--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What man so wise, what earthly wit so…" description: "\"What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, As to descry the crafty cunning train, By which deceit doth mask in visor fair, And cast her colours dyed d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/edmund-spenser-2090_casts_what-man-so-wise-what-earthly-wit-so-war_1010431.jpg" --- # What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, As to descry… ![“What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, As to descry the crafty cunning train, By which deceit doth mask in visor fair, And cast her colours dyed deep in grain, To seem like truth, whose shape she well can feign, And fitting gestures to her purpose frame, The guiltless man with guile to…” quote by Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/edmund-spenser-2090_casts_what-man-so-wise-what-earthly-wit-so-war_1010431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/edmund-spenser-2090_casts_what-man-so-wise-what-earthly-wit-so-war_1010431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/edmund-spenser-2090_casts_what-man-so-wise-what-earthly-wit-so-war_1010431.jpg) > “What man so wise, what earthly wit so ware, As to descry the crafty cunning train, By which deceit doth mask in visor fair, And cast her colours dyed deep in grain, To seem like truth, whose shape she well can feign, And fitting gestures to her purpose frame, The guiltless man with guile to entertain?” [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that clever deception can disguise falsehood as truth, fooling even the innocent. **In simple terms:** Deception can hide falsehood as truth. Key Takeaway Beware appearances; seek deeper truth. Themes deception truth perception trust appearance critical thinking Mood cautious inquisitive Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - political speech - media analysis - personal relationships - legal testimony Key Concepts rhetoric illusion manipulation Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify truth beyond appearances? - What signs reveal hidden deceit? A Different Perspective Even the wise can be misled by skillful rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Casts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casts/) [Colour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colour/) [Crafty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafty/) [Crafty Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafty-cunning-2190585/) [Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning/) [Cunning Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning-train-2190586/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Deceit Doth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit-doth-2190584/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Fitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitting/) [Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) [Grain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grain/) [Guile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guile/) [Mask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mask/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wit/) ## Related quotes > [Life is impermanent and in the face of that impermanence, cavort! 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It consists of constant lying in order to support constant swindling.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/in-practice-monetary-management-is-merely-a-high-sounding-euphemism/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [Opportunism is self interest seeking with guile often involving subtle forms of deceit, especially calculated efforts to mislead, distort, disguise, obfuscate, or otherwise confuse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-e-williamson/opportunism-is-self-interest-seeking-with-guile-often-involving/) [Oliver E. Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-e-williamson/) > [To be without guile is to be free of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy, and dishonesty in thought or action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/to-be-without-guile-is-to-be-free-of-deceit-cunning-hypocrisy-and/) [Joseph B. 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