ProverbPerseverance
Greek origin
Greek originSave me from my friends.
Meaning: Betrayal by trusted allies causes deeper harm than obvious enemies ever could.
Origin: Short for "God save me from my friends — I can take care of my enemies myself." The story is ancient: Antigonus, one of Alexander the Great's generals, is said to have ordered a sacrifice asking the gods to protect him from his friends, explaining that he could defend himself from his enemies. The French Marshal Villars used a version when taking leave of Louis XIV, and Voltaire later repeated it. It is the complaint of anyone harmed more by well-meaning allies than by opponents.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- Wij smachten naar achtentachtig prachtige nachten. Five words carrying the Dutch guttural 'cht', the sound foreigners find hardest to produc…
- Liesje leerde Lotje lopen langs de lange Lindelaan. Eight consecutive l-words, with the vowel behind the l changing every time.
- なまむぎ なまごめ なまたまご (Nama mugi, nama gome, nama tamago) A nimble warm-up for the Japanese 'na / ma / ge' syllables.
Keep exploring