John Milton (1608–74) was an English poet of radical politics who lived during one of the most volatile times in the history of England. He is best remembered as the author of Lycidas (1637,) Paradise Lost, and Paradise Regained.
Born on Bread Street in London, to an affluent family, Milton studied at Cambridge. He became fluent in Latin, Greek, Italian, and Hebrew, and he committed the entire Bible to memory. In 1638, he left on a 15-month tour to visit Florence, Rome, and Naples and met such important figures as astronomer Galileo Galilei and the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius. His expedition to Europe was interrupted by news of political turmoil in England and the likelihood of a civil war.
Upon his return to England, Milton became a polemicist and wrote prose for the Republican cause. He used the then-new printing press to produce and distribute pamphlets. His political influential expanded, and Milton became chief assistant to Oliver Cromwell, lord protector of the English Commonwealth.
In his later years, Milton was beset by failing eyesight. By 1654, Milton was blind. Many of his poems were dictated to assistants, one of whom was the poet Andrew Marvell.
The English Commonwealth collapsed upon Cromwell’s death in 1658. After the reinstatement of the monarchy in 1660, Milton was imprisoned. Marvell argued that Milton was old and blind and thus posed no threat to Charles II. So, Milton narrowly escaped execution and got liberated.
All Milton’s three major works, Paradise Lost (1667; revised, 1674,) Paradise Regained (1671,) and Samson Agonistes (1671) were completed after he had gone blind. Scholars rate Paradise Lost the defining English epic, and interpret it as a political allegory—the fall of man in Eden echoes the lost paradise of Milton’s much-cherished Republic.
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God made thee perfect, not immutable! and good he made thee, but to persevere he left it in thy power; ordained thy will by nature free, not over ruled by fate inextricable, or strict necessity.
—John Milton
Topics: Will
He who reigns within himself and rules his passions, desires, and fears is more than a king.
—John Milton
All arts acknowledge that then only we know certainly, when we can define; for definition is that which refines the pure essence of things from the circumstance.
—John Milton
This is the month, and this the happy morn, wherein the Son of heaven’s eternal King, of wedded Maid and Virgin Mother born, our great redemption from above did bring.
—John Milton
Topics: Christmas, Holidays
Confidence imparts a wondrous inspiration to its possessor.—It bears him on in security, either to meet no danger, or to find matter of glorious trial.
—John Milton
Topics: Assurance, Confidence
Oftentimes nothing profits more than self-esteem, grounded on what is just and right and well-managed.
—John Milton
Topics: Self-Esteem, Assurance, Self Respect, Confidence
Goodness thinks no ill where no ill seems.
—John Milton
Topics: Goodness
God oft descends to visit men, unseen, and through their habitations walks, to mark their doings.
—John Milton
No institution which does not continually test its ideals, techniques and measure of accomplishment can claim real vitality.
—John Milton
In those vernal seasons of the year when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth.
—John Milton
Topics: Nature, Country
Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason’s garb, counseled ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, not peace.
—John Milton
Topics: Agreement
Deep versed in books, but shallow in himself.
—John Milton
Topics: Books, Reading
Hail wedded love, mysterious law, true source of human offspring, sole propriety in Paradise of all things common else. By thee adulterous lust was driven from men among the bestial herds to range; by thee founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure, relations dear, and all the charities of father, son, and brother first were known.
—John Milton
Topics: Marriage
Mutual love, the crown of all our bliss.
—John Milton
Topics: Love
When lust, by unchaste looks, loose gestures, and foul talk, but most by lewd and lavish acts of sin, lets in defilement to the inward parts, the soul grows clotted by contagion, embodies and imbrutes till she quite lose the divine property of her first being.
—John Milton
The evening star, love’s harbinger, appeared.
—John Milton
Topics: Stars
Revenge, at first though sweet, Bitter ere long back on itself recoils.
—John Milton
Topics: Revenge
The spirit of man, which God inspired, cannot together perish with this corporeal clod.
—John Milton
Topics: Immortality
A crown, golden in show, is but a wreath of thorns; brings danger, troubles, cares, and sleepless nights, to him who wears a regal diadem.
—John Milton
Topics: Leadership, Kings, Leaders
But peace! I must not quarrel with the will of highest dispensation, which, haply, hath ends above my reach to know.
—John Milton
A short retirement urges a sweet return.
—John Milton
Topics: Retirement
Good, the more communicated, more abundant grows.
—John Milton
Topics: Communication
A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believe things only because his pastor says so, or the assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy.
—John Milton
Topics: Belief
Where liberty dwells, there is my country.
—John Milton
Topics: Liberty
Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth unseen, both when we sleep and when we wake.
—John Milton
Topics: Angels
None can love freedom heartily but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license.
—John Milton
Topics: Freedom
How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, stolen on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
—John Milton
Topics: Youth, Time Management, Age, Aging
Evil news rides post, while good news bates.
—John Milton
Topics: News
Bacchus, that first from out the purple grape Crushed the sweet poison of misused wine.
—John Milton
Topics: Wine
Fear of change perplexes monarchs.
—John Milton
Topics: Change
When night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
—John Milton
Topics: Alcoholism, Wine, Alcohol
Here at last
We shall be free;
the Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:
Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.
—John Milton
Topics: Death
Luck is the residue of design.
—John Milton
Topics: Fortune, Luck
The wife when danger or dishonor lurks, safest and seemliest by her husband stays, who guards her, or with her the worst endures.
—John Milton
Topics: Wife
Laws can discover sin, but not remove it.
—John Milton
Topics: Law
And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.
—John Milton
Topics: Revenge
Fame is no plant that grows on mortal soil.
—John Milton
Topics: Fame
For neither man nor angel can discern
Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks
Invisible, except to God alone,
By his permissive will, through heav’n and earth.
—John Milton
Topics: Hypocrisy
From man or angel the great Architect did wisely to conceal, and not divulge his secrets to be scanned by them who ought rather admire; or if they list to try conjecture, he his fabric of the heavens left to their disputes, perhaps to move his laughter at their quaint opinions wide hereafter, when they come to model heaven calculate the stars, how they will wield the mighty frame, how build, unbuild, contrive to save appearances, how gird the sphere with centric and eccentric scribbled o’er, and epicycle, orb in orb.
—John Milton
Topics: Scientists, Science
Sole partner, and sole part of all my joys, dearer thyself than all.
—John Milton
Topics: Wife
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