Skip to content

John Milton Quotes

1608–1674 England

John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval, and is most famous for his epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), written in blank verse.

England
Essayists
Philosophers
Poets
Theologians

Also known as: Milton, Milton, John, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce

Random John Milton quote

502 quotes

Nor think thou with wind
Of æry threats to awe whom yet with deeds
Thou canst not.

For contemplation he and valor formed,
For softness she and sweet attractive grace.

He's gone, and who knows how he may report
Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Samson Agonistes (1671)

He's gone, and who knows how may he report
Thy words by adding fuel to the flame?

Samson Agonistes (1671)

Morn,
Wak'd by the circling hours, with rosy hand
Unbarr'd the gates of light.

For solitude sometimes is best society,
And short retirement urges sweet return.

Subdue
By force, who reason for their law refuse,
Right reason for their law.

What boots it at one gate to make defence,
And at another to let in the foe?

Samson Agonistes (1671)

Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence.

Sweet is the breath of morn, her rising sweet,
With charm of earliest birds.

Law can discover sin, but not remove,
Save by those shadowy expiations weak.

But his zeal
None seconded, as out of season judged,
Or singular and rash.

Wakes the bitter memory
Of what he was, what is, and what must be
Worse.

On a sudden open fly
With impetuous recoil and jarring sound
Th' infernal doors, and on their hinges grate
Harsh thunder.

They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet
Quaff immortality and joy.

Revenge, at first though sweet,
Bitter ere long back on itself recoils.

Though his tongue
Dropp'd manna, and could make the worse appear
The better reason, to perplex and dash
Maturest counsels.

And to thy husband's will
Thine shall submit; he over thee shall rule.

Or arm th' obdured breast
With stubborn patience as with triple steel.

For Solomon, he lived at ease, and full
Of honour, wealth, high fare, aimed not beyond
Higher design than to enjoy his state.

Paradise Regained (1671)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: John Milton (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.