Well, they used to fight wars like "gentlemen," rather than the sneaky tactics we use today. So, it could be some of that... everyone met on the battlefield and they engaged in combat. Whoever managed to kill the enemy won... but sometimes they would even be polite about that part, and not attack an unarmed enemy, etc. Later "guerilla" tactics changed all that. ... ambushing people isn't considered evil anymore... just good warfare.

Anyway, I think that the question goes further than that... how can we be noble to our enemies in everyday life, even when we aren't engaged in "war" with them? ... We can treat them politely, and hope for their good fortune, even when we have a personality conflict and shouldn't be in the same room together. :) We can try to see the good in them, even when it is hard to see.

Overall, I think they called him the noblest foe because he won out of superior skill, not because he used "dirty tricks" ...

Answered by Sharad Singh , an ibibo Master, at 8:05 PM on October 24, 2008