Stanza 222 - Explanation

Original Stanza

“Look, look, how listening Priam wets his eyes,
To see those borrowed tears that Sinon sheds!
Priam, why art thou old and yet not wise?
For every tear he falls a Trojan bleeds.
His eye drops fire, no water thence proceeds;
Those round clear pearls of his that move thy pity,
Are balls of quenchless fire to burn thy city.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Okay, let's break down Stanza 222 of Shakespeare's "The Rape of Lucrece," line by line, and then consider the overall meaning and literary devices.

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "Look, look, how listening Priam wets his eyes,"

  • Breakdown: This line starts with an urgent call to attention ("Look, look!"). It then describes Priam, the king of Troy, being moved to tears as he listens to Sinon. "Wets his eyes" means he's crying.
  • Literary Device: Repetition ("Look, look") emphasizes the urgency. Imagery is created with the visual of Priam's tearful eyes.

• "To see those borrowed tears that Sinon sheds!"

  • Breakdown: This line reveals the source of Priam's sadness: he's moved by the tears that Sinon is shedding. The key word here is "borrowed," meaning that Sinon's tears are fake, insincere, and being used to deceive.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor: Sinon's tears are described as "borrowed," highlighting their artificiality.

• "Priam, why art thou old and yet not wise?"

  • Breakdown: This is a direct address to Priam. It's a rhetorical question lamenting his lack of wisdom, especially considering his age. The implication is that Priam should be experienced enough to see through Sinon's deception.
  • Literary Device: Rhetorical Question: The question doesn't seek an answer but is meant to emphasize Priam's folly. Apostrophe: Direct address to someone not present.

• "For every tear he falls a Trojan bleeds."

  • Breakdown: This line highlights the disastrous consequence of Priam's credulity. Each tear that Sinon sheds, because it convinces Priam, leads to the death and suffering of a Trojan. The cost of the deception is emphasized, as the tears directly cause the death of Priam's people.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor: The connection between Sinon's tears and Trojan bloodshed is metaphorical. Alliteration with "For" and "Falls".

• "His eye drops fire, no water thence proceeds;"

  • Breakdown: This provides a more direct description of Sinon. His tears are not water, but rather fire. It emphasizes the burning intent to destroy.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor: Eye drops fire, meaning that Sinon's words are destructive, not sorrowful.

• "Those round clear pearls of his that move thy pity,"

  • Breakdown: This line describes the tears again, this time using a contrasting image of "round clear pearls". The language is beautiful and alluring, but is juxtaposed with the destructive intent of the tears.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor: The tears are compared to "round clear pearls," emphasizing their apparent beauty and value, which is ironic given their falseness. Imagery is evoked with the description of the pearls.

• "Are balls of quenchless fire to burn thy city."

  • Breakdown: This is the final and most forceful statement. The "pearls" of tears are revealed to be something deadly: "balls of quenchless fire" that will destroy Troy. "Quenchless" emphasizes the unstoppable nature of the coming destruction.
  • Literary Device: Metaphor: The tears are once again "balls of quenchless fire," solidifying the image of destruction.

Overall Meaning:

The stanza, in the context of "The Rape of Lucrece", is a lament and a warning. It expresses outrage at Priam's foolishness in believing Sinon's lies. It foreshadows the destruction of Troy as a direct consequence of this gullibility. The stanza uses powerful imagery and metaphors to convey the deadly nature of deception, contrasting the beautiful appearance of Sinon's tears with their fiery and destructive reality.

The overarching message is that appearances can be deceiving, and that a lack of wisdom, especially in leaders, can lead to catastrophic consequences. It is a cautionary tale about the importance of discernment and the devastating power of manipulation.