appears more important than that in Homer, ver. 503, &c. : Κηρυκες δ' άρα λαόν ερητύον, οἱ δε γέροντες 614. Bentley, in place of "for" would read ev'n. Pearce thinks "for" introduces a proof of their acknowledging none of their Maker's gifts, and that the construction of 616 is "yet were empty," &c. Newton says "the construction is 'thou saw'st that fair female troop that seemed,' &c. which is a sufficient proof of the posterity of Cain begetting a beauteous offspring." This explanation is adopted by Todd: but I cannot see its propriety. Does it mean that they would beget a beauteous offspring, because he saw them; or because he saw them to be fair? (He does not explain the force or application of "for"); either sense is not satisfactory. According to the explanation of Pearce, we must take the preceding line parenthetically. In my opinion this is a specimen of Greek construction, where the subject of a clause is used elliptically, and is governed by a preposition understood, Kara; thus here, "for as to that fair female troop, whom thou saw'st, that seemed of goddesses so fair (in the style of goddesses)-to these," &c. Sometimes, in Greek, the nominative is used without its verb, the structure of the sentence being changed, and the next clause referring to it and explaining it. Sometimes the accusative, in this way; however the peculiarity here and elsewhere in English poetry, can be accommodated to either Greek mode. this there is a striking example, 694, "He, whom thou beheld'st-him the Most High did receive." Of 620. Troll the tongue." Todd thinks the word "troll," here, is used in a satirical sense, applicable to the voluble or affected tongue of these fair atheists. See note on iii. 463. 642. Emprise." An old word, the same as enterprise. 660. "Sceptered heralds." ETTOVXOL Kпрukes. Hom. 661. "To council in the city gates." For there assemblies were anciently held, and judges used to sit. Gen. xxxiv. 20; Deut. xvi. 18; xxi. 19; Zech. viii. 16.(N.) 665. Enoch, said to be of the middle age, because he was translated to heaven, when he was but 365 years old; a middle age at that time (Gen. v. 23). He remonstrated against the wickedness of mankind, and denounced the heavy judgment of God against them, Jude 14. See ver. 704.-(R., N.) "Who of themselves abhor to join," i. e. the good with the good; the bad with the bad. 687. As there are two interpretations of the word "giants," (Gen. vi. 4.) some conceiving them to have been men of great stature; others, tyrants and robbers; Milton includes both.-(N.) 689. The poet here gives the original meaning of virtus, "virtue," before it came, in the progress of civilization, to be taken in a moral sense. 694, 695. "And for glory done of triumph." Newton says, "this is one of the most difficult passages." Bentley proposes, "For glory won, or triumph." Pearce approves of changing "done" into won, but not of "of" into or. Newton thus explains the passage, "To overcome, to spoil, shall be the highest pitch of glory, and shall be done for glory of triumph, i. e. shall be achieved for that end and purpose, to be styled great conquerors," &c. Stillingfleet observes, that the construction is, "to overcome in battle, &c. shall be held the highest pitch of glory, i. e. of glorious decds, and of triumph, for that glory done, i. e. for those glorious deeds done." This, I think, the meaning of the passage. Let the passage be printed thus, and it will be quite clear: "Shall be held the highest pitch Of human glory, and (for glory done) Of triumph, to be held great conquerors." "For glory done," means, on account of glory achieved. 711. The construction is remarkable; "which" is not governed by the next verb, but by the last.-(N.) See note on v. 369. 723. "Triumphs," here, means processions. Newton says that the account of Noah's preaching is founded chiefly on 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20, and of his removing to a distant country, when he found his preaching ineffectual, on Josephus, Antiq. i. 3. 