--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If cattle and horses, or lions, had…" description: "\"If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands...\" — Xenophanes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png" --- # If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands... ![“If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands...” quote by Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png) > “If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands...” [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagining animals with human traits challenges assumptions about nature and form. **In simple terms:** Animals with hands would change our view. Key Takeaway Question anthropocentric assumptions. Themes philosophy anthropomorphism imagination Mood playful thought‑provoking Type speculative didactic When to use this quote - Science education - artistic design - ethical debates Key Concepts metaphysics critical thinking creativity Questions to Reflect On - What does this reveal about human bias? - How can imagination aid scientific inquiry? A Different Perspective Such speculation can be absurd. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cattle/) [Cattle Horses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cattle-horses-245594/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Horses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horses/) [Horses Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horses-lions-245595/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions/) [Lions Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lions-hands-245593/) ## Related quotes > [But if cattle and horses or lions had hands, or were able to draw with their hands and do the work that men can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/but-if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands-or-were-able-to-draw-with/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [If oxen and horses and lions could draw and paint, they would delineate the gods in their own image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-oxen-and-horses-and-lions-could-draw-and-paint-they-would/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [For example, if ears are back on a horse, it's obviously not very happy. And the eyes show that it's not happy. Now, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/for-example-if-ears-are-back-on-a-horse-it-s-obviously-not-very-happy/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [The government sends low-flying helicopters to chase the horses into corrals and then takes them from the plains of the American West to federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-velez-mitchell/the-government-sends-low-flying-helicopters-to-chase-the-horses-into/) [Jane Velez-Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-velez-mitchell/) > [If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands, or were able to draw with their feet and produce the works which men do, horses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands-or-were-able-to-draw-with/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [There is one god, greatest among gods and men, who bears no similarity to humans either in shape or thought... but humans believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/there-is-one-god-greatest-among-gods-and-men-who-bears-no-similarity/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [If oxen and lions had hands and could paint with their hands and produce works of art, as men do, horses would paint the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-oxen-and-lions-had-hands-and-could-paint-with-their-hands-and/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [Hitchcock said he viewed actors as cattle.. but some were free range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crier/hitchcock-said-he-viewed-actors-as-cattle-but-some-were-free-range/) [Catherine Crier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crier/) > [The thing that bothers me the most is the recklessness and greed of the local ranchers, who run too many cattle back here, choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/the-thing-that-bothers-me-the-most-is-the-recklessness-and-greed-of/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [It were good to know how much hay an acre of every sort will bear; how many cattle the same weight of each sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-petty/it-were-good-to-know-how-much-hay-an-acre-of-every-sort-will-bear-how/) [William Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-petty/) > [My father was trained as a saddler, but in fact as a young man worked in his father's business of rearing and selling cattle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-klug/my-father-was-trained-as-a-saddler-but-in-fact-as-a-young-man-worked/) [Aaron Klug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-klug/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Work is the province of cattle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/work-is-the-province-of-cattle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## More by Xenophanes > [...for our wisdom is better than the strength of men or of horses. ... nor is it right to prefer strength to excellent wisdom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/for-our-wisdom-is-better-than-the-strength-of-men-or-of-horses-nor-is/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [Homer and Hesiod attributed to the gods all things which are disreputable and worthy of blame when done by men; and they told of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/homer-and-hesiod-attributed-to-the-gods-all-things-which-are/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [If oxen and lions had hands and could paint with their hands and produce works of art, as men do, horses would paint the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-oxen-and-lions-had-hands-and-could-paint-with-their-hands-and/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [For we are all sprung from earth and water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/for-we-are-all-sprung-from-earth-and-water/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [The sun comes into being each day from little pieces of fire that are collected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/the-sun-comes-into-being-each-day-from-little-pieces-of-fire-that-are/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [No human being will ever know the Truth, for even if they happen to say it by chance, they would not even known they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/no-human-being-will-ever-know-the-truth-for-even-if-they-happen-to/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [If