--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not lay on the multitude the blame…" description: "\"Do not lay on the multitude the blame that is due to a few.\" — Ovid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png" --- # Do not lay on the multitude the blame that is due to a few. ![“Do not lay on the multitude the blame that is due to a few.” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png) > “Do not lay on the multitude the blame that is due to a few.” [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ovid advises not to blame the many for the faults caused by a few individuals. **In simple terms:** Don’t hold the crowd responsible for a few’s wrongs. Key Takeaway Assign responsibility accurately, not collectively. Themes justice responsibility collective blame ethics Mood analytical critical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - workplace management - political analysis - media reporting - legal judgments Key Concepts moral philosophy law social criticism Questions to Reflect On - Who is truly responsible for the problem? - How can we address systemic causes? A Different Perspective It may simplify complex systemic issues to individual blame. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) [Dues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dues/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Lay Multitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lay-multitude-1014103/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Multitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitude/) [Multitude Blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitude-blame-1014102/) [Multitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitudes/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) ## Related quotes > [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [This many-headed monster, Multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-daniel/this-many-headed-monster-multitude/) [Samuel Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-daniel/) > [The multitude is always in the wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-multitude-is-always-in-the-wrong/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [Religion is the only metaphysic that the multitude can understand and adopt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/religion-is-the-only-metaphysic-that-the-multitude-can-understand-and/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [The multitude which does not reduce itself to unity is confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-multitude-which-does-not-reduce-itself-to-unity-is-confusion/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [What is any ocean but a multitude of drops?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/what-is-any-ocean-but-a-multitude-of-drops/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [And you are made of a hundred trillion cells. We are, each of us, a multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/and-you-are-made-of-a-hundred-trillion-cells-we-are-each-of-us-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In solitude, be a multitude to thyself. Tibullus by all means use sometimes to be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-solitude-be-a-multitude-to-thyself-tibullus-by-all-means-use/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [The multitude of books is a great evil. There is no limit to this fever for writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-multitude-of-books-is-a-great-evil-there-is-no-limit-to-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are but one of the multitude, in no respect better than any other in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/we-are-but-one-of-the-multitude-in-no-respect-better-than-any-other/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/wherever-the-bishop-shall-appear-there-let-the-multitude-also-be-even/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [What the multitude says, is so, or soon will be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/what-the-multitude-says-is-so-or-soon-will-be-so/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Alexander wept when he heard from Anaxarchus that there was an infinite number of worlds; and his friends asking him if any accident had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/alexander-wept-when-he-heard-from-anaxarchus-that-there-was-an/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [A portion of the multitude must ever be coerced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/a-portion-of-the-multitude-must-ever-be-coerced/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) ## More by Ovid > [Every woman thinks herself attractive; even the plainest is satisfied with the charms she deems that she possesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/every-woman-thinks-herself-attractive-even-the-plainest-is-satisfied/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/suppressed-grief-suffocates-it-rages-within-the-breast-and-is-forced/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [It is some alleviation to ills we cannot cure to speak of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-some-alleviation-to-ills-we-cannot-cure-to-speak-of-them/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [ A mind conscious of right laughs at the falsehoods of rumour. \[Lat., Conscia mens recti famae mendacia risit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/a-mind-conscious-of-right-laughs-at-the-falsehoods-of-rumour-lat/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Time is generally the best doctor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/time-is-generally-the-best-doctor/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-convenient-that-there-be-gods-and-as-it-is-convenient-let-us/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [I hate a woman who offers herself because she ought to do so, and cold and dry thinks of her sewing when making love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/i-hate-a-woman-who-offers-herself-because-she-ought-to-do-so-and-cold/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [The sea's vast depths lie open to the fish; Wherever the breezes blow the bird may fly; So to the brave man every land's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/the-sea-s-vast-depths-lie-open-to-the-fish-wherever-the-breezes-blow/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Rare is the virtue that's not ruled by Fortune, That stands unshaken even when Fortune flees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/rare-is-the-virtue-that-s-not-ruled-by-fortune-that-stands-unshaken/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Thus all things altered. Nothing dies. And here and there the unbodied spirit flies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/thus-all-things-altered-nothing-dies-and-here-and-there-the-unbodied/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [How little is the promise of the child fulfilled in the man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/how-little-is-the-promise-of-the-child-fulfilled-in-the-man/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Judgement of beauty can err, what with the wine and the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/judgement-of-beauty-can-err-what-with-the-wine-and-the-dark/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Leave war to others; 'tis Protesilaus' part of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/leave-war-to-others-tis-protesilaus-part-of-love/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Remove but the temptations of leisure, and the bow of Cupid will lose its effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/remove-but-the-temptations-of-leisure-and-the-bow-of-cupid-will-lose/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) [Explore all 771 Ovid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) ## More Blame quotes > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-the-great/i-like-to-praise-and-reward-loudly-to-blame-quietly/) [Catherine the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-the-great/) > [Some of the things that I said I hated to say, but blame yourself mother fucker you made it this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/some-of-the-things-that-i-said-i-hated-to-say-but-blame-yourself/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In places where government priorities and market imperatives create a world so capricious that to help a neighbor is to risk your ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/in-places-where-government-priorities-and-market-imperatives-create-a/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [“Stop Blaming Others For Your Own Actions”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-g-roldan/stop-blaming-others-for-your-own-actions/) [Alexis G. Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-g-roldan/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't blame anyone .. I did this to myself .. It's my fault .. Everything is my FAULT ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nurnizz95/i-don-t-blame-anyone-i-did-this-to-myself-it-s-my-fault-everything-is/) [Nurnizz95](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nurnizz95/) > [“They would congratulate themselves every morning on keeping their integrity, and blame themselves each night for that missed opportunity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/they-would-congratulate-themselves-every-morning-on-keeping-their/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I try to live my life where I end up at a point where I have no regrets. So I try to choose the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-try-to-live-my-life-where-i-end-up-at-a-point-where-i-have-no/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [How come you don't feel that magic in the air? I guess I knew you'll never be there. I guess I knew you never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-come-you-don-t-feel-that-magic-in-the-air-i-guess-i-knew-you-ll/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am down mentally. I can't understand how it happened and who is to blame? I don't know why the ground was rolled before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yeasin-khan/i-am-down-mentally-i-can-t-understand-how-it-happened-and-who-is-to/) [Yeasin Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yeasin-khan/) > [A refusal to admit one's mistake & not accepting responsibility for that mistake by blaming everyone else, is d beginning of one's decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-refusal-to-admit-one-s-mistake-not-accepting-responsibility-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Listen, the guy was not created by coverage from MSNBC and CNN. If you want to blame us for making Donald Trump president because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-tur/listen-the-guy-was-not-created-by-coverage-from-msnbc-and-cnn-if-you/) [Katy Tur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-tur/) [Browse all 3,779 Blame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do not lay on the multitude the blame that is due to a few.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ovid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-that-is-due-to-a-few/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blame" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-that-is-due-to-a-few/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7d/ovid-276_blame_do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-th_1686880.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do not lay on the multitude the blame that is due to a few.” — Ovid", "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": "Ovid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Do not lay on the multitude...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-that-is-due-to-a-few/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/do-not-lay-on-the-multitude-the-blame-that-is-due-to-a-few/#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 } } ] } ```