For all things come from earth, and all things end by becoming earth.
XenophanesRead
This upper limit, of earth at our feet is visible and touches the air, but below it reaches to infinity
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the vastness of the universe beyond our immediate perception.
Xenophanes suggests that while we can see and touch the ground beneath us, it is just a small part of a much larger reality that extends infinitely beyond our understanding. This inspires contemplation about the limits of human perception and the boundless nature of existence.
Themes
InfinityPerceptionExistenceRealityPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical discussion about the nature of reality.
More from Xenophanes
All quotes βIf 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.
XenophanesRead
There is one God - supreme among gods and men - who is like mortals in neither body nor mind.
XenophanesRead
The gods did not reveal, from the beginning, all things to us.
XenophanesRead
It isn't right to judge strength as better than good wisdom.
XenophanesRead
The Ethiops say that their gods are flat-nosed and black,_x000D_ While the Thracians say that theirs have blue eyes and red hair._x000D_ βIf oxen and horses and lions had hands and were able to draw with their hands and do the same things as men, horses would draw the shapes of gods to look like horses and oxen would draw them to look like oxen, and each would make the gods' bodies have the same shape as they themselves had.
XenophanesRead
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