Friedrich Schiller

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The Four Ages Of The World Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABABCC DEFEGG HIHIJJ KLKLJJ MNONPP JQJQQQ RSRSQQ TQTQUU QRQRQQ RQRQQQ RQRQRR QQQQQQ

The goblet is sparkling with purpled tinged wineA
Bright glistens the eye of each guestB
When into the hall comes the Minstrel divineA
To the good he now brings what is bestB
For when from Elysium is absent the lyreC
No joy can the banquet of nectar inspireC
-
He is blessed by the gods with an intellect clearD
That mirrors the world as it glidesE
He has seen all that ever has taken place hereF
And all that the future still hidesE
He sat in the god's secret councils of oldG
And heard the command for each thing to unfoldG
-
He opens in splendor with gladness and mirthH
That life which was hid from our eyesI
Adorns as a temple the dwelling of earthH
That the Muse has bestowed as his prizeI
No roof is so humble no hut is so lowJ
But he with divinities bids it o'erflowJ
-
And as the inventive descendant of ZeusK
On the unadorned round of the shieldL
With knowledge divine could reflected produceK
Earth sea and the star's shining fieldL
So he on the moments as onward they rollJ
The image can stamp of the infinite wholeJ
-
From the earliest age of the world he has comeM
When nations rejoiced in their primeN
A wanderer glad he has still found a homeO
With every race through all timeN
Four ages of man in his lifetime have diedP
And the place they once held by the fifth is suppliedP
-
Saturnus first governed with fatherly smileJ
Each day then resembled the lastQ
Then flourished the shepherds a race without guileJ
Their bliss by no care was o'ercastQ
They loved and no other employment they hadQ
And earth gave her treasures with willingness gladQ
-
Then labor came next and the conflict beganR
With monsters and beasts famed in songS
And heroes upstarted as rulers of manR
And the weak sought the aid of the strongS
And strife o'er the field of Scamander now reignedQ
But beauty the god of the world still remainedQ
-
At length from the conflict bright victory sprangT
And gentleness blossomed from mightQ
In heavenly chorus the Muses then sangT
And figures divine saw the lightQ
The age that acknowledged sweet phantasy's swayU
Can never return it has fleeted awayU
-
The gods from their seats in the heavens were hurledQ
And their pillars of glory o'erthrownR
And the Son of the Virgin appeared in the worldQ
For the sins of mankind to atoneR
The fugitive lusts of the sense were suppressedQ
And man now first grappled with thought in his breastQ
-
Each vain and voluptuous charm vanished nowR
Wherein the young world took delightQ
The monk and the nun made of penance a vowR
And the tourney was sought by the knightQ
Though the aspect of life was now dreary and wildQ
Yet love remained ever both lovely and mildQ
-
An altar of holiness free from all stainR
The Muses in silence uprearedQ
And all that was noble and worthy againR
In woman's chaste bosom appearedQ
The bright flame of song was soon kindled anewR
By the minstrel's soft lays and his love pure and trueR
-
And so in a gentle and ne'er changing bandQ
Let woman and minstrel uniteQ
They weave and they fashion with hand joined to handQ
The girdle of beauty and rightQ
When love blends with music in unison sweetQ
The lustre of life's youthful days ne'er can fleetQ

Friedrich Schiller



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