--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It layeth not in my power but that they…" description: "\"“It layeth not in my power but that they devour me. But...they shall not deflower me.”\" — Sir Thomas More" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/sir-thomas-more-36260_devour_it-layeth-not-in-my-power-but-that-they_2460380.jpg" --- # It layeth not in my power but that they devour me… ![“It layeth not in my power but that they devour me. But...they shall not deflower me.” quote by Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/sir-thomas-more-36260_devour_it-layeth-not-in-my-power-but-that-they_2460380.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/sir-thomas-more-36260_devour_it-layeth-not-in-my-power-but-that-they_2460380.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66f/sir-thomas-more-36260_devour_it-layeth-not-in-my-power-but-that-they_2460380.jpg) > ““It layeth not in my power but that they devour me. But...they shall not deflower me.”” [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One may lack control over external forces, yet can retain personal integrity and resist being corrupted. **In simple terms:** Maintain integrity despite external pressures. Key Takeaway Hold onto personal values. Themes integrity resistance powerlessness Mood defiant resolute Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political oppression - personal crises Key Concepts moral fortitude self‑preservation Questions to Reflect On - What values define you? - How do you stay true under pressure? A Different Perspective Integrity can be challenged by circumstance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devour/) [Devour Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devour-shall-649058/) [Layeth Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/layeth-power-649061/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-devour-649060/) [Shall Deflower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-deflower-649059/) ## Related quotes > [“My eyes hunger to read more books then time allows me to devour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-feylynn/my-eyes-hunger-to-read-more-books-then-time-allows-me-to-devour/) [Jazz Feylynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-feylynn/) > [“Pity." "You're serious? You just met me." "And already I have a strong urge to devour you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/pity-you-re-serious-you-just-met-me-and-already-i-have-a-strong-urge/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [“What if you get called to a fire?” His eyes raked over her as he prepared to devour her. “Let it burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-altieri/what-if-you-get-called-to-a-fire-his-eyes-raked-over-her-as-he/) [Dawn Altieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-altieri/) > [I don't devour huge amounts of television. I'm more naturally inclined to watch movies, but given my job, I need to have an understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rayner/i-don-t-devour-huge-amounts-of-television-i-m-more-naturally-inclined/) [Adam Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rayner/) > [“I devour her. And she consumes me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/i-devour-her-and-she-consumes-me/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [I am a machine condemned to devour books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/i-am-a-machine-condemned-to-devour-books/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“I need to devour you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/i-need-to-devour-you/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [...like a predator about to devour the target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-parry/like-a-predator-about-to-devour-the-target/) [Alan Parry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-parry/) > [“Devour thy own truths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/devour-thy-own-truths/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [“They lurk in the cold and dark.Hungry and,wicked,they wait for their one chance to devour the weak on Sorry Night.Then the vours feast on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/they-lurk-in-the-cold-and-dark-hungry-and-wicked-they-wait-for-their/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [Before I came to England, my favorite authors were P. 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Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [Lord please devour all my enemies, that was Pac talking B-tch now back up off me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/lord-please-devour-all-my-enemies-that-was-pac-talking-b-tch-now-back/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) ## More by Sir Thomas More > [ “\[The Utopians\] marvel that any mortal can take pleasure in the weak sparkle of a little gem or bright pebble, when he has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/the-utopians-marvel-that-any-mortal-can-take-pleasure-in-the-weak/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“All the life must be led with one, and also all the griefs and displeasures coming therewith patiently be taken and borne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/all-the-life-must-be-led-with-one-and-also-all-the-griefs-and/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“This hellhound (pride) creepeth into men's hearts and plucketh them back from entering the right path of life and is so deeply rooted in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/this-hellhound-pride-creepeth-into-men-s-hearts-and-plucketh-them/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“Fortune doth both raise up the low and pluck down the high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/fortune-doth-both-raise-up-the-low-and-pluck-down-the-high/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“Why shouldst thou not take even as much pleasure in beholding a counterfeit stone, which thine eye cannot discern from a right stone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/why-shouldst-thou-not-take-even-as-much-pleasure-in-beholding-a/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“Let them speak as lewdly as they list of me...as long as they do not hit me, what am I the worse?