cows and horses had hands and could draw, cows would draw gods that look like cows and horses would draw gods that look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-cows-and-horses-had-hands-and-could-draw-cows-would-draw-gods-that/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [There is one god, greatest among gods and men, who bears no similarity to humans either in shape or thought... but humans believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/there-is-one-god-greatest-among-gods-and-men-who-bears-no-similarity/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [In the beginning the gods did not at all reveal all things clearly to mortals, but by searching men in the course of time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/in-the-beginning-the-gods-did-not-at-all-reveal-all-things-clearly-to/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [Men always makes gods in their own image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/men-always-makes-gods-in-their-own-image/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [But if cattle and horses or lions had hands, or were able to draw with their hands and do the work that men can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/but-if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands-or-were-able-to-draw-with/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [Truly the gods have not from the beginning revealed all things to mortals, but by long seeking, mortals discover what is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/truly-the-gods-have-not-from-the-beginning-revealed-all-things-to/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [“The Ethiops say that their gods are flat-nosed and black, While the Thracians say that theirs have blue eyes and red hair. Yet if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/the-ethiops-say-that-their-gods-are-flat-nosed-and-black-while-the/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [All men begin their learning with Homer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/all-men-begin-their-learning-with-homer/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [ But without effort \[God\] sets in motion all things by mind and thought. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/but-without-effort-god-sets-in-motion-all-things-by-mind-and-thought/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) [Explore all 41 Xenophanes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) ## More Cattle quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Work is the province of cattle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/work-is-the-province-of-cattle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [My father was trained as a saddler, but in fact as a young man worked in his father's business of rearing and selling cattle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-klug/my-father-was-trained-as-a-saddler-but-in-fact-as-a-young-man-worked/) [Aaron Klug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-klug/) > [It were good to know how much hay an acre of every sort will bear; how many cattle the same weight of each sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-petty/it-were-good-to-know-how-much-hay-an-acre-of-every-sort-will-bear-how/) [William Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-petty/) > [The thing that bothers me the most is the recklessness and greed of the local ranchers, who run too many cattle back here, choking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/the-thing-that-bothers-me-the-most-is-the-recklessness-and-greed-of/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [Hitchcock said he viewed actors as cattle.. but some were free range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-crier/hitchcock-said-he-viewed-actors-as-cattle-but-some-were-free-range/) [Catherine Crier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-crier/) > [Why do we not care to acknowledge them? The cattle, the body count. We still don't like to admit the war was even partly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/why-do-we-not-care-to-acknowledge-them-the-cattle-the-body-count-we/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [Buy our album, were Nirvana, a garage band from Seattle. Well, it sure beats raising cattle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buy-our-album-were-nirvana-a-garage-band-from-seattle-well-it-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Come to earth to taste our sadness, He whose glories knew no end. By His life He brings us gladness, our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/come-to-earth-to-taste-our-sadness-he-whose-glories-knew-no-end-by/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [When I was born, they didn't work. They're broken, the nerves in my lower left lip. When I was kid, I would talk out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/when-i-was-born-they-didn-t-work-they-re-broken-the-nerves-in-my/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I was not created to be occupied by eating delicious foods like tied up cattle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/i-was-not-created-to-be-occupied-by-eating-delicious-foods-like-tied/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [Farm country -- you know, hay, horses, cattle. It's the ideal situation for me. I like the physical endeavors that go with the farm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/farm-country-you-know-hay-horses-cattle-it-s-the-ideal-situation-for/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [I grew up in southeastern Oklahoma on a working cattle ranch, and it was always very romantic to me: The West, the cowboy, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-grew-up-in-southeastern-oklahoma-on-a-working-cattle-ranch-and-it/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) [Browse all 314 Cattle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cattle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Xenophanes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cattle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e71/xenophanes-16062_cattle_if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands_1619085.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If cattle and horses, or lions, had hands...” — Xenophanes", "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": "Xenophanes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If cattle and horses, or lions,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/if-cattle-and-horses-or-lions-had-hands/#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 } } ] } ```