Nero's Incendiary Song
Aweary unto death, my friends, a mood by wise abhorred,Come to the novel feast I spread, thrice-consul, Nero, lord,The Caesar, master of the world, and eke of harmony,Who plays the harp of many strings, a chief of minstrelsy.
My joyful call should instantly bring all who love me most,--For ne'er were seen such arch delights from Greek or Roman host;Nor at the free, control-less jousts, where, spite of cynic vaunts,Austere but lenient Seneca no "Ercles" bumper daunts;
Nor where upon the Tiber floats Aglae in galley gay,'Neath Asian tent of brilliant stripes, in gorgeous array;Nor when to lutes and tambourines the wealthy prefect flingsA score of slaves, their fetters wreathed, to feed grim, greedythings.
I vow to show ye Rome aflame, the whole town in a mass;Upon this tower we'll take our stand to watch the 'wildered pass;How paltry fights of men and beasts! here be my combatants,--The Seven Hills my circus form, and fiends shall lead the dance.
This is more meet for him who rules to drive away his stress--He, being god, should lightnings hurl and make a wilderness--But, haste! for night is darkling--soon, the festival it brings;Already see the hydra show its tongues and sombre wings,
And mark upon a shrinking prey the rush of kindling breaths;They tap and sap the threatened walls, and bear uncounted deaths;And 'neath caresses scorching hot the palaces decay--Oh, that I, too, could thus caress, and burn, and blight, and slay!
Hark to the hubbub! scent the fumes! Are those real men or ghosts?The stillness spreads of Death abroad--down come the temple posts,Their molten bronze is coursing fast and joins with silver wavesTo leap with hiss of thousand snakes where Tiber writhes and raves.
All's lost! in jasper, marble, gold, the statues totter--crash!Spite of the names divine engraved, they are but dust and ash.The victor-scourge sweeps swollen on, whilst north winds sound the hornTo goad the flies of fire yet beyond the flight forlorn.
Proud capital! farewell for e'er! these flames nought can subdue--The Aqueduct of Sylla gleams, a bridge o'er hellish brew.'Tis Nero's whim! how good to see Rome brought the lowest down;Yet, Queen of all the earth, give thanks for such a splendrous crown!
When I was young, the Sybils pledged eternal rule to thee;That Time himself would lay his bones before thy unbent knee.Ha! ha! how brief indeed the space ere this "immortal star"Shall be consumed in its own glow, and vanished--oh, how far!
How lovely conflagrations look when night is utter dark!The youth who fired Ephesus' fane falls low beneath my mark.The pangs of people--when I sport, what matters?--See them whirlAbout, as salamanders frisk and in the brazier curl.
Take from my brow this poor rose-crown--the flames have made it pine;If blood rains on your festive gowns, wash off with Cretan wine!I like not overmuch that red--good taste says "gild a crime?""To stifle shrieks by drinking-songs" is--thanks! a hint sublime!
I punish Rome, I am avenged; did she not offer prayersErst unto Jove, late unto Christ?--to e'en a Jew, she dares!Now, in thy terror, own my right to rule above them all;Alone I rest--except this pile, I leave no single hall.
Yet I destroy to build anew, and Rome shall fairer shine--But out, my guards, and slay the dolts who thought me not divine.The stiffnecks, haste! annihilate! make ruin all complete--And, slaves, bring in fresh roses--what odor is more sweet?
Words in this poem 25
- nero n.
- A Roman emperor notorius for debauchery and barbarous cruelty; hence, any profligate and cruel ruler or merciless tyrant.
- minstrelsy n.
- The arts and occupation of minstrels; the singing and playing of a minstrel.
- cynic a.
- Having the qualities of a surly dog; snarling; captious; currish. [L. cynicus of the sect of Cynics, fr. Gr. Hound.]
- bumper n.
- A cup or glass filled to the brim, or till the liquor runs over, particularly in drinking a health or toast. [A corruption of bumbard, bombard, a large drinking vessel.]
- asian a.
- Of or pertaining to Asia; Asiatic. [L. Asianus, Gr. Asia.]
- gorgeous a.
- Imposing through splendid or various colors; showy; fine; magnificent. [OF. gorgias beautiful, glorious, vain, luxurious; cf. OF. gorgias ruff, neck handkerchief, and F. gorge throat, and se pengorger to assume airs. Cf. Gorge, n.]
- aflame adv.
- Inflames; glowing with light or passion; ablaze. G. Eliot. [Pref. a- + flame.]
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- darkling a.
- Becoming dark or gloomy; frowing.
- sombre n.
- Gloom; obscurity; duskiness; somberness.
- scorching a.
- Burning; parching or shriveling with heat.
- caress n.
- An act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness. [F. caresse, It. carezza, LL. caritia dearness, fr. L. carus dear. See Charity.]
- hubbub n.