730. See Gen. vi. 14, &c. A cubit is a foot and a half.—(N.) 732 "Laid in large," largely; the adjective used adverbially, as he often does, in imitation of the Latins. 735. "Sevens of clean creatures, and airs of unclean," Gen. vii.-(N.) 738. Addison and Newton have noticed the superiority of the English poet to Ovid, in the description of the Deluge, in condensation and chasteness of imagery. Homer, who is supposed by Eustathius to have alluded to the Mosaic account in the following fine verses, appears to have escaped their notice, Il. xvi. 384: Ως δ' ύπο λαίλαπι πασα κελαινη βεβριθε χθων Ηματ' οπωρίνω, ότε λαβρότατον χεει ύδωρ Ζευς, ότε δη μ' ανδρεσσι κοτεσσάμενος χαλεπηνῃ, of Bin ειν αγόρῃ σκολίας κρίνωσι θέμιστας, Εκ δε δίκην ελάσωσι, θεων όπιν ουκ αλέγοντες. Των δε τε παντες μεν ποταμοι πλήθουσι ρέοντες, Πολλας δε κλιτύς τότ' αποτμητουσι χαραδροι Ες δ' άλα πορφυρέην μεγαλα στενάχουσι ρέουσαι Εξ ορέων επι καρ' μινυθεί δε τε έργ' ανθρώπων. (T.) 750-752. Lycophron, Cassandra, ver. 83: Φαλαί τε, και δελφίνες, αι τ' επ' αρσένων Φέρβοντο φωκαι λέκτρα θουρώσαι βρώτων. Compare Isaiah xiii. 22.-(T.) 760. Homer compares the grief of Achilles to that of a father, Il. xxiii. 222. See Jer. xxxi. 15, &c.-(Cal., D.) 763. As Tiresias exclaims, Sophocl. Ed. Tyran. 324: Φεν φευ φρονειν ὡς δεῖνον, ένθα μη τέλη 766. "Dispensed," i. e. dealt out as it were in parcels, to be the load of many ages. This word is used here with great propriety, and in its true antique sense. To dispense is to distribute their tasks to every one. Pensum, from penso, to weigh, was the quantity of wool weighed out to the maids to spin. See iii. 579.—(R.) An 773, 774. Neither . . . . and." elegant Latinism. "Neither" is not always followed by nor, but sometimes by and, like neque in Latin. "Vide quid agas, ne neque illi prosis, et tu percas." Ter. Eun. "Homo neque meo judicio stultus, et suo valde sapiens." Cic. de Or. -(N.) 778, 779. Ov. Met. i. 311 :"Maxima pars unda rapitur; quibus unda pepercit, Illos longa domant inopi jejunia victu." 798. Aristotle, and other masters in politics, inculcate this sentiment, that the loss of liberty is soon followed by the loss of virtue and religion.-(N.) 824. Gen. vii. "The same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." Milton here follows the Syriac and Arabic, the Septuagint and vulgar Latin versions, in which the windows of heaven are translated cataracts. Those who have seen water-spouts descending in hot countries can best understand "cataracts" here. The "great deep" is the vast abyss of waters contained within the bowels of the earth as well as in the sea.-(N.) 831. The classic authors often compare rivers to bulls, whether because, when they meet with any obstruction to their passage, they divide themselves and become horned as it were; or from their roaring noise; or from their power, horns being used as symbols of power. So Hor. iv. Od. xiv. 25, "Sic tauriformis volvitur Aufidus." See Virg. Georg. iv. 371, Æn. viii. 77. 833. The Euphrates is particularly called in Scripture (Gen. xv. 18), "the great river:" "the opening gulf," the Persian gulf. Thus the Grecian wall is described as dislodged by an inundation, Il. xii. 24: Των παντων όμοσε στοματ' ετράπε Φοίβος Απολλων, Εννήμαρ δ' ες τείχος ίεει όσον με δ' άρα Ζευς Συνεχές, οφρ' κε θάσσον άλίπλοα τείχεα θείη. (N.) 835. "Orcs," a species of whale, with a round mouth, ab ore.-(T.) "Clang," Kλayn, and clangor, were generally used to express the rustling flight of large flocks of birds, and also their screams. 