The Complete Poetry of John Milton (63 page)
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Authors: John Milton
Tags: #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #Poetry, #European
790
Reduc’d thir shapes immense, and were at large,
Though without number still amidst the Hall
Of that infernal Court. But far within
And in thir own dimensions like themselves
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim
795
In close recess and secret conclave sat
A thousand Demy-Gods on golden seats,
Frequent
89
and full. After short silence then
And summons read, the great consult began.
1
The ten books of the epic in the 1667 edition became twelve in the second edition (1674) by the division of VII into VII and VIII, and of X into XI and XII. The early books (I, II, IV) emphasize the nature of the fall from grace and the nature of evil; the means of regaining grace is expounded in III, in Raphael’s discussion of free will and the revolt of Satan in V, and in the war in heaven in VI. At first evil seems to dominate (a strong cause for the former critical judgment of Satan as hero), but the victory over Satan counsels Man against the “terrible Example … of disobedience” (VI, 910-11). The later books relate the actual fall of Adam and Eve and its consequences for Man and his history thereafter. The poem, beginning classically in the middle of the action, goes both forward and backward, Raphael bringing the action up to date and Michael foretelling the future. The dramatic climax occurs with the defeat of the rebellious angels in the War in Heaven; see VI, 762, and n. The poem ascends and descends repeatedly, the first fall (of Satan and his cohorts) occurring in Heaven, and the second fall (of Adam and Eve) occurring on Earth. But the latter as a
felix culpa
allows for ascent.
The “message” of the epic is that true freedom lies in obedience—and obedience is not bondage. Man has free will to choose although his choices may be limited. Obedience requires faith in God and God’s omniscience. The fall has thus been considered “fortunate” since it points to the need for obedience to God’s will.
The universe depicted by Milton is complex and reflects the astronomical theories of his age, including four of the most important ones (compare VIII, 12-168). Basically, however, the created universe with earth as center consists of ten spheres: those of the seven planets and the fixed stars, the Crystalline Sphere, and the outermost primum mobile. Surrounding the universe is boundless Chaos (II, 890-967), in which is found Hell (II, 570-628). The middle layer of air (frequently referred to), which lies between earth and the first sphere of the moon, is the region in which clouds, winds, rains, snow, thunder, etc., are generated.
The poem, a compendium of the scientific, metaphysical, political, moral, and theological doctrines of the times, adheres to the theory of accommodation: because actual knowledge of God is beyond the comprehension of man, He “accommodates” or adjusts what He reveals to the limited, finite understanding of mankind and to the inadequacies of human vocabulary. He conveys His truths in words, images, parables, etc., which are accurate and complete to the extent that human intellect is capable of grasping them. The Bible, as the foremost revelation of God, is cited throughout for its “types” or “shadows” of God, God’s acts and will, and God’s accommodation. The most significant references to the Bible are given.
2
e.g., Trissino and Tasso.
3
identified as Gaoncalo Perez (translator of the
Odyssey
, 1550) and Juan de Jáuregni (translator of Tasso’s
Aminta
, c. 1607) by Carl W. Cobb in
PQ
, XLII (1963), 264-67. The introduction to
Aminta
defended the use of blank verse.
4
that is, true musical delight.
5
playing on its derivation from
mors
(“death”).
6
Christ.
7
Urania, but see VII, 1, and n.
8
Moses.
9
a reference to David as King.
10
the temple in Jerusalem, the site of divine revelation. John ix. 7: As Jesus heals the blind man, he says, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.… He went his way therefore, and came seeing.”
11
Compare
Orlando Furioso
, I, ii, 2.
12
a mountain sacred to the muses: probably Mount Parnassus; see
El. 4
, n. 10. Milton is going to soar above the level of Nature and the pagan muses to treat revealed truths.
13
Compare Ps. xv. 1-2 and 1 Cor. iii. 16.
14
Compare Matt. iii. 16, Mark i. 10, Luke iii. 22, and John i. 2.
15
The lines equate the concept of the fortunate fall: out of the abyss of darkness (and evil) the Spirit of God (the dove being an emblem of the Holy Spirit) creates the universe, but what is more important, other dove-like beings, Man. “Brooding” means producing young (see
Nativity Ode
, n. 13), with, however, a glance here at the sad way in which such creatures must be produced. Compare VII, 233-35. In the background is the myth that Chaos and Night were the parents of Day.
16
Compare the Titans in Hesiod’s
Theogony
, 720 ff.
17
perhaps a noun meaning “range of sight.”
18
The distance between hell and heaven is three times that between earth and the primum mobile, or outermost sphere.
19
literally, “adversary.” “Beelzebub” means “god of flies.”
20
Isa. xiv. 12: “How art thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”
21
meaning that they were uncertain of the outcome, but also that any battle with God is futile.
22
Note throughout the choice of words assigned to Satan: they ascribe his own evil motives and actions to others, here to God.
23
feared for.
