Kautilya's Arthashastra 7.5.41

7.5.41

jyāyasā hy avagṛhītaś carati, samābhyām atisaṃdhānādhikye vā //

It is better to march combined with two kings of equal power; for, if combined with a king of superior power, the ally appears to move, caught hold of, by his superior, whereas in marching with two kings of equal power, the same will be the result, only, when those two kings are experts in the art of intrigue; besides it is easy to separate them; and when one of them is wicked, he can be put down by the other two and made to suffer the consequence of dissension.