---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cattle and fat sheep can all be had for…"
description: "\"“Cattle and fat sheep can all be had for the raiding, tripods for the trading, and tawny headed stallions. But a mans's lifebreath cannot come back aga..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/homer-357_cattle_cattle-and-fat-sheep-can-all-be-had-for_455953.png"
---

#  Cattle and fat sheep can all be had for the raiding…

![“Cattle and fat sheep can all be had for the raiding, tripods for the trading, and tawny headed stallions. But a mans's lifebreath cannot come back again- no raiders in force, no trading brings it back, once it slips through a man's clenched teeth.” quote by Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/homer-357_cattle_cattle-and-fat-sheep-can-all-be-had-for_455953.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/homer-357_cattle_cattle-and-fat-sheep-can-all-be-had-for_455953.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/775/homer-357_cattle_cattle-and-fat-sheep-can-all-be-had-for_455953.png)

> ““Cattle and fat sheep can all be had for the raiding, tripods for the trading, and tawny headed stallions. But a mans's lifebreath cannot come back again- no raiders in force, no trading brings it back, once it slips through a man's clenched teeth.””

[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.

Life’s breath is irreplaceable; material gains cannot restore a lost life.

**In simple terms:** Life cannot be bought back.

Key Takeaway

Value life over possessions.

Themes

mortality value impermanence

Mood

somber reflective

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- war
- trading
- personal loss
- ethical decisions

Key Concepts

human fragility time loss

Questions to Reflect On

- What truly matters when time is limited?
- How do you prioritize life over material gain?

A Different Perspective

Even with wealth, life cannot be reclaimed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Raiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raiding/)

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> [It is a terrible commentary on Christian civilization that the longest period of slave-raiding known to history was initiated by the action of Spain,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-a-l-fisher/it-is-a-terrible-commentary-on-christian-civilization-that-the/)

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[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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[Explore all 639 Homer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

## More Cattle quotes

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[Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/)

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[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/)

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Browse all 314 Cattle quotes

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