Lost 1.6) - This Allusion To The Polytheistic World of Pagan Muses Links His Post-Christian Epic To

From the beginning of his Paradise Lost, John Milton establishes a divine motivation behind his
work. Unlike earlier epics, his was not created solely for entertainment or societal value. These
previous epic narratives were culturally valuable not only for their storytelling appeal, but also
for their embedded instructions which were then contained for future generations.
Certainly, Paradise Lost accomplishes these aims as well. Yet Milton, instead of just telling a
story, created his epic with one grandiose purpose in mind: to "justify the ways of God to men"
(Paradise Lost 1.26). He, therefore, adapted the established epic conventions to better
achieve his majestic goal. Nearly every epic convention is revised in Paradise Lost, but the
modifications of the invocation to the Muse and the epic machinery best illustrate Milton's
changes to epic tradition.
The invocation to the Muse in Paradise Lost has been reworked by Milton to provide a
transition from the mythical world of past epics to the Christian setting of his epic. Although
Milton is referring to the Holy Spirit, his first invocation is to the "Heav'nly Muse" (Paradise
Lost 1.6). This allusion to the polytheistic world of pagan Muses links his post-Christian epic to
the ancient epics. By calling upon the Holy Spirit instead of the traditional Muse, Milton is
illustrating transition between these two cultures--the shift from a shame culture to a guilt
culture. The Muses from the earlier epics were remote figures observing the actions of those on
Earth. But, as Milton states in Book I of Paradise Lost, the Holy Spirit is internalized, a Muse
"that dost prefer/ Before all temples th' upright heart and pure" (17-18). The pagan Muses so
valued in the shame culture have been replaced in a guilt culture by the Muse within. This inner
guide is again mentioned in Book III when Milton calls upon the Holy Spirit to
Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers Irradiate, there plant eyes, all mist from
thence Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell Of things invisible to mortal sight. (Paradise
Lost 3.51-55)
By internalizing the Muse, Milton is able to underscore the transition from an earlier culture to
his current one. Also, by citing divine inspiration from a member of the Trinity, Milton is
supporting his case of "justifying the ways of God to men." As the author himself recognizes, he
may now "assert Eternal Providence" (Paradise Lost 1.25).
Milton especially manipulates his use of epic machinery to achieve his divine goal. Often in
epics, the gods would intervene in the lives of humans. However, in Paradise Lost, the lack of
divine intervention sets it apart from previous epics. While divine counsel is offered in
both Paradise Lost and Homer's Odyssey, the extent of involvement is greater in The Odyssey.
Athena forewarned both Odysseus and Telemachus of future dangers in great detail, always
including specific information about traps and possible solutions. In Book XIII of The Odyssey,
she offered to help Odysseus "devise the wisest course to take" (362). She would also strengthen
Odysseus physically and mentally when he was in need. The divine counsel of Paradise
Lost was much less indulging. Raphael does come to warn Adam of the impending temptation,
but he gives no sure details of time and place, or of what to beware. The angel only warns: "take
heed lest passion sway/ Thy judgment to do aught" (9.635). Divine intervention is omitted not
only in the area of counsel, but also in the use of force. In earlier epics like The Odyssey, the
gods exploit all of their force to stop a foe. This can be seen with Poseidon's persecution of
Odysseus. The god of the Sea physically prohibits Odysseus from returning home and destroys
his entire crew of men. However, in Paradise Lost, God does not crush his enemy forces, but
simply banishes them to Hell. He even allows Satan to escape Hell. He snuck out with "Sin and
Death amain/ Following his track, such was the will of Heav'n" (Milton, Paradise Lost 2.1024-
25).
Milton seems to have purposefully established a lack of divine intervention. Its absence leads the
reader to precisely the justification Milton is seeking. By omitting the constant acts of celestial
intervention seen in earlier epics, Milton illustrates the one act of supreme intervention
of Paradise Lost & emdash; the creation of free will. God, in his one act of intervention,
bestowed upon Man a gift that would prohibit any later acts of intervention. As Raphael states,
God has created Adam "perfect within, no outward aid require" (Milton, Paradise Lost 9.642).
Having been blessed with the ability to reason and use free will, Man is in charge of his own
intervention.
Milton was able to remold the traditional epic conventions and use them to illustrate his grand
purpose of "justifying the ways of God to men." He was treating all previous epics and history as
leading up to the Christian story that he was presenting. In reworking the epic conventions as he
did, he was reflecting the changes and transitions that had occurred in his own society. The
invoked Muse is the Holy Spirit, illustrating the internalization of the Christian faith. The
omission of substantial divine intervention directs the reader to recognizing the one true
intervention & ambash; the gift of free will.
