Offenceless

What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he's yours. ❋ William H. Elson (N/A)

What! man; there are ways to recover the general again; you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion. ❋ Unknown (1914)

I thought a man would have been ashamed to punish the pure self-defence of folk so offenceless as the Belgians. ❋ Unknown (1905)

That fastens as flame on the sight of them tame and offenceless, and ranged as to die. ❋ Algernon Charles Swinburne (1873)

She even struck the poor, offenceless creature many blows; and from this there was no redemption, for she was in sad disrepute with Mr. and Mrs. Smith; and, after the young ladies 'departure, she had no friend at all, for I was too powerless to be of use to her. ❋ Unknown (1857)

What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice, even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he's yours. ❋ Unknown (1604)

What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he is yours. ❋ William Shakespeare (1590)

What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice, even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he’s yours. ❋ Unknown (2004)

Thus Fool offenceless shall lie defenceless at thy mercy and, so lying, sleep until joyous day shall banish thy so virginal fears! " ❋ Jeffery Farnol (1915)

Wood tells us that this poem "being not rightly understood, and carped at by many, came out soon after a pamphlet written in prose and poetry, entitled 'A free and offenceless justification of a late published and most maliciously misinterpreted Poem, &c. ❋ Unknown (1857)