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Cadzao Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Be in nothing so moderate as in love of man
Could you please explain what the blue line means in the following poem? Shine, Perishing Republic |
While this America settles in the mould of its vulgarity, heavily thickening to empire And protest, only a bubble in the molten mass, pops and sighs out, and the mass hardens, I sadly smiling remember that the flower fades to make fruit, the fruit rots to make earth. Out of the mother; and through the spring exultances, ripeness and deca- dence; and home to the mother. You making haste haste on decay: not blameworthy; life is good, be it stub- bornly long or suddenly A mortal splendor: meteors are not needed less than mountains: shine, perishing republic. But for my children, I would have them keep their distance from the thick- ening center; corruption Never has been compulsory, when the cities lie at the monster's feet there are left the mountains. And boys, be in nothing so moderate as in love of man, a clever servant, insufferable master. There is the trap that catches noblest spirits, that caught- God, when he walked on earth. Robinson Jeffers |
Top answer
be moderate in your love for man, who can be both a clever servant, and an insufferable master.
- be moderate in your love for man, who can be both a clever servant, and an insufferable master.
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5 Answers
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be moderate in your love for man, who can be both a clever servant, and an insufferable master.
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Boys:
Be more moderate in love of man than in anything else.
(Because: )
Love of man can be a clever servant.
(but also, in contrast: )
Love of man can be an insufferable master.
That is,
Be very careful not to be extreme in your sympathy toward humankind.
This kind of sympathy can be used to your advantage (presumably in persuading other
Be more moderate in love of man than in anything else.
(Because: )
Love of man can be a clever servant.
(but also, in contrast: )
Love of man can be an insufferable master.
That is,
Be very careful not to be extreme in your sympathy toward humankind.
This kind of sympathy can be used to your advantage (presumably in persuading other
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Thank you, CalifJim and Marius Hancu, for your helpful replies.
Cadzao
Cadzao
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Somewhat more precisely:
And boys [the speaker's children, mentioned two lines earlier and now addressed directly], moderate [temper] love of man[kind] more than you practice moderation in anything else; for man is clever when acting as a servant, insufferable when he becomes a master.
And boys [the speaker's children, mentioned two lines earlier and now addressed directly], moderate [temper] love of man[kind] more than you practice moderation in anything else; for man is clever when acting as a servant, insufferable when he becomes a master.
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