Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) is credited with saying that ‘a proverb is a short sentence based on long experience.’ That speaks to today’s little proverb nicely. I have to admit that this is one of my favorites simply because of its sheer effrontery. I would go so far as to say its intended use is to prod, pique and annoy. The levels of insult are myriad – hey, who are you calling a dog?! As for getting up with fleas – those blood-sucking parasites are viewed with the distaste reserved only for other shameless thieves like leeches, ticks, mosquitos, …and vampires.
(Does it surprise anyone that the common variation of this was ALSO a favorite proverb of my sixth-grade teacher?)
This proverb is VERY old. The Latin “qui cum canibus concumbunt cum pulicibus surgent” is allegedly a quote from the Roman philosopher Seneca, but that isn’t found in his works. Its first sighting in English is in James J. Sanforde’s Garden of Pleasure, published 1573:
“He that goeth to bedde wyth Dogges, aryseth with fleas.”
three dog night
swaddled soft in fur
(never mind the wet noses)
let sleeping dogs lie.
PS – I had no idea this was a random 70’s Alan Parsons Project song. Thanks, Internet!