Arcades Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD D EFGEFHH IJKIHH ILILHHFMIIHH HI IINNIIHHHHOOMHHHLPGG QQMMHHIIHHRRHHIIMHII HHMHMMGGIIHHSSHHTT D UVWWXXHIIHUU D GIGIGIIIIIGGUUPart of an entertainment presented to the Countess Dowager of | A |
Darby at Harefield by som Noble persons of her Family who | B |
appear on the Scene in pastoral habit moving toward the seat | C |
of State with this Song | D |
- | |
I SONG | D |
- | |
Look Nymphs and Shepherds look | E |
What sudden blaze of majesty | F |
Is that which we from hence descry | G |
Too divine to be mistook | E |
This this is she | F |
To whom our vows and wishes bend | H |
Heer our solemn search hath end | H |
- | |
Fame that her high worth to raise | I |
Seem'd erst so lavish and profuse | J |
We may justly now accuse | K |
Of detraction from her praise | I |
Less then half we find exprest | H |
Envy bid conceal the rest | H |
- | |
Mark what radiant state she spreds | I |
In circle round her shining throne | L |
Shooting her beams like silver threds | I |
This this is she alone | L |
Sitting like a Goddes bright | H |
In the center of her light | H |
Might she the wise Latona be | F |
Or the towred Cybele | M |
Mother of a hunderd gods | I |
Juno dare's not give her odds | I |
Who had thought this clime had held | H |
A deity so unparalel'd | H |
- | |
As they com forward the genius of the Wood appears and | H |
turning toward them speaks | I |
- | |
GEN Stay gentle Swains for though in this disguise | I |
I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes | I |
Of famous Arcady ye are and sprung | N |
Of that renowned flood so often sung | N |
Divine Alpheus who by secret sluse | I |
Stole under Seas to meet his Arethuse | I |
And ye the breathing Roses of the Wood | H |
Fair silver buskind Nymphs as great and good | H |
I know this quest of yours and free intent | H |
Was all in honour and devotion ment | H |
To the great Mistres of yon princely shrine | O |
Whom with low reverence I adore as mine | O |
And with all helpful service will comply | M |
To further this nights glad solemnity | H |
And lead ye where ye may more neer behold | H |
What shallow searching Fame hath left untold | H |
Which I full oft amidst these shades alone | L |
Have sate to wonder at and gaze upon | P |
For know by lot from Jove I am the powr | G |
Of this fair wood and live in Oak'n bowr | G |
To nurse the Saplings tall and curl the grove | Q |
With Ringlets quaint and wanton windings wove | Q |
And all my Plants I save from nightly ill | M |
Of noisom winds and blasting vapours chill | M |
And from the Boughs brush off the evil dew | H |
And heal the harms of thwarting thunder blew | H |
Or what the cross dire looking Planet smites | I |
Or hurtfull Worm with canker'd venom bites | I |
When Eev'ning gray doth rise I fetch my round | H |
Over the mount and all this hallow'd ground | H |
And early ere the odorous breath of morn | R |
Awakes the slumbring leaves or tasseld horn | R |
Shakes the high thicket haste I all about | H |
Number my ranks and visit every sprout | H |
With puissant words and murmurs made to bless | I |
But els in deep of night when drowsines | I |
Hath lockt up mortal sense then listen I | M |
To the celestial Sirens harmony | H |
That sit upon the nine enfolded Sphears | I |
And sing to those that hold the vital shears | I |
And turn the Adamantine spindle round | H |
On which the fate of gods and men is wound | H |
Such sweet compulsion doth in musick ly | M |
To lull the daughters of Necessity | H |
And keep unsteddy Nature to her law | M |
And the low world in measur'd motion draw | M |
After the heavenly tune which none can hear | G |
Of human mould with grosse unpurged ear | G |
And yet such musick worthiest were to blaze | I |
The peerles height of her immortal praise | I |
Whose lustre leads us and for her most fit | H |
If my inferior hand or voice could hit | H |
Inimitable sounds yet as we go | S |
What ere the skill of lesser gods can show | S |
I will assay her worth to celebrate | H |
And so attend ye toward her glittering state | H |
Where ye may all that are of noble stemm | T |
Approach and kiss her sacred vestures hemm | T |
- | |
- | |
SONG | D |
- | |
O're the smooth enameld green | U |
Where no print of step hath been | V |
Follow me as I sing | W |
And touch the warbled string | W |
Under the shady roof | X |
Of branching Elm Star proof | X |
Follow me | H |
I will bring you where she sits | I |
Clad in splendor as befits | I |
Her deity | H |
Such a rural Queen | U |
All Arcadia hath not seen | U |
- | |
- | |
SONG | D |
- | |
Nymphs and Shepherds dance no more | G |
By sandy Ladons Lillied banks | I |
On old Lycaeus or Cyllene hoar | G |
Trip no more in twilight ranks | I |
Though Erynanth your loss deplore | G |
A better soyl shall give ye thanks | I |
From the stony Maenalus | I |
Bring your Flocks and live with us | I |
Here ye shall have greater grace | I |
To serve the Lady of this place | I |
Though Syrinx your Pans Mistres were | G |
Yet Syrinx well might wait on her | G |
Such a rural Queen | U |
All Arcadia hath not seen | U |
John Milton
(1)
Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Write your comment about Arcades poem by John Milton
Best Poems of John Milton