Versos English Percy Bysshe Shelley [He Draws, But Cannot Move Her.]

English poem

[He Draws, But Cannot Move Her.]

by

Listen in the reader

DAEMON: Come, where a pleasure waits thee.

JUSTINA: It were bought Too dear.

DAEMON: ‘Twill soothe thy heart to softest peace.

JUSTINA: ’Tis dread captivity.

DAEMON: ’Tis joy, ’tis glory.

JUSTINA: ’Tis shame, ’tis torment, ’tis despair.

DAEMON: But how Canst thou defend thyself from that or me, If my power drags thee onward?

JUSTINA: My defence Consists in God.

[HE VAINLY ENDEAVOURS TO FORCE HER, AND AT LAST RELEASES HER.]

DAEMON: Woman, thou hast subdued me, Only by not owning thyself subdued. But since thou thus findest defence in God, I will assume a feigned form, and thus Make thee a victim of my baffled rage. For I will mask a spirit in thy form Who will betray thy name to infamy, And doubly shall I triumph in thy loss, First by dishonouring thee, and then by turning False pleasure to true ignominy.