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
night
All but the wakeful nightingale; / She all night long her amorous descant sung.
imitate knowledge learning love
The end of learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love Him and imitate Him.
full high imperial streaming
The imperial ensign, which, full high advanced, / Shone like a meteor, streaming to the wind.
grateful indebted mind owes
A grateful mind By owing owes not, but still pays, at once Indebted and discharg'd
beyond book good life master precious purpose treasured
A good book is the precious life-blood of the master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose for a life beyond
beyond book english-poet good lifeblood master precious purpose treasured
A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.
changed heaven hell itself mind
A mind not to be changed by place or time, the mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.
anarchy laws limited power protected sure
Anarchy is the sure consequence of tyranny; or no power that is not limited by laws can ever be protected by them
chains hidden melting soul tie voice
The melting voice through mazes running;/ Untwisting all the chains that tie / The hidden soul of harmony.
childhood empire extend famous mind morning shows thy
The childhood shows the man, / As morning shows the day. Be famous then / By wisdom; as thy empire must extend, / So let extend thy mind o'er all the world.
men rose bird
Iris all hues, roses, and jessamine Reared high their flourished heads between, and wrought Mosaic; underfoot the violet, Crocus, and hyacinth with rich inlay Broidered the ground, more coloured than with stone Of costliest emblem: other creature here Beast, bird, insect, or worm durst enter none; Such was their awe of man.
angel light thrones
Hear all ye angels, progeny of light, Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers.
speculation
Let us descend now therefore from this top Of speculation.
italian numbers long
[Rhyme is] but the invention of a barbarous age, to set off wretched matter and lame Meter; ... Not without cause therefore some both Italian and Spanish poets of prime note have rejected rhyme, ... as have also long since our best English tragedies, as... trivial and of no true musical delight; which [truly] consists only in apt numbers, fit quantity of syllables, and the sense variously drawn out from one verse into another, not in the jingling sound of like endings, a fault avoided by the learned ancients both in poetry and all good oratory.