# LXXXIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by John Keats.

## What happens

The crowd shouts 'Bellanaine for ever!' as the Princess, seated in a winged chair, bows gracefully and distributes jewels from a horn of plenty. The speaker defends her against the calumny that the jewels are worthless pebbles.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Critique and Mortality

The speaker defends Bellanaine against slander, critiquing those who dismiss her gifts as worthless.

## Character check-ins

### Bellanaine

The fair Princess who bows from her winged chair and distributes jewels to the crowd.

### Unknown

The speaker who declares against the calumny regarding the jewels.

## Key lines

> And ‘Bellanaine for ever!’ shouted they!

The crowd cheered, 'Long live Bellanaine!'

_The people express their loyalty to the Princess._

> While that fair Princess, from her winged chair, Bow’d low with high demeanour, and, to pay Their new-blown loyalty with guerdon fair, Still emptied, at meet distance, here and there, A plenty horn of jewels.

The beautiful Princess, seated in her winged chair, bowed gracefully and, to reward their newfound loyalty, poured out a horn full of jewels at appropriate intervals.

_Bellanaine distributes jewels as a reward for the crowd's allegiance._

> And here I (Who wish to give the devil her due) declare Against that ugly piece of calumny, Which calls them Highland pebble-stones not worth a fly.

And I, wanting to be fair, speak out against the nasty rumor that calls them worthless Highland pebbles.

_The speaker defends the value of the jewels against slander._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se/chapters/lxxxiii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_14_se/chapters