Quote of the day by Xenophanes: 'If horses or oxen or lions had hands… horses would paint the forms of gods like horses' and a universal truth about human psychology

Xenophanes of Colophon (c. 570–478 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher who criticized popular religion and social norms.

He argued that if horses could draw, they would depict gods as horses, revealing humans project their own image onto deities.

Xenophanes noted Homer and Hesiod attributed human flaws like theft and adultery to the gods.

He observed that Ethiopians depict gods as snub-nosed and black, while Thracians see them as blue-eyed and red-haired.