--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us never forget that the greatest man…" description: "\"Let us never forget that the greatest man is never more than an animal disguised as a god.\" — Francis Picabia" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png" --- # Let us never forget that the greatest man is never more… ![“Let us never forget that the greatest man is never more than an animal disguised as a god.” quote by Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png) > “Let us never forget that the greatest man is never more than an animal disguised as a god.” [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests that humanity’s greatest achievements are still rooted in animal instincts, hidden behind divine pretensions. **In simple terms:** Great people are still animals pretending to be gods. Key Takeaway Recognize humility in ambition. Themes power hubris human nature Mood critical philosophical Type satirical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - political leadership - celebrity culture - scientific breakthroughs Key Concepts philosophy anthropology ego Questions to Reflect On - In what ways do we transcend our animal nature? - How does power corrupt or elevate? A Different Perspective The statement may ignore genuine moral progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [You never forget your greatest foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/you-never-forget-your-greatest-foe/) [Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/) > [A God who is trying to convince people that He is a God is not a God! He is just a clown disguised as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-god-who-is-trying-to-convince-people-that-he-is-a-god-is-not-a-god/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Some people forget that one of the greatest weapons against despair is prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/some-people-forget-that-one-of-the-greatest-weapons-against-despair/) [Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/) > [If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-iii/if-he-does-that-he-will-be-the-greatest-man-in-the-world/) [George III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-iii/) > [In my idea General Washington is the greatest man; for I look upon him as the most virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-lafayette/in-my-idea-general-washington-is-the-greatest-man-for-i-look-upon-him/) [Marquis de Lafayette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-lafayette/) > [My step-dad is probably the greatest man I've ever known. The best advice I've ever been given was when he told me to enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-timberlake/my-step-dad-is-probably-the-greatest-man-i-ve-ever-known-the-best/) [Justin Timberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-timberlake/) > [Britain in the 19th century was two things simultaneously; the hub of the largest empire on earth and the greatest manufacturing and trading nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/britain-in-the-19th-century-was-two-things-simultaneously-the-hub-of/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) > [The greatest man is he who chooses right with the most invincible resolution; who resists to sorest temptation from within and without; who bears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-greatest-man-is-he-who-chooses-right-with-the-most-invincible/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The greatest manager has a knack for making ballplayers think they are better than they think they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-jackson/the-greatest-manager-has-a-knack-for-making-ballplayers-think-they/) [Reggie Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-jackson/) > [John Paul II was one of the greatest men of the last century. Perhaps the greatest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-kissinger/john-paul-ii-was-one-of-the-greatest-men-of-the-last-century-perhaps/) [Henry A. Kissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-kissinger/) > [“Upon learning that Washington intended to reject the mantle of emperor, no less an authority than George III allegedly observed, “If he does that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/upon-learning-that-washington-intended-to-reject-the-mantle-of/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [“The Devil answer'd: bray a fool in a morter with wheat, yet shall not his folly be beaten out of him; if Jesus Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-devil-answer-d-bray-a-fool-in-a-morter-with-wheat-yet-shall-not/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Judging people is one of the greatest man sin. Remember, God made us, and it means you were also judging God and yourself too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/originals-aneeli/judging-people-is-one-of-the-greatest-man-sin-remember-god-made-us/) Originals Aneeli > [Many of the greatest men have owed their success to industry rather than to cleverness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/many-of-the-greatest-men-have-owed-their-success-to-industry-rather/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [“Man is not a 'fixed and limited animal whose nature is absolutely constant'. He changed drastically when he developed 'divided consciousness' to cope with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-wilson/man-is-not-a-fixed-and-limited-animal-whose-nature-is-absolutely/) [Colin Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-wilson/) ## More by Francis Picabia > [One must go through life, be it red or blue, stark naked and accompanied by the music of a subtle fisherman, prepared at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/one-must-go-through-life-be-it-red-or-blue-stark-naked-and/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Nature is unfair? So much the better, inequality is the only bearable thing, the monotony of equality can only lead us to boredom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/nature-is-unfair-so-much-the-better-inequality-is-the-only-bearable/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [My arse contemplates those who talk behind my back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/my-arse-contemplates-those-who-talk-behind-my-back/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Every page must explode, whether through seriousness, profundity, turbulence, nausea, the new, the eternal, annihilating nonsense, enthusiasm for principles, or the way it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/every-page-must-explode-whether-through-seriousness-profundity/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [If you want to have clean ideas, change them as often as you change your shirts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/if-you-want-to-have-clean-ideas-change-them-as-often-as-you-change/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [“Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction - Francis Picabia”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/our-heads-are-round-so-that-thoughts-can-change-direction-francis/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Pain has its reasons, pleasure is totally indifferent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/pain-has-its-reasons-pleasure-is-totally-indifferent/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [The essence of a man is found in his faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/the-essence-of-a-man-is-found-in-his-faults/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [The future is a monotonous instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/the-future-is-a-monotonous-instrument/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Men have always need of god! A god to defend them against other men..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/men-have-always-need-of-god-a-god-to-defend-them-against-other-men/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [“Knowledge is an old error remembering its youth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/knowledge-is-an-old-error-remembering-its-youth/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Maybe men are separated from each other only by the degree of their misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/maybe-men-are-separated-from-each-other-only-by-the-degree-of-their/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Youth doesn't reason, it acts. The old man reasons and would like to make the others act in his place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/youth-doesn-t-reason-it-acts-the-old-man-reasons-and-would-like-to/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [If you want to have clean ideas, change them as often as your shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/if-you-want-to-have-clean-ideas-change-them-as-often-as-your-shirt/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) > [Between my head and my hand, there is always the face of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/between-my-head-and-my-hand-there-is-always-the-face-of-death/) [Francis Picabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) [Explore all 39 Francis Picabia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let us never forget that the greatest man is never more than an animal disguised as a god.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Picabia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-man-is-never-more-than-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-man-is-never-more-than-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/francis-picabia-15935_animal_let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-ma_2403792.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let us never forget that the greatest man is never more than an animal disguised as a god.” — Francis Picabia", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francis Picabia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-picabia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let us never forget that the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-man-is-never-more-than-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-picabia/let-us-never-forget-that-the-greatest-man-is-never-more-than-an/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```