--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By their own follies they perished, the…" description: "\"By their own follies they perished, the fools.\" — Homer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png" --- # By their own follies they perished, the fools. ![“By their own follies they perished, the fools.” quote by Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png) > “By their own follies they perished, the fools.” [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Foolishness leads to downfall, illustrating the consequences of poor judgment. **In simple terms:** Foolish actions cause ruin. Key Takeaway Learn from past mistakes. Themes wisdom human folly consequence Mood cautionary reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal decision making - leadership training Key Concepts tragic flaw hubris learning from error Questions to Reflect On - What lessons does this teach today? - How avoid hubris in leadership? A Different Perspective Over‑simplicity may ignore nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Follies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follies/) [Follies Perished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follies-perished-3637636/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Perished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perished/) [Perished Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perished-fools-3637637/) ## Related quotes > [Of all the follies the greatest is to love the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/of-all-the-follies-the-greatest-is-to-love-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we will have the kindness of others, we must endure their follies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-we-will-have-the-kindness-of-others-we-must-endure-their-follies/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I grew up with "Follies." I saw it when I was fifteen. It was the original production, and of course, that production will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-busch/i-grew-up-with-follies-i-saw-it-when-i-was-fifteen-it-was-the/) [Charles Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-busch/) > [Though you may be last to discover your follies, be always first to correct them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/though-you-may-be-last-to-discover-your-follies-be-always-first-to/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) [Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/) > [ All places are filled with fools. \[Lat., Stultorum plenea sunt omnia.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/all-places-are-filled-with-fools-lat-stultorum-plenea-sunt-omnia/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Those who realise their folly are not true fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/those-who-realise-their-folly-are-not-true-fools/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [“Big mouths and small brains make the strangest noises.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/big-mouths-and-small-brains-make-the-strangest-noises/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [There are certain people fated to be fools; they not only commit follies by choice, but are even constrained to do so by fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/there-are-certain-people-fated-to-be-fools-they-not-only-commit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“And aren't the most beautiful follies the ones linked to love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/and-aren-t-the-most-beautiful-follies-the-ones-linked-to-love/) [Irène Némirovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/) > [Every man has his follies - and often they are the most interesting thing he has got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/every-man-has-his-follies-and-often-they-are-the-most-interesting/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [We should begin to remind people they are always after your money and if you are on something around average earnings you really don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-redwood/we-should-begin-to-remind-people-they-are-always-after-your-money-and/) [John Redwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-redwood/) > [“I love, I love beauty and in it I worship my follies, the ones I found on my own, and the ones to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adonis/i-love-i-love-beauty-and-in-it-i-worship-my-follies-the-ones-i-found/) [Adonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adonis/) > [It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-in-our-faults-and-failings-not-in-our-virtues-that-we-touch/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“Beauty lies in the LIES of the beholder!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-kallarakkal/beauty-lies-in-the-lies-of-the-beholder/) [Ashok Kallarakkal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-kallarakkal/) ## More by Homer > [He knew the things that were and the things that would be and the things that had been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/he-knew-the-things-that-were-and-the-things-that-would-be-and-the/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Few sons are like their fathers--most are worse, few better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/few-sons-are-like-their-fathers-most-are-worse-few-better/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story of that man skilled in all ways of contending, the wanderer, harried for years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/sing-in-me-muse-and-through-me-tell-the-story-of-that-man-skilled-in/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Hateful to me as are the gates of hell, Is he who, hiding one thing in his heart, Utters another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/hateful-to-me-as-are-the-gates-of-hell-is-he-who-hiding-one-thing-in/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“And Zeus said: “Hera, you can choose some other time for paying your visit to Oceanus — for the present let us devote ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/and-zeus-said-hera-you-can-choose-some-other-time-for-paying-your/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Ruin, eldest daughter of Zeus, she blinds us all, that fatal madness—she with those delicate feet of hers, never touching the earth, gliding over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ruin-eldest-daughter-of-zeus-she-blinds-us-all-that-fatal-madness-she/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“Scepticism is as much the result of knowledge, as knowledge is of scepticism. To be content with what we at present