Never outshine & learn how to use enemies

Again, this is from the 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Law 1

Never Outshine the Master

Always make those above you feel comfortably superior. In your desire to please or impress them, do not go too far in displaying your talents or you might accomplish the opposite – inspire fear and insecurity. Make your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power.

Ok this one makes sense. You should be humble and not put yourself up like that. If they are above you it's better to learn something and stay in their good graces instead of making an enemy out of them. But I feel like if you don't stand out at all you'll fade away so it looks like this has to be done to a degree. It would make sense that if you make your master more brilliant than they are then you will get something out of it. Why not, everyone likes to be thought of as more brilliant. And if you master is the person that holds the keys to your success, buttering him up wouldn't hurt. In the book a man threw a party and the king of England was invited, and it must have been some party because people payed more attention to him then to the king, which is obviously not a good thing. Anyway, the king had him killed. Ironically they party was for the king. You don't poke at a sleeping lion thinking you'll run away safely WHEN (not if) he wakes up.

Law 2

Never put too Much Trust in Friends, Learn how to use Enemies

Be wary of friends-they will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from friends than from enemies. If you have no enemies, find a way to make them.

This one bothered me for a second. But in the end after reading the exert, I understood. There is always competition between friends and sometimes it can be quietly brutal. And you trust a friend more than an enemy so you wouldn't expect them to act out. With an enemy, at least you'll be more on your guard. If you forgive a former enemy (in the exert) they will try to prove their worth to you. Or in the very least, I would think they would be perplexed.