Question

ode on a grecian urn
by john keats
1.
thou still unravish’d bride of quietness,
thou foster - child of silence and slow time,
sylvan historian, who canst thus express
a flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
what leaf - fring’d legend haunts about thy shape
of deities or mortals, or of both,
in tempe or the dales of arcady?
what men or gods are these? what maidens loth?
what mad pursuit? what struggle to escape?
what pipes and timbrels? what wild ecstasy? (10)
2.
heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,
pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:
fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
though winning near the goal—yet, do not grieve;
she cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,
for ever wilt thou love, and she be fair! (20)
3.
ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
your leaves, nor ever bid the spring adieu;
and happy melodist, unwearied
...
not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,
pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone
keats uses the phrase “spirit ditties” to describe the

songs that were popular at the time the urn was
made.

music the gods on the urn favor the most

music created by blowing across the top of the urn.

songs the people on the urn appear to be playing.

Explanation:

The phrase "spirit ditties of no tone" refers to the unheard, eternal music depicted on the urn. The pipes on the urn are shown being played, but their sound is not audible to physical ears—instead, it exists as a spiritual, timeless melody. The other options are incorrect: there is no indication the songs were popular when the urn was made, no focus on gods' favored music, and the phrase does not refer to music made by blowing across the urn itself.

Answer:

songs the people on the urn appear to be playing.