what was ironic about the inscription …

P.B. Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias' explores the transience of power, empire, and legacy. It highlights the ironical fact that instead of trembling and despairing at his power, the mighty should now tremble and despair at Ozymandias's loss of power, because this too will happen to them. This is the irony, rulers think they are safe and secure, but in reality they will be broken.

Ozymandias meant his words to mean one thing: as is always the case with irony, they ended up to mean something different from what he intended.

The inscription on the pedestal reads, "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look at my works, Ye Mighty, and despair!" The irony of this statement is that there are no longer any "works" left to marvel at. Evidence of Ozymandias's imperial accomplishments has diminished with time, and there are no remains of his former glory.

Ans.The inscription on the statue says "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: LOOK UPON MY WORKS, ye Mighty and despair!". Ozymandias challenges the other mighty and powerful kings to look at his works (kindom, wealth, achievements) because he thought they would last for ever and will be eternal.

But the irony is that nothing else remains other than the statue. Everything has been razed to the ground. There is only sand and more sand which remains. Even the statue is not proper and has been destroyed as well.