Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale/Text/Sonnet 46
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For other versions of this work, see Sonnet 46 (Shakespeare).
46
Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,
How to divide the conquest of thy sight;
Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar,
My heart mine eye the freedom of that right. 4
My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,—
A closet never pierc'd with crystal eyes,—
But the defendant doth that plea deny,
And says in him thy fair appearance lies. 8
To 'cide this title is impanelled
A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart;
And by their verdict is determined
The clear eye's moiety and the dear heart's part: 12
As thus ; mine eye's due is thine outward part,
And my heart's right thine inward love of heart.
9 impanelled: enrolled
10 quest: jury
12 moiety: share