John Milton

John Milton
1608–1674

John Milton

Title page of the first edition (1668)
Milton began writing the epic in 1658,
During the last years of the English
Republic. The infighting among
Different military and political
fractions that doomed the Republic
may show up in the Council of Hell
scenes in Book II.
Although he probably finished the
Work by 1664, Milton did not publish
till 1667 on account of the
Great Plague and the Great Fire.

Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell
The reason Milton wrote in
fetters when he wrote of
Angels & God, and at liberty
when of Devils & Hell, is
because he was a true Poet,
and of the Devil's party
without knowing it.
1790-93

А.С. Пушкин
«Мильтон говорит, что адское пламя давало только различать вечную тьму преисподней... Мы находим эти выражения смелыми, ибо они сильно и необыкновенно передают нам ясную мысль и поэтические картины»

Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret Top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That shepherd who first taught the chosen seed
In the beginning how the heavens and Earth
Rose out of Chaos

Перевод Арк. Штейнберга
О первом преслушанье, о плоде
Запретном, пагубном, что смерть принес
И все невзгоды наши в этот мир,
Людей лишил Эдема, до поры,
Когда нас Величайший Человек Восставил,
Рай блаженный нам вернул,
Пой, Муза горняя! Сойди с вершин
Таинственных Синая иль Хорива,
Где был тобою пастырь вдохновлен,
Начально поучавший свой народ
Возникновенью Неба и Земли
Из Хаоса;

Book I
Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
That comes at all.
lines 65-67

Дабы явить глазам кромешный мрак, Юдоль печали, царство горя, край,
Где мира и покоя нет, куда Надежде, близкой всем, заказан путь,

Book I
A mind not to be changed by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n.
lines 253-55

Book I
… Here at least
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.
lines 258-63

Book II
Long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to Light.
lines 432-33

Book II
With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,
Confusion worse confounded.
lines 995-996

Book IV
So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear,
Farewell remorse; all good to me is lost.
Evil, be thou my good.
lines 108-110

Book IV
So spake the Fiend, and with necessity,
The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish deeds.
lines 393-394

Book V
Freely we serve,
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not; in this we stand or fall.
lines 538-540

Book VIII
To know
That which before us lies in daily life
Is the prime wisdom.
lines 192-194

Book IX
For solitude sometimes is best society,
And short retirement urges sweet return.
lines 249-250

Book XI
For now I see
Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste.
lines 783-784