---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger…"
description: "\"“Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger on the left hand had an artery that led straight to the heart. And they bought it. How such an intelligent s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg"
---

#  Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger on the left hand…

![“Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger on the left hand had an artery that led straight to the heart. And they bought it. How such an intelligent species could be so uninformed about their own physiology for so much of their existence was beyond me. Humans scoffed at the idea of gods and turned…” quote by Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg)

> ““Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger on the left hand had an artery that led straight to the heart. And they bought it. How such an intelligent species could be so uninformed about their own physiology for so much of their existence was beyond me. Humans scoffed at the idea of gods and turned their backs on us, leaving us all to die. Yet some ridiculous notion that wearing a chunk of metal on a certain finger bound two souls until death stuck. Figures.””

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Criticizes the ancient belief that the left ring finger’s vein connects directly to the heart, mocking its persistence despite scientific knowledge.

**In simple terms:** Mocks outdated anatomy myth about the heart connection.

Key Takeaway

Question lingering myths with evidence.

Themes

myths science human behavior

Mood

skeptical ironic

Type

cultural educational

When to use this quote

- education curricula
- public health messaging
- media reporting
- personal belief systems

Key Concepts

anatomy cultural beliefs skepticism

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do such myths persist?
- How can we effectively replace them with accurate science?

A Different Perspective

Some may view the critique as dismissive of cultural traditions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Two souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-souls/)

## Related quotes

> [In mythology and palmistry, the left hand is called the dreamer because the ring finger on the left hand leads directly to the heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-vanderbilt/in-mythology-and-palmistry-the-left-hand-is-called-the-dreamer/)

[Gloria Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-vanderbilt/)

> [Like a real dumb idiot, I believed that to avoid a grenade that drops in the water, you could just jump in the water,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/like-a-real-dumb-idiot-i-believed-that-to-avoid-a-grenade-that-drops/)

[Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/)

> [I have a heart tattoo on the inside of my middle finger on my left hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-fox/i-have-a-heart-tattoo-on-the-inside-of-my-middle-finger-on-my-left/)

[Emilia Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-fox/)

> [“Russell had lost the thumb and index finger on his left hand when he was young. He moved the thumb he still had around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brandt/russell-had-lost-the-thumb-and-index-finger-on-his-left-hand-when-he/)

[Charles Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brandt/)

> [The end of the mid finger on my left hand is wider than normal, the nail distorted and a scar in the end. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-asher/the-end-of-the-mid-finger-on-my-left-hand-is-wider-than-normal-the/)

[Neal Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-asher/)

> [ “\[Sarah has had the middle finger of her left hand amputated\] and she says that when she types: I can't rely on E,D, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/sarah-has-had-the-middle-finger-of-her-left-hand-amputated-and-she/)

[Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/)

> [“Mal did as he was told without a backward glance at any of them. Tom did see him hold up his middle finger as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-jakes/mal-did-as-he-was-told-without-a-backward-glance-at-any-of-them-tom/)

[S.E. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-jakes/)

> [When there is a ring on my finger, which is actually given to me, then I'll tell the world. Till then, no one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-there-is-a-ring-on-my-finger-which-is-actually-given-to-me-then/)

[Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/)

> [He's got swag and I have class, the biggest difference is he only wants your ass. I'll put a ring on your finger, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ramos/he-s-got-swag-and-i-have-class-the-biggest-difference-is-he-only/)

[David Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ramos/)

> [“Bless you, my son." She sank onto the cushy chair, legs splayed. "So ladylike. No wonder your ring finger is lonely." "How about this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-walsh/bless-you-my-son-she-sank-onto-the-cushy-chair-legs-splayed-so/)

[Haley Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-walsh/)

> [“What’s your answer, Elle?” “Yes,” she said. “Then here’s the rest of what I’ve been doing during your party,” he said. He knelt and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genell-dellin/what-s-your-answer-elle-yes-she-said-then-here-s-the-rest-of-what-i/)

[Genell Dellin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genell-dellin/)

