Look Now on That Adventurer Who Hath Paid
LOOK now on that Adventurer who hath paid His vows to Fortune; who, in cruel slight Of virtuous hope, of liberty, and right, Hath followed wheresoe'er a way was made By the blind Goddess,--ruthless, undismayed; And so hath gained at length a prosperous height, Round which the elements of worldly might Beneath his haughty feet, like clouds, are laid. O joyless power that stands by lawless force! Curses are 'his' dire portion, scorn, and hate, Internal darkness and unquiet breath; And, if old judgments keep their sacred course, Him from that height shall Heaven precipitate By violent and ignominious death.
Look Now on That Adventurer Who Hath Paid - meaning Summary
The Cost of Ill-gotten Power
The poem depicts a successful but morally bankrupt adventurer who has won fortune by abandoning virtue and following chance. Though he reaches a commanding worldly height, his power is joyless, beset by curses, scorn, internal darkness, and unrest. The speaker predicts that divine or moral judgment will ultimately topple him, likely through a violent and disgraceful death. The poem warns that ill-gotten success brings inner ruin and eventual retribution.
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