# Book VIII explained — The Columbiad

> Chapter companion for The Columbiad by Joel Barlow.

## What happens

The poet celebrates the return of Peace after the Revolutionary War, eulogizes fallen heroes including his brother, and exhorts survivors to guard liberty. He warns against slavery and inequality, invoking Atlas's denunciation of African enslavement. Hesper then reverses time to show Columbus the savage state of America and the subsequent progress of arts and commerce.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sacrifice and Suffering

Eulogy for fallen heroes and the poet's brother, highlighting the cost of war.

### Freedom and Liberty

Exhortation to preserve liberty and warning against tyranny and inequality.

### Tyranny and Injustice

Denunciation of slavery and the feudal systems of Europe.

### Progress and Civilization

Vision of America's future arts, commerce, and internal improvements.

## Character check-ins

### Hesper

Guardian genius who reverses time to show Columbus the progress of arts in America.

### Atlas

Guardian Genius of Africa who denounces the slavery of Africans to Hesper.

### Christopher Columbus

Observes the vision of America's savage state and subsequent progress.

### Montgomery

Leader under whom the poet's brother served and died.

## Key lines

> Hail, holy Peace, from thy sublime abode Mid circling saints that grace the throne of God.

Greetings, sacred Peace, from your heavenly home among the saints surrounding God's throne.

_Opening invocation to Peace._

> From the black prison ships, those groaning graves, From warring fleets that vex the gory waves, From a storm'd world, long taught thy flight to mourn, I rise, delightful Peace, and greet thy glad return.

Emerging from the horrors of prison ships and bloody naval battles, I welcome your joyful return, Peace.

_Contrast between war's atrocities and the arrival of peace._

> Equality of Right is nature's plan; And following nature is the march of man.

Equal rights are part of the natural order, and humanity progresses by adhering to nature.

_Core philosophical statement on equality._

> Enslave my tribes! then boast their cantons free, Preach faith and justice, bend the sainted knee, Invite all men their liberty to share...

You enslave my people while boasting of your own freedom, preaching religion and justice, and inviting others to share liberty.

_Atlas's accusation of hypocrisy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-viii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_columbiad_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters