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
rule streaming thy
With thy long levelled rule of streaming light.
thee thyself unwise
This is servitude, To serve th'unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled.
sympathy condolences power
Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.
liberty ease apathy
Nations grow corrupt, love bondage more than liberty; bondage with ease than strenuous liberty.
god happiest thou thy
God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more / Is woman's happiest knowledge, and her praise.
adding fuel gone knows thy words
He's gone and who knows how he may report/ Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?
art knitting listen loose thou thy train twisted
Sabrina fair, / Listen where thou art sitting/ Under the glassy, cool, translucent wave, / In twisted braids of lilies knitting / The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair.
love nor permit short thou thy
Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou liv'st, Live well, how long or short permit to heav'n
adam celestial concerning knowledge rather search worthy
Adam inquires concerning celestial motions, is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge.
dear fame great heir son thou thy weak witness
Dear son of memory, great heir of fame, / What need'st thou such weak witness of thy name?
bones fathers kept lie mountains pure scattered stocks thy truth whose worshipped
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones / Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold; / Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old / When all our fathers worshipped stocks and stones.
dark further guiding hand lend onward thy
A little onward lend thy guiding hand / To these dark steps, a little further on.