John Keats

1795 - 1821

Hyperion

A Fragment

Book I


Deep in the shady sadness of a vale 
Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn, 
Far from the fiery noon, and eve’s one star, 
Sat gray-hair’d Saturn, quiet as a stone, 
Still as the silence round about his lair;   
Forest on forest hung about his head 
Like cloud on cloud. No stir of air was there, 
Not so much life as on a summer’s day 
Robs not one light seed from the feather’d grass, 
But where the dead leaf fell, there did it rest.  
A stream went voiceless by, still deadened more 
By reason of his fallen divinity 
Spreading a shade: the Naiad ’mid her reeds 
Press’d her cold finger closer to her lips. 
  
  Along the margin-sand large foot-marks went,  
No further than to where his feet had stray’d, 
And slept there since. Upon the sodden ground 
His old right hand lay nerveless, listless, dead, 
Unsceptred; and his realmless eyes were closed; 
While his bow’d head seem’d list’ning to the Earth,  
His ancient mother, for some comfort yet. 
  
  It seem’d no force could wake him from his place; 
But there came one, who with a kindred hand 
Touch’d his wide shoulders, after bending low 
With reverence, though to one who knew it not.  
She was a Goddess of the infant world; 
By her in stature the tall Amazon 
Had stood a pigmy’s height: she would have ta’en 
Achilles by the hair and bent his neck; 
Or with a finger stay’d Ixion’s wheel.  
Her face was large as that of Memphian sphinx, 
Pedestal’d haply in a palace court, 
When sages look’d to Egypt for their lore. 
But oh! how unlike marble was that face: 
How beautiful, if sorrow had not made  
Sorrow more beautiful than Beauty’s self. 
There was a listening fear in her regard, 
As if calamity had but begun; 
As if the vanward clouds of evil days 
Had spent their malice, and the sullen rear  
Was with its stored thunder labouring up. 
One hand she press’d upon that aching spot 
Where beats the human heart, as if just there, 
Though an immortal, she felt cruel pain: 
The other upon Saturn’s bended neck  
She laid, and to the level of his ear 
Leaning with parted lips, some words she spake 
In solemn tenour and deep organ tone: 
Some mourning words, which in our feeble tongue 
Would come in these like accents; O how frail  
To that large utterance of the early Gods! 
“Saturn, look up!—though wherefore, poor old King? 
“I have no comfort for thee, no not one: 
“I cannot say, “O wherefore sleepest thou?’ 
“For heaven is parted from thee, and the earth  
“Knows thee not, thus afflicted, for a God; 
“And ocean too, with all its solemn noise, 
“Has from thy sceptre pass’d; and all the air 
“Is emptied of thine hoary majesty. 
“Thy thunder, conscious of the new command,  
“Rumbles reluctant o’er our fallen house; 
“And thy sharp lightning in unpractised hands 
“Scorches and burns our once serene domain. 
“O aching time! O moments big as years! 
“All as ye pass swell out the monstrous truth,  
“And press it so upon our weary griefs 
“That unbelief has not a space to breathe. 
“Saturn, sleep on:—O thoughtless, why did I 
“Thus violate thy slumbrous solitude? 
“Why should I ope thy melancholy eyes?  
“Saturn, sleep on! while at thy feet I weep.” 
  
