Xenophanes Quotes & Sayings

All men begin their learning with Homer. — Xenophanes

For we are all sprung from earth and water — Xenophanes

There is one God - supreme among gods and men - who is like mortals in neither body nor mind. — Xenophanes

The Ethiopians say that their gods are snub-nosed and black the Thracians that theirs have light blue eyes and red hair. — Xenophanes

In the beginning the gods did not at all reveal all things clearly to mortals, but by searching men in the course of time find them out better. — Xenophanes

All things that come into being and grow are earth and water. — Xenophanes

Pure truth no man has seen, nor ever shall know. — Xenophanes

Men always makes gods in their own image. — Xenophanes

It isn't right to judge strength as better than good wisdom. — Xenophanes

If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands, or were able to draw with their feet and produce the works which men do, horses would draw the forms of gods like horses, and cattle like cattle, and they would make the gods' bodies the same shape as their own. — Xenophanes

The sun comes into being each day from little pieces of fire that are collected. — Xenophanes

Men create the gods in their own image. — Xenophanes

If oxen and horses and lions could draw and paint, they would delineate the gods in their own image. — Xenophanes

Even if a man should chance to speak the most complete truth, yet he himself does not know it; all things are wrapped in appearances — Xenophanes

God is one, greatest of gods and men, not like mortals in body or thought. — Xenophanes

One must be a sage to recognize a sage. — Xenophanes

It takes a wise man to recognize a wise man. — Xenophanes

This upper limit, of earth at our feet is visible and touches the air, but below it reaches to infinity — Xenophanes

If oxen and lions had hands and could paint with their hands and produce works of art, as men do, horses would paint the forms of the gods likes horses and oxen like oxen. Each would represent them with bodies according to the bodies of each. So the Ethiopians make their gods black and snub-nosed; the Thracians give theirs red hair and blue eyes. — Xenophanes

If cows and horses had hands and could draw, cows would draw gods that look like cows and horses would draw gods that look like horses. — Xenophanes

If an ox could paint a picture, his god would look like an ox. — Xenophanes

But if cattle and horses or lions had hands, or were able to draw with their hands and do the work that men can do, horses would draw the forms of the gods like horses, and cattle like cattle, and they would make their bodies such as they each had themselves. — Xenophanes

If God had not made brown honey, men would think figs much sweeter than they do. — Xenophanes

The clear and perfect truth no man has seen, nor will there be anyone who knows about the gods and what I say about all things ... ; for, however perfect what he says may be, yet he does not know it; all things are matters of opinion. — Xenophanes

Truly the gods have not from the beginning revealed all things to mortals, but by long seeking, mortals discover what is better. — Xenophanes

For our wisdom is better than the strength of men or of horses ... nor is it right to prefer strength to excellent wisdom. For if there should be in the city [any athlete whose skill] is honoured more than strength ... the city would not on that account be any better governed. — Xenophanes

For all things come from earth, and all things end by becoming earth. — Xenophanes

But without effort [God] sets in motion all things by mind and thought. — Xenophanes

Better than the strength of men and horses is our wisdom. — Xenophanes

No man knows distinctly anything, and no man ever will. — Xenophanes

One god there is, in no way like mortal creatures either in bodily form or in the thought of his mind. The whole of him sees, the whole of him thinks, the whole of him hears. He stays always motionless in the same place; it is not fitting that he should move about now this way, now that. — Xenophanes

The Ethiops say that their gods are flat-nosed and black,
While the Thracians say that theirs have blue eyes and red hair.
Yet if cattle or horses or lions had hands and could draw,
And could sculpt like men, then the horses would draw their gods
Like horses, and cattle like cattle; and each they would shape
Bodies of gods in the likeness, each kind, of their own. — Xenophanes

If horses had Gods, they would look like horses. — Xenophanes

The gods did not reveal, from the beginning,
All things to us, but in the course of time
Through seeking we may learn and know things better.
But as for certain truth, no man has known it,
Nor shall he know it,neither of the gods
Nor yet of all the things of which I speak.
For even if by chance he were to utter
The final truth, he would himself not know it:
For all is but a woven web of guesses — Xenophanes