SHAKSPEARE.
[112]
--Behemoth, biggest born of earth,
Upheav'd his vastness.
The Annotated Edition
SHAKSPEARE. by Homer
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This brief two-line excerpt references the biblical Behemoth — a creature known for its immense size and power — to reflect on Shakespeare.
- Poet
- Homer
- Themes
- art, beauty, nature
§01Quick summary
What this poem is about
This brief two-line excerpt references the biblical Behemoth — a creature known for its immense size and power — to reflect on Shakespeare. It suggests that Shakespeare represents the pinnacle of human achievement, a natural force too grand to be completely understood. It's a tribute distilled to its most impactful essence.
§02Themes
Recurring themes
§03Line by line
Stanza by stanza, with notes
Behemoth, biggest born of earth, / Upheav'd his vastness.
Editor's note
The entire poem presents a singular image. Behemoth, mentioned in the Book of Job, serves as a symbol for the greatest example of earthly creation — nothing larger exists. By using this name for Shakespeare, the poet implies that this is the most monumental work ever created in literature. The phrase "Upheav'd his vastness" conveys a slow, tectonic sense to both the monster and Shakespeare, evoking the image of a mountain range emerging from the earth. The weight of the term "vastness" is crucial here — it signifies that Shakespeare's greatness isn't just notable, but possesses a physical, almost geological presence.
§04Tone & mood
How this poem feels
Awe, in its purest form. There’s no irony, no hesitation, no debate — just the raw impact of a straightforward comparison presented as is. The tone carries an ancient, ceremonial weight, reminiscent of words chiseled into stone.
§05Symbols & metaphors
Symbols & metaphors
- Behemoth
- In the Book of Job, Behemoth represents God's most impressive earthly creation — a creature so enormous that it sets the boundary of what the earth can create. In this context, it symbolizes Shakespeare, positioning him at that same extreme edge of human creative accomplishment.
- Vastness
- The word serves two purposes: it captures both the massive size of Behemoth and the vast reach of Shakespeare's work and impact. It implies something that can't be quantified or limited.
- Earth
- Earth is the origin point—the source that gave rise to this vastness. Referring to Shakespeare as the "biggest born of earth" connects his genius to both humanity and nature, rather than placing it in the realm of the divine, which makes the praise feel even more profound.
§06Historical context
Historical context
This fragment is often attributed to Homer, following the tradition of brief epigraphic verses, though this attribution is likely false—Homer lived about 2,400 years before Shakespeare. It shows up as an epigraph (indicated by the page reference [112]) and feels more like a caption or inscription than a poem on its own. The lines come from Milton's *Paradise Lost* (Book VII), where they depict the Behemoth, a creature reminiscent of a hippopotamus, emerging from the freshly created earth. Using this passage as a tribute to Shakespeare was a typical practice in the 18th and 19th centuries: editors and anthologists would often select a striking classical or biblical fragment and place it beneath a well-known name as a shorthand for literary greatness. The Behemoth excerpt from Milton was particularly popular for this purpose due to its impressive physical imagery.
§07FAQ
Questions readers ask
Behemoth is mentioned in the Book of Job (chapter 40) as a massive creature that God describes to Job as the strongest of all his earthly creations. Scholars argue about whether it represents a hippopotamus, an elephant, or a completely mythical being. The key point is the concept of the largest being ever created on Earth.
No. Homer lived around 800–900 BCE, while Shakespeare was born in 1564 CE. The attribution here is just a literary convention; editors from the 18th and 19th centuries frequently placed classical-sounding excerpts under the names of renowned authors as epigraphs. In reality, these lines are from Milton's *Paradise Lost*.
They come from John Milton's *Paradise Lost*, Book VII, where he depicts God's creation of the animals on Earth. Behemoth is introduced as one of the newly created beasts, emerging from the ground with its immense size.
In the tradition of epigrams and epigraphs, two lines can say it all. This fragment stands as a complete thought—it makes a comparison, delivers it, and concludes. It's not the length that defines a poem.
It means the creature pulled its massive body upward—like witnessing something so heavy that just rising is an event in itself. When applied to Shakespeare, it suggests that his work doesn't simply exist in silence; it forces itself into view and demands attention.
The brevity is intentional. By conveying everything in two lines, the fragment suggests that Shakespeare's greatness is so obvious that it requires no argument or list of accomplishments — just one powerful image, allowing the reader to fill in the gaps.
At its heart, this is about art and beauty—especially the type of artistic greatness that seems more like a natural occurrence than a human accomplishment. The Behemoth image also touches on themes of nature and mortality, reminding us that magnificent things, much like great creatures, are born and eventually fade away.
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