> [I Have Five Fingers For A Reason My Pinky Finer: For My BestFriends, And The Promises We Made That I'll Never Break Between Us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-five-fingers-for-a-reason-my-pinky-finer-for-my-bestfriends/)

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

> [I want to give you something.” He slid the ring off his finger. “Up until this week, I’ve never wanted anything more in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-speer/i-want-to-give-you-something-he-slid-the-ring-off-his-finger-up-until/)

[Scott Speer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-speer/)

> [Imagine finding someone you love more than anything in the world, who you would risk your life for but couldn't marry. And you couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/imagine-finding-someone-you-love-more-than-anything-in-the-world-who/)

[Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/)

> [Names have a mysterious transforming power. Like a ring on a finger, a name may at first seem merely accidental, committing you to nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/names-have-a-mysterious-transforming-power-like-a-ring-on-a-finger-a/)

[Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/)

## More by Kaitlin Bevis

> [“Just get him started on what he thinks is best for souls. He's all about making everyone feel right at home. Oh gods! He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/just-get-him-started-on-what-he-thinks-is-best-for-souls-he-s-all/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“Families think they know what’s best for you. Your friends let you figure that out for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/families-think-they-know-what-s-best-for-you-your-friends-let-you/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“Hades would break the world for her. She meant too much to too many people. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/hades-would-break-the-world-for-her-she-meant-too-much-to-too-many/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“There’s something you need to know, little goddess,” he whispered, turning his face so his breath tickled my ear. It felt really good. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/there-s-something-you-need-to-know-little-goddess-he-whispered/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“At my disbelieving look he sighed again. I thought about offering him an inhaler, but he continued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/at-my-disbelieving-look-he-sighed-again-i-thought-about-offering-him/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“Athena shifted under my gaze and cleared her throat. “She’s brave, your wife.” I didn’t so much as blink. “She’s stronger than she looks.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/athena-shifted-under-my-gaze-and-cleared-her-throat-she-s-brave-your/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“Cassandra caught my quizzical look and shrugged. “Problems adjusting. You just missed the latest of the new souls. It would seem none of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/cassandra-caught-my-quizzical-look-and-shrugged-problems-adjusting/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“I could feel someone watching me. Eyes boring a hole in the back of my neck, crawling over my skin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/i-could-feel-someone-watching-me-eyes-boring-a-hole-in-the-back-of-my/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“I've been around since the beginning of time, and I’ve never been afraid until I met you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/i-ve-been-around-since-the-beginning-of-time-and-i-ve-never-been/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“In practice, I always get you to give me the red M&amp;M’s.” “That was a device to let you know when you were using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/in-practice-i-always-get-you-to-give-me-the-red-m-m-s-that-was-a/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“I took a final look at my mother’s silhouette in the doorway and tightened my grip on the steering wheel. Hades followed my gaze.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/i-took-a-final-look-at-my-mother-s-silhouette-in-the-doorway-and/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“Athena: "What makes you human? What’s different about you from every other creature out there?” “We can think?” a boy wearing a loose button…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/athena-what-makes-you-human-what-s-different-about-you-from-every/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“No one fears death more than immortals. Humans adjust to their lot in life little bits at a time. They’re introduced to the concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/no-one-fears-death-more-than-immortals-humans-adjust-to-their-lot-in/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“The Titans knew the abominations we would become. The horrific deeds we would commit. All the ways we would go on to abuse our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/the-titans-knew-the-abominations-we-would-become-the-horrific-deeds/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

> [“The past, present, and future; the young, middle-aged, and old; and the maiden, mother, and crone in one. Good times. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/the-past-present-and-future-the-young-middle-aged-and-old-and-the/)

[Kaitlin Bevis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

[Explore all 26 Kaitlin Bevis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/)

## More Left hand quotes

> [I always step on the plane with my right foot and touch the outside of the plane with my left hand. Sometimes you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/i-always-step-on-the-plane-with-my-right-foot-and-touch-the-outside/)

[Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/)

