100+ Paradise Lost Book 1 Quotes

Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heav'n.

source: John Milton (1850). “Paradise Lost”, p.21

topic: Sole, Tyranny, Paradise Lost Book 1

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.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 261

topic: Crazy, Ambition, Mad, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

For neither man nor angel can discern hypocrisy, the only evil that walks invisible, except to God alone.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 3, l. 682

topic: Hypocrite, Angel, Men, Hypocrit, Paradise Lost Book 1

Better to reign in hell than serve in heav'n.

- John Milton

source: Paradise Lost bk. 1, l. 263 (1667)

topic: Death, War, Paradise, Medieval War, Lost Myself

Awake, arise or be for ever fall’n.

- John Milton

source: John Milton (1801). “The Poetical Works of John Milton: With the Principal Notes of Various Commentators. To which are Added Illustrations, with Some Account of the Life of Milton”, p.43

topic: Fall, Lucifer, Arise, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

All is not lost, the unconquerable will, and study of revenge, immortal hate, and the courage never to submit or yield.

- John Milton

topic: Courage, Revenge, Hate, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

A dungeon horrible, on all sides round, As one great furnace, flamed; yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness visible Serv'd only to discover sights of woe, Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end.

- John Milton

topic: Light, Sight, Flames, Paradise Lost Book 1, Visible Light

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

- John Milton

topic: Loss, Men, Eden, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Me miserable! Which way shall I fly Infinite wrath and infinite despair? Which way I fly is hell; myself am hell; And in the lowest deep a lower deep, Still threat'ning to devour me, opens wide, To which the hell I suffer seems a heaven.

- John Milton

topic: Wrath, Heaven, Suffering, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 2

Pandemonium, the high capital Of Satan and his peers.

- John Milton

topic: Peers, Satan, Pandemonium, Paradise Lost Book 1

Should God create another Eve, and I Another Rib afford, yet loss of thee Would never from my heart; no no, I feel The Link of Nature draw me: Flesh of Flesh, Bone of my Bone thou art, and from thy State Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 9, l. 914

topic: Art, Loss, Ribs, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

And out of good still to find means of evil.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 165

topic: Mean, Evil, Find Me, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comes, That comes to all.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 61

topic: Hope, Peace, Doleful, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Farewell happy fields, Where joy forever dwells: Hail, horrors, hail.

- John Milton

topic: Happiness, Farewell, Joy, Paradise Lost Book 1

United thoughts and counsels, equal hope And hazard in the glorious enterprise.

- John Milton

topic: Hazards, Equal, Enterprise, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

What in me is dark Illumine, what is low raise and support, That to the height of this great argument I may assert eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men. 1 Paradise Lost. Book i. Line 22.

- John Milton

source: Paradise Lost bk. 1, l. 22 (1667) See Housman 5; Milton 49

topic: Book, Dark, Men, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 2

Who overcomes by force, hath overcome but half his foe.

- John Milton

topic: Powerful, Military, War, Paradise Lost Book 1, Violence And War

So glistered the dire Snake , and into fraud Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the Tree Of Prohibition, root of all our woe.

- John Milton

topic: Mother, Snakes, Roots, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

What reinforcement we may gain from hope; If not, what resolution from despair.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 190

topic: Hope, Despair, May, Paradise Lost Book 1, Reinforcement

His spear, to equal which the tallest pine Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast Of some great ammiral were but a wand, He walk'd with to support uneasy steps Over the burning marle.

- John Milton

topic: Support, Burning, Steps, Paradise Lost Book 1, Norwegians

He scarce had ceased when the superior fiend Was moving toward the shore; his ponderous shield Ethereal temper, massy, large and round, Behind him cast; the broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views At evening from the top of FÃ©solÃ¨, Or in Valdarno, to descry new lands, Rivers or mountains in her spotty globe.

- John Milton

topic: Moving, Science, Artist, Paradise Lost Book 1

Let none admire that riches grow in hell; that soil may best deserve the precious bane.

- John Milton

source: Paradise Lost bk. 1, l. 690 (1667)

topic: May, Riches, Soil, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

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

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 1, l. 500

topic: Wine, Son, Night, Insolence, Wine And Friends

Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat, Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe That all was lost.

- John Milton

source: 'Paradise Lost' (1667) bk. 9, l. 780

topic: Earth, Woe, Losing, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

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

- John Milton

topic: Sweet, Revenge, Long, Best Revenge, Paradise Lost Book 1

The work under our labour grows, Luxurious by restraint.

- John Milton

source: John Milton, John Aikin (1806). “Poetical Works: With a Preface, Biographical and Critical”, p.92

topic: Work, Luxury, Restraint, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

From morn To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,- A summer's day; and with the setting sun Dropp'd from the Zenith like a falling star.

- John Milton

source: Paradise Lost bk. 1, l. 742 (1667)

topic: Summer, Stars, Fall, Zenith, Paradise Lost Book 1

To adore the conqueror, who now beholds Cherub and seraph rolling in the flood.

- John Milton

source: John Milton (1758). “Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained...”, p.14

topic: Inspirational, Rolling, Cherubs, Paradise Lost Book 1

In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs.

- John Milton

topic: Fear, Twilight, Half, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Among unequals what society Can sort, what harmony, or true delight?

- John Milton

topic: Society, Delight, Harmony, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 2

Anon out of the earth a fabric huge Rose, like an exhalation.

- John Milton

topic: Rose, Fabric, Earth, Anon, Paradise Lost Book 1

Fairy elves, Whose midnight revels by a forest side Or fountain some belated peasant sees, Or dreams he sees, while overhead the moon Sits arbitress.

- John Milton

source: John Milton, Henry Stebbing (1836). “Paradise Lost: A Poem in Twelve Books”, p.25

topic: Dream, Moon, Sides, Faerie, Paradise Lost Book 1

For Spirits when they please Can either sex assume, or both; so soft And uncompounded is their essence pure, Not tied or manacled with joint or limb, Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones, Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they choose Dilated or condensed, bright or obscure, Can execute their airy purposes, And works of love or enmity fulfil.

- John Milton

topic: Sex, Essence, Purpose, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Smiles from reason flow, To brute deny'd, and are of love the food.

- John Milton

source: John Milton (1758). “Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained...”, p.277

topic: Cooking, Flow, Reason, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks In Vallombrosa, where th' Etrurian shades High over-arch'd imbower.

- John Milton

source: John Milton, James BUCHANAN (Grammarian.) (1773). “The First Six Books of Milton's Paradise Lost, Rendered Into Grammatical Construction ... With Notes ... To which are Prefixed Remarks on Ellipsis and Transposition ... By J. Buchanan”, p.45

topic: Arches, Shade, Brooks, Paradise Lost Book 1

Unless an age too late, or cold Climate, or years, damp my intended wing.

- John Milton

topic: Years, Wings, Age, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

As in an organ from one blast of wind To many a row of pipes the soundboard breathes.

- John Milton

topic: Music, Wind, Breathe, Paradise Lost Book 1, Paradise Lost Book 9

Th' imperial ensign, which full high advanc'd Shone like a meteor, streaming to the wind.

- John Milton

source: John Milton, John Rice (1766). “Paradise Lost ... With notes of various authors, by John Rice”, p.29

topic: Wind, Meteors, Streaming, Paradise Lost Book 1, Flag Day

And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, consult how we may henceforth most offend.