Through this literary pasquinade, Petri skewers the status quo, asking: Who needs an iota of intellect or humanity when blind dogma and senseless injustice will do just fine?

"Do not throw Pasquino into the Tiber," said the Spanish embassador, "lest he should teach all the frogs in the river to croak pasquinades."

Poor Charles Kean was an especial object of Lewes's detestation, and was accordingly pelted and peppered with torturingly clever and piquant pasquinades in the form of criticism.

Mademoiselle de Limeuil, one of the queen’s maids of honour, was flagellated for having written a pasquinade, in company with all the young ladies who had been privy to the composition.

It was at him, while minister, the pasquinade was leveled, "You had better declare, which you may without shocking 'em, The nation's asleep and the minister Rocking'em."