"Come, take the world," thus to mankind spake Zeus;
"Take as your heritage this earthly ball;
But make ye sure of this, to share its use,
And brotherlike divide it all."
— SCHILLER, The Division of the Earth.
I found two versions of this poem. The quote above comes from the opening lines:
Glendalloch: and other poems
By William Drennan, John Swanwick Drennan
1859
SCHILLER.
Take freely, as I give it; take the earth,
Cried Jove from high; be man henceforth my heir;
His title shall be good by right of birth,
But, brother-like, let each one have a share.
Then the two-handed race to grasp and gain,
They hurried, young and old, without delay;
The farmer seiz'd the fields of golden grain,
To wood and wold the hunter bent his way.
The merchant stores the goods his ships deliver,
The abbot revels on the racy wine;
The king block'd up the bridge, the road, and river,
And tribute, tax and toll, he said, are mine.
When all was shar'd, too late, alas! drew nigh
The poet from afar, with wilder'd brow;
O'er the wide earth no spot could he descry
To call his own; each hath a landlord now.
Ah me, shall I alone, your truest child,
Forgotten be? of all, but I alone!
So, with a wailing cry, both shrill and wild,
He flung himself before the thund'rer's throne.
If thou through visionary realms wert faring,
Replied the god, lay not the blame on me!
Where wert thou all this while the earth was sharing?
With thee, the poet cried; I was with thee!
Upon thine aspect raptur'd hung my sight,
Still in my ear thy voice celestial rings;
Forgive my spirit, dazzled by such light,
That it forgot all low, and earthly things.
What help? said Jove; the earth is mine no more;
Chase, farm, hill, plain, stream, all away are giv'n;
But when thou wilt, come hither as before,
Enjoy my countenance, and share my heav'n!
http://www.schillerinstitute.org/transl/schiller_poem/schiller_division_world.html
The Division of the World
“Take thence the world!” call’d Zeus from his high summit
To all mankind. “Take, that which yours should be.
As heritage eterne to you I grant it—”
Divide it ye, yet brotherly!”
Then did all hands to preparations scurry,
Both young and old industrious became.
The farmer seiz’d the produce from the country,
The Junker through the woods stalk’d game.
The merchant in his stores had riches hoarded,
The abbot chose the noble vintage wine,
The king had all the roads and bridges boarded
And claim’d: “the tithe of all is mine.”
Quite late, just as division was accomplish’d
The poet near’d, he came from far away—”
Ah! nothing more remain’d to be distinguish’d
A lord o’er everything had sway!
“Ah! Woe is me! for why should I then solely
Forgotten be, I, thy most faithful son?”
Thus did he make his accusation loudly
And threw himself fore Jove’s high throne.
“If thou to dwell in dreamland have decided,”
Replied the god, “then quarrel not with me.
Where wert thou then, when I the world divided?”
“I was,“ the poet said, “by thee.”
“Mine eyes did hang on thy expression,
Upon they heaven’s harmony my ear—”
Forgive the spirit, which, by thy reflection
Enrapt, did lose the earthly sphere.”
“What can be done?“ said Zeus, “for all is given;
The crops, the hunt, the marts are no more free.
Wouldst thou abide with me within my heaven—”
Whene’er thou com’st, ’twill open be to thee.”
Translated by William F. Wertz,Jr.
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