Quotes from John Milton

Here at last 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.

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

To be weak is miserable, Doing or suffering.

Thou art my father, thou my author, thou my being gav'st me; whom should I obey but thee, whom follow?

The childhood shows the man, As morning shows the day.

So shall the world go on, To good malignant, to bad men benign, Under her own weight groaning.

Then wilt thou not be loath To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess A Paradise within thee, happier far.

The mind is its own place, and in itself / Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven. / What matter where, if I be still the same...

The goal of all learning is to repair the ruin of our first parents.

Consider first, that great or bright infers not excellence.

Till old experience do attain To something like prophetic strain.

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

O welcome pure-eyed Faith, white handed Hope, Thou hovering angel girt with golden wings.

So spake the seraph Abdiel, faithful found; Among the faithless, faithful only he.

Immortal amarant, a flower which once In paradise, fast by the tree of life, Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows, And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life, And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven Rolls o'er elysian flowers her amber stream: With these that never fade the spirits elect Bind their resplendent locks.

but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself

And, when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.

Wild above rule or art, enormous bliss.

Even the demons are encouraged when their chief is not lost in loss itself.

Heaven is for thee too high To know what passes there; be lowly wise. Think only what concerns thee and thy being; Dream not of other worlds, what creatures there Live, in what state, condition, or degree, Contented that thus far hath been revealed.

Still paying, still to owe. Eternal woe!

One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight, beyond the bliss of dreams.

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.

The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveler.