--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is the act of a bad man to deceive by…" description: "\"It is the act of a bad man to deceive by falsehood.\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_bad-man_it-is-the-act-of-a-bad-man-to-deceive-by_3097068.jpg" --- # It is the act of a bad man to deceive by falsehood. ![“It is the act of a bad man to deceive by falsehood.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_bad-man_it-is-the-act-of-a-bad-man-to-deceive-by_3097068.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_bad-man_it-is-the-act-of-a-bad-man-to-deceive-by_3097068.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7df/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_bad-man_it-is-the-act-of-a-bad-man-to-deceive-by_3097068.jpg) > “It is the act of a bad man to deceive by falsehood.” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deception involves a malicious individual intentionally spreading falsehoods to manipulate others. **In simple terms:** Bad people lie to mislead. Key Takeaway Guard against false information. Themes ethics truth manipulation Mood cautious critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - political campaigns - advertising - personal relationships - media consumption Key Concepts deception morality communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify information? - What motives might hide behind a lie? A Different Perspective Even honest people can unintentionally spread falsehoods. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [A man can deceive a woman by his sham attachment to her provided he does not have a real attachment elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-man-can-deceive-a-woman-by-his-sham-attachment-to-her-provided-he/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [It's the easiest thing in the world for a man to deceive himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/it-s-the-easiest-thing-in-the-world-for-a-man-to-deceive-himself/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [We have great power to see the truth when the truth is all we wish to see; but what is easier than to credit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-vila-blake/we-have-great-power-to-see-the-truth-when-the-truth-is-all-we-wish-to/) [James Vila Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-vila-blake/) > [Its nature of man Deceive themselves and understand others is censurable,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/its-nature-of-man-deceive-themselves-and-understand-others-is/) Mak\_786 > [“This explained to me--and I suppose, forgave me--my inability to see the face of this man, because whoever must deceive us in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ennis/this-explained-to-me-and-i-suppose-forgave-me-my-inability-to-see-the/) [Michael Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ennis/) > [“Even in death, a good man would not deceive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-syrus/even-in-death-a-good-man-would-not-deceive/) [Publius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-syrus/) > [We never deceive for a good purpose: knavery adds malice to falsehood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-never-deceive-for-a-good-purpose-knavery-adds-malice-to-falsehood/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Communists, socialists and fascists everywhere, from Mr. Obama upward, have taken to the global warming cause like a quack to colored water. Just about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-monckton-3rd-viscount-monckton-of-brenchley/communists-socialists-and-fascists-everywhere-from-mr-obama-upward/) [Christopher Monckton, 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-monckton-3rd-viscount-monckton-of-brenchley/) > [Falsehood is never so successful as when she baits her hook with truth, and no opinions so fatally mislead us, as those that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/falsehood-is-never-so-successful-as-when-she-baits-her-hook-with/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A man can deceive his fiancee or his mistress as much as he likes and, in the eyes of a woman he loves, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/a-man-can-deceive-his-fiancee-or-his-mistress-as-much-as-he-likes-and/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [No, it's not that they're bad. 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She desperately needs to believe such pure joy is still possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/she-knows-she-s-deceiving-herself-about-that-but-she-prefers-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [We deceive ourselves when giving respect to the person for whom we have surrendered ourselves, when we respectively expect them to be as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-deceive-ourselves-when-giving-respect-to-the-person-for-whom-we/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Marcus Tullius Cicero > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. 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(Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. 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