840. "Hull" is here a verb, to float to and fro without sail or rudder. Johns. See sider it highly descriptive and poetic. As the water became more shallow it lost its long full roll, and became more rippled and curled. The Greek and Latin poets are very fond of personifying water. Milton, in imitation of them, does so twice within five lines -here and ver. 817; here, when the deluge, or collected body of water, is becoming powerless, still, and shallow, he compares it with its barely ruffled surface to a wrinkled old man; thus he (x. 654,) called winter "decrepit;" (in imitation of Spenser's inimitable personification of winter as a grey old man. -Fairy Queen, VII. vii 31.) There, he compares the different currents retiring to their usual bed, to young persons stepping lightly upon the toes, "tripping," (from tripudiare, to dance,) "with soft foot towards the deep," as Hor. Epod. xvi. 47 :— "Montibus altis Levis crepante lympha desilit pede."-(See R.) "the 849. See Gen. viii. 866. "Three listed colours." "Listcd," striped. He calls it (897) triple coloured bow," on account of the three principal colours. 884. The reader will easily observe how much of this speech is built upon Scripture,-Gen. vi. 6 - 12; viii. 22; ix. 11, 14, 16. 2 Pet. iii. 12, 13.—(N.) 895. "Beast," here, includes birds too. The poet (ver. 733 and 822) has spoken of the inhabitants of the ark under the title of man and beast. In Scripture, “man and beast" comprehend all living creatures. See Psalm xxxvi. 6; Jer. xxi. 6, and xxxii. 43. — (P.) 901. The phrase "heaven and earth," signifies the world. See iii. 335.-(P.) BOOK XII. 1. THESE five lines were inserted in the second edition. 5. "Transition." Dunster remarks, that this word is here used in the classical sense of transitus, or transitio orationis, which was a high rhetorical beauty. In the Rhetorica ad Herennium, iv. 35, it is thus defined: "Transition showeth briefly what hath been said, and proposeth likewise in brief what followeth. This embellishment contributes to two things, it reminds the reader of what hath been spoken, and prepares him for what is to come." Quintillian often speaks of transition as a graceful decoration to a speech. 24. It is generally believed that Nimrod was the first who laid the foundation of kingly government among mankind; the primitive government being by families and tribes. In Gen. x. 9 it is said, that "he was a mighty hunter before the Lord." Milton, on the authority of several learned commentators, understands this in the worst sense, of hunting men, not beasts, (ver. 30.) The words "before the Lord," openly in the face of God, St. Augustine translates against the Lord," and Vatablus and others interpret them as meaning "under the Lord," usurping all authority to himself next under God, and claiming it jure divino, as was done in Milton's own time. Milton takes in both interpretations (ver. 34, 35), as he often does when quoting a scriptural passage of various meaning. So he adopts the most unfavourable derivation of "Nimrod," which some give, from the Hebrew marad, to rebel, ver. 36.—(N.) 40. This narration of the erection of Babel is closely borrowed from Gen. xi. What our translation calls slime is in the Latin bitumen, in the Greek, asphaltos. It boiled up in fountains out of the ground in large quantities in the plain of Babylon, and was the cement used for the brickwork. Newton says, the poet calls this pool "the mouth of hell," by the same poetic figure by which the ancient poets called Tænarus or Avernus, the jaws and gates of hell.-(N.) 51. So Gen. xi. 5. Scripture speaks here after the manner of men; thus the heathen gods are often represented as coming down to observe the actions of men, as in the stories of Lycaon, Baucis and Philemon, &c.—(N.) 53. "A various spirit," i. e. a spirit producing variety of language, and consequently confusion, and the eventual failure of the work.-(R.) 59. Some critics rail at this and the next line, as being beneath the dignity of the epic then passages somewhat analogous in the Iliad and the Psalms are liable to a similar objection. Homer, Il. i. 599, &c. says, laughter inextinguishable rose among the happy gods," when they saw Vulcan's hobbling gait; and, as Newton quotes in Psalm ii. 4, it is said, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them in derision." See also Psalm xxxvii. 13; ix. 8. 