proverb · Words worth keeping
He who becomes sheep is eaten by the wolf.
He who becomes sheep is eaten by the wolf.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Becoming a sheep and being eaten by a wolf uses vulnerability and predation to warn about surrendering agency. The saying presents a harsh account of unequal power.
What the words are saying
A critical reading does not blame a harmed person for being gentle, trusting or constrained. The exact traditional context is unverified. A useful application supports fair boundaries and help rather than demanding aggression or treating exploitation as inevitable. Responsibility for harm remains with the person causing it.
Everyday example
A group supports a vulnerable member’s choices without blaming them for someone else’s exploitation.
When to use it
Use it critically to discuss unequal power without victim blame.
What it does not mean
No inevitable harm through gentleness or responsibility assigned to a targeted person is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
Greece
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.- Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 801; PDF page 72; collection label: Greece
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Greece