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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
PALLADIUM, by MATTHEW ARNOLD Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Set where the upper streams of simois flow Last Line: And while it lasts, we cannot wholly end. Subject(s): Trojan War | |||
Set where the upper streams of Simois flow Was the Palladium, high 'mid rock and wood; And Hector was in Ilium, far below, And fought, and saw it not -- but there it stood! It stood, and sun and moonshine rain'd their light On the pure columns of its glen-built hall. Backward and forward roll'd the waves of fight Round Troy -- but while this stood, Troy could not fall. So, in its lovely moonlight, lives the soul. Mountains surround it, and sweet virgin air; Cold plashing, past it, crystal waters roll; We visit it by moments, ah, too rare! We shall renew the battle in the plain To-morrow; -- red with blood will Xanthus be; Hector and Ajax will be there again, Helen will come upon the wall to see. Then we shall rust in shade, or shine in strife, And fluctuate 'twixt blind hopes and blind despairs, And fancy that we put forth all our life, And never know how with the soul it fares. Still doth the soul, from its lone fastness high, Upon our life a ruling effluence send. And when it fails, fight as we will, we die; And while it lasts, we cannot wholly end. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS by EDWIN MUIR THE FALL OF TROY by RACHEL HADAS MENELAUS AND HELEN by RUPERT BROOKE THE DEATH OF LEONIDAS by GEORGE CROLY THE ILIAD: ACHILLES OVER THE TRENCH by HOMER THE ILIAD: BOOK 12. SARPEDON'S SPEECH by HOMER BALLAD OF HECTOR IN HADES by EDWIN MUIR |
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