62. "Babel," in Hebrew, means confusion. Hence, to give effect to his description, he uses such words as "jangling noise"-"hideous gabble"-"strange hubbub."-(N.) 71. i. e. Left mankind in full possession of their liberty, free from human usurpation. See August. de Civit. Dei, xv. 119.-(H.) 73. "To God his tower." This not being asserted in Scripture, but only supposed by some writers, is better put into the mouth of Adam, than of the angel (N.) 81. "Brought." The past tense is here used because Michael is only making a reflection on what he had told Adam, ver. 27, and thus speaks of it as a thing past. (P.) 83. "By original lapse," which is another reading, makes hardly sense or syntax. 85." Twinned." As if twin-sisters."Dividual," divided, separated, dividuus. 86. "Reason obscured." The absolute case. 101. Thyer here remarks, that Milton seems to have forgotten that there is no previous mention of Adam's having seen or heard of Cham having discovered to his brothers the nakedness of their father as he slept, Gen. ix. 22, &c. and says, "the urging it by way of example seems to infer its being known to Adam, which yet it could not be." It is true the circumstance is not previously mentioned; but then, be it recollected, Adam saw Noah's worship after quitting the ark. The fact is briefly and only in general terms stated. After this there was a pause, ver. 2, Adam, in the mean time, observing (as it is just to presume) various circumstances which are not narrated, and this among the rest. It was not till after that vision that the angel perceived his mortal sight to fail. 105, 106. Almost a literal translation from Euripides, Hippol. 951: Ει γαρ κατ' ανδρας βιοτον εξογκωσεται Οδ' ύστερος του προσθεν εις υπερβολην Πανούργος εσται. (Τ.) 107. See Isaiah xliii. 24; Hosea v. 6; Habak. i. 13; Psalm v. 5.-(D.) 114. "Him" is governed by "call," ver. 121. This history of Abraham and description of the Holy Land, is copied from Gen. xi. and xii. See also Joshua xxiv. 2; Numbers xxxiv.; Deut. iii. It appears that Terah, Abraham's father, was born 222 years after the flood, and that Noah did not die till 350 years after the flood, so that he witnessed idolatry for at least 128 years.-(N., H.) 126, 127. So Heb. xi. 8.-(N.) 128. The poet, sensible that this long historical description might grow irksome, has varied the manner of representing it as much as possible, beginning with supposing Adam to have a prospect of it; next by making the angel the relater of it; and, lastly, by uniting the two former methods, and making Michael see it as in a vision, and give a rapturous enlivened account of it to Adam. This gives great ease to the languishing attention of the reader.- (Th.) 130. Chaldea lay west of the Tigris and east of the Euphrates. He crossed the Euphrates where it was fordable. It appears that Milton conceived Haran to lie west of the Euphrates; and Basnage, in his Antiquities of the Jews, says it was in Syria of Shobah, outside Mesopotamia, in the way towards Canaan.—(N.) Dunster, on the contrary, says that it is clear, from ver. 153, where, describing the progressive journey of Abraham, he supposes him to have advanced considerably from Haran, when he says, "Canaan he now attains," that Milton never meant to suppose Haran or Charan to have been in Canaan. Milton seems to follow Bochart in his Geographia Sacra, published in 1651, in which it is laid down that Haran was in the direct way from Ur of the Chaldees, and on the western side of the river Chebar, which he forded; whereas Basnage, he says, was not born till 1653. Now I think as Basnage must have consulted his predecessor, Bochart, and gives a different account of the position of Haran, there must have been established authority for his opinion, and that this authority could not have escaped Milton's almost universal scholarship; I am therefore rather disposed to believe, that Milton imagined Haran to have been outside of Mesopotamia, or to the west of the Euphrates, as Newton thinks: |