"If you pour oil and vinegar into the same vessel, you would call them not friends but opponents"

This quote by Aeschylus is a metaphor for two opposing forces. Oil and vinegar are 2 compounds that do not blend, and when positioned together, they create a separation. This is symbolic of 2 opposing forces that can not exist side-by-side. The quote is recommending that when 2 opposing forces are positioned together, they are not pals, but opponents. This could be analyzed as a warning to not blend 2 opposing forces, as it will only lead to conflict. It might likewise be analyzed as a tip that two opposing forces can never truly be pals, which they will always remain opponents. This quote is a pointer that when 2 opposing forces are positioned together, it is best to keep them separate, as they will never ever have the ability to exist side-by-side in harmony.