Oh the irony of it!

Paradise Lost Book 9, Line 168-169

“But what will not Ambition and Revenge
Descend to? who aspires must down as low
As high he soard…”

A couple of years in a row, I got to take part in a public reading of Paradise Lost. Reading from Book 9 was always my favorite because it contains a fantastic speech by Satan. The way he reasons through his predicament relative to God and what has happened really follows quite well the coils of a snake. Absolute genius! Ah, Milton…you’re my favorite “Lady of Cambridge”! ;)

In honor of Milton's birthday:

selfdoubt:

An excerpt from Paradise Lost, Book 1:

Thus Satan talking to his neerest Mate
With Head up-lift above the wave, and Eyes
That sparkling blaz’d, his other Parts besides
Prone on the Flood, extended long and large [ 195 ]
Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge
As whom the Fables name of monstrous size,
….
So stretcht out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay
Chain’d on the burning Lake, nor ever thence [ 210 ]
Had ris’n or heav’d his head, but that the will
And high permission of all-ruling Heaven
Left him at large to his own dark designs,
That with reiterated crimes he might
Heap on himself damnation, while he sought [ 215 ]
Evil to others, and enrag’d might see
How all his malice serv’d but to bring forth
Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shewn
On Man by him seduc’t, but on himself
Treble confusion, wrath and vengeance pour’d. [ 220 ]
Forthwith upright he rears from off the Pool
His mighty Stature; on each hand the flames
Drivn backward slope thir pointing spires, and rowld
In billows, leave i’th’ midst a horrid Vale.
Then with expanded wings he stears his flight [ 225 ]
Aloft, incumbent on the dusky Air
That felt unusual weight, till on dry Land
He lights, if it were Land that ever burn’d
With solid, as the Lake with liquid fire.

Still gives me shivers.