Paradise Lost (Book 1) - John Milton
/Paradise Lost (Book 1) - John Milton/
A Cosmic Struggle of Epic Rebellion and Divine Justice
NOTE: "Paradise Lost" is in the public domain; however, Book 1 alone spans nearly 800 lines. Below is a substantial excerpt of the opening lines, presented line by line in HTML format with “Original (English)” followed by “English” (both are the same text, since the poem was written in English). Due to character limitations, this is only a partial rendering of Book 1.
Original (English): Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
English: Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
Original (English): Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
English: Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Original (English): Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
English: Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
Original (English): With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
English: With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Original (English): Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
English: Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Original (English): Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top
English: Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top
Original (English): Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
English: Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
Original (English): That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed
English: That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed
Original (English): In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth
English: In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth
Original (English): Rose out of Chaos: Or if Sion hill
English: Rose out of Chaos: Or if Sion hill
Original (English): Delight thee more, and Siloa’s brook that flow’d
English: Delight thee more, and Siloa’s brook that flow’d
Original (English): Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence
English: Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence
Original (English): Invoke thy aid to my advent’rous Song,
English: Invoke thy aid to my advent’rous Song,
Original (English): That with no middle flight intends to soar
English: That with no middle flight intends to soar
Original (English): Above th’ Aonian mount, while it pursues
English: Above th’ Aonian mount, while it pursues
Original (English): Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.
English: Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.
Original (English): And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
English: And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
Original (English): Before all Temples th’ upright heart and pure,
English: Before all Temples th’ upright heart and pure,
Original (English): Instruct me, for thou know’st; thou from the first
English: Instruct me, for thou know’st; thou from the first
Original (English): Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
English: Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
Original (English): Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss
English: Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss
Original (English): And mad’st it pregnant: What in me is dark
English: And mad’st it pregnant: What in me is dark
Original (English): Illumine, what is low raise and support;
English: Illumine, what is low raise and support;
Original (English): That to the highth of this great Argument
English: That to the highth of this great Argument
Original (English): I may assert th’ Eternal Providence,
English: I may assert th’ Eternal Providence,
Original (English): And justify the ways of God to men.
English: And justify the ways of God to men.
... [Excerpt truncated due to length constraints] ...
For the complete text of “Paradise Lost (Book 1),” please refer to a public-domain source.
John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” is a grandiose epic poem first published in 1667, and Book 1 sets the stage for the entire narrative. It begins with the famous invocation to the Heavenly Muse, where Milton calls upon divine guidance to aid him in the lofty task of explaining humankind’s fall and justifying God’s ways. We encounter Satan and his fallen angels, newly cast out of Heaven, as they gather in the fiery abyss of Hell.
In Book 1, Satan, once the highest of angels, defies the Almighty by choosing pride and rebellion. Though defeated, he remains resolute, proclaiming his unconquered will amid torment and seeking to continue his opposition to Heaven. Milton’s verse deftly mingles classical epic conventions—invocations, grand speeches, and mythic scale—with Christian theology. He portrays Satan with a complexity that later critics have found fascinating; though a cosmic villain, Satan’s rhetoric and indomitable spirit have often been read with a certain dark allure.
Throughout the opening scenes, Milton’s language shifts from the sublime to the infernal. Vivid images of cosmic architecture—Heaven’s shimmering battlements and the volcanic lake of fire—lend a colossal backdrop to this spiritual conflict. Although the epic immediately focuses on Satan, the poem’s deeper purpose is to trace how humanity is ensnared in a struggle that began in the celestial realm. By dedicating Book 1 to describing the origins and aftermath of Satan’s fall, Milton highlights the potent clash between divine justice and rebellious ambition.
Overall, Book 1 introduces the principal actors and sets forth the moral and theological stakes. Milton’s unique marriage of biblical narrative, Renaissance learning, and Homeric style proclaims from the outset that “Paradise Lost” is an epic unlike any other—one that interrogates the nature of disobedience, free will, and the inscrutable sovereignty of God.
Key points
1) Book 1 reveals Satan’s defiance and the aftermath of his expulsion from Heaven. 2) Milton merges classical epic tradition with Christian theology in grand, resonant lines. 3) The moral tension centers on pride, free will, and divine justice. 4) Despite Satan’s role as antagonist, Milton grants him a complex, at times awe-inspiring, portrayal.