Man is no man, but a wolf, to a stranger.

We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.

Imitate the ass in his love to his master.

What delight can there be, and not rather displeasure, in hearing the barking and howling of dogs? Or what greater pleasure is there to be felt when a dog followeth a hare than when a dog followeth a dog?

Every ass thinks himself worthy to stand with the king’s horses.

Cows are among the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them—and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures.

In every man is a wild beast; most of them don’t know how to hold it back, and the majority give it full rein when they are not restrained by terror of law.

Man is merely a more perfect animal than the rest. He reasons better.

The elephant, although a gross beast, is yet the most decent and most sensible of any other upon earth. Although he never changes his female, and hath so tender a love for her whom he hath chosen, yet he never couples with her but at the end of every three years, and then only for the space of five days.

Man is the only animal that can remain on friendly terms with the victims he intends to eat until he eats them.

Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals—except the weasel.

Every creature in the world is like a book and a picture, to us, and a mirror.

A dog starved at his master’s gate / Predicts the ruin of the state.