--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A bad man becomes worse when he apes a…" description: "\"A bad man becomes worse when he apes a saint.\" — Publilius Syrus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png" --- # A bad man becomes worse when he apes a saint. ![“A bad man becomes worse when he apes a saint.” quote by Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png) > “A bad man becomes worse when he apes a saint.” [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imitating a virtuous person can corrupt a bad person, amplifying his flaws. **In simple terms:** Copying saints makes a bad man worse. Key Takeaway Beware of role models that reinforce negativity. Themes morality imitation character ethics Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership training - ethical decision making Key Concepts self\_deception social\_influence identity virtue Questions to Reflect On - What virtues are you emulating? - How does imitation shape your behavior? A Different Perspective A saint's example may be misinterpreted, leading to hypocrisy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apes/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) ## Related quotes > [“As far as I’m concerned they’re no better than the apes. That’s not right, though. They’re worse. At least the apes have the decency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-freeman/as-far-as-i-m-concerned-they-re-no-better-than-the-apes-that-s-not/) Dennis Freeman > [A bad man is worse when he pretends to be a saint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/a-bad-man-is-worse-when-he-pretends-to-be-a-saint/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [ He \["the male"\] is trapped in a twilight zone halfway between humans and apes, and is far worse off than apes, because he is,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/he-the-male-is-trapped-in-a-twilight-zone-halfway-between-humans-and/) [Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Man is always worse than most people suspect, but also generally better than most people dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/man-is-always-worse-than-most-people-suspect-but-also-generally/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [A man has no worse enemy than himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/a-man-has-no-worse-enemy-than-himself/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The poor man is ruined as soon as he begins to ape the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-poor-man-is-ruined-as-soon-as-he-begins-to-ape-the-rich/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [If originally it was not good for a man to be alone, it is much worse for a sick man to be so; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/if-originally-it-was-not-good-for-a-man-to-be-alone-it-is-much-worse/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [A bitter and perplexed "What shall I do?" Is worse to man than worse necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/a-bitter-and-perplexed-what-shall-i-do-is-worse-to-man-than-worse/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [The more kindness shown to an envious man, the worse he becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schoeck/the-more-kindness-shown-to-an-envious-man-the-worse-he-becomes/) [Helmut Schoeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schoeck/) > [“in America the worst thing you could be was a black man. Worse than dead, you were a dead man walking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaa-gyasi/in-america-the-worst-thing-you-could-be-was-a-black-man-worse-than/) [Yaa Gyasi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaa-gyasi/) > [Pride in the case of a rich man is bad, but pride in the case of a poor man is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-bakr/pride-in-the-case-of-a-rich-man-is-bad-but-pride-in-the-case-of-a/) [Abu Bakr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-bakr/) > [That which makes the man no worse than he was makes his life no worse: it has no power to harm, without or within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/that-which-makes-the-man-no-worse-than-he-was-makes-his-life-no-worse/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Taking all the round of professions and occupations, you will find that every man is the worse for being poor; and the doctor is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/taking-all-the-round-of-professions-and-occupations-you-will-find/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man may do worse than make what the world calls a not wholly happy marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/a-man-may-do-worse-than-make-what-the-world-calls-a-not-wholly-happy/) [Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/) ## More by Publilius Syrus > [Even speed, when we are anxious, seems like delay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/even-speed-when-we-are-anxious-seems-like-delay/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The coward regards himself as cautious, the miser as thrifty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-coward-regards-himself-as-cautious-the-miser-as-thrifty/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It is his nature, not his standing, that makes the good man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-his-nature-not-his-standing-that-makes-the-good-man/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It is more tolerable to be refused than deceived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/it-is-more-tolerable-to-be-refused-than-deceived/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Modesty once lost, never returns into favour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/modesty-once-lost-never-returns-into-favour/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [One ungrateful person does an injury to all needy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/one-ungrateful-person-does-an-injury-to-all-needy-people/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He has existed only, not lived, who lacks wisdom in old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-has-existed-only-not-lived-who-lacks-wisdom-in-old-age/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Any plan is bad which