24
one of the orders of angels, but Milton uses the names of those orders to signify all the angels.
25
overthrown.
26
the goddess Earth, whose sons, including hundred-armed Briareus, were giants. Typhon was a giant with a hundred heads. The assault on Jove (see
Nov.
5, n. 19) is a “type” of the rebellion against God.
27
a whale-like monster, often called a serpent and identified with Satan.
28
being antithetical to truth, mercy, and justice dispensed to man.
29
form, appearance.
30
a promontory of Sicily near Mt. Etna, whose eruption is described; compare
Nov.
5, 31–39, and n. 5.
31
refined.
32
Lethe, infernal river of forgetfulness.
33
Galileo, who lived in Fiesole above the valley of the Arno.
34
the flagship of a fleet.
35
near Florence.
36
the equatorial constellation associated with winter storms. Busiris, an Egyptian king who persecuted foreigners, was mistakenly identified with Pharaoh who pursued the Israelites across the Red Sea.
37
Moses; see Exod. x. 12-15.
38
moving forward.
39
Rhine or the Danube.
40
The Vandals invaded Spain and thence North Africa.
41
Rev. iii. 5: “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life.”
42
literally, “king”; see
Nativity Ode
, n. 43. He was worshipped by the Ammonites.
43
the Mount of Olives (2 Kings xxiii. 13); called also “that Hill of scandal” (l. 416).
44
the god of the Moabites, whose lands are cited in the following lines.
45
Sihon’s.
46
the Dead Sea.
47
the Besor.
48
plural forms of the Phoenician male and female chief gods.
49
Solomon.
50
identified with Adonis; see
Nativity Ode
, n. 43.
51
See Ezek. viii. 13-14.
52
threshold.
53
god of the Philistines, whose chief cities are listed; see
Nativity Ode
, n. 43.
54
Naaman; see 2 Kings v.
55
See
Nativity Ode
, n. 43.
56
identified with the Egyptian Apis, a sacred bull.
57
Jeroboam; see 1 Kings xii. 25-33.
58
See Exod. xii. 29.
59
The name means worthlessness.
60
See 1 Sam. ii. 12-17.
61
See Judges xix. 22-28.
62
Ion, his issue being the Ionian Greeks, but identified with Japheth’s son.
63
that is, faith was placed in them.
64
the eldest Titan; his brother Saturn seized his inheritance.
65
Mt. Parnassus.
60
the Adriatic, then the western lands (Italy, France, the British Isles).
67
the area ruled by Chaos and Erebus.
68
“that Pigmean Race Beyond the
Indian
Mount” (ll. 780-81); see
Iliad
, III, 1-5, for the battle, and Pliny (VII, vii) for the pygmies’ abode.
69
Arthur.
70
of Brittany.
71
References are scenes in romantic epics: one called
Aspramont, Orlando Furioso
(among others), Marino’s
Il Collvandro Fedele
, and the
Song of Roland.
72
punished.
73
outcome.
74
Satan misrepresents: both Death (II, 692) and Raphael (V, 710) tell us it was a third.
75
rumor.
76
literally, “wealth.”
77
capital of the tyrant Nimrod, which is compared with the pyramids.
78
the Pyramids.
79
embossed.
80
Memphis, near modern Cairo.
81
Baal or Osiris.
82
Italian.
83
Vulcan, whose fall is recounted in
Iliad
, I, 588-95.
84
The ambiguous meaning “midnight” (compare
Il Penseroso
, 67-68) lurks in the background with its evil connotations.
85
“all the spirits” and then pejoratively “all the demons.”
86
pagan, Mohammedan.
87
the Zodiacal sign for Apr. 20–May 20.
88
walk about.
89
crowded.
THE ARGUMENT
The Consultation begun,
Satan
debates whether another Battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: some advise it, others dissuade: A third proposal is prefer’d, mention’d before by
Satan
, to search the truth of that Prophesie or Tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferiour to themselves, about this time to be created: Thir doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search:
Satan
thir chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honourd and applauded. The Councel thus ended, the rest betake them several wayes and to several imployments, as thir inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till
Satan
return. He passes on his Journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at length they are op’n’d, and discover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by
Chaos
, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new World which he sought.
High on a Throne of Royal State, which far
Outshon the wealth of
Ormus
1
and of
Ind
,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showrs on her Kings
Barbaric
Pearl and Gold,
2
5
Satan exalted sat, by merit rais’d
To that bad eminence; and from despair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires
Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue
Vain Warr with Heav’n, and by success untaught
10
His proud imaginations thus displaid.
Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav’n,
For since no deep within her gulf can hold
Immortal vigor, though opprest and fall’n,
I give not Heav’n for lost. From this descent
15
Celestial vertues rising, will appear
More glorious and more dread then from no fall,
And trust themselves to fear no second fate:
Mee though just right, and the fixt Laws of Heav’n
Did first create your Leader, next, free choice,