--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as…" description: "\"If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned, he would soon be out of thunderbolts.\" — Ovid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png" --- # If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned… ![“If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned, he would soon be out of thunderbolts.” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png) > “If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned, he would soon be out of thunderbolts.” [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. Divine punishment is limited; endless sin would deplete even the gods' resources. **In simple terms:** Too much sin would exhaust divine wrath. Key Takeaway Avoid excessive wrongdoing. Themes morality divine justice human behavior Mood serious thoughtful cautionary Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal conduct - societal norms - legal systems Key Concepts mythology ethics Questions to Reflect On - Can moral restraint be motivated without fear? A Different Perspective What if human actions truly drained divine resources? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hurled Thunderbolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hurled-thunderbolt-2490288/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jupiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jupiter/) [Jupiter Hurled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jupiter-hurled-2490287/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Sinned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-sinned-747310/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sinned Soon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinned-soon-2490290/) [Soon Thunderbolts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soon-thunderbolts-2490289/) [Thunderbolts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thunderbolts/) ## Related quotes > [“Angels had fallen, men have sinned. It does not mean that God has failed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/angels-had-fallen-men-have-sinned-it-does-not-mean-that-god-has-failed/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [The doctrine of original sin claims that all men sinned in Adam; but whether they did or whether it is merely a fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kaufmann/the-doctrine-of-original-sin-claims-that-all-men-sinned-in-adam-but/) [Walter Kaufmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kaufmann/) > [“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wherefore-as-by-one-man-sin-entered-into-the-world-and-death-by-sin/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fire and water do not mix, neither can you mix judgment of others with the desire to repent. If a man commits a sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/fire-and-water-do-not-mix-neither-can-you-mix-judgment-of-others-with/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Sometimes slow, steady effort is rewarded with justice that arrives like a thunderbolt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sometimes-slow-steady-effort-is-rewarded-with-justice-that-arrives/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Sex cannot be understood because nature cannot be understood. Science is a method of logical analysis of nature's operations. It has lessened human anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille/sex-cannot-be-understood-because-nature-cannot-be-understood-science/) [Camille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille/) > [The rattling thunderbolt hath but his clap, the lightning but his flash, and as they both come in a moment, so do they both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lyly/the-rattling-thunderbolt-hath-but-his-clap-the-lightning-but-his/) [John Lyly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lyly/) > [I am a member of this body. Therefore, sir, I shall neither fawn nor cringe before any party, nor stoop to beg . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mcneal-turner/i-am-a-member-of-this-body-therefore-sir-i-shall-neither-fawn-nor/) [Henry McNeal Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mcneal-turner/) > [Tantra is the hot blood of spiritual practice. It smashes the taboo against unreasonable happiness; a thunderbolt path, swift, joyful, and fierce. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/tantra-is-the-hot-blood-of-spiritual-practice-it-smashes-the-taboo/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Be mild with the mild, shrewd with the crafty, confiding to the honest, rough to the ruffian, and a thunderbolt to the liar. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brown/be-mild-with-the-mild-shrewd-with-the-crafty-confiding-to-the-honest/) [John Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brown/) > [We love the kindly wind and hail, The jolly thunderbolt, We watch in glee the fairy trail Of ampere, watt, and volt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/we-love-the-kindly-wind-and-hail-the-jolly-thunderbolt-we-watch-in/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [Love, thine is the future. Death, I use thee, but I hate thee. Citizens, there shall be in the future neither darkness nor thunderbolts;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/love-thine-is-the-future-death-i-use-thee-but-i-hate-thee-citizens/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [My countrymen should have nerves of steel, muscles of iron, and minds like thunderbolt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/my-countrymen-should-have-nerves-of-steel-muscles-of-iron-and-minds/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Soon all of you immortals Will be as dead as we are! Come on then, what are you waiting for? Have you run out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/soon-all-of-you-immortals-will-be-as-dead-as-we-are-come-on-then-what/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our teeples, drowned the cocks! You sulphurour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/blow-winds-and-crack-your-cheeks-rage-blow-you-cataracts-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## 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 Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned, he would soon be out of thunderbolts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ovid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-often-as-men-sinned-he-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-often-as-men-sinned-he-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/ovid-276_ifs_if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-oft_1859104.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as often as men sinned, he would soon be out of thunderbolts.” — 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": "If Jupiter hurled his thunderbolt as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-often-as-men-sinned-he-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/if-jupiter-hurled-his-thunderbolt-as-often-as-men-sinned-he-would/#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 } } ] } ```