Meaning & Analysis
Once a person gains a good reputation, they can behave badly or improperly and still be believed or excused, even when evidence suggests otherwise.
Insights
Reputation as Cover
Suggests that a positive reputation, once established, can mask wrongdoing or incompetence. Social standing protects even absurd or shameful behavior from critique.
Abuse of Credibility
Warns that individuals may exploit their good name to justify or disguise unacceptable actions, using trust as a shield for hypocrisy or deceit.
Faith in Appearances
Critiques society’s willingness to accept appearances over facts—people will interpret evidence to match expectations when reputations are at stake.
Grotesque Satire
The proverb's crude imagery intensifies its critique of social hypocrisy. The vulgarity of 'piss abed' starkly contrasts with the nobility of 'a good name,' exaggerating how far reputation can stretch to cover disgrace.
Class and Immunity
In some historical usages, the proverb pointed to class privilege: the wealthy or well-connected could misbehave without consequence because of their ‘good name,’ while others would be shamed or punished for the same actions.
Cognitive Bias
Illustrates the psychological principle of confirmation bias—once we see someone as good, we reinterpret negative behavior to preserve that belief, often irrationally excusing clear evidence of failure or misconduct.
Rhetorical Devices
Vulgar Irony
Deliberately uses coarse humor ('piss abed') to jolt the reader, ironically contrasting dignified reputation with undignified behavior, highlighting societal double standards.
Hyperbole
Exaggerates the lengths to which a good name can shield one from criticism, enhancing the proverb’s sardonic tone.
Antithesis
Juxtaposes the high ('good name') and the low ('piss abed') to dramatize the absurdity of blind trust and unearned deference.
Transcription
Quotations
Nay, you haue the world at will. —You may pisse abed, and say you sweate.
He may pisse in bed, and say he sweat.
*His name is up.
You may piss a bed, and say you sweated.
Who hath a good name, may piss abed, and say that he sweat.
To be able to piss a-bed, and say that he sweated, viz. to be able to do anything; this is spoken to them, who being well to pass, exhort us to make expences, which we cannot bear, or induce us to do things which are not fitting, which in them, because they are rich, are not taken notice of.
(He that once).
(He that once).
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.