Billy Budd, Part 40 summary
Part 40 of 49 · 9 min to read the part
In Under the Rose, Geoffry describes how My Lord admires the Azem’s amber vase but receives a book containing verses inspired by it instead. When a Greek scholar translates the poem, its treatment of death troubles My Lord, who fears the sudden illness that kills his father and grandfather.
What happens
- Geoffry first sees the amber vase filled with roses, then returns and discovers carved figures and insect remains within it.
- My Lord learns about the vase and steers a conversation with the Azem toward insects preserved in amber.
- The Azem displays the vase but declares it priceless because it inspires verses by Lugar-Lips.
- Instead of the vase, the Azem gives My Lord a richly decorated book containing the poem.
- A Greek scholar drinks five cups of wine and renders the verses into English.
- The poem troubles My Lord, whose family history makes him fear sudden illness at his present age.
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What to notice
The poem makes death explicit within a description of a beautiful object. My Lord’s disturbed response connects this thought to his fear of inherited illness.
Quick check
What does the Azem give My Lord?
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