History & Politics

Fragment of an Ode on Napoleon

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772–1834

From Complete Poetical Works, ed. E. H. Coleridge (1912)

History & Politics

O'erhung with yew, midway the Muses mount
From thy sweet murmurs far, O Hippocrene!
Turbid and black upboils an angry fount
Tossing its shatter'd foam in vengeful spleen--
Phlegethon's rage Cocytus' wailings hoarse
Alternate now, now mixt, made known its headlong course:
Thither with terror stricken and surprise,
(For sure such haunts were ne'er to Muse's choice)
Euterpe led me. Mute with asking eyes
I stood expectant of her heavenly voice.
Her voice entranc'd my terror and made flow
In a rude understrain the maniac fount below.
'Whene'er (the Goddess said) abhorr'd of Jove
Usurping Power his hands in blood imbrues--

✦ ✦ ✦

? 1808

MLA

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Fragment of an Ode on Napoleon.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/coleridge/462/.

Chicago

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Fragment of an Ode on Napoleon.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/coleridge/462/.

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