Paradise Lost

by John Milton

As my will Concurred not to my being, it were but right

And equal to reduce me t...

How gladly would I meet Mortality my sentence, and be earth Insensible!

Can he make deathless death?

O Conscience! into what abyss of fears And horrors hast thou driven me;

Reluctance against God and his just yoke Laid on our necks.

which we thought Was meant by death that day;

Is death fear of loss? If so, at losing Paradise, death truly was introduces that day; and now, at having lost once already, they fear now non-existence where before they had model or knowledge to.

pitying while he judged;

And what may else be remedy or cure To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought,

Sinning against God for wisdom they are punished and, with wisdom, have the ability to cure the wound given as punishment. They are able to take care of themselves and not be totally dependent on God.

both confessed Humbly their faults,

Taking responsibility of their souls.

sent from hearts contrite, in sign Of sorrow unfeigned, and humiliation meek.

Dimensionless

all his works on me, Good, or not good, ingraft; my merit those Shall perfect,

Life itself, in simplicity, we worship and submit to. Doing so is everything enough and completely satisfactory.

Made one with me, as I with thee am one.”

Acceptance of death; overcoming fear of death. Drops in the river.

Till I provided death:

Reminder that Satan was part of the plan.

Tried in sharp tribulation, and refined By faith and faithful works,

Angels

Perhaps the fruit was meant to tempt them and expose the desire to become greater than God, which desire was expressed by Satan.

By the waters of life,

they sat In fellowships of joy,

Reach also of the tree of life,

Immortal scientists.

this had been Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread All generations; and had hither come

From all the ends of the earth, to celebrate And reverence thee, their great progenitor.

Yet doubt not but in valley, and in plain, God is, as here; and will be found alike Present; and of his presence many a sign Still following thee, still compassing thee round With goodness and paternal love, his face Express, and of his steps the track divine.

what shall come

A summary of mortal life?

learn True patience,

Before eating the fruit, they were perhaps patient but were not learned in patience. Patience was but an instinct. Knowing evil as well as good they have the option to be patient or not. It is no longer instinctual.

equally inured By moderation either state to bear,

best prepared endure Thy mortal passage when it comes.

And from the well of life three drops instilled.

Why is life given To be thus wrested from us?

To serve ungoverned Appetite;

Chaos?

His image whom they served,

It is natural to serve God.

but their own;

The goal is to be part of the One with God. Satan wanted all to be Gods.

till, like ripe fruit, thou drop Into thy mother’s lap;

“Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou livest Live well; how long, or short, permit to Heaven:

by their guise Just men they seemed,

Man has the ability to appear differently than he is.

conformity divine.

Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit Taught them; but they his gifts acknowledged none.

whose lives Religious titled them the sons of God,

and now swim in joy, Erelong to swim at large;

might only shall be admired, And valour and heroic virtue called;

Destroyers rightlier called, and plagues of men. Thus fame shall be achieved, renown on earth; And what most merits fame, in silence hid.

acts of prowess eminent And great exploits, but of true virtue void;

Against allurement, custom, and a world Offended: fearless of reproach and scorn, Or violence, he of their wicked ways Shall them admonish;

To teach thee that God attributes to place No sanctity, if none be thither brought By men who there frequent, or therein dwell.

Of proud ambitious heart;

rebellion

Though of rebellion others he accuse.

Hypocrisy is inevitable in those who claim to be the exclusive One.

And get themselves a name;

to rase Quite out their native language;

The goal of Man is to Ascend, to come closer to God, to sanctify ourselves in divine conformity with justice, truth, and reason to find joy with God. These men who built the tower misunderstood the meaning of that language; and so their speech was reset, just as the world of wickedness was reset.

to himself assuming Authority usurped,