HYMN OF APOLLO. by Percy Bysshe Shelley: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Apollo, the Greek god of the sun, light, music, and prophecy, shares his daily journey across the sky and the immense power he wields over the world.
The poem
[Published by Mrs. Shelley, “Posthumous Poems”, 1824. There is a fair draft amongst the Shelley manuscripts at the Bodleian. See Mr. C.D. Locock’s “Examination”, etc., 1903, page 25.] 1. The sleepless Hours who watch me as I lie, Curtained with star-inwoven tapestries From the broad moonlight of the sky, Fanning the busy dreams from my dim eyes,— Waken me when their Mother, the gray Dawn, _5 Tells them that dreams and that the moon is gone. 2. Then I arise, and climbing Heaven’s blue dome, I walk over the mountains and the waves, Leaving my robe upon the ocean foam; My footsteps pave the clouds with fire; the caves _10 Are filled with my bright presence, and the air Leaves the green Earth to my embraces bare. 3. The sunbeams are my shafts, with which I kill Deceit, that loves the night and fears the day; All men who do or even imagine ill _15 Fly me, and from the glory of my ray Good minds and open actions take new might, Until diminished by the reign of Night. 4. I feed the clouds, the rainbows and the flowers With their aethereal colours; the moon’s globe _20 And the pure stars in their eternal bowers Are cinctured with my power as with a robe; Whatever lamps on Earth or Heaven may shine Are portions of one power, which is mine. 5. I stand at noon upon the peak of Heaven, _25 Then with unwilling steps I wander down Into the clouds of the Atlantic even; For grief that I depart they weep and frown: What look is more delightful than the smile With which I soothe them from the western isle? _30 6. I am the eye with which the Universe Beholds itself and knows itself divine; All harmony of instrument or verse, All prophecy, all medicine is mine, All light of art or nature;—to my song _35 Victory and praise in its own right belong. NOTES: _32 itself divine]it is divine B. _34 is B.; are 1824. _36 its cj. Rossetti, 1870, B.; their 1824. ***
Apollo, the Greek god of the sun, light, music, and prophecy, shares his daily journey across the sky and the immense power he wields over the world. He describes waking at dawn, pouring light onto the earth, banishing deceit, nourishing nature's colors, and ultimately setting in the west — all before proclaiming himself the very eye through which the universe perceives and comprehends itself. This poem captures the essence of what light accomplishes: not just in a physical sense, but also in moral and artistic ways.
Line-by-line
The sleepless Hours who watch me as I lie, / Curtained with star-inwoven tapestries
Then I arise, and climbing Heaven's blue dome, / I walk over the mountains and the waves,
The sunbeams are my shafts, with which I kill / Deceit, that loves the night and fears the day;
I feed the clouds, the rainbows and the flowers / With their aethereal colours; the moon's globe
I stand at noon upon the peak of Heaven, / Then with unwilling steps I wander down
I am the eye with which the Universe / Beholds itself and knows itself divine;
Tone & mood
The tone remains exultant and confident throughout — this is a god speaking, and Shelley fully embraces that. There's no irony or undermining of the voice. It feels grand without coming off as pompous, as Shelley continually roots the cosmic assertions in striking physical images: foam, caves, rainbows, footsteps. In the fifth stanza, a hint of real sadness emerges when Apollo descends reluctantly into evening, preventing the poem from being purely triumphant. By the final stanza, the tone soars once more into a state of nearly ecstatic certainty.
Symbols & metaphors
- Sunbeams as shafts (arrows) — Apollo was the god of the sun and archery, meaning his rays of light also serve as weapons. In this context, they focus on deceit, conveying the notion that light and truth are intertwined, both capable of vanquishing dishonesty.
- The robe left on the ocean foam — As Apollo rises, he casts his robe onto the sea. This reflects how sunlight spreads across the water at dawn, while also conveying Apollo's intent to be fully present and open—shedding his cover to light up the world.
- The eye of the Universe — In the final stanza, Apollo describes himself as the eye that allows the universe to see itself. Since light is essential for perception and self-awareness, Apollo symbolizes consciousness — suggesting that awareness and illumination go hand in hand.
- Dawn as Mother of the Hours — The Hours are the attendants of Apollo, and Dawn is their mother. This family connection transforms time into something domestic and nurturing, making the immense workings of the cosmos feel more intimate and personal.
- The peak of Heaven at noon — Noon is when power and visibility peak — everything is revealed, and no shadows linger. It symbolizes the pinnacle of truth, clarity, and creative energy, making the transition into evening feel like a real loss.
Historical context
Shelley wrote this poem alongside "Hymn of Pan" in 1820, likely as part of a friendly competition with his friend John Keats. Both poems were intended for a scene in Mary Shelley's play "Midas," where Apollo and Pan face off in a musical contest. At that time, Shelley was living in Italy, surrounded by Greek mythology and classical literature. The poem didn’t see publication during his lifetime—he drowned in 1822—and first appeared in the "Posthumous Poems" collection that his wife Mary put together in 1824. It shares a creative period with "Ode to the West Wind" and "To a Skylark," when Shelley was delving into the connections between natural forces, artistic expression, and moral truth through myth and lyrical forms.
FAQ
Apollo is the Greek god associated with the sun, light, music, poetry, prophecy, and medicine. In this poem, Shelley uses Apollo’s first-person perspective, allowing the god to narrate his daily journey and describe his powers in his own words.
The poem consists of six stanzas, each with six lines, written in iambic pentameter and following an ABABCC rhyme scheme. This structured form reflects the sun's dependable daily cycle — it rises, reaches its peak, and sets on a consistent schedule, much like the repetitive pattern of each stanza.
It was composed in 1820 during a friendly competition with John Keats. Each poet created hymns—Shelley chose Apollo, while Keats selected Pan—for a scene in Mary Shelley's play "Midas." It never saw publication during Shelley's lifetime.
It means that light is essential for sight and knowledge. Without Apollo's light, nothing can be seen or understood. Shelley suggests that consciousness and illumination are intertwined — the universe only becomes aware of itself through Apollo's visibility.
Shelley compares Apollo's light to truth and moral clarity. Deceit flourishes in darkness and retreats from the light. Good people and honest actions draw strength from Apollo's rays. It’s simple: light represents truth, while darkness signifies dishonesty.
The two poems were crafted together. Apollo's hymn exudes confidence, triumph, and a sense of vastness — it carries the voice of a god who holds dominion over all. In contrast, Pan's hymn feels more grounded, melancholic, and open to interpretation. In the myth of Midas, Pan ultimately loses the contest, yet many readers connect more deeply with his hymn. Shelley is said to have claimed that Keats's "Hymn of Pan" surpasses his own Apollo.
In Greek mythology, the Horae (Hours) were goddesses associated with the seasons and the orderly flow of time. They also served as guardians of Olympus' gates. Shelley depicts them here as Apollo's personal attendants, watching over his sleep and waking him at dawn.
Even a god doesn't want the day to end. Shelley portrays Apollo with a real hesitation to set — he sinks into the evening clouds against his will. This gives the sun a more human touch and introduces a sense of sadness to what could have been a purely triumphant poem. The sunset transforms into an act of comfort rather than just a mechanical occurrence.