"Jove with a nod may bid the world to rest, / But Serenissa must becalm her breast."
— Pope, Alexander (1688-1744)
Author
Date
1717
Metaphor
"Jove with a nod may bid the world to rest, / But Serenissa must becalm her breast."
Metaphor in Context
As gods sometimes descend from heav'n and deign
On earth a while with mortals to remain,
So gentle sleep from Serenissa flies,
To dwell at last upon her lover's eyes.
That god's indulgence can she justly crave,
Who flies the tyrant to relieve the slave?
Or should those eyes alone that rest enjoy,
Which in all others they themselves destroy?
Let her whom fear denies repose to take,
Think for her lovewhat crowds of wretches wake.
So us'd to sighs, so long inur'd to tears,
Are winds and tempests dreadful to her ears?
Jove with a nod may bid the world to rest,
But Serenissa must becalm her breast.
(ll. 1-14, p. 3)
On earth a while with mortals to remain,
So gentle sleep from Serenissa flies,
To dwell at last upon her lover's eyes.
That god's indulgence can she justly crave,
Who flies the tyrant to relieve the slave?
Or should those eyes alone that rest enjoy,
Which in all others they themselves destroy?
Let her whom fear denies repose to take,
Think for her lovewhat crowds of wretches wake.
So us'd to sighs, so long inur'd to tears,
Are winds and tempests dreadful to her ears?
Jove with a nod may bid the world to rest,
But Serenissa must becalm her breast.
(ll. 1-14, p. 3)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Pope, Alexander. The Poems of Alexander Pope. A One-Volume Edition of the Twickenham Text with Selected Annotations. Ed. John Butt. New Haven: Yale UP, 1963.
Date of Entry
12/03/2003
