--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you were an ancient barbarian, I bet a…" description: "\"If you were an ancient barbarian, I bet a real embarrassing thing would be if you were sacking Rome and your cape got caught on something and you could..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/jack-handey-829_ancient_if-you-were-an-ancient-barbarian-i-bet-a_552033.jpg" --- # If you were an ancient barbarian, I bet a real… ![“If you were an ancient barbarian, I bet a real embarrassing thing would be if you were sacking Rome and your cape got caught on something and you couldn't get it unhooked, and you had to ask another barbarian to unhook it for you.” quote by Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/jack-handey-829_ancient_if-you-were-an-ancient-barbarian-i-bet-a_552033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/jack-handey-829_ancient_if-you-were-an-ancient-barbarian-i-bet-a_552033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b12/jack-handey-829_ancient_if-you-were-an-ancient-barbarian-i-bet-a_552033.jpg) > “If you were an ancient barbarian, I bet a real embarrassing thing would be if you were sacking Rome and your cape got caught on something and you couldn't get it unhooked, and you had to ask another barbarian to unhook it for you.” [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embarrassment can arise from mundane mishaps, highlighting human vulnerability even in grand conquests. **In simple terms:** Even great deeds can be foiled by small accidents. Key Takeaway Accept that mishaps happen and laugh at them. Themes humor humility historical vulnerability Mood lighthearted self‑deprecating reflective Type anecdote humorous When to use this quote - public speaking - team projects - travel mishaps - historical reenactments Key Concepts comedy human error social awkwardness Questions to Reflect On - What does this story reveal about handling pride? - How can humor defuse awkward moments? A Different Perspective Focusing on the embarrassment may distract from the larger achievement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Barbarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarian/) [Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians/) [Deep thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-thought/) [Romans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romans/) [Rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rome/) [Sacking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacking/) ## Related quotes > [They asked me to write it and zoomed me over there to do it. But they ended up sacking me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-campbell/they-asked-me-to-write-it-and-zoomed-me-over-there-to-do-it-but-they/) [Eddie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-campbell/) > [I love getting after that quarterback! That's my deal: sacking the quarterback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaines-adams/i-love-getting-after-that-quarterback-that-s-my-deal-sacking-the/) [Gaines Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaines-adams/) > [You take all the offensive linemen and put them in a burlap bag, and then you take a baseball bat and beat on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/you-take-all-the-offensive-linemen-and-put-them-in-a-burlap-bag-and/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [At Chelsea, a sacking is just another day at the office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-villas-boas/at-chelsea-a-sacking-is-just-another-day-at-the-office/) [Andre Villas-Boas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-villas-boas/) > [But look what we have built ... This is not the rebuilding of cities. This is the sacking of cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/but-look-what-we-have-built-this-is-not-the-rebuilding-of-cities-this/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [But look what we have built low-income projects that become worse centers of delinquency, vandalism and general social hopelessness than the slums they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/but-look-what-we-have-built-low-income-projects-that-become-worse/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [The only argument this president needs to persuade Americans is that sacking Saddam is necessary for the security of America and the West, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-pruden/the-only-argument-this-president-needs-to-persuade-americans-is-that/) [Wesley Pruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-pruden/) > [I developed a term that is used in the game right now called sacking a quarterback. Sacking a quarterback is just like you devastate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/i-developed-a-term-that-is-used-in-the-game-right-now-called-sacking/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [Islamic ethics is based on 'limits and proportions,' which means that the answer to an offensive cartoon is a cartoon, not the burning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amir-taheri/islamic-ethics-is-based-on-limits-and-proportions-which-means-that/) [Amir Taheri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amir-taheri/) > [It’s not important how we play. If you have a Ferrari and I have a small car, to beat you in a race I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-mourinho/it-s-not-important-how-we-play-if-you-have-a-ferrari-and-i-have-a/) [Jose Mourinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-mourinho/) > [I think in a sense this is a house that was built on a bad foundation. And the foundation was the Americans coming here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lee-anderson/i-think-in-a-sense-this-is-a-house-that-was-built-on-a-bad-foundation/) [Jon Lee Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lee-anderson/) > [I am sure that hon. members will realize that I am not drawing on my imagination when I state that last fall there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-douglas/i-am-sure-that-hon-members-will-realize-that-i-am-not-drawing-on-my/) [Tommy Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-douglas/) > [Some crimes get honor and renown by being committed with more pomp, by a greater number, and in a higher degree of wickedness thanothers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/some-crimes-get-honor-and-renown-by-being-committed-with-more-pomp-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [For one thing, before the 20th century, there were plenty of genocides. We tend to forget about them, partly because they weren't as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/for-one-thing-before-the-20th-century-there-were-plenty-of-genocides/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The last thing I'd ever want to see is another manager being sacked. I certainly don't like the phrase 'sacking season.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-moyes/the-last-thing-i-d-ever-want-to-see-is-another-manager-being-sacked-i/) [David Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-moyes/) ## More by Jack Handey > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [At first I thought, if I were Superman, a perfect secret identity would be "Clark Kent, Dentist," because you could save money on tooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/at-first-i-thought-if-i-were-superman-a-perfect-secret-identity-would/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Sometimes I wonder if I'm patriotic enough. Yes, I want to kill people, but on both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-i-wonder-if-i-m-patriotic-enough-yes-i-want-to-kill-people/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/it-s-probably-not-a-good-idea-to-be-chewing-on-a-toothpick-if-you-re/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Probably to a shark, about the funniest thing there is is a wounded seal, trying to swim to shore, because WHERE DOES HE THINK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/probably-to-a-shark-about-the-funniest-thing-there-is-is-a-wounded/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I wish I lived back in the Old West days, because I'd save up my money for about twenty years so I could buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-wish-i-lived-back-in-the-old-west-days-because-i-d-save-up-my-money/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Why do there have to be rules for everything? It's gotten to the point that rules dominate just about every aspect of our lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/why-do-there-have-to-be-rules-for-everything-it-s-gotten-to-the-point/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Most people don't realize that large pieces of coral, which have been painted brown and attached to the skull by common wood screws, can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/most-people-don-t-realize-that-large-pieces-of-coral-which-have-been/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Here's a suggestion for a new animal, if some new ones get created or evolve: something that stings you, then laughs at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/here-s-a-suggestion-for-a-new-animal-if-some-new-ones-get-created-or/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go ice-skating, try not to swing your arms too much, because that really annoys me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-ice-skating-try-not-to-swing-your-arms-too-much-because/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you go to a party at somebody's house, don't automatically assume that the drinks are free. Ask, and ask often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-go-to-a-party-at-somebody-s-house-don-t-automatically-assume/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [He was a cowboy, mister, and he loved the land. He loved it so much he made a woman out of dirt and married…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/he-was-a-cowboy-mister-and-he-loved-the-land-he-loved-it-so-much-he/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [If you were a gladiator in olden days, I bet the inefficiency of how the gladiator fights were organized and scheduled would just drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-you-were-a-gladiator-in-olden-days-i-bet-the-inefficiency-of-how/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) [Explore all 358 Jack Handey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. 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I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. 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