--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It were as wise to cast a violet into a…" description: "\"It were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principle of its color and odor, as seek to transfuse from one lang..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_babel_it-were-as-wise-to-cast-a-violet-into-a_2723785.jpg" --- # It were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you… ![“It were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principle of its color and odor, as seek to transfuse from one language into another the creations of a poet. The plant must spring again from its seed, or it will bear no flower -- and this is the burthen of the…” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_babel_it-were-as-wise-to-cast-a-violet-into-a_2723785.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_babel_it-were-as-wise-to-cast-a-violet-into-a_2723785.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f48/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_babel_it-were-as-wise-to-cast-a-violet-into-a_2723785.jpg) > “It were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principle of its color and odor, as seek to transfuse from one language into another the creations of a poet. The plant must spring again from its seed, or it will bear no flower -- and this is the burthen of the curse of Babel.” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Translating poetry loses original nuance; true artistic essence must be experienced in its native form. **In simple terms:** Poetry loses meaning when translated. Key Takeaway Appreciate works in their original language. Themes art translation language authenticity Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading original texts - language study - creative writing - cultural exchange Key Concepts literary theory linguistics Questions to Reflect On - Can translation ever fully convey poetry? - What value does translation add? A Different Perspective Some translations capture spirit well. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Babel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babel/) [Bears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bears/) [Casts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/casts/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Crucible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucible/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Curse Babel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse-babel-2903242/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Formal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/formal/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Odor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/odor/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Seeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeds/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violet/) [Violet Crucible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violet-crucible-2903241/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) ## Related quotes > [“Hence the vanity of translation; it were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hence-the-vanity-of-translation-it-were-as-wise-to-cast-a-violet-into/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“it were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principle of its color and odor, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/it-were-as-wise-to-cast-a-violet-into-a-crucible-that-you-might/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Music, when soft voices die, Vibrates in the memory; Odors, when sweet violets sicken, Live within the sense they quicken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/music-when-soft-voices-die-vibrates-in-the-memory-odors-when-sweet/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Oh! faint delicious spring-time violet, Thine odor like a key, Turns noiselessly in memory's wards to let A thought of sorrow free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wetmore-story/oh-faint-delicious-spring-time-violet-thine-odor-like-a-key-turns/) [William Wetmore Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wetmore-story/) > [Satin and lace and brown velvet and the faint odor of violets. That was all which was left to him of his love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-maxwell/satin-and-lace-and-brown-velvet-and-the-faint-odor-of-violets-that/) [William Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-maxwell/) > [Music, when soft voices die, Vibrates in the memory; Odours, when sweet violets sicken, Live within the sense they quicken. Rose leaves, when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/music-when-soft-voices-die-vibrates-in-the-memory-odours-when-sweet/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The cemetery is an open space among the ruins, covered in winter with violets and daisies. It might make one in love with death,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-cemetery-is-an-open-space-among-the-ruins-covered-in-winter-with/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [As a system of philosophy it is not like the Tower of Babel, so daring its high aim as to seek a shelter against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sedgwick/as-a-system-of-philosophy-it-is-not-like-the-tower-of-babel-so-daring/) [Adam Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sedgwick/) > ["I refuse to prove that I exist" says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith, I am nothing." "Oh," says man, "but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/i-refuse-to-prove-that-i-exist-says-god-for-proof-denies-faith-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The particular myth that's been organizing this talk, and in a way the whole series, is the story of the Tower of Babel in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-particular-myth-that-s-been-organizing-this-talk-and-in-a-way-the/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [I firmly believe this ... that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the builders of Babel:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-firmly-believe-this-that-without-his-concurring-aid-we-shall/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The students often like to talk about movies that they feel are Orientalist like 300 or Babel. They talk a lot about the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-marandi/the-students-often-like-to-talk-about-movies-that-they-feel-are/) [Mohammad Marandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-marandi/) > [“An attempt to wrest from God the prerogatives of absolute freedom and infinity leads to the inversion of Pentecost and what is in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-e-gunton/an-attempt-to-wrest-from-god-the-prerogatives-of-absolute-freedom-and/) [Colin E. Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-e-gunton/) > [“Our modern era embodies both the Tower of Babel and Pentecost simultaneously. Like Babel, globalization and technological advancement have created linguistic and cultural fragmentation……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paule-patterson/our-modern-era-embodies-both-the-tower-of-babel-and-pentecost/) [Paule Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paule-patterson/) > [How will the Tower of Babel be undone? How will we understand each other in Heaven? Will we all speak English or Dutch or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/how-will-the-tower-of-babel-be-undone-how-will-we-understand-each/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## More by Percy Bysshe Shelley > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The quick Dreams, The passion-winged Ministers of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-quick-dreams-the-passion-winged-ministers-of-thought/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hail-to-thee-blithe-spirit/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The jealous keys of truth's eternal doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-jealous-keys-of-truth-s-eternal-doors/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine, Yet let's be merry; we'll have tea and toast; Custards for supper, and an endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/though-we-eat-little-flesh-and-drink-no-wine-yet-let-s-be-merry-we-ll/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [A dream has power to poison sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-dream-has-power-to-poison-sleep/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Babel quotes > [How will the Tower of Babel be undone? How will we understand each other in Heaven? Will we all speak English or Dutch or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/how-will-the-tower-of-babel-be-undone-how-will-we-understand-each/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“Our modern era embodies both the Tower of Babel and Pentecost simultaneously. Like Babel, globalization and technological advancement have created linguistic and cultural fragmentation……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paule-patterson/our-modern-era-embodies-both-the-tower-of-babel-and-pentecost/) [Paule Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paule-patterson/) > [“An attempt to wrest from God the prerogatives of absolute freedom and infinity leads to the inversion of Pentecost and what is in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-e-gunton/an-attempt-to-wrest-from-god-the-prerogatives-of-absolute-freedom-and/) [Colin E. Gunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-e-gunton/) > [The students often like to talk about movies that they feel are Orientalist like 300 or Babel. They talk a lot about the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-marandi/the-students-often-like-to-talk-about-movies-that-they-feel-are/) [Mohammad Marandi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-marandi/) > [I firmly believe this ... that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better, than the builders of Babel:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-firmly-believe-this-that-without-his-concurring-aid-we-shall/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“The particular myth that's been organizing this talk, and in a way the whole series, is the story of the Tower of Babel in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-particular-myth-that-s-been-organizing-this-talk-and-in-a-way-the/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > ["I refuse to prove that I exist" says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith, I am nothing." "Oh," says man, "but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/i-refuse-to-prove-that-i-exist-says-god-for-proof-denies-faith-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [As a system of philosophy it is not like the Tower of Babel, so daring its high aim as to seek a shelter against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sedgwick/as-a-system-of-philosophy-it-is-not-like-the-tower-of-babel-so-daring/) [Adam Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sedgwick/) > [ What \[Franz\] Kafka says about the Tower of Babel: In the beginning there were actually many languages, and then as a punishment God gave… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-franz-kafka-says-about-the-tower-of-babel-in-the-beginning-there/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“The Babel fish is small, yellow and leech-like, and probably the oddest thing in the Universe. It feeds on brainwave energy received not from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-babel-fish-is-small-yellow-and-leech-like-and-probably-the-oddest/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > ['Babel' is about the point of view of others. It literally includes points of views as experienced from the other side. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/babel-is-about-the-point-of-view-of-others-it-literally-includes/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“In those days the world teemed, the people multiplied, the world bellowed like a wild bull, and the great god was aroused by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-those-days-the-world-teemed-the-people-multiplied-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Literatura e un Turn Babel de hartie;fiecare carte o treapta,fiecare biblioteca un etaj.Numai ca literatura are o tinta mai modesta,dar si mai dificila:sa ajunga…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-plesu/literatura-e-un-turn-babel-de-hartie-fiecare-carte-o-treapta-fiecare/) [Andrei Pleşu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-plesu/) > [“Transhumanism encapsulates a long-lived error among the headliners of science: in a world without a destination, we cannot even break ground on our Tower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-ligotti/transhumanism-encapsulates-a-long-lived-error-among-the-headliners-of/) [Thomas Ligotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-ligotti/) > [But all this language gotten, and augmented by Adam and his posterity, was again lost at the tower of Babel , when by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/but-all-this-language-gotten-and-augmented-by-adam-and-his-posterity/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) [Browse all 60 Babel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/babel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principle of its color and odor, as seek to transfuse from one language into another the creations of a poet. 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