--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The drop excavates the stone, not with…" description: "\"“The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.”\" — Publius Ovidius Naso" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg" --- # The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by… ![“The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.” quote by Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg) > ““The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.”” [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The stone erodes through repeated, gentle impacts rather than a single strong blow, illustrating the power of persistence over brute force. **In simple terms:** Small, repeated actions wear down obstacles. Key Takeaway Persistently apply effort. Themes patience perseverance process Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - learning a new skill - building relationships - long‑term projects - personal growth Key Concepts erosion incremental change resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you make your efforts more consistent? - What small actions can you repeat daily? A Different Perspective If the effort is too infrequent, the effect may never manifest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop/) [Drop Excavates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop-excavates-3471518/) [Excavates Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excavates-stone-3471517/) [Falling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falling/) [Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stone/) ## Related quotes > [Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo. (The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/gutta-cavat-lapidem-non-vi-sed-saepe-cadendo-the-drop-excavates-the/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Gray. The overcast skies had the colour of deadened stones, and seemed closer than usually, as though they were phlegmatically observing my every movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/gray-the-overcast-skies-had-the-colour-of-deadened-stones-and-seemed/) [Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/) > [The water hollows out the stone, not by force but drop by drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/the-water-hollows-out-the-stone-not-by-force-but-drop-by-drop/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [The stone that is thrown into the air is none the worse for falling down, and none the better for going up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/the-stone-that-is-thrown-into-the-air-is-none-the-worse-for-falling/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I'll continue making films because I love being able to drop into other people's worlds. My goal is to be constantly learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jehane-noujaim/i-ll-continue-making-films-because-i-love-being-able-to-drop-into/) [Jehane Noujaim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jehane-noujaim/) > [Tune in, turn on, and drop out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/tune-in-turn-on-and-drop-out/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [Will.i.am drop the beat now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/will-i-am-drop-the-beat-now/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [Boys. Why do they treat me that way? Why do they always play me? Why do they always lead me on and then drop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-why-do-they-treat-me-that-way-why-do-they-always-play-me-why-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'll run against the grain till the day I drop?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ll-run-against-the-grain-till-the-day-i-drop/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [You do not want to talk to me on the phone. How do I know? Because I don't want to talk to you on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/you-do-not-want-to-talk-to-me-on-the-phone-how-do-i-know-because-i/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [I'ma pick the world up and I'ma drop it on your fucking head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-ma-pick-the-world-up-and-i-ma-drop-it-on-your-fucking-head/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [Girls are not toys. You can't just pick them up and drop them whenever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/girls-are-not-toys-you-can-t-just-pick-them-up-and-drop-them-whenever/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) ## More by Publius Ovidius Naso > [“He plunged his arms deep to embrace One who vanished in agitated water. Again and again he kissed The lips that seemed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/he-plunged-his-arms-deep-to-embrace-one-who-vanished-in-agitated/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) > [“Nitimur in vetitum" -- "We strive after the forbidden”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/nitimur-in-vetitum-we-strive-after-the-forbidden/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) > [“amor crevit tempore”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/amor-crevit-tempore/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) > [“Omnia mutantur, nihil interit (everything changes, nothing perishes).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/omnia-mutantur-nihil-interit-everything-changes-nothing-perishes/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) > [“Give me the waters of Lethe that numb the heart, if they exist, I will still not have the power to forget you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/give-me-the-waters-of-lethe-that-numb-the-heart-if-they-exist-i-will/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) > [“Look at the four-spaced year That imitates four seasons of our lives; First Spring, that delicate season, bright with flowers, Quickening, yet shy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/look-at-the-four-spaced-year-that-imitates-four-seasons-of-our-lives/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) > [“Phoebus amat visaeque cupit conubia Daphnes, quodque cupit, sperat, suaque illum oracula fallunt ♥♥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/phoebus-amat-visaeque-cupit-conubia-daphnes-quodque-cupit-sperat/) [Publius Ovidius Naso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) [Explore all 8 Publius Ovidius Naso quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/) ## More Drop quotes > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [Girls are not toys. You can't just pick them up and drop them whenever you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/girls-are-not-toys-you-can-t-just-pick-them-up-and-drop-them-whenever/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [I'ma pick the world up and I'ma drop it on your fucking head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-ma-pick-the-world-up-and-i-ma-drop-it-on-your-fucking-head/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [You do not want to talk to me on the phone. How do I know? Because I don't want to talk to you on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-kluger/you-do-not-want-to-talk-to-me-on-the-phone-how-do-i-know-because-i/) [Jeffrey Kluger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-kluger/) > [I'll run against the grain till the day I drop?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-claypool/i-ll-run-against-the-grain-till-the-day-i-drop/) [Les Claypool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-claypool/) > [Boys. Why do they treat me that way? Why do they always play me? Why do they always lead me on and then drop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-why-do-they-treat-me-that-way-why-do-they-always-play-me-why-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Will.i.am drop the beat now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergie/will-i-am-drop-the-beat-now/) [Fergie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergie/) > [Tune in, turn on, and drop out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/tune-in-turn-on-and-drop-out/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [I'll continue making films because I love being able to drop into other people's worlds. My goal is to be constantly learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jehane-noujaim/i-ll-continue-making-films-because-i-love-being-able-to-drop-into/) [Jehane Noujaim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jehane-noujaim/) > [You are not the drop in the ocean, but the ocean in the drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-are-not-the-drop-in-the-ocean-but-the-ocean-in-the-drop/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/a-first-principle-not-formally-recognized-by-scientific/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [Drop Pants, Not Bombs. Break Dance, Not Hearts. Draft Beer, Not People. Make LOVE, Not WAR.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-purdy/drop-pants-not-bombs-break-dance-not-hearts-draft-beer-not-people/) [Ashley Purdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-purdy/) > [“Individually we are just a drop. Together we are an ocean”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryunosuke-satoro/individually-we-are-just-a-drop-together-we-are-an-ocean/) [Ryunosuke Satoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryunosuke-satoro/) [Browse all 603 Drop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drop/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Publius Ovidius Naso" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-force-but-by-falling-often/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Drop" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-force-but-by-falling-often/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/publius-ovidius-naso-45221_quote_the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-fo_1182291.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often.” — Publius Ovidius Naso", "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": "Publius Ovidius Naso", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publius-ovidius-naso/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The drop excavates the stone, not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-force-but-by-falling-often/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publius-ovidius-naso/the-drop-excavates-the-stone-not-with-force-but-by-falling-often/#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 } } ] } ```