--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower…" description: "\"“ Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food Will he convey up thither to sustain Himself and his r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/john-milton-191_food_stayes-not-on-man-to-god-his-tower-inten_366975.png" --- # Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends Siege and… ![“Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food Will he convey up thither to sustain Himself and his rash Armie, where thin Aire Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross, And famish him of Breath, if not of Bread?” quote by John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/john-milton-191_food_stayes-not-on-man-to-god-his-tower-inten_366975.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/john-milton-191_food_stayes-not-on-man-to-god-his-tower-inten_366975.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5da/john-milton-191_food_stayes-not-on-man-to-god-his-tower-inten_366975.png) > ““  Stayes not on Man; to God his Tower intends   Siege and defiance: Wretched man! what food   Will he convey up thither to sustain   Himself and his rash Armie, where thin Aire   Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross,   And famish him of Breath, if not of Bread?”” [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Man’s ambition to rival divine power leads to suffering and inevitable downfall. **In simple terms:** Trying to equal God brings ruin. Key Takeaway Recognize limits of human pride. Themes pride hubris divine suffering ambition Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - political - ambition - lead - overreaching Key Concepts theology human nature consequences Questions to Reflect On - What ambitions might be overreaching? - How do limits protect us? A Different Perspective The quote assumes a literal divine hierarchy, which may not align with secular views. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defiance Wretched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defiance-wretched-3357405/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Intends Siege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intends-siege-3357403/) [Man Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-food-1049409/) [Stayes Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stayes-man-3357404/) [Tower Intends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tower-intends-3357402/) ## Related quotes > ['Man v. Food' was the biggest career-defining opportunity. I went from anonymity to someone of note with access to amazing eateries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-richman/man-v-food-was-the-biggest-career-defining-opportunity-i-went-from/) [Adam Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-richman/) > [Give a man food, and he can eat for a day. Give a man a job, and he can only eat for 30 minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-l-spiro/give-a-man-food-and-he-can-eat-for-a-day-give-a-man-a-job-and-he-can/) [Lev L. Spiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-l-spiro/) > [I can't think of a time in the history of man when food was in excess. We're dealing with the same old problems we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/i-can-t-think-of-a-time-in-the-history-of-man-when-food-was-in-excess/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [There's no way that I could have known about a 72-oz. steak challenge in Amarillo unless thousands upon thousands of locals and travellers alike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-richman/there-s-no-way-that-i-could-have-known-about-a-72-oz-steak-challenge/) [Adam Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-richman/) > [Man V. 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Cheraskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-cheraskin/) > [Any healthy man can go without food for two days - but not without poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/any-healthy-man-can-go-without-food-for-two-days-but-not-without/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) ## More by John Milton > [Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/love-quarrels-oft-in-pleasing-concord-end/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [What better can we do than prostrate fall before Him reverent, and there confess humbly our faults, and pardon beg with tears watering the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/what-better-can-we-do-than-prostrate-fall-before-him-reverent-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-when-night-darkens-the-streets-then-wander-forth-the-sons-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-re-assembling-our-afflicted-powers-consult-how-we-may-henceforth/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Yet hold it more humane, more heav'nly, first, By winning words to conquer willing hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/yet-hold-it-more-humane-more-heav-nly-first-by-winning-words-to/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [O nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still; Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-nightingale-that-on-yon-bloomy-spray-warblest-at-eve-when-all-the/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know, Can it be death? And do they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/knowledge-forbidden-suspicious-reasonless-why-should-their-lord-envy/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There is no truth sure enough to justify persecution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/there-is-no-truth-sure-enough-to-justify-persecution/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/new-presbyter-is-but-old-priest-writ-large/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [And what is faith, love, virtue unassayed Alone, without exterior help sustained?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/and-what-is-faith-love-virtue-unassayed-alone-without-exterior-help/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [This is servitude, To serve th'unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/this-is-servitude-to-serve-th-unwise-or-him-who-hath-rebelled-against/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply With our own hands his office on ourselves; Why stand we longer shivering under fears,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/let-us-seek-death-or-he-not-found-supply-with-our-own-hands-his/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [They are the troublers, they are the dividers of unity, who neglect and don't permit others to unite those dissevered pieces which are yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/they-are-the-troublers-they-are-the-dividers-of-unity-who-neglect-and/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) [Explore all 966 John Milton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## More Food quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You do know that right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ashworth/my-god-joseph-your-toasted-sandwiches-are-the-fucking-shit-you-do/) [Beth Ashworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ashworth/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. 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