Original artwork, not a still
Le Chapon et la Poularde • 1763
Men use thought only as authority for their injustice, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
A cynical view of human nature: people lean on reasoning merely to justify unfair behaviour, and they talk mostly to hide what they actually think. It sets thought and speech up as tools of cover rather than honesty, which is a sharp, pessimistic claim.
Context reviewed
