Where London stood, holding the wolf in chace, Wonder like ours, when thro’ the wilderness “The wonders of my hand.” The city’s gone, “The King of Kings this mighty city shows “I am great OZYMANDIAS,” saith the stone, ![]() Stands a gigantic leg, which far off throws Smith ought to have won an award for the title of his sonnet, alone.ĭiscovered Standing by Itself in the Deserts of Egypt , Here is Horace Smith’s sonnet for the competition. His reference to the hunter, “holding the wolf in chace”, (chace was the poetic spelling of chase), was a fatalistic view that one day a king or military leader would be roaming the world and waging war (chasing the wolf), and find the ruins of London. You can replace London with any nation’s capitol and it would apply. Horace Smith, by comparison, was humorous, decent and a successful person–but not ever as famous as Shelley.) He inspired loyalty from his friends, but that isn’t necessarily an indicator of character. It seems to me he was an irresponsible, amoral young man who got caught up in his intellectualism. The other poet, Horace Smith, didn’t have the flair possessed by Shelley, but he was so pointed in his message that I think it makes it equally impressive–just not as quotable. (If you have time, read about Percy Shelley’s life. Isn’t that wonderfully evocative? Ironically, Shelley helped the fame and power of Ozymandias live on, because this will undoubtedly stand the test of time for many more centuries. The lone and level sands stretch far away. Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare, Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’ The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed. Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read ![]() Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frownĪnd wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Here is Percy Bysshe Shelley’s winning entry. In Shelley’s poem he describes Ozymandias as having a “…heart that fed.” Ozymandias had a heart that consumed rather than contributed. It is also true that most of us are remembered strongly and positively by our families, friends and coworkers in proportion to how much we have positively touched their lives, rather than on a title, a big project or even many succesful, big projects. Certainly it is true that many things that are sources of pride for people, groups, countries and civilisations, are taken away by time and circumstance. It speaks succinctly of how impressed we can be with stuff and things, accomplishments, influence, power, fame, looks and reputations, which eventually are lost and forgotten or at least diminished. There are differing views on how far we should take that cynicism–you can decide. Ozymandias of Egypt is one of Shelley’s most well-known works. ![]() (Pronounced Ah-zee-man-dius by most scholars, it was another name for Ramses, 1292 BC.) The sonnet was written in 1818, as part of a competition with another poet, Horace Smith, who was a very interesting person. I hope you recall studying, or at least reading, Percy Bysshe Shelley’s sonnet, Ozymandias of Eygpt. Ozymandias, By Any Other Poet, Is Still Impressive
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