--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The tempter or the tempted, who sins…" description: "\"The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I That, lying by the violet in the sun, Do as the carrion does, n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg" --- # The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she… ![“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I That, lying by the violet in the sun, Do as the carrion does, not as the flower, Corrupt with virtuous season.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg) > “The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I That, lying by the violet in the sun, Do as the carrion does, not as the flower, Corrupt with virtuous season.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Temptation and sin are internal; the self is the true source of corruption, not external forces. **In simple terms:** We are our own worst temptations. Key Takeaway Examine inner motives. Themes morality temptation self corruption Mood dramatic poetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - self‑reflection - ethical education Key Concepts free will human nature ethical conflict Questions to Reflect On - What internal drives lead to wrongdoing? - How to recognize self‑temptation? A Different Perspective External blame can be useful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carrion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrion/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Seasons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seasons/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violet/) ## Related quotes > [The tempter or the tempted, who sins most?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Cry "havoc!" and let loose the dogs of war, That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/cry-havoc-and-let-loose-the-dogs-of-war-that-this-foul-deed-shall/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Tempt not a desperate man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/tempt-not-a-desperate-man/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The tyrant should take heed to what he doth, Since every victim-carrion turns to use, And drives a chariot, like a god made wroth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-tyrant-should-take-heed-to-what-he-doth-since-every-victim/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“A substance so far beyond their ken that they might have been carrion birds pecking at the eyes of god.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/a-substance-so-far-beyond-their-ken-that-they-might-have-been-carrion/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [A dead cow or sheep lying in a pasture is recognized as carrion. The same sort of a carcass dressed and hung up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/a-dead-cow-or-sheep-lying-in-a-pasture-is-recognized-as-carrion-the/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [For critics, as they are birds of prey, have ever a natural inclination to carrion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/for-critics-as-they-are-birds-of-prey-have-ever-a-natural-inclination/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Hamburger steak is carrion, and quite unfit for food except by a turkey buzzard, a hyena, or some other scavenger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/hamburger-steak-is-carrion-and-quite-unfit-for-food-except-by-a/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [“The carrion birds sat about the topmost corners of the houses with their wings outstretched in attitudes of exhortation like dark little bishops.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-carrion-birds-sat-about-the-topmost-corners-of-the-houses-with/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [ They are the carrion birds of humanity...\[speaking of the Jews\] are a state within a state. They are certainly not real citizens...The evils of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/they-are-the-carrion-birds-of-humanity-speaking-of-the-jews-are-a/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“Christopher Carrion is me. Christopher Carrion is a man who has had love in his life and that love has not always been good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/christopher-carrion-is-me-christopher-carrion-is-a-man-who-has-had/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Not, I'll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/not-i-ll-not-carrion-comfort-despair-not-feast-on-thee/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [“As I did so I became suddenly and agonizingly aware of the nearness of the carrion thing, whose hideous hollow breathing I half fancied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/as-i-did-so-i-became-suddenly-and-agonizingly-aware-of-the-nearness/) [H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/) > [Reporters ... most were carrion who fed on human tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joann-ross/reporters-most-were-carrion-who-fed-on-human-tragedy/) [JoAnn Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joann-ross/) > [Willpower is the fuel that runs human life; Like a driver in a computer application, Or Operating System in cyber programme, Willpower works life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/praveen-kumar/willpower-is-the-fuel-that-runs-human-life-like-a-driver-in-a/) [Praveen Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/praveen-kumar/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Carrion quotes > [Willpower is the fuel that runs human life; Like a driver in a computer application, Or Operating System in cyber programme, Willpower works life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/praveen-kumar/willpower-is-the-fuel-that-runs-human-life-like-a-driver-in-a/) [Praveen Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/praveen-kumar/) > [Reporters ... most were carrion who fed on human tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joann-ross/reporters-most-were-carrion-who-fed-on-human-tragedy/) [JoAnn Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joann-ross/) > [“As I did so I became suddenly and agonizingly aware of the nearness of the carrion thing, whose hideous hollow breathing I half fancied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft-2/as-i-did-so-i-became-suddenly-and-agonizingly-aware-of-the-nearness/) [H.P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft-2/) > [Not, I'll not, carrion comfort, Despair, not feast on thee:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/not-i-ll-not-carrion-comfort-despair-not-feast-on-thee/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [Cry "havoc!" and let loose the dogs of war, That this foul deed shall smell above the earth With carrion men, groaning for burial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/cry-havoc-and-let-loose-the-dogs-of-war-that-this-foul-deed-shall/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Christopher Carrion is me. Christopher Carrion is a man who has had love in his life and that love has not always been good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/christopher-carrion-is-me-christopher-carrion-is-a-man-who-has-had/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [ They are the carrion birds of humanity...\[speaking of the Jews\] are a state within a state. They are certainly not real citizens...The evils of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/they-are-the-carrion-birds-of-humanity-speaking-of-the-jews-are-a/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“The carrion birds sat about the topmost corners of the houses with their wings outstretched in attitudes of exhortation like dark little bishops.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-carrion-birds-sat-about-the-topmost-corners-of-the-houses-with/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [Hamburger steak is carrion, and quite unfit for food except by a turkey buzzard, a hyena, or some other scavenger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/hamburger-steak-is-carrion-and-quite-unfit-for-food-except-by-a/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [For critics, as they are birds of prey, have ever a natural inclination to carrion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/for-critics-as-they-are-birds-of-prey-have-ever-a-natural-inclination/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [A dead cow or sheep lying in a pasture is recognized as carrion. The same sort of a carcass dressed and hung up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/a-dead-cow-or-sheep-lying-in-a-pasture-is-recognized-as-carrion-the/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) > [“A substance so far beyond their ken that they might have been carrion birds pecking at the eyes of god.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/a-substance-so-far-beyond-their-ken-that-they-might-have-been-carrion/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [The tyrant should take heed to what he doth, Since every victim-carrion turns to use, And drives a chariot, like a god made wroth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-tyrant-should-take-heed-to-what-he-doth-since-every-victim/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [All fresh meat is eaten in a state of decay. The process may not have proceeded so far that the dull human nose can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harvey-kellogg/all-fresh-meat-is-eaten-in-a-state-of-decay-the-process-may-not-have/) [John Harvey Kellogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harvey-kellogg/) [Browse all 15 Carrion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I That, lying by the violet in the sun, Do as the carrion does, not as the flower, Corrupt with virtuous season.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most-ha-not-she-nor-doth-she/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Carrion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most-ha-not-she-nor-doth-she/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f8/william-shakespeare-4_carrion_the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most_1390237.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The tempter or the tempted, who sins most? Ha! Not she: nor doth she tempt: but it is I That, lying by the…” — William Shakespeare", "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": "William Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The tempter or the tempted, who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most-ha-not-she-nor-doth-she/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-tempter-or-the-tempted-who-sins-most-ha-not-she-nor-doth-she/#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 } } ] } ```