"What an ugly beast the ape, and how like us"

Cicero’s remark draws attention to the profound and unsettling similarity between humans and apes. By labeling the ape as both an “ugly beast” and yet “like us,” the statement probes the complexity of human self-perception and our relationship with the natural world. On the surface, the ape’s appearance may have seemed grotesque or repellent to Cicero, reflecting the standards and sensibilities of his era. The term “ugly beast” encapsulates a kind of moral and aesthetic judgment that differentiates humans from other animals, suggesting a hierarchy in which humanity stands above the animal kingdom.

However, the admission that the ape is “like us” contains a subtle irony and even a touch of humility. Apes, with their familiar gestures, expressions, and physical structures, serve as a mirror, reflecting human features and instincts. Cicero’s words invite contemplation of the uncomfortable truth that despite all our achievements and aspirations towards virtue, reason, and civilization, we remain closely bound to our animal origins. The similarities, physical, behavioral, and perhaps even emotional, highlight the blurred line between human and animal, challenging any simple assertion of human superiority.

Furthermore, the juxtaposition of “ugly” and “like us” suggests an underlying critique of human vanity and self-congratulation. If the ape is considered unattractive yet unmistakably humanlike, it undermines the notion that beauty and dignity are exclusive domains of our species. The reflection is both humbling and revealing, as it implies that humanity’s flaws, whether in form or in spirit, persist just beneath the surface of our cultivated identities. Cicero’s observation can be read as an early recognition of the evolutionary connection between man and animal, and as a philosophical prompt to examine the sources of both our pride and discomfort when confronted with those creatures that most resemble ourselves.