It is a good thing to be rich and a good thing to be strong, but it is a better thing to be loved by many friends.

The saying contrasts three kinds of “goods”: material wealth, physical power, and social affection. While riches and strength are acknowledged as genuine advantages, the line ultimately ranks human connection higher—suggesting that security and flourishing depend less on what one possesses or can impose, and more on the goodwill and loyalty of others. In a Greek tragic worldview, where fortune can reverse suddenly and power can provoke envy, being “loved by many friends” implies a resilient form of support: reputation, reciprocity, and communal bonds that outlast bodily vigor and can mitigate the instability of wealth. The sentiment also reflects a civic ethic: friendship and social trust are portrayed as the superior foundation for a life well lived.