers to the advisability of two parties working against a common enemy. Contrary to what is often assumed, the saying says nothing about whether the parties engaged against a common enemy are natural allies, though it infers that they are not. Thus, for example, in a World War II setting, the USSR and the allies are a classic example of this, where the USSR worked together with those who were not natural allies (and would later become bitter foes) against a common threat, or the axis powers. On the other hand, while France and the UK are historical enemies, they have been allies in recent years, and part of that comparatively new dynamic comes from having interests in common and being confronted by a common enemy. This is a simplistic explanation for a series of complex events, but the purposes of this post it will suffice. Sorry, we got into the weeds a bit here.

The origin of this proverb goes all the way back to antiquity, to the Latin “Amicus meus, inimicus inimici mei” which literally translated means “my friend, the enemy of my enemy.” This proverb was well known in Europe before the original version in English is first recorded in 1884.

The proverb also has origins in ancient India, as demonstrated by the writings of Chanakya, more commonly referred to as Kautilya, who wrote the ancient treatise who authored the ancient Indian political treatise, the Arthashastra. In it he states the following:

The king who is situated anywhere immediately on the circumference of the conqueror’s territory is termed the enemy.
The king who is likewise situated close to the enemy, but separated from the conqueror only by the enemy, is termed the friend (of the conqueror).

This proverb is also frequently used though not overtly mentioned in popular culture, in too many instances to name.