“I smell a rat.”

“Quoth Hudibras, "I smell a rat!
Ralpho, thou dost prevaricate."”

Samuel Butler (poet) (1612–1680) poet and satirist

“Impoverished Paris Street Merchant (Jack Carter): Rats, rats for sale. Get your rats. Good for rat stew, rat soup, or the ever-popular ratatouille.”

Mel Brooks (1926) American director, writer, actor, and producer

“Rats in paradise! Rats in paradise!”

Nick Cave (1957) Australian musician

“It is a distinguishing peculiarity of the Erewhonians that when they profess themselves to be quite certain about any matter, and avow it as a base on which they are to build a system of practice, they seldom quite believe in it. If they smell a rat about the precincts of a cherished institution, they will always stop their noses to it if they can.”

Samuel Butler (1835–1902) novelist

“If you join the rat race — you're in the race of rats.”

Bertolt Brecht (1898–1956) German poet, playwright, theatre director

“Jack: Smell?… What do I want with smelling salts?”

Jack Benny (1894–1974) comedian, vaudeville performer, and radio, television, and film actor

“You can win the rat race but you're still a rat.”

Banksy pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, and painter

“Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison, and then waiting around for the rat to die.”

Anne Lamott (1954) Novelist, essayist, memoirist, activist

“The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat.”

Lily Tomlin (1939) American actress, comedian, writer, and producer