Sonnet: Political Greatness.
Nor happiness, nor majesty, nor fame, Nor peace, nor strength, nor skill in arms or arts, Shepherd those herds whom tyranny makes tame; Verse echoes not one beating of their hearts, History is but the shadow of their shame, Art veils her glass, or from the pageant starts As to oblivion their blind millions fleet, Staining that Heaven with obscene imagery Of their own likeness. What are numbers knit By force or custom? Man who man would be, Must rule the empire of himself; in it Must be supreme, establishing his throne On vanquished will, quelling the anarchy Of hopes and fears, being himself alone.
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"Nor happiness, nor majesty, nor fame,..."
Percy Bysshe Shelley's contribution to classic is further solidified by the brilliance found in "Sonnet: Political Greatness."... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...