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If oxen and horses and lions could draw and paint, they would delineate the gods in their own image.

Xenophanes

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Xenophanes
Elegist
Epigrammatist
Philosopher
Poet
Xenophanes of Colophon
Draw
Draws
Image
Paint
Delineate
Horse
Oxen
Atheism
Horses
Would
Lions
Gods

More quotes by Xenophanes

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Homer and Hesiod attributed to the gods all things which are disreputable and worthy of blame when done by men and they told of them many lawless deeds, stealing, adultery, and deception of each other.
Xenophanes
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For we are all sprung from earth and water
Xenophanes
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Ethiopians imagine their gods as black and snub-nosed Thracians blue-eyed and red-haired. But if horses or lions had hands, or could draw and fashion works as men do, horses would draw the gods shaped like horses and lions like lions, making the gods resemble themselves.
Xenophanes
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Pure truth no man has seen, nor ever shall know.
Xenophanes
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Truly the gods have not from the beginning revealed all things to mortals, but by long seeking, mortals discover what is better.
Xenophanes
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In the beginning the gods did not at all reveal all things clearly to mortals, but by searching men in the course of time find them out better.
Xenophanes
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But without effort [God] sets in motion all things by mind and thought.
Xenophanes
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Even if a man should chance to speak the most complete truth, yet he himself does not know it all things are wrapped in appearances
Xenophanes
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For all things come from earth, and all things end by becoming earth.
Xenophanes
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The clear and perfect truth no man has seen, nor will there be anyone who knows about the gods and what I say about all things... for, however perfect what he says may be, yet he does not know it all things are matters of opinion.
Xenophanes
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This upper limit, of earth at our feet is visible and touches the air, but below it reaches to infinity
Xenophanes
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If cows and horses had hands and could draw, cows would draw gods that look like cows and horses would draw gods that look like horses.
Xenophanes
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All men begin their learning with Homer.
Xenophanes
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If oxen and lions had hands and could paint with their hands and produce works of art, as men do, horses would paint the forms of the gods likes horses and oxen like oxen. Each would represent them with bodies according to the bodies of each. So the Ethiopians make their gods black and snub-nosed the Thracians give theirs red hair and blue eyes.
Xenophanes
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God is one, greatest of gods and men, not like mortals in body or thought.
Xenophanes
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If horses had Gods, they would look like horses.
Xenophanes
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God is one, supreme among gods and men, and not like mortals in body or in mind.The whole [of god] sees, the whole perceives, the whole hears. But without effort he sets in motion all things by mind and thought.
Xenophanes
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The sun comes into being each day from little pieces of fire that are collected.
Xenophanes
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It takes a wise man to recognize a wise man.
Xenophanes
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Men always makes gods in their own image.
Xenophanes