Things unattempted yet in
Of Man’s first disobedience, prose or
Or if Sion hill
and the fruit rhyme. Paradise Lost.
Delight thee more, and
Of that forbidden tree Book i. Line 16.
Siloa’s brook, that flow’d
whose mortal taste
Fast by the oracle of
Brought death into the
God. Paradise Lost.
world, and all our woe.
Book i. Line 10.
Paradise Lost. Book i. Line
1.
What in me is dark Yet from those flames
Illumine, what is low raise No light, but rather
and support, darkness visible. Paradise
That to the height of this Lost. Book i. Line 62.
As far as angels’ ken.
great argument
Paradise Lost. Book i. Line
I may assert eternal
59
Providence,
And justify the ways of God
to men. Paradise Lost.
Book i. Line 22.
Where peace What though the field be To be weak is miserable,
And rest can never dwell, lost? Doing or
hope never comes All is not lost; th’ suffering. Paradise
That comes to unconquerable will, Lost. Book i. Line 157.
all. Paradise Lost. And study of revenge,
Book i. Line 65. immortal hate,
And courage never to
submit or yield. Paradise
Lost. Book i. Line 105
Farewell happy fields, A mind not to be chang’d
Where joy forever dwells: by place or time.
And out of good still to
hail, The mind is its own place,
find means of
horrors! Paradise and in itself
evil. Paradise Lost.
Lost. Book i. Line 249. Can make a heaven of hell,
Book i. Line 165.
a hell of heaven. Paradise
Lost. Book i. Line 253.
Heard so oft His spear, to equal which
In worst extremes, and on the tallest pine
Here we may reign
the perilous edge Hewn on Norwegian hills to
secure; and in my choice
Of battle. Paradise Lost. be the mast
To reign is worth ambition,
Book i. Line 275. Of some great ammiral
though in hell:
were but a wand,
Better to reign in hell than
He walk’d with to support
serve in
uneasy steps
heaven. Paradise
Over the burning
Lost. Book i. Line 261.
marle. Paradise Lost.
Book i. Line 292.
7
.
8
.
9
.
10
13
16
Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks
In Vallombrosa, where th’ Etrurian shades
High over-arch’d imbower.
Paradise Lost. Book i. Line 302.
17
Awake, arise, or be forever fallen!
18
Spirits when they please
Can either sex assume, or both.
19
Execute their airy purposes.
20
When night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons
Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
21
Th’ imperial ensign, which full high advanc’d
Shone like a meteor, streaming to the wind. 3
22
Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds:
At which the universal host up sent
A shout that tore hell’s concave, and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
23
Anon they move
In perfect phalanx, to the Dorian mood
Of flutes and soft recorders.
24
His form had yet not lost
All her original brightness, nor appear’d
Less than archangel ruin’d, and th’ excess
Of glory obscur’d.
25
In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs.
26
Thrice he assay’d, and thrice in spite of scorn
Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth.
27
Who overcomes
By force, hath overcome but half his foe.
28
Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell
From heaven; for ev’n in heaven his looks and thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more
The riches of heaven’s pavement, trodden gold,
Than aught divine or holy else enjoy’d
In vision beatific.
29
Let none admire
That riches grow in hell: that soil may best
Deserve the precious bane.
30
Anon out of the earth a fabric huge
Rose, like an exhalation.
31
From morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,—
A summer’s day; and with the setting sun
Dropp’d from the Zenith like a falling star.
32
Fairy elves,
Whose midnight revels by a forest side
Or fountain some belated peasant sees,
Or dreams he sees, while overhead the moon
Sits arbitress.
33
High on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sat, by merit rais’d
To that bad eminence.
Paradise Lost. Book ii. Line 1.
34
Surer to prosper than prosperity
Could have assur’d us.
35
The strongest and the fiercest spirit
That fought in heaven, now fiercer by despair.
36
Rather than be less,
Car’d not to be at all.
37
My sentence is for open war.
38
That in our proper motion we ascend
Up to our native seat: descent and fall
To us is adverse.
39
When the scourge
Inexorable and the torturing hour
Call us to penance.
40
Which, if not victory, is yet revenge.
41
But all was false and hollow; though his tongue
Dropp’d manna, and could make the worse appear
The better reason, 4 to perplex and dash
Maturest counsels.
42
Th’ ethereal mould
Incapable of stain would soon expel
Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire,
Victorious. Thus repuls’d, our final hope
Is flat despair. 5
43
For who would lose,
Though full of pain this intellectual being,
Those thoughts that wander through eternity,
To perish rather, swallow’d up and lost
In the wide womb of uncreated night?
