--- 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 doest only help them, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.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 doest only help them, in order that they give thee their children for the benefit of the gullet, of which thou hast attempted to make a sepulchre for all animals; and I…” quote by Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.jpg) > “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 help them, in order that they 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 I were allowed to speak the entire truth...now does not nature produce enough simple (vegetarian) food for thee to satisfy thyself?” [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. Da Vinci critiques humanity’s exploitation of animals for food, urging a vegetarian diet as more natural and humane. **In simple terms:** Humans overuse animals for meat; consider plant‑based eating. Key Takeaway Choose plant‑based meals. Themes ethics environment diet humanity animals Mood thoughtful concerned Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - menu planning - ethical dining Key Concepts sustainability compassion nutrition Questions to Reflect On - What would change in your diet if you prioritized animal welfare? - How can societies support sustainable plant‑based food systems? A Different Perspective Vegetarianism may be culturally challenging or nutritionally insufficient for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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 —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say-2/) [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. That is the only disadvantage of vegetarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-am-oppressed-with-a-dread-of-living-forever-that-is-the-only/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [When we eat vegetarian foods, we needn't worry about what kind of disease our food died from; this makes a joyful meal!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/when-we-eat-vegetarian-foods-we-needn-t-worry-about-what-kind-of/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [When I was 88 years old, I gave up meat entirely and switched to a plant foods diet following a slight stroke. 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. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. 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. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. 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 doest only help them, in order that they 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 I were allowed to speak the entire truth...now does not nature produce enough simple (vegetarian) food for thee to satisfy thyself?", "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/", "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/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81c/leonardo-da-vinci-330_animal_king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-describ_944302.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 thou...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/king-of-the-animals-as-thou-hast-described-him-i-should-rather-say/#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 } } ] } ```