--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...What are numbers knit By force or…" description: "\"...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 v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg" --- # ...What are numbers knit By force or custom? Man who man… ![“...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.” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg) > “...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.” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A call for self‑mastery, urging individuals to dominate their own inner conflicts and desires. **In simple terms:** Control yourself to rule yourself. Key Takeaway Master your inner will. Themes self‑control power individualism Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy psychology autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑authority with community needs? - What inner conflicts hinder your personal rule? A Different Perspective Self‑domination can ignore external constraints and lead to isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) [Anarchy Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy-hopes-2339730/) [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire/) [Empire Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empire-supreme-2339729/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hopes and fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hopes-and-fears/) [Man Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-rule-697647/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Rule Empire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-empire-2339728/) [Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme/) [Thrones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrones/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Man who man would be, must rule the empire of himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/man-who-man-would-be-must-rule-the-empire-of-himself/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“A democracy cannot rule an empire. Neither can one man, though empire may appear to presuppose monarchy. There is always an oligarchy somewhere, open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-syme/a-democracy-cannot-rule-an-empire-neither-can-one-man-though-empire/) [Ronald Syme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-syme/) > [While princes do rule the empire, they have to work within certain boundaries, and they're also always in a contest with each other to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/while-princes-do-rule-the-empire-they-have-to-work-within-certain/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“I'm... like a poet hidden In the light of thought Singing hymns unbidden, Till the world is wrought To sympathy with hopes and fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-m-like-a-poet-hidden-in-the-light-of-thought-singing-hymns-unbidden/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Sonnet: Political Greatness Nor happiness, nor majesty, nor fame, Nor peace, nor strength, nor skill in arms or arts, Shepherd those herds whom tyranny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/sonnet-political-greatness-nor-happiness-nor-majesty-nor-fame-nor/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“And others came... Desires and Adorations, Winged Persuasions and veil'd Destinies, Splendours, and Glooms, and glimmering Incarnations Of hopes and fears, and twilight Phantasies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/and-others-came-desires-and-adorations-winged-persuasions-and-veil-d/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [There are a lot of benefits representative of government and it is far better than any type of dictatorial system and it is far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/there-are-a-lot-of-benefits-representative-of-government-and-it-is/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [An invisible man can rule the world. Nobody will see him come, nobody will see him go. He can hear every secret, he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sherriff/an-invisible-man-can-rule-the-world-nobody-will-see-him-come-nobody/) [R. C. Sherriff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sherriff/) > [No man can rule the unruly until he first rules himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-foreman-lewis/no-man-can-rule-the-unruly-until-he-first-rules-himself/) [Elizabeth Foreman Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-foreman-lewis/) > [By accident of fortune a man may rule the world for a time, but by virtue of love he may rule the world forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/by-accident-of-fortune-a-man-may-rule-the-world-for-a-time-but-by/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [As the king governs by his executive, so Reason in man must rule the mere appetites by means of the 'spirited element.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/as-the-king-governs-by-his-executive-so-reason-in-man-must-rule-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Unhappy is the man, though he rule the world, who doesn't consider himself supremely blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/unhappy-is-the-man-though-he-rule-the-world-who-doesn-t-consider/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [“Look, I know you’re a guy—” “Damn straight.” “And there’s some man rule that you’ve got to be all macho—” “Rule number three, actually.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindi-madsen/look-i-know-you-re-a-guy-damn-straight-and-there-s-some-man-rule-that/) [Cindi Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindi-madsen/) > [Ah, when shall all men's good Be each man's rule, and universal peace Lie like a shaft of light across the land, And like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/ah-when-shall-all-men-s-good-be-each-man-s-rule-and-universal-peace/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [ “\[N\]ow we have a clearer idea what this story is all about: The world was made for man, and man was made to rule… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/n-ow-we-have-a-clearer-idea-what-this-story-is-all-about-the-world/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) ## More by Percy Bysshe Shelley > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The quick Dreams, The passion-winged Ministers of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-quick-dreams-the-passion-winged-ministers-of-thought/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hail-to-thee-blithe-spirit/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The jealous keys of truth's eternal doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-jealous-keys-of-truth-s-eternal-doors/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine, Yet let's be merry; we'll have tea and toast; Custards for supper, and an endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/though-we-eat-little-flesh-and-drink-no-wine-yet-let-s-be-merry-we-ll/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [A dream has power to poison sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-dream-has-power-to-poison-sleep/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Anarchy quotes > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [So far I'm still standing on 'Sons of Anarchy' but all the rest of the people on the show have me in their crosshairs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-pileggi/so-far-i-m-still-standing-on-sons-of-anarchy-but-all-the-rest-of-the/) [Mitch Pileggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-pileggi/) > [“Anarchy Evolution: Faith, Science and Bad Religion in a World Without God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/anarchy-evolution-faith-science-and-bad-religion-in-a-world-without/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [Perhaps it is this theory of all work and no play that has made the Marxist such a very dull boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-read/perhaps-it-is-this-theory-of-all-work-and-no-play-that-has-made-the/) [Herbert Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-read/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [I think that if you run a big company, you've got to, four or five times a year, just say, 'Hey team, look, here's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-that-if-you-run-a-big-company-you-ve-got-to-four-or-five/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Where you have no religion, you are sure to have no government, for as religion disappears, anarchy takes place and fixes a compleat Hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-morgan/where-you-have-no-religion-you-are-sure-to-have-no-government-for-as/) [Daniel Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-morgan/) > [What a comfort it is to feel that amid the chaos and anarchy which sweep the surface, God is holding fast the foundations on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-b-meyer/what-a-comfort-it-is-to-feel-that-amid-the-chaos-and-anarchy-which/) [F.B. Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-b-meyer/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Would you like to do something good for the future of the human race; well, start killing some of its powerful members.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-c-brown/would-you-like-to-do-something-good-for-the-future-of-the-human-race/) [William C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-c-brown/) > [“twenty-three years of RFRAs to produce anarchy,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corvino/twenty-three-years-of-rfras-to-produce-anarchy/) [John Corvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corvino/) > [Freedom is that faculty that enlarges the usefulness of all other faculties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/freedom-is-that-faculty-that-enlarges-the-usefulness-of-all-other/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) [Browse all 795 Anarchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "...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.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Percy Bysshe Shelley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom-man-who-man-would-be-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom-man-who-man-would-be-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/157/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_anarchy_what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom_1029022.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...What are numbers knit By force or custom? Man who man would be, Must rule the empire of himself; in it…” — Percy Bysshe Shelley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "...What are numbers knit By force...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom-man-who-man-would-be-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/what-are-numbers-knit-by-force-or-custom-man-who-man-would-be-must/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```