He is a very ASS that thinks to live ever

Meaning & Analysis

Only a fool—likened to an ass—would believe he can live forever.

Insights

Denial of Mortality

This proverb ridicules those who act as if they are immortal, ignoring the inevitability of death and the transient nature of life.

Foolish Complacency

Critiques those who live without urgency, responsibility, or preparation, as if they will never face consequences or an end to their existence.

Moral Accountability

Warns that neglecting the reality of death leads to moral and spiritual folly, encouraging a sober awareness of life's limits and duties.

Memento Mori Tradition

Rooted in the tradition of *memento mori*—the reminder of death—this proverb reflects a cultural emphasis on mortality as a necessary check on pride, greed, or negligence.

Critique of Hubris

The saying targets hubristic or thoughtless individuals who behave as though time and decay do not apply to them, using the ass as a symbol of foolish obliviousness.

Existential Realism

Invites reflection on the human condition, urging humility and perspective. It reminds us that acceptance of mortality is foundational to wisdom and ethical living.

Rhetorical Devices

Irony

Calling someone an ass for believing in eternal life on earth ironically equates denial of death with stupidity, flipping the human desire for immortality into a mark of absurdity.

Symbolism

The ass, emblematic of obstinacy and ignorance, becomes the perfect figure for someone who clings to the delusion of endless life despite all evidence to the contrary.

Epigrammatic Sharpness

The brief, declarative structure gives the proverb a biting, moralistic tone, ideal for delivering a memorable lesson about mortality and humility.

mortalityfollyhubriswisdomhumilityexistence
Analyzed with gpt-4o on July 10, 2025

Transcription

Quotations

(that thinkes he shall liue euer)

1611, COT., Fol., s.v.
1659, N.R., p. 44.

Original Scan

He is a very ASS that thinks to live ever - a scanned entry from Tilley's 1950 Dictionary of Proverbs.
Scan courtesy of HathiTrust Digital Library.
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.

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Last updated: January 27, 2026