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John Milton Quotes

Poet

John Milton, born on December 9, 1608, in London, and died on November 8, 1674, was a renowned English poet and scholar. He is best known for his epic poem 'Paradise Lost,' which has had a profound impact on world literature.

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All Men Paradise Lost Book 9 Paradise Lost Book 2 May Heaven Ifs Paradise Lost Book 1 Light Thee Virtue Night Knows Love World Hell Evil Eye Mind Earth Life

Famous John Milton Quotes

“There swift return Diurnal, merely to officiate light Round this opacous earth, this punctual spot.”

Light Earth Return Rounds Spots Punctual

Book:The Poetical Works of John Milton: With Notes of Various Authors; and with Some Account of the Life and Writings of Milton, Derived Principally from Original Documents in Her Majesty's State-paper Office

Source: The Poetical Works of John Milton: With Notes of Various Authors; and with Some Account of the Life and Writings of Milton, Derived Principally from Original Documents in Her Majesty's State-paper Office

“Anon out of the earth a fabric huge Rose, like an exhalation.”

Earth Huge Rose Fabric Paradise Lost Book 9 Paradise Lost Book 1 Anon

Author:John Milton

“What if Earth be but the shadow of Heaven and things therein - each other like, more than on Earth is thought?”

Ifs Earth Heaven Shadow What If

Author:John Milton

“These are thy glorious works Parent of Good, Almighty, thine this universal Frame, Thus wondrous fair; thy self how wondrous then! Unspeakable, who sitst above these Heavens To us invisible or dimly seen In these thy lowest works, yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and Power Divine: Speak ye who best can tell, ye Sons of light, Angels, for ye behold him, and with songs And choral symphonies, Day without Night, Circle his Throne rejoicing, ye in Heav'n, On Earth join all ye Creatures to extoll Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.”

“But now my task is smoothly done, I can fly, or I can run Quickly to the green earth's end, Where the bow'd welkin slow doth bend, And from thence can soar as soon To the corners of the Moon.”

I Can Ends Done Running Earth Moon Tasks Green Corners Bows Soar Green Earth

Author:John Milton

“O why did God, Creator wise, that peopled highest heav'n With Spirits masculine, create at last This novelty on earth, this fair defect Of nature, and not fill the world at once With men as angels without feminine, Or find some other way to generate Mankind?”

Men World Way Earth Lasts Spirit Wise Mankind Highest Angel Fairs Creator Feminine Defects Masculine Novelty

Author:John Milton

“And the earth self-balanced on her centre hung.”

Self Earth Balanced Hung Centre

Author:John Milton

“The earth, though in comparison of heaven so small, nor glistering, may of solid good contain more plenty than the sun, that barren shines.”

May Earth Heaven Sun Shining Plenty Comparison Barren

Book:The Poetical Works, of John Milton: With a Memoir and Seven Embellishments

Source: The Poetical Works, of John Milton: With a Memoir and Seven Embellishments

“Wherefore did Nature pour her bounties forth With such a full and unwithdrawing hand, Covering the earth with odours, fruits, flocks, Thronging the seas with spawn innumerable, But all to please and sate the curious taste?”

Hands Earth Nature Sea Please Taste Fruit Curious Covering Flocks Bounty Spawn

Book:The Major Works

Source: The Major Works

“My mansion is, where those immortal shapes Of bright aerial spirits live insphered In regions mild of calm and serene air, Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot Which men call Earth.”

Men Earth Spirit Air Shapes Calm Flight Spots Smoke Aviation Regions Immortal Serene Mansions

Author:John Milton

“But peaceful was the night Wherein the Prince of Light His reign of peace upon the earth began.”

Light Earth Night Peace Peaceful Reign

Author:John Milton

“O shame to men! Devil with devil damned Firm concord holds, men only disagree Of creatures rational, though under hope Of heavenly grace: and God proclaiming peace, Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife Among themselves, and levy cruel wars, Wasting the earth, each other to destroy: As if (which might induce us to accord) Man had not hellish foes enough besides, That day and night for his destruction wait.”

Source: Paradise Lost (Kastan Edition)

“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.”

Years Earth Heaven Nature Air Spring Seasons Calm Riches Pleasant Injury Rejoice Heaven And Earth Nature Beauty Nature And Beauty

Author:John Milton

“This having learnt, thou hast attained the sum Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the stars Thou knew'st by name, and all th'ethereal powers, All secrets of the deep, all nature's works, Or works of God in heav'n, air, earth, or sea, And all the riches of this world enjoy'dst, And all the rule, one empire; onlyadd Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add faith, Add virtue, patience, temperance, add love, By name to come called charity, the soul Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A paradise within thee, happier far.”

World Soul Earth Names Stars Enjoy Secret Virtue Air Sea This World Higher Patience Add Charity Deeds Riches Thee Paradise Empires Temperance Ethereal

Author:John Milton

“How gladly would I meet mortality, my sentence, and be earth in sensible! How glad would lay me down, as in my mother's lap! There I should rest, and sleep secure.”

Should Earth Death Mother Sleep Dying Lays Sentences Glad Secure Mortality Sensible Lap Gladness Rest And Sleep

Author:John Milton

“What call thou solitude? Is not the earth with various living creatures, and the air replenished, and all these at thy command to come and play before thee?”

Play Earth Air Solitude Creatures Various Command Thee Living Creatures

Book:The poetical works of John Milton, ed. with a critical memoir by W.M. Rossetti

Source: The poetical works of John Milton, ed. with a critical memoir by W.M. Rossetti

“Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter.”

Play Truth Earth Strength Fields Wind Truth Is Doctrine Encounters Falsehood Licensing

Author:John Milton

“Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat, Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe That all was lost.”

Earth Lost Felt Losing Wounds Seats Woe Paradise Lost Book 9 Paradise Lost Book 1

Author:John Milton

“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.”

Source: Milton's Paradise Lost: With Copious Notes, Explanatory and Critical, Partly Selected from Addison, Bentley, Bowle ... [et Al.] and Partly Original

“Son of Heav'n and Earth, Attend: that thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continuest such, owe to thyself, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.”

Art Earth Happiness Son Obedience Thyself

Book:The First Six Books of Milton's Paradise Lost, Rendered Into Grammatical Construction ... With Notes ... To which are Prefixed Remarks on Ellipsis and Transposition ... By J. Buchanan

Source: The First Six Books of Milton's Paradise Lost, Rendered Into Grammatical Construction ... With Notes ... To which are Prefixed Remarks on Ellipsis and Transposition ... By J. Buchanan

“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.”

Light Earth Sleep Steps Pure Customs Adam Pearls Eastern Advancing Digestion Rosy Good Digestion

Book:The Poetical Works of John Milton

Source: The Poetical Works of John Milton

“Above the smoke and stir of this dim spot Which men call earth.”

Men Earth Spots Smoke

Author:John Milton

“Can any mortal mixture of earth's mould Breathe such divine enchanting ravishment?”

Earth Divine Breathe Mortals Divinity Mixtures Mould Enchanting

Author:John Milton

“If this fail, The pillar'd firmament is rottenness, And earth's base built on stubble.”

Ifs Earth Failing Failure Built Pillars Firmament

Book:Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634, Before the Earl of Bridgewater ...

Source: Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634, Before the Earl of Bridgewater ...