John Milton
John Milton
John Miltonwas an English poet, polemicist, and man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval, and is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, written in blank verse...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth9 December 1608
bad men pretend shall wisest women
Wisest men / Have erred, and by bad women been deceived; / And shall again, pretend they ne'er so wise.
argument assert eternal god great height justify low men raise ways
What in me is dark, Illumine, what is low raise and support, That to the height of this great argument I may assert eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men
english-poet heal otherwise
He that studieth revenge keepeth his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.
reign
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.
truth
Truth never comes into the world but like a bastard, to the ignominy of him that brought her birth.
darkness discover flames hope peace rather regions rest served shades sights visible
Yet from those flames / No light, but rather darkness visible / Served only to discover sights of woe, / Regions of sorrow, doleful shades where peace / And rest can never dwell, hope never comes / That comes to all.
hath love offense regain strange though
Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offense returning, to regain Love once possess'd
daily fond lies prime
To know That which before us lies in daily life, Is the prime Wisdom; what is more, is fume, Or emptiness, or fond impertinence
daily lies life prime wisdom
To know that which before us lies in daily life is the prime wisdom.
came fair forth morning pilgrim steps till
Till morning fair / Came forth with pilgrim steps in amice grey.
land ocean post serve stand thousands wait
Thousands at his bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait
surprised unjust virtue
Virtue may be assailed, but never hurt, / Surprised by unjust force, but not enthralled.
flat moon radiant sea sun though virtue
Virtue could see to do what Virtue would / By her own radiant light, though sun and moon / Were in the flat sea sunk.
dost heart prefer pure temples thou upright
Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure