--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was prettily devised of Aesop, The fly…" description: "\"It was prettily devised of Aesop, The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise!\" — Francis Bacon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/francis-bacon-297_action_it-was-prettily-devised-of-aesop-the-fly_733175.jpg" --- # It was prettily devised of Aesop, The fly sat on the axle… ![“It was prettily devised of Aesop, The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise!” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/francis-bacon-297_action_it-was-prettily-devised-of-aesop-the-fly_733175.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/francis-bacon-297_action_it-was-prettily-devised-of-aesop-the-fly_733175.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed8/francis-bacon-297_action_it-was-prettily-devised-of-aesop-the-fly_733175.jpg) > “It was prettily devised of Aesop, The fly sat on the axle tree of the chariot wheel and said, what dust do I raise!” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aesop’s fable illustrates how a fly on a chariot wheel boasts about the dust it raises, highlighting petty pride. **In simple terms:** Fly boasts about dust it raises. Key Takeaway Beware of inflated self‑importance. Themes pride humility perspective fable Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical didactic When to use this quote - workplace meetings - political debates - social media commentary Key Concepts classical literature symbolism ego Questions to Reflect On - What minor role do you overvalue? - How can humility improve collaboration? A Different Perspective Small contributions can be overstated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) ## Related quotes > [The fly sat upon the axel-tree of the chariot-wheel and said, 'What a dust do I raise!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/the-fly-sat-upon-the-axel-tree-of-the-chariot-wheel-and-said-what-a/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [Life is like a chariot-wheel that ever rolls along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anacreon/life-is-like-a-chariot-wheel-that-ever-rolls-along/) [Anacreon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anacreon/) > [Less than the dust beneath thy chariot wheel, less than the weed that grows beside thy door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adela-florence-nicolson/less-than-the-dust-beneath-thy-chariot-wheel-less-than-the-weed-that/) [Adela Florence Nicolson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adela-florence-nicolson/) > [In practical terms the South Pointing Chariot was a simple direction finder. It could have been made to point in any direction - north,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/in-practical-terms-the-south-pointing-chariot-was-a-simple-direction/) [Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/) > [I started by looking at what others had done before me. You see, over the years there have been attempts by many different people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/i-started-by-looking-at-what-others-had-done-before-me-you-see-over/) [Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/) > [I have always had the ability to attach my demons to my chariot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingmar-bergman/i-have-always-had-the-ability-to-attach-my-demons-to-my-chariot/) [Ingmar Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingmar-bergman/) > [As I was working I noticed that the way I designed the differential gearing actually created a spare drive that sat directly below the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/as-i-was-working-i-noticed-that-the-way-i-designed-the-differential/) [Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/) > [The earliest full-length account of a chariot race appears in Book xxiii of the Iliad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-arnold-epstein/the-earliest-full-length-account-of-a-chariot-race-appears-in-book/) [Richard Arnold Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-arnold-epstein/) > [...a chasm opened in the earth and out of it coal-black horses sprang, drawing a chariot and driven by one who had a look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-hamilton/a-chasm-opened-in-the-earth-and-out-of-it-coal-black-horses-sprang/) [Edith Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-hamilton/) > [Time's chariot-wheels make their carriage-road in the fairest face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/time-s-chariot-wheels-make-their-carriage-road-in-the-fairest-face/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The chariot was purchased by a private collector who took it home to New York. I take pleasure in knowing that it was built…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/the-chariot-was-purchased-by-a-private-collector-who-took-it-home-to/) [Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/) > [Leisure is pain; take off our chariot wheels; how heavily we drag the load of life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/leisure-is-pain-take-off-our-chariot-wheels-how-heavily-we-drag-the/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [To tell the truth, the chariot was an astonishing sight to behold, because I had polished the steel of my flying house so carefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrano-de-bergerac/to-tell-the-truth-the-chariot-was-an-astonishing-sight-to-behold/) [Cyrano de Bergerac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrano-de-bergerac/) > [The rabbit is significant in that the handle on the original South Pointing Chariot was carved in the form of a rabbit. Because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-williams/the-rabbit-is-significant-in-that-the-handle-on-the-original-south/) [Kit Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-williams/) > [I shall drive my chariot down your street and cry hey it's me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-shall-drive-my-chariot-down-your-street-and-cry-hey-it-s-me/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. 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They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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