--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ask for an omen, then stone it when it…" description: "\"Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de essentia hominum.\" — Walter M. Miller, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg" --- # Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de… ![“Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de essentia hominum.” quote by Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg) > “Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de essentia hominum.” [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One seeks signs, then destroys them, showing human tendency to reject what we fear or misunderstand. **In simple terms:** People ask for omens then reject them. Key Takeaway Beware self‑sabotage. Themes fate omens self‑sabotage human nature Mood cautionary philosophical Type literary reflective When to use this quote - decision making - risk assessment - personal growth Key Concepts mythology psychology control Questions to Reflect On - Why do we reject what we seek? - How can we honor signs? A Different Perspective Denial can blind us to guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Omen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/omen/) ## Related quotes > [The casinos believe in math (and I don't mean numerology).They believe in the power of percentages and short pays, not in the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-scoblete/the-casinos-believe-in-math-and-i-don-t-mean-numerology-they-believe/) [Frank Scoblete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-scoblete/) > [Anyone can do shock value. Develop enough tension and cue the music right, then have something jump out: It's almost impossible not to jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-myrick/anyone-can-do-shock-value-develop-enough-tension-and-cue-the-music/) Daniel Myrick > [To prove that Wall Street is an early omen of movements still to come in GNP, commentators quote economic studies alleging that market downturns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/to-prove-that-wall-street-is-an-early-omen-of-movements-still-to-come/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [“Intuition goes before you, showing you the way. Emotion follows behind, to let you know when you go astray. Listen to your inner voice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/intuition-goes-before-you-showing-you-the-way-emotion-follows-behind/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“All of us had problems, it seemed, whose sources were untraceable, crossing over one another like the trajectories of countless raindrops in a storm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/all-of-us-had-problems-it-seemed-whose-sources-were-untraceable/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [Maybe nothing's so unfunny as an omen read wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-herr/maybe-nothing-s-so-unfunny-as-an-omen-read-wrong/) [Michael Herr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-herr/) > [But, for a little while, this is the place for us -- a good place too--a place of good omen, a place of beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/but-for-a-little-while-this-is-the-place-for-us-a-good-place-too-a/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [It is not a good omen to meet a lot of cats when one sets out on a journey, so the Lieutenant spat three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/it-is-not-a-good-omen-to-meet-a-lot-of-cats-when-one-sets-out-on-a/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [“he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke—the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/he-learned-the-most-important-part-of-the-language-that-all-the-world/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [ God does not play dice \[with the universe\]. \[Ger., Gott wurfelt nicht.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/god-does-not-play-dice-with-the-universe-ger-gott-wurfelt-nicht/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Omens are the individual language in which God talks to you. My omens are not your omens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/omens-are-the-individual-language-in-which-god-talks-to-you-my-omens/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The philosopher, who with calm suspicion examines the dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies, of profane or even of ecclesiastical history, will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-philosopher-who-with-calm-suspicion-examines-the-dreams-and-omens/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Omens are everywhere in this world you just have to find the one that fits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/omens-are-everywhere-in-this-world-you-just-have-to-find-the-one-that/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [One of the highlights of the first Good Omens tour was Neil and I walking through New York singing Shoehorn with Teeth. Well, we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/one-of-the-highlights-of-the-first-good-omens-tour-was-neil-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I had two cups of coffee, put Eric's jeans in the washer, read a romance for awhile, and studied my brand-new Word of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-had-two-cups-of-coffee-put-eric-s-jeans-in-the-washer-read-a/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) ## More by Walter M. Miller, Jr > [The wild black scavengers of the skies laid their eggs in season and lovingly fed their young. They soared high over prairies and mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/the-wild-black-scavengers-of-the-skies-laid-their-eggs-in-season-and/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > […to abuse the intellect for reasons of pride, vanity, or escape from responsibility, is the fruit of that same tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/to-abuse-the-intellect-for-reasons-of-pride-vanity-or-escape-from/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Because a doubt is not a denial. Doubt is a powerful tool, and it should be applied to history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/because-a-doubt-is-not-a-denial-doubt-is-a-powerful-tool-and-it/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [The trouble with being a priest was that you eventually had to take the advice you gave to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/the-trouble-with-being-a-priest-was-that-you-eventually-had-to-take/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [The captain looked defensive. "You regard our customs as primitive?"Every society to its own tastes, captain. The wisdom of one society would be folly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/the-captain-looked-defensive-you-regard-our-customs-as-primitive/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [What's to be believed? Or does it matter at all? When mass murder's been answered with mass murder, rape with rape, hate with hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/what-s-to-be-believed-or-does-it-matter-at-all-when-mass-murder-s-2/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [That's where all of us are standing now, he thought. On the fat kindling of past sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/that-s-where-all-of-us-are-standing-now-he-thought-on-the-fat-2/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [It is said that water is for cattle and farmers, that milk is for children and blood