The Origin Of Trades Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDDDEEFFDDDDDD DDGGDDDDHHIIJJKKDDBB IILLDDMMNN| When with a skilful hand Prometheus made | A |
| A statue that the human form displayed | A |
| Pandora his own work to wed he chose | B |
| And from those two the human race arose | B |
| When first to know herself the fair began | C |
| She played her smile's enchantment upon man | C |
| By softness and alluring speech she gained | D |
| The ascendant and her master soon enchained | D |
| Her beauty on Prometheus' sense ne'er palled | D |
| And the first husband was the first enthralled | D |
| The god of war soon saw the new formed fair | E |
| His manly beauty and his martial air | E |
| His golden casque and all his glittering arms | F |
| Pandora pleased and he enjoyed her charms | F |
| When the sea's ruler in his humid court | D |
| Had heard of this intrigue from fame's report | D |
| The fair he sought a like reception found | D |
| Could Neptune fail where Mars a triumph found | D |
| Day's light haired god from his resplendent height | D |
| Their pleasures saw and hoped the same delight | D |
| She could not to refuse him have the heart | D |
| Who o'er the day presides and every art | D |
| Mercury with eloquence declared his flame | G |
| And in his turn he triumphed o'er the dame | G |
| Squalid and sooty from his forge at first | D |
| Vulcan was ill received and gave disgust | D |
| But he by importunity obtained | D |
| What other gods with so much ease had gained | D |
| Pandora's prime thus winged with pleasure flew | H |
| Then she in languor lived nor wherefore knew | H |
| She that devotes to love her life's first spring | I |
| As years increase can do no other thing | I |
| For e'en to gods inconstancy is known | J |
| And those who dwell in heaven to change are prone | J |
| Pandora of her favors had been free | K |
| To gods who left her happening then to see | K |
| A satyr who through plains and meadows strayed | D |
| Smit with his mien she love advances made | D |
| To these amours our race existence owes | B |
| From such amusements all mankind arose | B |
| Hence those varieties in talents spring | I |
| In genius passions business everything | I |
| To Vulcan one to Mars one owes his birth | L |
| This to a satyr very few on earth | L |
| Claim any kindred with the god of day | D |
| Few that celestial origin display | D |
| From parents each his taste and turn derives | M |
| But most of all trades now Pandora's thrives | M |
| The most delightful though least rare it seems | N |
| And is the trade all Paris most esteems | N |
Voltaire
(1)
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