"August and Open, as the Hero's Mind, / Be her capacious Courts design'd."

— Prior, Matthew (1664-1721)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Jacob Tonson
Date
1700
Metaphor
"August and Open, as the Hero's Mind, / Be her capacious Courts design'd."
Metaphor in Context
XXVII.
Where the white Towers and ancient Roofs did stand,
Remains of Wolsey's or great Henry's Hand,
To Age now yielding, or devour'd by Flame;
Let a young Phenix raise her tow'ring Head:
Her Wings with lengthen'd Honour let Her spread;
And by her Greatness show her Builder's Fame.
August and Open, as the Hero's Mind,
  Be her capacious Courts design'd
:
  Let ev'ry Sacred Pillar bear
Trophies of Arms, and Monuments of War.
The King shall there in Parian Marble breath,
His Shoulder bleeding fresh: and at His Feet
  Disarm'd shall lye the threat'ning Death:
(For so was saving Jove's Decree compleat.)
Behind, That Angel shall be plac'd, whose Shield
  Sav'd Europe, in the Blow repell'd:
On the firm Basis, from his Oozy Bed
  Boyn shall raise his Laurell'd Head;
  And his Immortal Stream be known,
Artfully waving thro' the wounded Stone.
(p. 174, ll. 360-9)
Provenance
Searching HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
Prior, Matthew, The Literary Works of Matthew Prior. Ed. H. Bunker Wright and Monroe K. Spears. 2 vols. Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971.
Date of Entry
02/25/2004
Date of Review
06/13/2011

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.