If cows and horses or lions had hands, or could draw with their hands and make things as men can, horses would have drawn horse-like gods, cows cow-like gods, and each species would have made the gods' bodies just like their own.

Xenophanes

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of God God and man God Anthropomorphism

Author

Xenophanes

Medium

Presocratic fragment Fragment

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Occupation

Philosopher

From

Turkey Europe Ancient Greece

Authentication Score 0

Original Citation

Xenophanes. Fragments. 5th century BC, DK21 B15.

Current Citation

Xenophanes. "Xenophanes of Colophon." The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and Sophists. Oxford World Classics, 2009, DK21 B15.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Xenophanes about nature of god: “If cows and horses or lions had hands, or could draw with their hands…”
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A quote by Xenophanes about nature of god: “If cows and horses or lions had hands, or could draw with their hands…”
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A quote by Xenophanes about nature of god: “If cows and horses or lions had hands, or could draw with their hands…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote about God and man

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

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More information about this quote
Topic
Trust in God God and man
Source
Proverbs The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Statement Type
Advice
Language
Hebrew
Time
686 BC 680s BC 7th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson, 1982. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Another quote from the 5th century BC

Wonder is the feeling of a philosopher, and philosophy begins in wonder.

Socrates

Quoted in Theaetetus, by Plato

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More information about this quote
Topic
Curiosity Wonder Philosophy
Speaker
Socrates

Author

Plato
Source
Theaetetus
Medium
Philosophical dialogue
Genre
Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
400 BC 400s BC 5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Θεαίτητος [Theaetetus], written by Plato. c. 369 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Theaetetus, written by Plato, translated by John McDowell. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Another quote from Classical antiquity

Man is the measure of all things.

Protagoras

Quoted in Theaetetus, by Plato

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More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of man
Speaker
Protagoras

Author

Plato
Source
Theaetetus
Medium
Philosophical dialogue
Genre
Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
420 BC 420s BC 5th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Plato. Θεαίτητος [Theatetus]. c. 400 BC.

Current Citation

Plato. Theatetus, translated by John McDowell. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Another quote originally in Greek

All men by nature desire to know.

Aristotle

Metaphysics

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More information about this quote
Topic
Curiosity Knowledge Human nature

Author

Aristotle
Source
Metaphysics
Genre
Philosophical literature
Language
Greek
Time
322 BC 320s BC 4th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Aristotle. τὰ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά [Those after the physics]. c. 322 BC, bk. 1.

Current Citation

Aristotle. Metaphysics, translated by Hugh Lawson-Tancred. Penguin Classics, 1999, book alpha.