who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel meaning
Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel? It alludes to "breaking on the wheel", a form of torture in which victims had their long bones broken by an iron bar while tied to a Catherine wheel.[1] The quotation is used to suggest someone is "[employing] superabundant effort in the accomplishment of a small matter".[2]
Matthew 7:7–8 The common English expression "Seek and Ye Shall Find" is derived from this verse.
Babylon Babylon (
William Edward Hickson The proverb can be traced back to the writings of Thomas H. Palmer in his Teacher's Manual, and The Children of the New Forest by Frederick Marryat.[3]