for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/it-is-said-that-water-is-for-cattle-and-farmers-that-milk-is-for/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [But neither infinite power nor infinite wisdom could bestow godhood upon men. For that there would have to be infinite love as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/but-neither-infinite-power-nor-infinite-wisdom-could-bestow-godhood/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Men must fumble awhile with error to separate it from truth, I think- as long as they don't seize the error hungrily because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/men-must-fumble-awhile-with-error-to-separate-it-from-truth-i-think/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [One should be embarrassed to speak of God in the third person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/one-should-be-embarrassed-to-speak-of-god-in-the-third-person/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Soon the sun will set'- is that prophecy? No, it's merely an assertion of faith in the consistency of events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/soon-the-sun-will-set-is-that-prophecy-no-it-s-merely-an-assertion-of/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [Listen, my dear Cors, why don't you forgive God for allowing pain? If He didn't allow it, human courage, bravery, nobility, and self-sacrifice would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/listen-my-dear-cors-why-don-t-you-forgive-god-for-allowing-pain-if-he/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [I'm not so sure he's mad, Father. Just a little devious in his sanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/i-m-not-so-sure-he-s-mad-father-just-a-little-devious-in-his-sanity/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) > [When Holy Church occasionally hinted that she still considered her authority to be supreme over all nations and superior to the authority of states,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/when-holy-church-occasionally-hinted-that-she-still-considered-her/) [Walter M. Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) [Explore all 23 Walter M. Miller, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/) ## More Omen quotes > [Anyone can do shock value. Develop enough tension and cue the music right, then have something jump out: It's almost impossible not to jump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-myrick/anyone-can-do-shock-value-develop-enough-tension-and-cue-the-music/) Daniel Myrick > [The casinos believe in math (and I don't mean numerology).They believe in the power of percentages and short pays, not in the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-scoblete/the-casinos-believe-in-math-and-i-don-t-mean-numerology-they-believe/) [Frank Scoblete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-scoblete/) > [One of the highlights of the first Good Omens tour was Neil and I walking through New York singing Shoehorn with Teeth. Well, we'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/one-of-the-highlights-of-the-first-good-omens-tour-was-neil-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Omens are everywhere in this world you just have to find the one that fits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/omens-are-everywhere-in-this-world-you-just-have-to-find-the-one-that/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The philosopher, who with calm suspicion examines the dreams and omens, the miracles and prodigies, of profane or even of ecclesiastical history, will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-philosopher-who-with-calm-suspicion-examines-the-dreams-and-omens/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Omens are the individual language in which God talks to you. My omens are not your omens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/omens-are-the-individual-language-in-which-god-talks-to-you-my-omens/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [ God does not play dice \[with the universe\]. \[Ger., Gott wurfelt nicht.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/god-does-not-play-dice-with-the-universe-ger-gott-wurfelt-nicht/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke—the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/he-learned-the-most-important-part-of-the-language-that-all-the-world/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not a good omen to meet a lot of cats when one sets out on a journey, so the Lieutenant spat three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-lagerl-f/it-is-not-a-good-omen-to-meet-a-lot-of-cats-when-one-sets-out-on-a/) [Selma Lagerlöf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selma-lagerl-f/) > [But, for a little while, this is the place for us -- a good place too--a place of good omen, a place of beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/but-for-a-little-while-this-is-the-place-for-us-a-good-place-too-a/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Maybe nothing's so unfunny as an omen read wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-herr/maybe-nothing-s-so-unfunny-as-an-omen-read-wrong/) [Michael Herr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-herr/) > [“All of us had problems, it seemed, whose sources were untraceable, crossing over one another like the trajectories of countless raindrops in a storm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/all-of-us-had-problems-it-seemed-whose-sources-were-untraceable/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [“Intuition goes before you, showing you the way. Emotion follows behind, to let you know when you go astray. Listen to your inner voice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/intuition-goes-before-you-showing-you-the-way-emotion-follows-behind/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [To prove that Wall Street is an early omen of movements still to come in GNP, commentators quote economic studies alleging that market downturns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/to-prove-that-wall-street-is-an-early-omen-of-movements-still-to-come/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [I had two cups of coffee, put Eric's jeans in the washer, read a romance for awhile, and studied my brand-new Word of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-had-two-cups-of-coffee-put-eric-s-jeans-in-the-washer-read-a/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) [Browse all 116 Omen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/omen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de essentia hominum.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter M. Miller, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-comes-de-essentia-hominum/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Omen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-comes-de-essentia-hominum/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/walter-m-miller-jr-2-25556_omen_ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-co_1155360.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ask for an omen, then stone it when it comes -- de essentia hominum.” — Walter M. Miller, Jr", "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": "Walter M. Miller, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ask for an omen, then stone...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-comes-de-essentia-hominum/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr-2/ask-for-an-omen-then-stone-it-when-it-comes-de-essentia-hominum/#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 } } ] } ```