# XVII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by John Keats.

## What happens

The speaker criticizes the Florentines for their self-isolating pride and greed, comparing them to Hebrews in a land inspired, and describing them as hawks and mules driven by money and deceit.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Critique and Mortality

The chapter critiques Florentine society for its pride, greed, and cowardice, highlighting moral decay.

## Key lines

> Yet were these Florentines as self-retired In hungry pride and gainful cowardice, As two close Hebrews in that land inspired, Paled in and vineyarded from beggar-spies;

These Florentines were as withdrawn in their pride and greed as two secluded Hebrews in a land of inspiration, fenced off and guarded from spies.

_The speaker compares the Florentines' isolation and greed to that of Hebrews, emphasizing their self-imposed seclusion._

> The hawks of ship-mast forests⁠—the untired And pannier’d mules for ducats and old lies⁠— Quick cat’s-paws on the generous stray-away,⁠— Great wits in Spanish, Tuscan, and Malay.

They are like hawks of the forests and tireless mules carrying loads for money and old lies, quick to exploit the generous wanderer, possessing great intelligence in Spanish, Tuscan, and Malay.

_The speaker uses animal imagery to depict the Florentines as predatory and mercenary, yet intellectually capable in multiple languages._

## Links

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