ATROPOS. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Editor's note

The speaker tells Atropos directly: stop bothering the "noble schemer" — someone with real plans and ambitions — and instead take whatever temptation she has to an "idle dreamer." The contrast is clear from the start: purposeful action versus passive fantasy. In Greek mythology, Atropos is the Fate who cuts the thread of life, but in this context, she serves more broadly as a bringer of distraction and temptation that can alter fate.

Editor's note

The temptation is described using somewhat dismissive terms like "toy" and "dalliance," which suggest that it is trivial and not deserving of serious consideration. The use of "new" twice emphasizes how temporary and easily substituted these pleasures are. They are simply novelties, lacking any lasting significance.

Editor's note

Epimetheus is the Titan from Greek mythology whose name means "afterthought" — he tends to act first and think later, unlike his brother Prometheus, whose name means "forethought." Longfellow portrays him relaxing in a garden, adorned with roses, embodying a classic image of someone fully immersed in the moment without a care for the consequences. He is the ideal target for Atropos's distractions.

Editor's note

Epimetheus's world is completely open to indulgence—his door is always inviting pleasure and temptation, never closed to them. This reflects a welcoming attitude toward vice, but it also serves as a gentle warning: a life without closed doors or boundaries lacks discipline and direction.

Editor's note

The final line refers to the temptation as a "vision of the night" — something dreamy and unreal, tied to darkness rather than the bright clarity of day. This emphasizes that what Atropos offers is an illusion rather than something real. The speaker desires to rid themselves of it, sending it to someone who dwells in dreams instead of living a purposeful, waking life.