I’m fairly certain it’s embellishment, a motif would be at least one phrase
Basically to Ahab there exists something more behind the world some kind of neo-Platonic aspect. He thinks there is an unknown reasoning behind the mask of all visible things, what that is can be any man's guess but to Ahab whatever it is, it is nothing less then vengeful.
I feel like its a . battle hymn of the republic . Its played in lots of military bands .
