--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: King of the animals — as thou hast…" description: "\"King of the animals — as thou hast described him — I should rather say king of the beasts, thou being the greatest — because thou hast spared slaying t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg" --- # King of the animals — as thou hast described him — I… ![“King of the animals — as thou hast described him — I should rather say king of the beasts, thou being the greatest — because thou hast spared slaying them, in order that they may give thee their children for the benefit of the gullet, of which thou hast attempted to make a sepulchre for all…” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg) > “King of the animals — as thou hast described him — I should rather say king of the beasts, thou being the greatest — because thou hast spared slaying them, in order that they may give thee their children for the benefit of the gullet, of which thou hast attempted to make a sepulchre for all animals; and I would say still more, if it were allowed me to speak the entire truth.” [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker critiques calling a predator the “king of the animals,” suggesting it is merely a king of beasts because it spares them only to later consume their offspring, highlighting a paradox of mercy and exploitation. **In simple terms:** Calling a predator a king is ironic; it spares only to later eat. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden motives behind apparent kindness. Themes ethics power nature paradox humanity Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical analytical ethical When to use this quote - hunting - food chain - political rhetoric - environmental policy Key Concepts predation moral hypocrisy utilitarianism Questions to Reflect On - Do we ever spare others for future benefit? - How does power shape our justification of cruelty? A Different Perspective The argument assumes all predators act with human-like intent, which may not hold. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Vegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegan/) [Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian/) [Vegetarian food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian-food/) ## Related quotes > [King of the animals-- as thou hast described him-- I should rather say king of the beasts, thou being the greatest--because thou doest only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Truly man is the king of beasts, for his brutality exceeds them. We live by the death of others. We are burial places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/truly-man-is-the-king-of-beasts-for-his-brutality-exceeds-them-we/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [O God, enlarge within us the sense of fellowship with all living things, even our brothers, the animals, to whom Thou gavest the earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/o-god-enlarge-within-us-the-sense-of-fellowship-with-all-living/) [Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/) > [“Not even the lion is designated as the king of the beasts,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pacwa/not-even-the-lion-is-designated-as-the-king-of-the-beasts/) [Mitch Pacwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-pacwa/) > [A lion is called a 'king of beasts' obviously for a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-hanna/a-lion-is-called-a-king-of-beasts-obviously-for-a-reason/) [Jack Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-hanna/) > [The lion cares less about being king of the beasts than about finding his dinner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-lion-cares-less-about-being-king-of-the-beasts-than-about-finding/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Love is the king of the beasts And when it gets hungry it must kill to eat Love is the king of the beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/love-is-the-king-of-the-beasts-and-when-it-gets-hungry-it-must-kill/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [Of all animals, the outward form of the Lion is the most striking ; his look is bold and confident; his gait proud; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pinnock/of-all-animals-the-outward-form-of-the-lion-is-the-most-striking-his/) William Pinnock > [“I enjoy vegetarian food like I enjoy a kick in the stomach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bola-o/i-enjoy-vegetarian-food-like-i-enjoy-a-kick-in-the-stomach/) [Roberto Bolano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bola-o/) > [I am oppressed with a dread of living forever. 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During the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/when-i-was-88-years-old-i-gave-up-meat-entirely-and-switched-to-a/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [It is significant to note that those who live on vegetarian food are less prone to diseases, whereas non-vegetarians are subject to more diseases.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/it-is-significant-to-note-that-those-who-live-on-vegetarian-food-are/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [At first, people think about vegetarian food like, 'Here's some veggies. Here's some pasta.' But there's so much more you can do in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-fieri/at-first-people-think-about-vegetarian-food-like-here-s-some-veggies/) [Guy Fieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-fieri/) > [I hold flesh-food to be unsuited to our species. We err in copying the lower animal world if we are superior to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-hold-flesh-food-to-be-unsuited-to-our-species-we-err-in-copying-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) ## More by Leonardo da Vinci > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/a-painter-should-begin-every-canvas-with-a-wash-of-black-because-all/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nothing can be love or hated unless it is first known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nothing-can-be-love-or-hated-unless-it-is-first-known/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [An arch consists of two weaknesses which, leaning one against the other, make a strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/an-arch-consists-of-two-weaknesses-which-leaning-one-against-the/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [But to me all sciences seem vain and full of error that are not born of experience, mother of all certainty, and do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/but-to-me-all-sciences-seem-vain-and-full-of-error-that-are-not-born/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Time stays long enough for those who use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/time-stays-long-enough-for-those-who-use-it/) [Leonardo Da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [It is ordained that to the ambitious, who derive no satisfaction from the gifts of life and the beauty of the world, life shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/it-is-ordained-that-to-the-ambitious-who-derive-no-satisfaction-from/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Be a mirror, absorb everything around you and still remain the same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/be-a-mirror-absorb-everything-around-you-and-still-remain-the-same/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Your brain is much better than you think; just use it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/your-brain-is-much-better-than-you-think-just-use-it/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Necessity is a guardian in Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/necessity-is-a-guardian-in-nature/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Human subtlety will never devise an invention more beautiful, more simple or more direct than does nature because in her inventions nothing is lacking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/human-subtlety-will-never-devise-an-invention-more-beautiful-more/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/people-reveal-themselves-completely-only-when-they-are-thrown-out-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [To be a winner you must want to win but must know of the chance of losing and must not fear of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/to-be-a-winner-you-must-want-to-win-but-must-know-of-the-chance-of/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Nature is so delightful and abundant in its variations that among trees of the same kind there would not be found one which nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/nature-is-so-delightful-and-abundant-in-its-variations-that-among/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Wisdom is the daughter of experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/wisdom-is-the-daughter-of-experience/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) [Explore all 664 Leonardo da Vinci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "King of the animals — as thou hast described him — I should rather say king of the beasts, thou being the greatest — because thou hast spared slaying them, in order that they may give thee their children for the benefit of the gullet, of which thou hast attempted to make a sepulchre for all animals; and I would say still more, if it were allowed me to speak the entire truth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leonardo da Vinci" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f8d/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_1984531.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“King of the animals — as thou hast described him — I should rather say king of the beasts, thou being the…” — Leonardo da Vinci", "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": "Leonardo da Vinci", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "King of the animals — as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say-2/#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 } } ] } ```