Skip to content

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.

— John Masefield Salt-Water Ballads (1902)

Another quote →

More quotes by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky.

God warms his hands at man's heart when he prays.

Love is a flame to burn out human wills,
Love is a flame to set the will on fire,
Love is a flame to cheat men into mire.

Death opens unknown doors. It is most grand to die.

When Life knocks at the door no one can wait,
When Death makes his arrest we have to go.

All John Masefield quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: John Masefield (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.