- A loud noise of many confused voices; a tumult; uproar. [Cf. Whoobub, Whoop, Hoop, v. i.]
- stillness n.
- The quality or state of being still; quietness; silence; calmness; inactivity.
- coursing n.
- The pursuit or running game with dogs that follow by sight instead of by scent.
- scourge n.
- A lash; a strap or cord; especially, a lash used to inflict pain or punishment; an instrument of punishment or discipline; a whip. [F. escourgée, fr. L. excoriata (sc. scutica) a stripped off (lash or whip), fr. excoriate to strip, to skin. See Excoriate.]
- forlorn a.
- Deserted abandoned; lost. [OE., p.p. of forlesen to lose utterly, AS. forleósan (p.p. forloren); pref. for- + leósan (in comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw. förlor]
- aqueduct n.
- A conductor, conduit, or artificial channel for conveying water, especially one for supplying large cities with water. [F. aqueduc, OF. aqueduct (Cotgr.), fr. L. aquaeductus; aquae, gen. of aqua water + ductus a leading, ducere to lead. See Aqua, Duke.]
- brew v. t.
- To boil or seethe; to cook. [OE. brewen, AS. breówan; akin to D. brouwen, OHG. priuwan, MHG. briuwen, br, G. brauen, Icel. brugga, Sw. brygga, Dan. brygge, and perh. to L. defrutum must boi]
- splendrous a.
- Splendid. Drayton.
- fane n.
- A temple; a place consecrated to religion; a church. [L. fanum a place dedicated to some deity, a sanctuary, fr. fari to speak. See Fame.]
- brazier n.
- An artificer who works in brass. Franklin. [OE. brasiere, F. braise live coals. See Brass.]
- cretan a.
- Pertaining to Crete, or Candia.
- jove n.
- The chief divinity of the ancient Romans; Jupiter. [L. Jupiter, gen. Jovis, OL. Jovis, nom. & gen. for Djovis; akin to E. Tuesday. See Tuesday, and cf. Jupiter.]
- annihilate v. t.
- To reduce to nothing or nonexistence; to destroy the existence of; to cause to cease to be. [L. annihilare; ad + nihilum, nihil, nothing, ne hilum (filum) not a thread, nothing at all. Cf. File, a row.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Nero's Incendiary Song is in the public domain. This text is taken from Poems, Project Gutenberg ebook #8775, the various hands translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Victor Hugo, Nero's Incendiary Song, in Poems (1888), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #8775, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/hugo-poems/nero-s-incendiary-song.html, id L26704.
Form and metre
Nero's Incendiary Song is 57 lines in 14 stanzas. The rhyme scheme is AABB, complete in 13 of its 14 stanzas. The metre is iambic heptameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 91%).
See other poems in iambic heptameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 AABB abhorredA · lordA · harmonyB · minstrelsyB
- 2 AABB mostA · hostA · vauntsB · dauntsB
- 3 AAB-B gayA · arrayA · flingsB · greedy · thingsB
- 4 AABB massA · passA · combatantsB · danceB
- 5 AABB stressA · wildernessA · bringsB · wingsB
- 6 AABB breathsA · deathsA · decayB · slayB
- 7 AABB ghostsA · postsA · wavesB · ravesB
- 8 AABB crashA · ashA · hornB · forlornB
- 9 AABB subdueA · brewA · downB · crownB
- 10 AABB theeA · kneeA · starB · farB
- 11 AABB darkA · markA · whirlB · curlB
- 12 AABB pineA · wineA · crimeB · sublimeB
- 13 AABB prayersA · daresA · allB · hallB
- 14 AABB shineA · divineA · completeB · sweetB
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic heptameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| Aweary unto death, my friends, a mood by wise abhorred, | 14 | ˘/˘·········˘/ |
| Come to the novel feast I spread, thrice-consul, Nero, lord, | 14 | ···/˘····/˘/˘· |
| The Caesar, master of the world, and eke of harmony, | 14 | ·/˘/˘······/˘˘ |
| Who plays the harp of many strings, a chief of minstrelsy. | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘˘ |
| My joyful call should instantly bring all who love me most,-- | 14 | ·/˘··/˘˘······ |
| For ne'er were seen such arch delights from Greek or Roman host; | 14 | ······˘/···/˘· |
| Nor at the free, control-less jousts, where, spite of cynic vaunts, | 14 | ····˘/·····/˘· |
| Austere but lenient Seneca no "Ercles" bumper daunts; | 14 | ˘/·/˘˘/˘˘··/˘· |
| Nor where upon the Tiber floats Aglae in galley gay, | 13 | ·····/˘···/˘· |