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/let-them-speak-as-lewdly-as-they-list-of-me-as-long-as-they-do-not/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“Pride thinks its own happiness shines the brighter, by comparing it with the misfortunes of other persons; that by displaying its own wealth they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/pride-thinks-its-own-happiness-shines-the-brighter-by-comparing-it/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“Men be so foolish as to have delight and pleasure in the doubtful glistering of a trifling little stone, which may behold any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/men-be-so-foolish-as-to-have-delight-and-pleasure-in-the-doubtful/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“God made the angels to show Him splendor, as He made animals for innocence and plants for their simplicity. But Man He made to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/god-made-the-angels-to-show-him-splendor-as-he-made-animals-for/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“The Utopians call those nations that come and ask magistrates from them Neighbours; but those to whom they have been of more particular service,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/the-utopians-call-those-nations-that-come-and-ask-magistrates-from/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“Anticipated spears wound less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/anticipated-spears-wound-less/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) > [“No man shall be blamed in the maintenance of his own religion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-thomas-more/no-man-shall-be-blamed-in-the-maintenance-of-his-own-religion/) [Sir Thomas More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) [Explore all 13 Sir Thomas More quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-thomas-more/) ## More Devour quotes > [“My eyes hunger to read more books then time allows me to devour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-feylynn/my-eyes-hunger-to-read-more-books-then-time-allows-me-to-devour/) [Jazz Feylynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-feylynn/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Devour your fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/devour-your-fear/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [“My God Made Me With A Rod Of Iron, Therefore, I Am Not Afraid Of The Ten Thousands Of Men Whose Throats Are An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-onyenmeriogu/my-god-made-me-with-a-rod-of-iron-therefore-i-am-not-afraid-of-the/) [Elijah Onyenmeriogu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-onyenmeriogu/) > [Before I came to England, my favorite authors were P. G. Wodehouse and Agatha Christie. I used to devour both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/before-i-came-to-england-my-favorite-authors-were-p-g-wodehouse-and/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“They lurk in the cold and dark.Hungry and,wicked,they wait for their one chance to devour the weak on Sorry Night.Then the vours feast on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-holt/they-lurk-in-the-cold-and-dark-hungry-and-wicked-they-wait-for-their/) [Simon Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-holt/) > [“Devour thy own truths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/devour-thy-own-truths/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [...like a predator about to devour the target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-parry/like-a-predator-about-to-devour-the-target/) [Alan Parry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-parry/) > [“I need to devour you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/i-need-to-devour-you/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [I am a machine condemned to devour books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/i-am-a-machine-condemned-to-devour-books/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“I devour her. And she consumes me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/i-devour-her-and-she-consumes-me/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [I don't devour huge amounts of television. I'm more naturally inclined to watch movies, but given my job, I need to have an understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rayner/i-don-t-devour-huge-amounts-of-television-i-m-more-naturally-inclined/) [Adam Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rayner/) > [“What if you get called to a fire?” His eyes raked over her as he prepared to devour her. “Let it burn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-altieri/what-if-you-get-called-to-a-fire-his-eyes-raked-over-her-as-he/) [Dawn Altieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-altieri/) > [“Pity." "You're serious? You just met me." "And already I have a strong urge to devour you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/pity-you-re-serious-you-just-met-me-and-already-i-have-a-strong-urge/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [Lord please devour all my enemies, that was Pac talking B-tch now back up off me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyga/lord-please-devour-all-my-enemies-that-was-pac-talking-b-tch-now-back/) [Tyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyga/) [Browse all 71 Devour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It layeth not in my power but that they devour me. 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