The Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero penned a line that has echoed for millennia. It captures a complex mix of fascination and revulsion. In his work On the Nature of the Gods (De Natura Deorum), he wrote, “Simia quam similis, turpissima bestia, nobis!” This translates to, “How like us is that filthy beast, the ape!” This single observation reveals so much about the Roman worldview. Furthermore, it provides a starting point for a fascinating journey. The quote’s meaning has shifted dramatically over two thousand years. It acts as a mirror, reflecting humanity’s changing understanding of itself and the natural world.
Initially, Cicero’s remark was not about biology. It was a statement of morality and social commentary. Romans viewed apes not as relatives, but as grotesque caricatures of humans. They symbolized base imitation, foolishness, and moral ugliness. When Cicero called the ape a “filthy beast,” he was likely commenting on figures in society he saw as mere imitators. These individuals mimicked the virtues of others without possessing any true character. Therefore, the ape served as a powerful metaphor for inauthenticity and degradation. The physical likeness only made the moral difference more striking and unsettling.
From Moral Symbol to Devil’s Mockery
As the Roman Empire fell, Christian theology reshaped Western thought. Source Consequently, the interpretation of Cicero’s ape quote shifted as well. During the Middle Ages, the ape became a symbol of the devil. Its mimicry of human form was seen as a satanic mockery of God’s creation. The ape represented humanity in its fallen state. It was a creature driven by lust and base instinct, lacking a soul. Thinkers and artists of the period used the ape to illustrate humanity’s sinful nature. The physical similarity to humans was no longer just a social critique. It became a dark theological warning about the dangers of vanity and earthly desires. The phrase “God’s ape” was sometimes used to describe the devil himself .
This perspective continued well into the Renaissance. Artists like Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted apes in chains. These images symbolized the human soul trapped by sin. While Renaissance humanists rediscovered Cicero’s original texts, the deeply ingrained religious symbolism remained powerful. The quote, therefore, carried a dual meaning. It was both a classical moral lesson and a Christian allegory. The ape stood at a strange crossroads. It was a creature uncomfortably close to humans, yet a stark reminder of the spiritual gulf that separated them. This tension would set the stage for the scientific revolutions to come.
The Dawn of Science and a New Perspective
The Enlightenment brought a profound shift in how humans viewed the natural world. Science began to categorize and classify life with new rigor. Naturalists like Carl Linnaeus placed humans and apes together in the same order, Primates. This scientific proximity was revolutionary. It directly challenged the long-held belief in human exceptionalism. Cicero’s words, “How like us,” started to sound less like a moral insult and more like a startling scientific observation. The focus moved from the ape’s symbolic ugliness to its anatomical and behavioral similarities to humans.
This re-evaluation reached its peak with the rise of evolutionary theory. Charles Darwin’s work, particularly The Descent of Man, shattered the final barriers between humans and other animals. Suddenly, the likeness was not a coincidence or a mockery. It was evidence of a shared ancestry. The “filthy beast” was, in fact, our cousin. This transformed Cicero’s quote entirely. What was once an expression of disgust could now be read with a sense of awe, wonder, or even discomfort at our own animal origins. The quote became a touchstone in debates between science and religion. It perfectly encapsulated the core of the evolutionary controversy: our undeniable connection to the animal kingdom.
The Ape in the Modern Mirror
Today, our understanding of apes is more nuanced than ever before. Decades of research by primatologists like Jane Goodall and Frans de Waal have revealed complex social structures, tool use, and emotional depth in our primate relatives. We now know that the genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is remarkably small. Cicero’s exclamation, “How like us,” resonates with scientific truth. The second part of his quote, “that filthy beast,” now seems to reflect a past ignorance or prejudice.
Modern interpretations often use the quote to explore themes of conservation, animal rights, and the very definition of humanity. The likeness forces us to confront difficult ethical questions. If they are so like us, what are our responsibilities toward them? The quote has been used in literature and film to highlight our own hubris. It reminds us that the line we draw between ourselves and other species is perhaps finer than we think. The ape in our modern world is no longer a symbol of sin or a scientific curiosity. It is a living relative, holding up a mirror to our own behavior, intelligence, and capacity for both good and ill.
In conclusion, the journey of Cicero’s ape quote is a journey of human self-discovery. From a metaphor for moral corruption in ancient Rome to a symbol of satanic mockery in the Middle Ages, it has constantly evolved. Later, the rise of science transformed it into a statement of biological fact. Today, it serves as a powerful reminder of our connection to the natural world and our ethical duties. The simple observation of an ancient Roman continues to challenge us. It forces us to ask what it truly means to be human in a world full of beings so much like ourselves.