| 'Neath Asian tent of brilliant stripes, in gorgeous array; | 13 | ·/˘··/˘··/˘˘/ |
| Nor when to lutes and tambourines the wealthy prefect flings | 14 | ······˘/·/˘/·· |
| A score of slaves, their fetters wreathed, to feed grim, greedy | 14 | ·····/˘·˘···/˘ |
| things. | 1 | · |
| I vow to show ye Rome aflame, the whole town in a mass; | 14 | ······˘/······ |
| Upon this tower we'll take our stand to watch the 'wildered pass; | 14 | ···/··/····/˘· |
| How paltry fights of men and beasts! here be my combatants,-- | 14 | ·/˘········˘/˘ |
| The Seven Hills my circus form, and fiends shall lead the dance. | 14 | ·/˘··/˘······· |
| This is more meet for him who rules to drive away his stress-- | 14 | ··········˘/·· |
| He, being god, should lightnings hurl and make a wilderness-- | 14 | ·/˘··/˘····/˘˘ |
| But, haste! for night is darkling--soon, the festival it brings; | 14 | ·····/˘··/˘˘·· |
| Already see the hydra show its tongues and sombre wings, | 14 | ˘/˘··/˘····/˘· |
| And mark upon a shrinking prey the rush of kindling breaths; | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘· |
| They tap and sap the threatened walls, and bear uncounted deaths; | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘· |
| And 'neath caresses scorching hot the palaces decay-- | 14 | ··˘/˘/˘··/˘˘˘/ |
| Oh, that I, too, could thus caress, and burn, and blight, and slay! | 14 | ······˘/······ |
| Hark to the hubbub! scent the fumes! Are those real men or ghosts? | 14 | ···/˘········· |
| The stillness spreads of Death abroad--down come the temple posts, | 14 | ·/˘···˘/···/˘· |
| Their molten bronze is coursing fast and joins with silver waves | 14 | ·/˘··/˘····/˘· |
| To leap with hiss of thousand snakes where Tiber writhes and raves. | 14 | ·····/˘··/˘··· |
| All's lost! in jasper, marble, gold, the statues totter--crash! | 14 | ···/˘/˘··/·/˘· |
| Spite of the names divine engraved, they are but dust and ash. | 14 | ····˘/˘/······ |
| The victor-scourge sweeps swollen on, whilst north winds sound the horn | 14 | ·/˘··/˘······· |
| To goad the flies of fire yet beyond the flight forlorn. | 14 | ·····/˘·····˘/ |
| Proud capital! farewell for e'er! these flames nought can subdue-- | 14 | ·/˘˘·/······˘/ |
| The Aqueduct of Sylla gleams, a bridge o'er hellish brew. | 14 | ·/˘··/˘····/˘· |
| 'Tis Nero's whim! how good to see Rome brought the lowest down; | 14 | ·/˘········/˘· |
| Yet, Queen of all the earth, give thanks for such a splendrous crown! | 14 | ·············· |
| When I was young, the Sybils pledged eternal rule to thee; | 14 | ·····/˘·˘/˘··· |
| That Time himself would lay his bones before thy unbent knee. | 14 | ··˘/·········· |
| Ha! ha! how brief indeed the space ere this "immortal star" | 14 | ····˘/····˘/˘· |
| Shall be consumed in its own glow, and vanished--oh, how far! | 14 | ··˘/·····/˘··· |
| How lovely conflagrations look when night is utter dark! | 14 | ·/˘·˘/˘····/˘· |
| The youth who fired Ephesus' fane falls low beneath my mark. | 14 | ···/·········· |
| The pangs of people--when I sport, what matters?--See them whirl | 14 | ···/˘····/˘··· |
| About, as salamanders frisk and in the brazier curl. | 14 | ····˘/˘····/˘· |
| Take from my brow this poor rose-crown--the flames have made it pine; | 14 | ·············· |
| If blood rains on your festive gowns, wash off with Cretan wine! | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘· |
| I like not overmuch that red--good taste says "gild a crime?" | 14 | ···/˘˘········ |
| "To stifle shrieks by drinking-songs" is--thanks! a hint sublime! | 14 | ·/˘··/˘·····˘/ |
| I punish Rome, I am avenged; did she not offer prayers | 14 | ·/˘···˘/···/˘· |
| Erst unto Jove, late unto Christ?--to e'en a Jew, she dares! | 14 | ·············· |
| Now, in thy terror, own my right to rule above them all; | 14 | ···/˘········· |
| Alone I rest--except this pile, I leave no single hall. | 14 | ˘/·········/˘· |
| Yet I destroy to build anew, and Rome shall fairer shine-- | 14 | ··˘/··˘/···/˘· |
| But out, my guards, and slay the dolts who thought me not divine. | 14 | ············˘/ |
| The stiffnecks, haste! annihilate! make ruin all complete-- | 14 | ····˘/˘··/˘·˘/ |
| And, slaves, bring in fresh roses--what odor is more sweet? | 13 | ·····/˘·/˘··· |
The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.