The eagle does not hunt flies.
The eagle does not hunt flies.
Meaning in plain English
A person with a larger purpose may choose not to pursue every small target. The eagle image asks whether an activity deserves attention in relation to the task.
Example
A project lead leaves an irrelevant argument unanswered while promptly dealing with a small safety concern that affects the whole team.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The eagle and flies create a difference of scale between the pursuer and the target. Read the comparison as advice to consider which demands deserve limited time or effort. Some distractions can be left alone so that a more important task receives attention. Scale alone does not decide value, however. A small detail may determine whether the larger work succeeds, and a supposedly minor concern may matter greatly to someone affected by it. Prioritising should follow the actual purpose and consequences rather than a desire to appear above ordinary work.
When to use it
Use it to distinguish distracting targets from details essential to the task.
Keep in mind
Do not use the image to dismiss people or assume that small concerns are automatically beneath consideration.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 29; French section, paragraph 573; source wording: L’aigle ne chasse point aux mouches.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