The Veiled Statue At Sais Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFEGHEIJKLHMN BKEONPQRJ JKJBN SPTUEJTTE TJVWJVNX TEEEYEJZE A2PEB2ETJC2 TD2PTTE2 PUEF2TG2HHB2IHTH| A youth impelled by a burning thirst for knowledge | A |
| To roam to Sais in fair Egypt's land | B |
| The priesthood's secret learning to explore | C |
| Had passed through many a grade with eager haste | D |
| And still was hurrying on with fond impatience | E |
| Scarce could the Hierophant impose a rein | F |
| Upon his headlong efforts What avails | E |
| A part without the whole the youth exclaimed | G |
| Can there be here a lesser or a greater | H |
| The truth thou speak'st of like mere earthly dross | E |
| Is't but a sum that can be held by man | I |
| In larger or in smaller quantity | J |
| Surely 'tis changeless indivisible | K |
| Deprive a harmony of but one note | L |
| Deprive the rainbow of one single color | H |
| And all that will remain is naught so long | M |
| As that one color that one note is wanting | N |
| - | |
| While thus they converse held they chanced to stand | B |
| Within the precincts of a lonely temple | K |
| Where a veiled statue of gigantic size | E |
| The youth's attention caught In wonderment | O |
| He turned him toward his guide and asked him saying | N |
| What form is that concealed beneath yon veil | P |
| Truth was the answer What the young man cried | Q |
| When I am striving after truth alone | R |
| Seekest thou to hide that very truth from me | J |
| - | |
| The Godhead's self alone can answer thee | J |
| Replied the Hierophant 'Let no rash mortal | K |
| Disturb this veil ' said he 'till raised by me | J |
| For he who dares with sacrilegious hand | B |
| To move the sacred mystic covering | N |
| He' said the Godhead Well 'will see the truth ' | - |
| Strangely oracular indeed And thou | S |
| Hast never ventured then to raise the veil | P |
| I Truly not I never even felt | T |
| The least desire Is't possible If I | U |
| Were severed from the truth by nothing else | E |
| Than this thin gauze And a divine decree | J |
| His guide broke in Far heavier than thou thinkest | T |
| Is this thin gauze my son Light to thy hand | T |
| It may be but most weighty to thy conscience | E |
| - | |
| The youth now sought his home absorbed in thought | T |
| His burning wish to solve the mystery | J |
| Banished all sleep upon his couch he lay | V |
| Tossing his feverish limbs When midnight came | W |
| He rose and toward the temple timidly | J |
| Led by a mighty impulse bent his way | V |
| The walls he scaled and soon one active spring | N |
| Landed the daring boy beneath the dome | X |
| - | |
| Behold him now in utter solitude | T |
| Welcomed by naught save fearful deathlike silence | E |
| A silence which the echo of his steps | E |
| Alone disturbs as through the vaults he paces | E |
| Piercing an opening in the cupola | Y |
| The moon cast down her pale and silvery beams | E |
| And awful as a present deity | J |
| Glittering amid the darkness of the pile | Z |
| In its long veil concealed the statue stands | E |
| - | |
| With hesitating step he now draws near | A2 |
| His impious hand would fain remove the veil | P |
| Sudden a burning chill assails his bones | E |
| And then an unseen arm repulses him | B2 |
| Unhappy one what wouldst thou do Thus cries | E |
| A faithful voice within his trembling breast | T |
| Wouldst thou profanely violate the All Holy | J |
| 'Tis true the oracle declared 'Let none | C2 |
| Venture to raise the veil till raised by me ' | - |
| But did the oracle itself not add | T |
| That he who did so would behold the truth | D2 |
| Whate'er is hid behind I'll raise the veil | P |
| And then he shouted Yes I will behold it | T |
| Behold it | T |
| Repeats in mocking tone the distant echo | E2 |
| - | |
| He speaks and with the word lifts up the veil | P |
| Would you inquire what form there met his eye | U |
| I know not but when day appeared the priests | E |
| Found him extended senseless pale as death | F2 |
| Before the pedestal of Isis' statue | T |
| What had been seen and heard by him when there | G2 |
| He never would disclose but from that hour | H |
| His happiness in life had fled forever | H |
| And his deep sorrow soon conducted him | B2 |
| To an untimely grave Woe to that man | I |
| He warning said to every questioner | H |
| Woe to that man who wins the truth by guilt | T |
| For truth so gained will ne'er reward its owner | H |
Friedrich Schiller
(1)
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About The Veiled Statue At Sais
The Veiled Statue At Sais is a poem by Friedrich Schiller. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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