to hold back (e.g. emotions); to rein in (e.g. a horse, unruly people); to get the better of; to control; to command
soft and fair goes far; willows are weak, yet they bind other wood
fight fire with fire; set a thief to catch a thief; fight one evil with another
the early bird gets the worm
to control foreigners by foreigners; to play one barbarian state against another