--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A man that is not afraid of a Lion is…" description: "\"A man that is not afraid of a Lion is afraid of a Cat .\" — John Donne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png" --- # A man that is not afraid of a Lion is afraid of a Cat . ![“A man that is not afraid of a Lion is afraid of a Cat .” quote by John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png) > “A man that is not afraid of a Lion is afraid of a Cat .” [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of minor threats often masks deeper anxieties about larger dangers. **In simple terms:** Afraid of cats, not lions. Key Takeaway Recognize true sources of fear. Themes fear perception anxiety Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - personal relationships - workplace dynamics - public safety discussions - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology selfawareness Questions to Reflect On - What larger fear might you be avoiding? - How does focusing on small dangers affect decision‑making? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on minor risks can ignore real threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Cats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cats/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [A zooology teacher asks the class 'What is the one animal in the jungle that a lion is afraid of?' The class answers: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/a-zooology-teacher-asks-the-class-what-is-the-one-animal-in-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [What A Mystery! A cockroach is afraid of the Rat. Rat is afraid of Cat. The cat is afraid of the dog/ The dog…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/what-a-mystery-a-cockroach-is-afraid-of-the-rat-rat-is-afraid-of-cat/) Pacifiersucker > [“Don’t be afraid of being alone; a lion does not rule the jungle with sheep at its side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/don-t-be-afraid-of-being-alone-a-lion-does-not-rule-the-jungle-with/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned, for he will be going out on a day when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-millington-synge/a-man-who-is-not-afraid-of-the-sea-will-soon-be-drowned-for-he-will/) [John Millington Synge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-millington-synge/) > [The man who is not afraid of danger is not a hero, but a psychopath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/the-man-who-is-not-afraid-of-danger-is-not-a-hero-but-a-psychopath/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [Now, Mr. Great-heart was a strong man, so he was not afraid of a lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/now-mr-great-heart-was-a-strong-man-so-he-was-not-afraid-of-a-lion/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [A man who is not afraid is not aggressive, a man who has no sense of fear of any kind is really a free,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-man-who-is-not-afraid-is-not-aggressive-a-man-who-has-no-sense-of/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [A man who is afraid will do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/a-man-who-is-afraid-will-do-anything/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [“I was a man, afraid of the threat he posed to my character, to my future, to my identity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-a-man-afraid-of-the-threat-he-posed-to-my-character-to-my/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned, he said, for he will be going out on a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-who-is-not-afraid-of-the-sea-will-soon-be-drowned-he-said-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man is always afraid of a woman that loves him too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gay/a-man-is-always-afraid-of-a-woman-that-loves-him-too-much/) [John Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gay/) > [“Every man is afraid of women as far as I can see,” said Julian, displaying an understanding of the universe far beyond his years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyne/every-man-is-afraid-of-women-as-far-as-i-can-see-said-julian/) [John Boyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyne/) > [A country where a man is afraid to criticise another one is no socialist country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enver-hoxha/a-country-where-a-man-is-afraid-to-criticise-another-one-is-no/) [Enver Hoxha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enver-hoxha/) > [A hero is a man who is afraid to run away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-hero-is-a-man-who-is-afraid-to-run-away/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [He is a man, and he is afraid. This is not a good combination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/he-is-a-man-and-he-is-afraid-this-is-not-a-good-combination/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) ## More by John Donne > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [But I do nothing upon myself, and yet I am my own executioner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/but-i-do-nothing-upon-myself-and-yet-i-am-my-own-executioner/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/all-mankind-is-of-one-author-and-is-one-volume-when-one-man-dies-one/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [We study health, and we deliberate upon our meats and drink and air and exercises, and we hew and we polish every stone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/we-study-health-and-we-deliberate-upon-our-meats-and-drink-and-air/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Commemoration of Pandita Mary Ramabai, Translator of the Scriptures, 1922 A memory of yesterday's pleasures, a fear of tomorrow's dangers, a straw under my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/commemoration-of-pandita-mary-ramabai-translator-of-the-scriptures/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Various content To your eyes, ears, and tongue, and every part. If then your body go, what need you a heart?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/various-content-to-your-eyes-ears-and-tongue-and-every-part-if-then/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [“Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ; That I may rise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/batter-my-heart-three-person-d-god-for-you-as-yet-but-knock-breathe/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Young men mend not their sight by using old men's spectacles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/young-men-mend-not-their-sight-by-using-old-men-s-spectacles/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [That which attempts to elevate the ugly to the level of beauty becomes neither; but an obscenity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/that-which-attempts-to-elevate-the-ugly-to-the-level-of-beauty/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [For I am every dead thing In whom love wrought new alchemy For his art did express A quintessence even from nothingness, From dull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/for-i-am-every-dead-thing-in-whom-love-wrought-new-alchemy-for-his/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [As states subsist in part by keeping their weaknesses from being known, so is it the quiet of families to have their chancery and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/as-states-subsist-in-part-by-keeping-their-weaknesses-from-being/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [All Kings, and all their favorites, All glory of honors, beauties, wits, The sun itself, which makes times, as they pass, Is elder by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/all-kings-and-all-their-favorites-all-glory-of-honors-beauties-wits/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [On a huge hill, Cragged, and steep, Truth stands, and hee that will Reach her, about must, and about must goo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/on-a-huge-hill-cragged-and-steep-truth-stands-and-hee-that-will-reach/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [How many times go we to comedies, to masques, to places of great and noble resort, nay even to church only to see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/how-many-times-go-we-to-comedies-to-masques-to-places-of-great-and/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppy, or charms, can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/thou-art-slave-to-fate-chance-kings-and-desperate-men-and-dost-with/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) [Explore all 325 John Donne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) ## More Cat quotes > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [One reason why my memory decays is that I have three cats, all so loving and insistent that they play cat's-cradle with every train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/one-reason-why-my-memory-decays-is-that-i-have-three-cats-all-so/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [If you ask me to tell you anything about the nature of what lies beyond the phaneron… my answer is “How should I know?”……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gardner/if-you-ask-me-to-tell-you-anything-about-the-nature-of-what-lies/) [Martin Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gardner/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [Kittens can happen to anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gallico/kittens-can-happen-to-anyone/) [Paul Gallico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gallico/) > [I think if you keep the box closed long enough you do kill the cat, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-if-you-keep-the-box-closed-long-enough-you-do-kill-the-cat/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“All right, you deadly little ghostlings,” I muttered. “Mama says go back to bed! - Cat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/all-right-you-deadly-little-ghostlings-i-muttered-mama-says-go-back/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Man wishes woman to be peaceable, but in fact she is essentially warlike, like the cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/man-wishes-woman-to-be-peaceable-but-in-fact-she-is-essentially/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There are videos I used to take at home, pretending to be a newscaster, interviewing the teapot or my house cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wagner/there-are-videos-i-used-to-take-at-home-pretending-to-be-a-newscaster/) [Alex Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wagner/) [Browse all 2,996 Cat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A man that is not afraid of a Lion is afraid of a Cat .", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Donne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-afraid-of-a-cat/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cat" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-afraid-of-a-cat/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29c/john-donne-933_cat_a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-af_505557.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A man that is not afraid of a Lion is afraid of a Cat .” — John Donne", "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": "John Donne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A man that is not afraid...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-afraid-of-a-cat/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/a-man-that-is-not-afraid-of-a-lion-is-afraid-of-a-cat/#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 } } ] } ```