--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When giants fought, ants were crushed." description: "\"When giants fought, ants were crushed.\" — Rachel Caine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg" --- # When giants fought, ants were crushed. ![“When giants fought, ants were crushed.” quote by Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg) > “When giants fought, ants were crushed.” [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Powerful forces can crush the weak, highlighting vulnerability. **In simple terms:** The strong dominate the weak. Key Takeaway Protect the vulnerable. Themes power vulnerability conflict Mood concerned empathetic Type social motivational When to use this quote - social justice - bullying prevention - policy advocacy - community building Key Concepts Dominance hierarchies survival dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Who are the ‘ants’ in society? - How can the weak resist? A Different Perspective Weakness can also inspire resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants/) [Ants Crushed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants-crushed-2799510/) [Crushed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crushed/) [Fought Ants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fought-ants-2799512/) [Giants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giants/) [Giants Fought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giants-fought-2799511/) ## Related quotes > [Oh land of farms and green hills mild Once formed by giants rough and wild With massive paws they gripped and tore With one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/oh-land-of-farms-and-green-hills-mild-once-formed-by-giants-rough-and/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [In the early 1940s, as a young teenager, I was utterly appalled by the racist and jingoist hysteria of the anti-Japanese propaganda. 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It's been really quiet on the supernatural front" "Too bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/so-been-attacked-by-any-vampires-yet-not-one-zombies-giant-spiders/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Albert and I would spend hours and hours looking at them. Cleo had this big magnifying glass on his desk, and we'd find centipedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/albert-and-i-would-spend-hours-and-hours-looking-at-them-cleo-had/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [Oh, ants, my sisters, good old honeydew-seekers! From close up you are sticky and shiny and gristly; and your nymphs have parasitic red mites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/oh-ants-my-sisters-good-old-honeydew-seekers-from-close-up-you-are/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [We know of no behavior in ants or any other social insects that can be construed as play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-holldobler/we-know-of-no-behavior-in-ants-or-any-other-social-insects-that-can/) [Bert Holldobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-holldobler/) > [“THE FIGHTERS ARE TINY. INSECTS, REALLY. BUT ANTS CAN SLAY AN ELEPHANT, IF THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THEM. ESPECIALLY ANTS ARMED WITH HIGH-YIELD EXPLOSIVES…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amie-kaufman/the-fighters-are-tiny-insects-really-but-ants-can-slay-an-elephant-if/) [Amie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amie-kaufman/) > [There's a good case to be made that having fun is a key evolutionary advantage right next to opposable thumbs in terms of importance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raph-koster/there-s-a-good-case-to-be-made-that-having-fun-is-a-key-evolutionary/) [Raph Koster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raph-koster/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) ## More by Rachel Caine > [Ay-firmative,' Eve said, and tried for a smile. 'Sorry. An Aliens reference always makes me feel better at times like this. Exept I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/ay-firmative-eve-said-and-tried-for-a-smile-sorry-an-aliens-reference/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“Please don't go away. You--you matter. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/please-don-t-go-away-you-you-matter-to-me/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [But that quickly faded, and he frowned. "You're bleeding," he said. "What happened?" Claire sighed and held up her wrist to show him the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/but-that-quickly-faded-and-he-frowned-you-re-bleeding-he-said-what/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Did he just say--?" "Yes," Claire said, smiling. "Yes, he did." "Whoa. Guess I'd better stay alive, then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/did-he-just-say-yes-claire-said-smiling-yes-he-did-whoa-guess-i-d/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“Hell,' Shane spit in disgust. 'I can't hit a girl. Here, Claire. You hit her.' He tossed her the bat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/hell-shane-spit-in-disgust-i-can-t-hit-a-girl-here-claire-you-hit-her/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“If she were any friendlier, she'd be giving you a lapdance right now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/if-she-were-any-friendlier-she-d-be-giving-you-a-lapdance-right-now/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“I get maudlin. Some people drink; some get depressed; some run around having sex with anyone with a pulse. Me, I get philosophical. