--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a man and he had eight sons…" description: "\"There was a man and he had eight sons. Apart from that, he was nothing more than a comma on the page of History. It's sad, but that's all you can say a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/terry-pratchett-19_eight_there-was-a-man-and-he-had-eight-sons-ap_916170.jpg" --- # There was a man and he had eight sons. Apart from that, he… ![“There was a man and he had eight sons. Apart from that, he was nothing more than a comma on the page of History. It's sad, but that's all you can say about some people.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/terry-pratchett-19_eight_there-was-a-man-and-he-had-eight-sons-ap_916170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/terry-pratchett-19_eight_there-was-a-man-and-he-had-eight-sons-ap_916170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/terry-pratchett-19_eight_there-was-a-man-and-he-had-eight-sons-ap_916170.jpg) > “There was a man and he had eight sons. Apart from that, he was nothing more than a comma on the page of History. It's sad, but that's all you can say about some people.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A person’s legacy can be reduced to a trivial footnote if they achieve nothing beyond lineage. **In simple terms:** Some people are remembered only as minor details. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of personal impact beyond ancestry. Themes legacy identity history meaning humor Mood reflective melancholic wry Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - family expectations - career choices - public recognition - personal fulfillment Key Concepts existentialism social commentary satire Questions to Reflect On - How do you define your own significance? - What actions give your life meaning beyond lineage? A Different Perspective Even a small influence can matter; not all lives are reduced to commas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comma Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comma-page-1381141/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [History Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-sad-1381140/) [Man Sons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-sons-1381143/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pages/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Sons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons/) [Sons Apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons-apart-1381142/) ## Related quotes > [“You better not have another man in there with my sons.” “Don’t worry, you already did that. No sense in me repeating your sins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-thompson/you-better-not-have-another-man-in-there-with-my-sons-don-t-worry-you/) [Adrienne Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-thompson/) > [“Give me a man, for his sons make courageous soldiers while pretty boys can only decorate the dance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/give-me-a-man-for-his-sons-make-courageous-soldiers-while-pretty-boys/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Yes, your family history has some sad chapters. But your history doesn't have to be your future. The generational garbage can stop here and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/yes-your-family-history-has-some-sad-chapters-but-your-history-doesn/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Human history is the sad result of each one looking out for himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-cort-zar/human-history-is-the-sad-result-of-each-one-looking-out-for-himself/) [Julio Cortazar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-cort-zar/) > [Marriage is like a runaway train without break heading towards a dustbin of history. It's a a sad indictment that the bedrock of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/marriage-is-like-a-runaway-train-without-break-heading-towards-a/) [Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/) > [The rich man's sons inherits cares; The bank may break, the factory burn, A breath may burst his bubble shares, And soft, white hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-rich-man-s-sons-inherits-cares-the-bank-may-break-the-factory/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [“The law you sons of bitches!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-law-you-sons-of-bitches/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Spelter was thinking, "eight sons, that means he did it eight times. At least.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/spelter-was-thinking-eight-sons-that-means-he-did-it-eight-times-at/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The stag tells him that he is the eldest of the sons - the father's favorite - and he warns the father that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-solti/the-stag-tells-him-that-he-is-the-eldest-of-the-sons-the-father-s/) [Georg Solti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-solti/) > [“You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it. A man can know his father, or his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/you-can-know-a-thing-to-death-and-be-for-all-purposes-completely/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [I write at a desk. I have a room of my own where I can have my computer. I write in there, usually directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-bunting/i-write-at-a-desk-i-have-a-room-of-my-own-where-i-can-have-my/) [Eve Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-bunting/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Having kids is the deal-breaker on shyness! Once you have a baby, you learn to speak up loud and clear to protect them, defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/having-kids-is-the-deal-breaker-on-shyness-once-you-have-a-baby-you/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) [Mitch Pileggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-pileggi/) > [“Few sons are like their fathers--most are worse, few better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/few-sons-are-like-their-fathers-most-are-worse-few-better/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Eight quotes > [My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/my-mother-says-i-didn-t-open-my-eyes-for-eight-days-after-i-was-born/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [We got orders to strike the Marshall and Gilbert Islands. We had a task force with the Enterprise. We had two or three cruisers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-ross/we-got-orders-to-strike-the-marshall-and-gilbert-islands-we-had-a/) [Barney Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-ross/) > [Cerrone is a great opponent. The guy won eight fights straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-dos-anjos/cerrone-is-a-great-opponent-the-guy-won-eight-fights-straight/) [Rafael dos Anjos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-dos-anjos/) > [Ninety-eight percent of the things that come out of my mouth are intended to be harmless or even charming. They're not ever intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/ninety-eight-percent-of-the-things-that-come-out-of-my-mouth-are/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The first draft is usually junk. You have to work on it seven to eight times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-subramanian/the-first-draft-is-usually-junk-you-have-to-work-on-it-seven-to-eight/) [Ravi Subramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-subramanian/) > [I realised I owned eight pink suits, which I did not need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-odudu/i-realised-i-owned-eight-pink-suits-which-i-did-not-need/) [A. J. Odudu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-odudu/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I started a list of things I want to teach my children, and that list is eight points long. 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Take the hit for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/he-should-release-the-tax-returns-tomorrow-it-s-crazy-you-ve-got-to/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Even from a really young age I was a huge movie buff - five, six, seven, eight. Just loved movies, but in a more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-strong/even-from-a-really-young-age-i-was-a-huge-movie-buff-five-six-seven/) [Danny Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-strong/) [Browse all 2,598 Eight quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a man and he had eight sons. Apart from that, he was nothing more than a comma on the page of History. 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