A city willing to negotiate and come to an agreement is already halfway to being conquered.
The proverb suggests that when two parties are willing to negotiate and reach an agreement, they are already halfway to success. It emphasizes the importance of negotiation and compromise in resolving conflicts, as well as the power of communication in achieving objectives.
The proverb is often attributed to the 17th century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes, who wrote in his work Leviathan that “when a city parleys, it is half gotten”. However, it is possible that it was in use before Hobbes’ work.