> [“In the darkness as we lie side by side John Cole's left hand snakes over under the sheets and takes a hold of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-barry/in-the-darkness-as-we-lie-side-by-side-john-cole-s-left-hand-snakes/)

[Sebastian Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-barry/)

> [I can go right, I can go left, I'm amphibious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-shackleford/i-can-go-right-i-can-go-left-i-m-amphibious/)

Charles Shackleford

> [If I had a choice, I'd say I'm right-handed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-conley-jr/if-i-had-a-choice-i-d-say-i-m-right-handed/)

[Mike Conley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-conley-jr/)

> [“Except in stock locutions, such as "You were paid yesterday," "The Germans were defeated," or "The project was abandoned," the passive voice is virtually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/except-in-stock-locutions-such-as-you-were-paid-yesterday-the-germans/)

[John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/)

> [I always pet a dog with my left hand because if he bit me I'd still have my right hand to paint with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gris/i-always-pet-a-dog-with-my-left-hand-because-if-he-bit-me-i-d-still/)

[Juan Gris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gris/)

> [Well, it's always been my nature to take chances My right hand drawing back while my left hand advances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/well-it-s-always-been-my-nature-to-take-chances-my-right-hand-drawing/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [I was at Mount Tamalpais near San Francisco hiking when a boulder came hurling down the mountainside and smashed my left hand. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/i-was-at-mount-tamalpais-near-san-francisco-hiking-when-a-boulder/)

[Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/)

> [... and she held out a pretty gold ring. 'Put it,' she said, 'on the fourth finger of my left hand, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/and-she-held-out-a-pretty-gold-ring-put-it-she-said-on-the-fourth/)

[Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/)

> [“When he’d seen her standing at the stove. . . . that familiar wave of possessiveness and love had welled up in him. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-reus/when-he-d-seen-her-standing-at-the-stove-that-familiar-wave-of/)

[Katie Reus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-reus/)

> [“He seemed to be drinking in her face, looking at her instead of into her. “Stop. Stop that. This isn’t goodbye.” Blake pulled her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/he-seemed-to-be-drinking-in-her-face-looking-at-her-instead-of-into/)

[Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/)

> [“INSTRUCTIONS FOR ZAZEN First of all, you have to sit down, which you’re probably already doing. The traditional way is to sit on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ozeki/instructions-for-zazen-first-of-all-you-have-to-sit-down-which-you-re/)

[Ruth Ozeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ozeki/)

> [Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the sky I heard a Voice within the Tavern cry: 'Awake, my Little ones, and fill the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-fitzgerald/dreaming-when-dawn-s-left-hand-was-in-the-sky-i-heard-a-voice-within/)

[Edward Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-fitzgerald/)

> [“The answer was again in the affirmative, so arrangements were made to bring 180 ladies out of the Palace. Sun Tzu divided them into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-answer-was-again-in-the-affirmative-so-arrangements-were-made-to/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [“Accustom yourself to Master tilings of the greatest difficulty, and which you seem to despair of. For if you observe, the Left-hand, tho' for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius-meditations/accustom-yourself-to-master-tilings-of-the-greatest-difficulty-and/)

[Marcus Aurelius, Meditations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius-meditations/)

Browse all 510 Left hand quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger on the left hand had an artery that led straight to the heart. And they bought it. How such an intelligent species could be so uninformed about their own physiology for so much of their existence was beyond me. Humans scoffed at the idea of gods and turned their backs on us, leaving us all to die. Yet some ridiculous notion that wearing a chunk of metal on a certain finger bound two souls until death stuck. Figures.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Kaitlin Bevis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finger-on-the-left-hand-had-an/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Left hand"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finger-on-the-left-hand-had-an/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/619/kaitlin-bevis-22564_left-hand_some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finge_1280102.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Some Greek idiot believed the ring finger on the left hand had an artery that led straight to the heart. And…” — Kaitlin Bevis",
                "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": "Kaitlin Bevis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlin-bevis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Some Greek idiot believed the ring...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finger-on-the-left-hand-had-an/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlin-bevis/some-greek-idiot-believed-the-ring-finger-on-the-left-hand-had-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