44
His red right hand. 6
45
Unrespited, unpitied, unrepriev’d.
46
The never-ending flight
Of future days.
47
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements.
48
With grave
Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem’d
A pillar of state; deep on his front engraven
Deliberation sat, and public care;
And princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: sage he stood,
With Atlantean shoulders, fit to bear
The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night
Or summer’s noontide air.
49
The palpable obscure.
50
Long is the way
And hard, that out of hell leads up to light.
51
Their rising all at once was as the sound
Of thunder heard remote.
52
The low’ring element
Scowls o’er the darken’d landscape.
53
Oh, shame to men! devil with devil damn’d
Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational.
54
In discourse more sweet;
For eloquence the soul, song charms the sense.
Others apart sat on a hill retir’d,
In thoughts more elevate, and reason’d high
Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate,
Fix’d fate, free-will, foreknowledge absolute;
And found no end, in wand’ring mazes lost.
55
Vain wisdom all and false philosophy.
56
Arm th’ obdur’d breast
With stubborn patience as with triple steel.
57
A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog
Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casius old,
Where armies whole have sunk: the parching air
Burns frore, and cold performs th’ effect of fire.
Thither by harpy-footed Furies hal’d,
At certain revolutions all the damn’d
Are brought, and feel by turns the bitter change
Of fierce extremes,—extremes by change more fierce;
From beds of raging fire to starve in ice
Their soft ethereal warmth, and there to pine
Immovable, infix’d, and frozen round,
Periods of time; thence hurried back to fire.
58
O’er many a frozen, many a fiery Alp,
Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and shades of death.
59
Gorgons and Hydras and Chimæras dire.
60
The other shape,
If shape it might be call’d that shape had none
Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb;
Or substance might be call’d that shadow seem’d,
For each seem’d either,—black it stood as night,
Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell,
And shook a dreadful dart; what seem’d his head
The likeness of a kingly crown had on.
Satan was now at hand.
61
Whence and what art thou, execrable shape?
62
Back to thy punishment,
False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings.
63
So spake the grisly Terror.
64
Incens’d with indignation Satan stood
Unterrify’d, and like a comet burn’d
That fires the length of Ophiuchus huge
In th’ arctic sky, and from his horrid hair
Shakes pestilence and war.
65
Their fatal hands
No second stroke intend.
66
Hell
Grew darker at their frown.
67
I fled, and cry’d out, DEATH!
Hell trembled at the hideous name, and sigh’d
From all her caves, and back resounded, DEATH!
68
Before mine eyes in opposition sits
Grim Death, my son and foe.
69
Death
Grinn’d horrible a ghastly smile, to hear
His famine should be fill’d.
70
On a sudden open fly,
With impetuous recoil and jarring sound,
Th’ infernal doors, and on their hinges grate
Harsh thunder.
71
Where eldest Night
And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold
Eternal anarchy amidst the noise
Of endless wars, and by confusion stand;
For hot, cold, moist, and dry, four champions fierce,
Strive here for mast’ry.
72
Into this wild abyss,
The womb of Nature and perhaps her grave.
73
To compare
Great things with small. 7
74
O’er bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare,
With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way,
And swims or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies.
75
With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,
Confusion worse confounded.
76
So he with difficulty and labour hard
Mov’d on, with difficulty and labour he.
77
And fast by, hanging in a golden chain,
This pendent world, in bigness as a star
Of smallest magnitude, close by the moon.
78
Hail holy light! offspring of heav’n first-born.
Paradise Lost. Book iii. Line 1.
79
The rising world of waters dark and deep.
80
Thoughts that voluntary move
Harmonious numbers.
81
Thus with the year
Seasons return; but not to me returns
Day, or the sweet approach of even or morn,
Or sight of vernal bloom or summer’s rose,
Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine;
But cloud instead, and ever-during dark
Surrounds me; from the cheerful ways of men
Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair
Presented with a universal blank
Of Nature’s works, to me expung’d and raz’d,
And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out.
82
Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.
83
See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,
With joy and love triumphing.
84
Dark with excessive bright.
85
Embryos and idiots, eremites and friars,
White, black, and gray, with all their trumpery.
86
Since call’d
The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown.
87
And oft, though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps
At wisdom’s gate, and to simplicity
Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill seems.
88
The hell within him.
Paradise Lost. Book iv. Line 20.
89
Now conscience wakes despair
That slumber’d,—wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what must be
Worse.
90
At whose sight all the stars
Hide their diminish’d heads. 8
91
A grateful mind
By owing owes not, but still pays, at once
Indebted and discharg’d.
92
Which way shall I fly
Infinite wrath and infinite despair?
Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell;
And in the lowest deep a lower deep,
Still threat’ning to devour me, opens wide,
To which the hell I suffer seems a heaven.
93
Such joy ambition finds.
94
Ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
95
So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear,
Farewell remorse; all good to me is lost.
Evil, be thou my good.
96
That practis’d falsehood under saintly shew,
Deep malice to conceal, couch’d with revenge.
97
Sabean odours from the spicy shore
Of Araby the Blest.
98
And on the Tree of Life,
The middle tree and highest there that grew,
Sat like a cormorant.
99
A heaven on earth.
100
Flowers worthy of paradise.
101
Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the rose. 9
102
Proserpine gathering flowers,
Herself a fairer flower.
103
For contemplation he and valour form’d,
For softness she and sweet attractive grace;
He for God only, she for God in him.
His fair large front and eye sublime declar’d
Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders broad.
104
Implied
Subjection, but requir’d with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him best receiv’d,—
Yielded with coy submission, modest pride,
And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.
105
Adam the goodliest man of men since born
His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
106
And with necessity,
The tyrant’s plea, 10 excus’d his devilish deeds.
107
As Jupiter
On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds
That shed May flowers.
108
Imparadis’d in one another’s arms.
109
Live while ye may,
Yet happy pair.
110
Now came still evening on, and twilight gray
Had in her sober livery all things clad;
Silence accompany’d; for beast and bird,
They to their grassy couch, these to their nests,
Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale;
She all night long her amorous descant sung;
Silence was pleas’d. Now glow’d the firmament
With living sapphires; Hesperus, that led
The starry host, rode brightest, till the moon,
Rising in clouded majesty, at length
Apparent queen unveil’d her peerless light,
And o’er the dark her silver mantle threw.
111
The timely dew of sleep.
112
With thee conversing I forget all time,
All seasons, and their change,—all please alike.
Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,
With charm of earliest birds; pleasant the sun
When first on this delightful land he spreads
His orient beams on herb, tree, fruit, and flower,
Glist’ring with dew; fragrant the fertile earth
After soft showers; and sweet the coming on
Of grateful ev’ning mild; then silent night
With this her solemn bird and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heaven, her starry train:
But neither breath of morn when she ascends
With charm of earliest birds, nor rising sun
On this delightful land, nor herb, fruit, flower,
Glist’ring with dew, nor fragrance after showers,
Nor grateful ev’ning mild, nor silent night
With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon
Or glittering starlight, without thee is sweet.
113
Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth
Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep.
114
In naked beauty more adorn’d,
More lovely than Pandora. 11
115
Eas’d the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear.
116
Hail wedded love, mysterious law, true source
Of human offspring.
117
Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve.
118
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
Touch’d lightly; for no falsehood can endure
Touch of celestial temper.
119
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown,
The lowest of your throng.
120
Abash’d the devil stood,
And felt how awful goodness is, and saw
Virtue in her shape how lovely.
121
All hell broke loose.
122
Like Teneriff or Atlas unremoved.
123
The starry cope
Of heaven.
124
Fled
Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night.
125
Now morn, her rosy steps in th’ eastern clime
Advancing, sow’d the earth with orient pearl,
When Adam wak’d, so custom’d; for his sleep
Was aery light, from pure digestion bred.
Paradise Lost. Book v. Line 1.
126
Hung over her enamour’d, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces.
127
My latest found,
Heaven’s last, best gift, my ever new delight!
128
Good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows.
129
These are thy glorious works, Parent of good!
130
Fairest of stars, last in the train of night,
If better thou belong not to the dawn.
131
A wilderness of sweets.
132
Another morn
Ris’n on mid-noon.
133
So saying, with despatchful looks in haste
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent.
134
Nor jealousy
Was understood, the injur’d lover’s hell.
135
The bright consummate flower.
136
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers.
137
They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet
Quaff immortality and joy.
138
Satan; so call him now, his former name
Is heard no more in heaven.
139
Midnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence.
140
Innumerable as the stars of night,
Or stars of morning, dewdrops which the sun
Impearls on every leaf and every flower.
141
So spake the seraph Abdiel, faithful found;
Among the faithless, faithful only he.
142
Morn,
Wak’d by the circling hours, with rosy hand
Unbarr’d the gates of light.
Paradise Lost. Book vi. Line 2.
143
Servant of God, well done; well hast thou fought
The better fight.
144
Arms on armour clashing bray’d
Horrible discord, and the madding wheels
Of brazen chariots rag’d: dire was the noise
Of conflict.
