---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Knowest thou not that kings have long…"
description: "\"Knowest thou not that kings have long hands? [Lat., An nescis longos regibus esse manus?]\" — Ovid"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/ovid-276_hands_knowest-thou-not-that-kings-have-long-ha_2841564.png"
---

#  Knowest thou not that kings have long hands? \[Lat., An…

![“Knowest thou not that kings have long hands? &#91;Lat., An nescis longos regibus esse manus?&#93;” quote by Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/ovid-276_hands_knowest-thou-not-that-kings-have-long-ha_2841564.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/ovid-276_hands_knowest-thou-not-that-kings-have-long-ha_2841564.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df7/ovid-276_hands_knowest-thou-not-that-kings-have-long-ha_2841564.png)

> “Knowest thou not that kings have long hands? \[Lat., An nescis longos regibus esse manus?\]”

[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.

Kings possess long, powerful hands, symbolizing authority and influence over vast realms.

**In simple terms:** Kings have great power.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the weight of authority.

Themes

power authority leadership symbolism

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical historical

When to use this quote

- governance
- leadership roles
- historical analysis

Key Concepts

political theory mythology

Questions to Reflect On

- How does power affect responsibility?
- What checks balance authority?

A Different Perspective

Power can be abused.

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[King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/king/) [Kings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings/) [Royalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/royalty/)

## Related quotes

> [Kings have long arms, but Misfortune longer: let none think themselves out of her reach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/kings-have-long-arms-but-misfortune-longer-let-none-think-themselves/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [ It is something to hold the scepter with a firm hand. \[Lat., Est aliquid valida sceptra tenere manu.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/it-is-something-to-hold-the-scepter-with-a-firm-hand-lat-est-aliquid/)

[Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/)

> [“The king is a saint and cannot rule, and his son is a devil and should not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/the-king-is-a-saint-and-cannot-rule-and-his-son-is-a-devil-and-should/)

[Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/)

> [“Men spend their time in following a ball or a hare; it is the pleasure even of kings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/men-spend-their-time-in-following-a-ball-or-a-hare-it-is-the-pleasure/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Your part can be the king, but unless people are treating you like royalty, you ain't no king, man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/your-part-can-be-the-king-but-unless-people-are-treating-you-like/)

[Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/)

> [“For kings indeed we have, who wear the marks and assume the titles of royalty, but as for the qualities of their minds, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/for-kings-indeed-we-have-who-wear-the-marks-and-assume-the-titles-of/)

[Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/)

> [“I've plotted and schemed all my life. There is no other way to be a King, fifty and alive all at once.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-goldman/i-ve-plotted-and-schemed-all-my-life-there-is-no-other-way-to-be-a/)

[James Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-goldman/)

> [Vulgarity in a king flatters the majority of the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/vulgarity-in-a-king-flatters-the-majority-of-the-nation/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [“We have to be more royal than royalty itself or nobody will believe us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-have-to-be-more-royal-than-royalty-itself-or-nobody-will-believe-us/)

[Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/)

> [Princes have but their titles for their glories, An outward honor for an inward toil; And, for unfelt imaginations, They often feel a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/princes-have-but-their-titles-for-their-glories-an-outward-honor-for/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“I once knew a man who was heir to the throne of a great kingdom, he lived as a ranger and fought his destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/i-once-knew-a-man-who-was-heir-to-the-throne-of-a-great-kingdom-he/)

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> [Well, a lot of our concerts do okay, and I know we still get royalty checks which still isn't that important, but again, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/well-a-lot-of-our-concerts-do-okay-and-i-know-we-still-get-royalty/)

[Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/)

> [Many a crown Covers bald foreheads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/many-a-crown-covers-bald-foreheads/)

[Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/)

> [I gave birth to most of them MC's... So when it comes around to the month of May, Send me your royalty check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-shante/i-gave-birth-to-most-of-them-mc-s-so-when-it-comes-around-to-the/)

Roxanne Shante

> [Just because you treat someone like royalty , doesn't mean they won't treat you like crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-young/just-because-you-treat-someone-like-royalty-doesn-t-mean-they-won-t/)

Tyler Young

## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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> [Leave war to others; 'tis Protesilaus' part of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/leave-war-to-others-tis-protesilaus-part-of-love/)

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> [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/)

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> [If one truly has lost hope, one would not be on hand to say so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bentley/if-one-truly-has-lost-hope-one-would-not-be-on-hand-to-say-so/)

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Browse all 18,228 Hands quotes

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