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/i-get-maudlin-some-people-drink-some-get-depressed-some-run-around/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“I felt I should repeat it for the other slipper, in case there should be any bad feelings between the two. One should never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/i-felt-i-should-repeat-it-for-the-other-slipper-in-case-there-should/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [“As he filled the mug with coffee, Michael waited for Shane to make some sense. Which Shane finally did, holding up the cheaply printed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/as-he-filled-the-mug-with-coffee-michael-waited-for-shane-to-make/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [There is a certain freedom in giving up all hope. One is no longer bound by the cords of dread or fear; you simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/there-is-a-certain-freedom-in-giving-up-all-hope-one-is-no-longer/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Shane talking to Claire - "Hang on - Slow down. I'm not going anywhere. You know that, right? You don't have to put out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/shane-talking-to-claire-hang-on-slow-down-i-m-not-going-anywhere-you/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Oliver laughed - actually laughed."I like this new Claire," he said. "You should work her this hard all the time, Myrnin. She's interesting when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/oliver-laughed-actually-laughed-i-like-this-new-claire-he-said-you/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Here," Myrnin said, his voice still gentle and low. "Amelie said you had to work. No one said you had to work alone." He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/here-myrnin-said-his-voice-still-gentle-and-low-amelie-said-you-had/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [shane:you only love me for my abs clair:shut up loser shift off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/shane-you-only-love-me-for-my-abs-clair-shut-up-loser-shift-off/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Maybe I should, I don't know leave? Because this is starting to sound like one of those reality shows I don't want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/maybe-i-should-i-don-t-know-leave-because-this-is-starting-to-sound/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) [Explore all 872 Rachel Caine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) ## More Ants quotes > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [Great God of the Ants, thou hast granted victory to thy servants. I appoint thee honorary Colonel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karel-capek/great-god-of-the-ants-thou-hast-granted-victory-to-thy-servants-i/) [Karel Capek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karel-capek/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [People are like ants: Just a few of them give all the orders. And most of them spend their lives getting squashed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/people-are-like-ants-just-a-few-of-them-give-all-the-orders-and-most/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [There's a good case to be made that having fun is a key evolutionary advantage right next to opposable thumbs in terms of importance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raph-koster/there-s-a-good-case-to-be-made-that-having-fun-is-a-key-evolutionary/) [Raph Koster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raph-koster/) > [“THE FIGHTERS ARE TINY. INSECTS, REALLY. BUT ANTS CAN SLAY AN ELEPHANT, IF THERE ARE ENOUGH OF THEM. ESPECIALLY ANTS ARMED WITH HIGH-YIELD EXPLOSIVES…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amie-kaufman/the-fighters-are-tiny-insects-really-but-ants-can-slay-an-elephant-if/) [Amie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amie-kaufman/) > [We know of no behavior in ants or any other social insects that can be construed as play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-holldobler/we-know-of-no-behavior-in-ants-or-any-other-social-insects-that-can/) [Bert Holldobler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-holldobler/) > [Oh, ants, my sisters, good old honeydew-seekers! From close up you are sticky and shiny and gristly; and your nymphs have parasitic red mites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-vollmann/oh-ants-my-sisters-good-old-honeydew-seekers-from-close-up-you-are/) [William T. Vollmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-vollmann/) > [Albert and I would spend hours and hours looking at them. Cleo had this big magnifying glass on his desk, and we'd find centipedes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-flagg/albert-and-i-would-spend-hours-and-hours-looking-at-them-cleo-had/) [Fannie Flagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-flagg/) > [When someone criticizes or disagrees with you, a small ant of hatred and antagonism is born in your heart. If you do not squash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/when-someone-criticizes-or-disagrees-with-you-a-small-ant-of-hatred/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [“Lies are like ants; there's never just one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-ash/lies-are-like-ants-there-s-never-just-one/) [Julia Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-ash/) > [There's a scientific hypothesis that every person's name is a primary suggestive command that contains the entire script of their life in highly concentrated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-pelevin/there-s-a-scientific-hypothesis-that-every-person-s-name-is-a-primary/) [Victor Pelevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-pelevin/) > [When I was little, I would burn ants with a magnifying glass. But now that I'm older, I'm more of a cat guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/when-i-was-little-i-would-burn-ants-with-a-magnifying-glass-but-now/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [If ants were the size of humans, they would be able to run twice as fast as a Lamborghini.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-ants-were-the-size-of-humans-they-would-be-able-to-run-twice-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 499 Ants quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ants/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When giants fought, ants were crushed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rachel Caine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ants" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/rachel-caine-217_ants_when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed-190_1900294.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When giants fought, ants were crushed.” — Rachel Caine", "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": "Rachel Caine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When giants fought, ants were crushed.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/when-giants-fought-ants-were-crushed/#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 } } ] } ```