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In MyMemeCards, the meme card game, “The lion and the cockroach” is a common card of the Memes FR pack, number 1225 of the collection, and the 753rd best-known meme of its 3501 cards. Here is what the meme means, where it comes from, and how to get its card.
What does the “The lion and the cockroach” meme mean?
The line is a lofty metaphor: the speaker is the lion, the other person is the cockroach, and the idea of teaming up is beneath them. It is funny because of the total arrogance, which fits countless situations: a workplace rivalry, a refusal between friends, a quarrel over a game. People quote it to play a theatrical snob, to mock someone’s pride, or to enjoy it when the person who said it too soon is proven wrong.
Where does the “The lion and the cockroach” meme come from?
The line comes from Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, directed by Alain Chabat and released in France on January 30, 2002. In the story, Cleopatra and Julius Caesar bet that the Egyptians cannot build a palace in under three months. The architect Numerobis, played by Jamel Debbouze, takes on the job, while his rival Amonbofis, played by Gérard Darmon, keeps sabotaging the work to help Caesar win. The lion and cockroach line comes from their confrontation and became one of the most quoted moments of the film. Clips of the scene have circulated on YouTube and in many edits ever since.
- January 30, 2002Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra is released in France, directed by Alain Chabat.
How to use the “The lion and the cockroach” meme
- Turn down a rival’s offer with maximum disdain.
- Answer an overconfident coworker with the line, in your best emperor voice.
- Comment on an online defeat with Amonbofis’s sentence.
- Caption a cat staring at a bug with it.
Also searched as
- Le lion et le cafard
- Amonbofis vs Numerobis
- le lion ne s’associe pas avec le cafard meaning
- lion and cockroach asterix meme
- amonbofis numerobis scene
- mission cleopatra famous quote
- the lion does not associate with the cockroach
- le lion ne s’associe pas avec le cafard origin
The “The lion and the cockroach” card in MyMemeCards
| Number | No. 1225 |
|---|---|
| Rarity | Common |
| Collection | Memes FR pack |
| Fame | 50/100 · #753 of 3501 |
| Recycle value | 5 MemeCoins (15 in Shiny) |
| Suggested by | @kallindra |
How to get the “The lion and the cockroach” card
Every pack holds 5 meme cards, the first 3 of them Common; The lion and the cockroach comes out of the Memes FR pack as a common card. The pack odds say what each rarity weighs.
Your first pack is free and needs no account. After that a new free pack lands every 10 minutes, up to 3 waiting for you. You can also buy the card with MemeCoins on the market, bid for it at auction, or trade it — and a double recycles into 5 MemeCoins.
The reprints of the “The lion and the cockroach” card
The “The lion and the cockroach” card was reprinted as Rare (No. 1,458) and Epic (No. 4,252). A reprint is the same meme printed again, with a number of its own and a higher rarity than its first printing, which was common. Its face reads “Reprinted card · Higher rarity”.
Every printing is dealt in the packs of the Memes FR pack, each at its own rarity: the higher it is, the rarer the card is to pull. Copies of the first printing already pulled stay as they are, and any printing counts toward completing a set.
MyMemeCards reprints a meme when it deserves more than the rarity of its first printing, such as a classic that became iconic after it came out: the reprint gives it a place among the most sought-after cards without taking anything from the players who already had it.
Open your free pack
5 meme cards, one of them at least Rare. One free pack per person.
Free · no account needed
Odds per card, averaged over a pack: Common 72%, Rare 23.9%, Epic 3.2%, Legendary 0.56%, Mythic 0.3%, Full Art ≤ 0.1%, Shiny 0.2%. Cards 1 to 3 are always Common, cards 4 and 5 climb the rarities. Rates drop for cards that circulate a lot. Details
Memes like “The lion and the cockroach”
More cards of the Memes FR pack
Frequently asked questions
Where does “the lion does not partner with the cockroach” come from?
From the scene between Amonbofis and Numerobis in the 2002 film Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra.
Who plays Amonbofis and Numerobis?
Gérard Darmon plays Amonbofis and Jamel Debbouze plays Numerobis.
What does the line mean?
It means refusing to ally with someone you consider beneath you, with deliberately theatrical contempt.
How do I get the The lion and the cockroach meme card?
Open a pack of MyMemeCards: “The lion and the cockroach” is a common card of the Memes FR pack. Your first pack is free, with no account, and you can also buy, trade or win the card at auction.
How rare is the The lion and the cockroach card?
It is a Common card. Rarity decides which pack slot can deal it, and what it is worth on the market.
Sources: Wikipédia — Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre · checked on October 18, 2026.
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