ON SEEING ‘THE HOUSE OF JULIA' AT HERCULANEUM

Series: Poems of Progress

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

The poem describes the ruins of a house in Herculaneum, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The speaker imagines the life of Julia, a woman who lived in the house with her family and slaves. The poem portrays Julia as a beautiful and kind-hearted person who loved nature and music. It also describes the opulence and luxury of the house, which was decorated with marble, mosaics, and frescoes. The speaker reflects on the transience of human life and the power of nature, which... AI Generated Content

~1893 CE

Available in: English