When, after having put down the enemy, and after having grown in power, a friend becomes unsubmissive, the conqueror should cause the friend to incur the displeasure of a neighbour and of the king who is next to the neighbour.
Or the conqueror may employ a scion of the friend's family or an imprisoned prince to seize his lands; or the conqueror may so act that his friend, desirous of further help, may continue to be obedient.
The conqueror should never help his friend when the latter is deteriorating worse and worse; a politician should so keep his friend that the latter neither deteriorates nor grows in power.
—Kautilya, in the Arthaśāstra, 7.18:32-24