  As when, upon a tranced summer-night, 
Those green-rob’d senators of mighty woods, 
Tall oaks, branch-charmed by the earnest stars, 
Dream, and so dream all night without a stir,  
Save from one gradual solitary gust 
Which comes upon the silence, and dies off, 
As if the ebbing air had but one wave; 
So came these words and went; the while in tears 
She touch’d her fair large forehead to the ground,  
Just where her falling hair might be outspread 
A soft and silken mat for Saturn’s feet. 
One moon, with alteration slow, had shed 
Her silver seasons four upon the night, 
And still these two were postured motionless,  
Like natural sculpture in cathedral cavern; 
The frozen God still couchant on the earth, 
And the sad Goddess weeping at his feet: 
Until at length old Saturn lifted up 
His faded eyes, and saw his kingdom gone,  
And all the gloom and sorrow of the place, 
And that fair kneeling Goddess; and then spake, 
As with a palsied tongue, and while his beard 
Shook horrid with such aspen-malady: 
“O tender spouse of gold Hyperion,  
“Thea, I feel thee ere I see thy face; 
“Look up, and let me see our doom in it; 
“Look up, and tell me if this feeble shape 
“Is Saturn’s; tell me, if thou hear’st the voice 
“Of Saturn; tell me, if this wrinkling brow, 
“Naked and bare of its great diadem, 
“Peers like the front of Saturn. Who had power 
“To make me desolate? whence came the strength? 
“How was it nurtur’d to such bursting forth, 
“While Fate seem’d strangled in my nervous grasp? 
“But it is so; and I am smother’d up, 
“And buried from all godlike exercise 
“Of influence benign on planets pale, 
“Of admonitions to the winds and seas, 
“Of peaceful sway above man’s harvesting, 
“And all those acts which Deity supreme 
“Doth ease its heart of love in.—I am gone 
“Away from my own bosom: I have left 
“My strong identity, my real self, 
“Somewhere between the throne, and where I sit 
“Here on this spot of earth. Search, Thea, search! 
“Open thine eyes eterne, and sphere them round 
“Upon all space: space starr’d, and lorn of light; 
“Space region’d with life-air; and barren void; 
“Spaces of fire, and all the yawn of hell.— 
“Search, Thea, search! and tell me, if thou seest 
“A certain shape or shadow, making way 
“With wings or chariot fierce to repossess 
“A heaven he lost erewhile: it must—it must 
“Be of ripe progress—Saturn must be King. 
“Yes, there must be a golden victory; 
“There must be Gods thrown down, and trumpets blown 
“Of triumph calm, and hymns of festival 
“Upon the gold clouds metropolitan, 
“Voices of soft proclaim, and silver stir 
“Of strings in hollow shells; and there shall be 
“Beautiful things made new, for the surprise 
“Of the sky-children; I will give command: 
“Thea! Thea! Thea! where is Saturn?” 
  
  This passion lifted him upon his feet, 
And made his hands to struggle in the air, 
His Druid locks to shake and ooze with sweat, 
His eyes to fever out, his voice to cease. 
He stood, and heard not Thea’s sobbing deep; 
A little time, and then again he snatch’d 
Utterance thus.—“But cannot I create? 
“Cannot I form? Cannot I fashion forth 
“Another world, another universe, 
“To overbear and crumble this to nought? 
“Where is another chaos? Where?”—That word 
Found way unto Olympus, and made quake 
The rebel three.—Thea was startled up, 
And in her bearing was a sort of hope, 
As thus she quick-voic’d spake, yet full of awe. 
  
  “This cheers our fallen house: come to our friends, 
“O Saturn! come away, and give them heart; 
“I know the covert, for thence came I hither.” 
Thus brief; then with beseeching eyes she went 
With backward footing through the shade a space: 
He follow’d, and she turn’d to lead the way 
Through aged boughs, that yielded like the mist 
Which eagles cleave upmounting from their nest. 
  
  Meanwhile in other realms big tears were shed, 
More sorrow like to this, and such like woe, 
Too huge for mortal tongue or pen of scribe: 
The Titans fierce, self hid, or prison-bound, 
Groan’d for the old allegiance once more, 
And listen’d in sharp pain for Saturn’s voice. 
But one of the whole mammoth-brood still kept 
His sov’reignty, and rule, and majesty;— 
Blazing Hyperion on his orbed fire 
Still sat, still snuff’d the incense, teeming up 
From man to the sun’s God; yet unsecure: 
For as among us mortals omens drear 
Fright and perplex, so also shuddered he— 
Not at dog’s howl, or gloom-bird’s hated screech, 
Or the familiar visiting of one 
Upon the first toll of his passing-bell, 
Or prophesyings of the midnight lamp; 
But horrors, portion’d to a giant nerve, 
Oft made Hyperion ache. His palace bright 
Bastion’d with pyramids of glowing gold, 
And touch’d with shade of bronzed obelisks, 
Glar’d a blood-red through all its thousand courts, 
Arches, and domes, and fiery galleries; 
And all its curtains of Aurorian clouds 
Flush’d angerly: while sometimes eagle’s wings, 
Unseen before by Gods or wondering men, 
Darken’d the place; and neighing steeds were heard, 
Not heard before by Gods or wondering men. 
Also, when he would taste the spicy wreaths 
Of incense, breath’d aloft from sacred hills, 
Instead of sweets, his ample palate took 
Savour of poisonous brass and metal sick: 
And so, when harbour’d in the sleepy west, 
After the full completion of fair day,— 
For rest divine upon exalted couch 
And slumber in the arms of melody, 
He pac’d away the pleasant hours of ease 
With stride colossal, on from hall to hall; 
While far within each aisle and deep recess, 
His winged minions in close clusters stood, 
Amaz’d and full of fear; like anxious men 
Who on wide plains gather in panting troops, 
When earthquakes jar their battlements and towers. 
Even now, while Saturn, rous’d from icy trance, 
Went step for step with Thea through the woods, 
Hyperion, leaving twilight in the rear, 
Came slope upon the threshold of the west; 
Then, as was wont, his palace-door flew ope 
In smoothest silence, save what solemn tubes, 
Blown by the serious Zephyrs, gave of sweet 
And wandering sounds, slow-breathed melodies; 
And like a rose in vermeil tint and shape, 
In fragrance soft, and coolness to the eye, 
That inlet to severe magnificence 
Stood full blown, for the God to enter in. 
  