know, is, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/scepticism-is-as-much-the-result-of-knowledge-as-knowledge-is-of/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Boy, everyone is stupid except me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/boy-everyone-is-stupid-except-me/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [“With that the dream departed, leaving him there, his heart racing with hopes that would not come to pass. He thought he would take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/with-that-the-dream-departed-leaving-him-there-his-heart-racing-with/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Tell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/tell-me-o-muse-of-that-ingenious-hero-who-travelled-far-and-wide/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Ah, beer, my one weakness. My Achille's heel, if you will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/ah-beer-my-one-weakness-my-achille-s-heel-if-you-will/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [My life is more to me than all the wealth of Ilius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/my-life-is-more-to-me-than-all-the-wealth-of-ilius/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Being popular is the most important thing in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/being-popular-is-the-most-important-thing-in-the-world/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Urge him with truth to frame his fair replies And sure he will for Wisdom never lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/urge-him-with-truth-to-frame-his-fair-replies-and-sure-he-will-for/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) [Explore all 639 Homer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) ## More Follies quotes > [Of all the follies the greatest is to love the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/of-all-the-follies-the-greatest-is-to-love-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we will have the kindness of others, we must endure their follies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-we-will-have-the-kindness-of-others-we-must-endure-their-follies/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/it-is-in-our-faults-and-failings-not-in-our-virtues-that-we-touch/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) > [“I love, I love beauty and in it I worship my follies, the ones I found on my own, and the ones to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adonis/i-love-i-love-beauty-and-in-it-i-worship-my-follies-the-ones-i-found/) [Adonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adonis/) > [We should begin to remind people they are always after your money and if you are on something around average earnings you really don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-redwood/we-should-begin-to-remind-people-they-are-always-after-your-money-and/) [John Redwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-redwood/) > [“Beauty lies in the LIES of the beholder!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-kallarakkal/beauty-lies-in-the-lies-of-the-beholder/) [Ashok Kallarakkal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-kallarakkal/) > [“And aren't the most beautiful follies the ones linked to love?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/and-aren-t-the-most-beautiful-follies-the-ones-linked-to-love/) [Irène Némirovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ir-ne-n-mirovsky/) > [Every man has his follies - and often they are the most interesting thing he has got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/every-man-has-his-follies-and-often-they-are-the-most-interesting/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Though you may be last to discover your follies, be always first to correct them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-macdonald/though-you-may-be-last-to-discover-your-follies-be-always-first-to/) [Norm MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-macdonald/) > [I grew up with "Follies." I saw it when I was fifteen. It was the original production, and of course, that production will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-busch/i-grew-up-with-follies-i-saw-it-when-i-was-fifteen-it-was-the/) [Charles Busch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-busch/) > [“what with the follies and an indecent proposal it's been quite a night”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbra-streisand/what-with-the-follies-and-an-indecent-proposal-it-s-been-quite-a-night/) [Barbra Streisand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbra-streisand/) > [Many brief follies--that is what you call love. And your marriage puts an end to many brief follies, with a single long stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-brief-follies-that-is-what-you-call-love-and-your-marriage-puts/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Of all follies there is none greater than wanting to makethe world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/of-all-follies-there-is-none-greater-than-wanting-to-makethe-world-a/) [Molière](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [“Foibles are like alphabets; they collate and cascade into a prose of follies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shabbeer-ahmed/foibles-are-like-alphabets-they-collate-and-cascade-into-a-prose-of/) [Shabbeer Ahmed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shabbeer-ahmed/) > [I think comedy and satire are a very important part of democracy, and it's important we are able to laugh at the idiosyncrasies or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/i-think-comedy-and-satire-are-a-very-important-part-of-democracy-and/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) [Browse all 37 Follies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "By their own follies they perished, the fools.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Homer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-fools/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Follies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-fools/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/10b/homer-357_follies_by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-f_2827957.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“By their own follies they perished, the fools.” — Homer", "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": "Homer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "By their own follies they perished,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-fools/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/by-their-own-follies-they-perished-the-fools/#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 } } ] } ```