145
Spirits that live throughout,
Vital in every part, not as frail man,
In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,
Cannot but by annihilating die.
146
Far off his coming shone.
147
More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang’d
To hoarse or mute, though fall’n on evil days,
On evil days though fall’n, and evil tongues.
Paradise Lost. Book vii. Line 24.
148
Still govern thou my song,
Urania, and fit audience find, though few.
149
Heaven open’d wide
Her ever during gates, harmonious sound,
On golden hinges moving.
150
Hither, as to their fountain, other stars
Repairing, in their golden urns draw light.
151
Now half appear’d
The tawny lion, pawing to get free
His hinder parts.
152
Indu’d
With sanctity of reason.
153
A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold,
And pavement stars,—as stars to thee appear
Seen in the galaxy, that milky way
Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest
Powder’d with stars.
154
The Angel ended, and in Adam’s ear
So charming left his voice, that he awhile
Thought him still speaking, still stood fix’d to hear.
Paradise Lost. Book viii. Line 1.
155
There swift return
Diurnal, merely to officiate light
Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot.
156
And grace that won who saw to wish her stay.
157
And touch’d by her fair tendance, gladlier grew.
158
With centric and eccentric scribbled o’er,
Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb.
159
Her silent course advance
With inoffensive pace, that spinning sleeps
On her soft axle.
160
Be lowly wise:
Think only what concerns thee and thy being.
Paradise Lost. Book viii. Line
161
To know
That which before us lies in daily life
Is the prime wisdom.
162
Liquid lapse of murmuring streams.
163
And feel that I am happier than I know.
164
Among unequals what society
Can sort, what harmony, or true delight?
165
Grace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye,
In every gesture dignity and love.
166
Her virtue and the conscience of her worth,
That would be woo’d, and not unsought be won.
167
She what was honour knew,
And with obsequious majesty approv’d
My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower
I led her blushing like the morn; all heaven
And happy constellations on that hour
Shed their selectest influence; the earth
Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill;
Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs
Whisper’d it to the woods, and from their wings
Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub.
168
The sum of earthly bliss.
169
So well to know
Her own, that what she wills to do or say
Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.
170
Accuse not Nature: she hath done her part;
Do thou but thine.
171
Oft times nothing profits more
Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right
Well manag’d. 12
172
Those graceful acts,
Those thousand decencies that daily flow
From all her words and actions.
173
With a smile that glow’d
Celestial rosy red, love’s proper hue.
174
My unpremeditated verse.
Paradise Lost. Book ix. Line 24.
175
Pleas’d me, long choosing and beginning late.
176
Unless an age too late, or cold
Climate, or years, damp my intended wing.
177
Revenge, at first though sweet,
Bitter ere long back on itself recoils.
178
The work under our labour grows,
Luxurious by restraint.
179
Smiles from reason flow,
To brute deny’d, and are of love the food.
180
For solitude sometimes is best society,
And short retirement urges sweet return.
181
At shut of evening flowers.
182
As one who long in populous city pent,
Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air.
183
So gloz’d the tempter.
184
Hope elevates, and joy
Brightens his crest.
185
Left that command
Sole daughter of his voice. 13
186
Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat,
Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe
That all was lost.
187
In her face excuse
Came prologue, and apology too prompt.
188
A pillar’d shade
High overarch’d, and echoing walks between.
189
Yet I shall temper so
Justice with mercy, as may illustrate most
Them fully satisfy’d, and thee appease.
Paradise Lost. Book x. Line 77.
190
So scented the grim Feature, and upturn’d
His nostril wide into the murky air,
Sagacious of his quarry from so far.
191
How gladly would I meet
Mortality my sentence, and be earth
Insensible! how glad would lay me down
As in my mother’s lap!
192
Must I thus leave thee, Paradise?—thus leave
Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades?
Paradise Lost. Book xi. Line 269.
193
Then purg’d with euphrasy and rue
The visual nerve, for he had much to see.
194
Moping melancholy
And moon-struck madness.
195
And over them triumphant Death his dart
Shook, but delay’d to strike, though oft invok’d.
196
So may’st thou live, till like ripe fruit thou drop
Into thy mother’s lap.
197
Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou liv’st
Live well: how long or short permit to heaven. 14
198
A bevy of fair women.
199
The brazen throat of war.
200
Some natural tears they dropp’d, but wip’d them soon;
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide.
They hand in hand, with wand’ring steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way.
Paradise Lost. Book xii. Line 645.

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From the beginning of his Paradise Lost, John Milton establishes a divine motivation behind his

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