  He enter’d, but he enter’d full of wrath; 
His flaming robes stream’d out beyond his heels, 
And gave a roar, as if of earthly fire, 
That scar’d away the meek ethereal Hours 
And made their dove-wings tremble. On he flared, 
From stately nave to nave, from vault to vault, 
Through bowers of fragrant and enwreathed light, 
And diamond-paved lustrous long arcades, 
Until he reach’d the great main cupola; 
There standing fierce beneath, he stampt his foot, 
And from the basements deep to the high towers 
Jarr’d his own golden region; and before 
The quavering thunder thereupon had ceas’d, 
His voice leapt out, despite of godlike curb, 
To this result: “O dreams of day and night! 
“O monstrous forms! O effigies of pain! 
“O spectres busy in a cold, cold gloom! 
“O lank-ear’d Phantoms of black-weeded pools! 
“Why do I know ye? why have I seen ye? why 
“Is my eternal essence thus distraught 
“To see and to behold these horrors new? 
“Saturn is fallen, am I too to fall? 
“Am I to leave this haven of my rest, 
“This cradle of my glory, this soft clime, 
“This calm luxuriance of blissful light, 
“These crystalline pavilions, aud pure fanes, 
“Of all my lucent empire? It is left 
“Deserted, void, nor any haunt of mine. 
“The blaze, the splendor, and the symmetry, 
“I cannot see—but darkness, death and darkness. 
“Even here, into my centre of repose, 
“The shady visions come to domineer, 
“Insult, and blind, and stifle up my pomp.— 
“Fall!—No, by Tellus and her briny robes! 
“Over the fiery frontier of my realms 
“I will advance a terrible right arm 
“Shall scare that infant thunderer, rebel Jove, 
“And bid old Saturn take his throne again.”— 
He spake, and ceas’d, the while a heavier threat 
Held struggle with his throat but came not forth; 
For as in theatres of crowded men 
Hubbub increases more they call out “Hush!” 
So at Hyperion’s words the Phantoms pale 
Bestirr’d themselves, thrice horrible and cold; 
And from the mirror’d level where he stood 
A mist arose, as from a scummy marsh. 
At this, through all his bulk an agony 
Crept gradual, from the feet unto the crown, 
Like a lithe serpent vast and muscular 
Making slow way, with head and neck convuls’d 
From over-strained might. Releas’d, he fled 
To the eastern gates, and full six dewy hours 
Before the dawn in season due should blush, 
He breath’d fierce breath against the sleepy portals, 
Clear’d them of heavy vapours, burst them wide 
Suddenly on the ocean’s chilly streams. 
The planet orb of fire, whereon he rode 
Each day from east to west the heavens through, 
Spun round in sable curtaining of clouds; 
Not therefore veiled quite, blindfold, and hid, 
But ever and anon the glancing spheres, 
Circles, and arcs, and broad-belting colure, 
Glow’d through, and wrought upon the muffling dark 
Sweet-shaped lightnings from the nadir deep 
Up to the zenith,—hieroglyphics old, 
Which sages and keen-eyed astrologers 
Then living on the earth, with labouring thought 
Won from the gaze of many centuries: 
Now lost, save what we find on remnants huge 
Of stone, or marble swart; their import gone, 
Their wisdom long since fled.—Two wings this orb 
Possess’d for glory, two fair argent wings, 
Ever exalted at the God’s approach: 
And now, from forth the gloom their plumes immense 
Rose, one by one, till all outspreaded were; 
While still the dazzling globe maintain’d eclipse, 
Awaiting for Hyperion’s command. 
Fain would he have commanded, fain took throne 
And bid the day begin, if but for change. 
He might not:—No, though a primeval God: 
The sacred seasons might not be disturb’d. 
Therefore the operations of the dawn 
Stay’d in their birth, even as here ’tis told. 
Those silver wings expanded sisterly, 
Eager to sail their orb; the porches wide 
Open’d upon the dusk demesnes of night; 
And the bright Titan, phrenzied with new woes, 
Unus’d to bend, by hard compulsion bent 
His spirit to the sorrow of the time; 
And all along a dismal rack of clouds, 
Upon the boundaries of day and night, 
He stretch’d himself in grief and radiance faint. 
There as he lay, the Heaven with its stars 
Look’d down on him with pity, and the voice 
Of Coelus, from the universal space, 
Thus whisper’d low and solemn in his ear. 
“O brightest of my children dear, earth-born 
“And sky-engendered, Son of Mysteries 
“All unrevealed even to the powers 
“Which met at thy creating; at whose joys 
“And palpitations sweet, and pleasures soft, 
“I, Coelus, wonder, how they came and whence; 
“And at the fruits thereof what shapes they be, 
“Distinct, and visible; symbols divine, 
“Manifestations of that beauteous life 
“Diffus’d unseen throughout eternal space: 
“Of these new-form’d art thou, oh brightest child! 
“Of these, thy brethren and the Goddesses! 
“There is sad feud among ye, and rebellion 
“Of son against his sire. I saw him fall, 
“I saw my first-born tumbled from his throne! 
“To me his arms were spread, to me his voice 
“Found way from forth the thunders round his head! 
“Pale wox I, and in vapours hid my face. 
“Art thou, too, near such doom? vague fear there is: 
“For I have seen my sons most unlike Gods. 
“Divine ye were created, and divine 
“In sad demeanour, solemn, undisturb’d, 
“Unruffled, like high Gods, ye liv’d and ruled: 
“Now I behold in you fear, hope, and wrath; 
“Actions of rage and passion; even as 
“I see them, on the mortal world beneath, 
“In men who die.—This is the grief, O Son! 
“Sad sign of ruin, sudden dismay, and fall! 
“Yet do thou strive; as thou art capable, 
“As thou canst move about, an evident God; 
“And canst oppose to each malignant hour 
“Ethereal presence:—I am but a voice; 
“My life is but the life of winds and tides, 
“No more than winds and tides can I avail:— 
“But thou canst.—Be thou therefore in the van 
“Of circumstance; yea, seize the arrow’s barb 
“Before the tense string murmur.—To the earth! 
“For there thou wilt find Saturn, and his woes. 
“Meantime I will keep watch on thy bright sun, 
“And of thy seasons be a careful nurse.”— 
Ere half this region-whisper had come down, 
Hyperion arose, and on the stars 
Lifted his curved lids, and kept them wide 
Until it ceas’d; and still he kept them wide: 
And still they were the same bright, patient stars. 
Then with a slow incline of his broad breast, 
Like to a diver in the pearly seas, 
Forward he stoop’d over the airy shore, 
And plung’d all noiseless into the deep night.