is incapable of modification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/any-plan-is-bad-which-is-incapable-of-modification/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The evil you do to others you may expect in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-evil-you-do-to-others-you-may-expect-in-return/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [The power of habit is very strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/the-power-of-habit-is-very-strong/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Take care that no one hates you justly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/take-care-that-no-one-hates-you-justly/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Poverty wants much; but avarice, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/poverty-wants-much-but-avarice-everything/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He who has plenty of pepper will pepper his cabbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-who-has-plenty-of-pepper-will-pepper-his-cabbage/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Hasty conclusions lead to speedy repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/hasty-conclusions-lead-to-speedy-repentance/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [When reason rules, money is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/when-reason-rules-money-is-a-blessing/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) [Explore all 455 Publilius Syrus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) ## More Apes quotes > [Television's perfect. You turn a few knobs, a few of those mechanical adjustments at which the higher apes are so proficient, and lean back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/television-s-perfect-you-turn-a-few-knobs-a-few-of-those-mechanical/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [As nature made every man with a nose and eyes of his own, she gave him a character of his own, too; and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/as-nature-made-every-man-with-a-nose-and-eyes-of-his-own-she-gave-him/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [And the Devil did grin, for his darling sin is pride that apes humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/and-the-devil-did-grin-for-his-darling-sin-is-pride-that-apes-humility/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Battle For The Planet Of The Apes', was just a film for kids and didn't have any deep meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-lee-thompson/battle-for-the-planet-of-the-apes-was-just-a-film-for-kids-and-didn-t/) J. Lee Thompson > [Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/far-out-in-the-uncharted-backwaters-of-the-unfashionable-end-of-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Civilization is only a pretense; in the crisis, we become mere apes again, forgetting the rational biped of our pretensions and becoming instead the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/civilization-is-only-a-pretense-in-the-crisis-we-become-mere-apes/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [The idea that war should be conducted within a moral framework may seem like a quaint medieval practice, but as speech separates humans from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-idea-that-war-should-be-conducted-within-a-moral-framework-may/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is man an ape or an angel? Now I am on the side of the angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/is-man-an-ape-or-an-angel-now-i-am-on-the-side-of-the-angels/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [Mass ought to be in Latin, unless you could do it in Greek or Chinese. In fact, any abracadabra that no bloody member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/mass-ought-to-be-in-latin-unless-you-could-do-it-in-greek-or-chinese/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [I think the problem we have as apes is we're asking far bigger questions than we could possibly process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/i-think-the-problem-we-have-as-apes-is-we-re-asking-far-bigger/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [We admit that we are like apes, but we seldom realise that we are apes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-admit-that-we-are-like-apes-but-we-seldom-realise-that-we-are-apes/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Lower your gaze because you become less of a human every time you stare at a woman and you stare at her like she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/lower-your-gaze-because-you-become-less-of-a-human-every-time-you/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [It was their individuality combined with the shyness of their behavior that remained the most captivating impression of this first encounter with the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dian-fossey/it-was-their-individuality-combined-with-the-shyness-of-their/) [Dian Fossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dian-fossey/) > [Apes had it worked out. No ape would philosophize, "The mountain is, and is not." They would think, "The banana is. I will eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/apes-had-it-worked-out-no-ape-would-philosophize-the-mountain-is-and/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Browse all 444 Apes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A bad man becomes worse when he apes a saint.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Publilius Syrus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-saint/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-saint/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/publilius-syrus-594_apes_a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-s_2728516.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A bad man becomes worse when he apes a saint.” — Publilius Syrus", "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": "Publilius Syrus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A bad man becomes worse when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-saint/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/a-bad-man-becomes-worse-when-he-apes-a-saint/#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 } } ] } ```