Echoes through time: those who simply act like lions

[A prince] must learn from the fox and the lion; because the lion is defenceless against traps and a fox is defenceless against wolves. Therefore one must be a fox in order to recognise traps, and a lion to frighten off wolves. Those who simply act like lions are stupid.

Niccolo Machiavelli (1469 – 1527), The Prince