--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Playing the Cretan with the Cretans (i.e…" description: "\"Playing the Cretan with the Cretans (i.e. lying to liars).\" — Plutarch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/plutarch-597_liars_playing-the-cretan-with-the-cretans-i-e_165586.jpg" --- # Playing the Cretan with the Cretans (i.e. lying to liars). ![“Playing the Cretan with the Cretans (i.e. lying to liars).” quote by Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/plutarch-597_liars_playing-the-cretan-with-the-cretans-i-e_165586.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/plutarch-597_liars_playing-the-cretan-with-the-cretans-i-e_165586.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82b/plutarch-597_liars_playing-the-cretan-with-the-cretans-i-e_165586.jpg) > “Playing the Cretan with the Cretans (i.e. lying to liars).” [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The phrase describes using deceit against those who are themselves dishonest, implying a strategic reversal of lying. **In simple terms:** Lying to liars as a tactic. Key Takeaway Use cunning wisely when confronting deceit. Themes strategy ethics deception conflict wisdom Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - political negotiations - legal cross‑examination - personal disputes - competitive sports Key Concepts rhetoric moral philosophy tactics Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever justified to lie to a liar? - What are the risks of employing such tactics? A Different Perspective Deception can erode trust even when used against liars. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cretans Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cretans-lying-1805492/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Lying Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying-liars-1805494/) [Playing Cretan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-cretan-1805493/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [A liar freely gives his oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/a-liar-freely-gives-his-oath/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I really despise LIARS.. I am as honest as they come, so no need to lie just tell the truth always because your character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-mcfatridge-terry/i-really-despise-liars-i-am-as-honest-as-they-come-so-no-need-to-lie/) [Kris( McFatridge) Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-mcfatridge-terry/) > [I was brought up to never lie. Sure, I have. But in the final mix, the lies I've told are far outweighed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-grammer/i-was-brought-up-to-never-lie-sure-i-have-but-in-the-final-mix-the/) [Kelsey Grammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-grammer/) > [The visionary lies to himself, the liar only to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-visionary-lies-to-himself-the-liar-only-to-others/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Lying is my No. 1 thing. 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Is it that the winds, slipping the smooth oil, have no force,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/why-does-pouring-oil-on-the-sea-make-it-clear-and-calm-is-it-that-the/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [This excerpt is presented as reproduced by Copernicus in the preface to De Revolutionibus: "Some think that the earth remains at rest. But Philolaus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/this-excerpt-is-presented-as-reproduced-by-copernicus-in-the-preface/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [It is part of a good man to do great and noble deeds, though he risk everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/it-is-part-of-a-good-man-to-do-great-and-noble-deeds-though-he-risk/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [I am whatever was, or is, or will be; and my veil no mortal ever took up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/i-am-whatever-was-or-is-or-will-be-and-my-veil-no-mortal-ever-took-up/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [The pilot cannot mitigate the billows or calm the winds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/the-pilot-cannot-mitigate-the-billows-or-calm-the-winds/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“In Springtime, O Dionysos, To thy holy temple come, To Elis with thy Graces, Rushing with thy bull-foot, come, Noble Bull, Noble Bull”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/in-springtime-o-dionysos-to-thy-holy-temple-come-to-elis-with-thy/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) [Explore all 451 Plutarch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) ## More Liars quotes > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [Truth be told from compulsive liars with a history/Everything must change 2nd chances are a mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-dash/truth-be-told-from-compulsive-liars-with-a-history-everything-must/) [C-DASH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-dash/) > [He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/he-lacked-tenderness-he-was-rude-and-he-had-more-than-a-streak-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [Great liars are also great magicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/great-liars-are-also-great-magicians/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“The fact that they viewed their wealth as a result of their own hands, without any honor other than lip service being given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goff/the-fact-that-they-viewed-their-wealth-as-a-result-of-their-own-hands/) [Lee Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goff/) > [A liar freely gives his oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/a-liar-freely-gives-his-oath/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [I think you are a liar because you think you know what is true. You think you feel what is true. But you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-croggon/i-think-you-are-a-liar-because-you-think-you-know-what-is-true-you/) [Alison Croggon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-croggon/) > [They minute people fall in love they become liars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/they-minute-people-fall-in-love-they-become-liars/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [Politicians can forgive almost anything in the way of abuse; they can forgive subversion, revolution, being contradicted, exposed as liars, even ridiculed, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-waugh/politicians-can-forgive-almost-anything-in-the-way-of-abuse-they-can/) [Auberon Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-waugh/) > [It's sad but it seems the world these days are made up of Liars and Cheaters.We still must trust but the way it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hutchinson/it-s-sad-but-it-seems-the-world-these-days-are-made-up-of-liars-and/) [David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hutchinson/) > [That's good; don't deny it. Denying the undeniable just makes you sound like a fool as well as a liar. In this profession, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/that-s-good-don-t-deny-it-denying-the-undeniable-just-makes-you-sound/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [John McCain is a liar and flip-flopper and panderer and bully and whiner. 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