Original artwork, not a still
Absalom and Achitophel · 1681
But wild Ambition loves to slide, not stand, And Fortune’s ice prefers to Virtue’s land.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Ambition, says Dryden, would rather glide than stand still. Fortune is pictured as slick ice, chosen over the solid ground of virtue. It's a warning that the thrilling route is also the one with the least secure footing.
Context reviewed
