John Milton, a poet and political commenter of the English Bourgeois Revolution, is the most sublime and most lonely figure in English literature, whose importance is acknowledged all over the world. He is the last rearguard of the Renaissance and the primary promoter of Enlightenment. The love of every form of human culture and the steadfast devotion to duty as the highest object in human life have shaped his entire career.
Of all his great works, Paradise Lost is the most complicated and most profound one, which wins him endless honor. It is indeed the only generally recognized epic in English literature since Beowulf and a heroic poem in Renaissance style. It deals with revolt from God, with sin and fall, and with the possible salvation. It presents the a uthor’s views in an allegoric religious form, and readers will easily discern its basic idea—exposure of the ways of Satan and justification of the ways of God to men. It is the reflection of the reactionary forces of Milton’s time and the passionate appea l for freedom.
As the main character of Paradise Lost, Satan is definitely impressive and powerful, whose ambivalence catches all critics’ eyes and leads to centuries’ disputes. Those commenters can be classified into three groups. The first group mainly consists of revolutionists. They traditionally read this epic with strong political inclination, putting Satan at the place of protagonist and considering him a symbol of revolution, which must be influenced greatly by those western romantic poets such as William Blake and Percy B. Shelley (Fowler 45). They are generally called pro-Satanists.
Short Comment on Satan in Paradise Lost
since Apollo’s divine word “to understand yourself”, the western literature has been always fulfilling such pursuit and being in continuous self-questioning. Like Puluomixius’ rejection to divinity, 亚哈’s to nature, Satan’s fighting against God also ended up with failure. They are showing people with the limitation of mankind, reminding people o...
“Paradise Lost” is Minton’s masterpiece .It is a long epic in 12 books,
written in blank verse. The story were taken from the Old Testament: the creation
of the earth and Adam and Eve, the fallen angels in hell plotting against God, Satan’s temptation of Eve, and the departure of Adam and Eve from
Eden .Satan and his followers are banished from heaven and driven into hell, but even here in hell, mist flames and poisonous fumes, Satan and his adherents are not discouraged. The poem ,as we are told at the outset, was “to justify the ways of God to man”,ie to advocate submission to the Almighty. The epi c shows the writer’s misery after the Restoration, and his determination for revolution. The style of the epic is grand, which is
the result of his life-long classical and biblical study.
简介：
This Norton Critical Edition is designed to make Paradise Lost accessible for student readers, providing invaluable contextual and biographical information and the tools students need to think critically about this landmark epic. Gordon Teskey's freshly edited text of Milton's masterpiece is accompanied by a new introduction and substantial explanatory annotations. Spelling and punctuation have been modernized, the latter, importantly, within the limits imposed by Milton's syntax.
"Sources and Backgrounds" collects relevant passages from the Bible and Milton's prose writings, including selections from The Reason of Church Government and the full text of Areopagitica.
"Criticism" brings together classic interpretations by Andrew Marvell, John Dryden, Victor Hugo, and T. S. Eliot, among others, and the most important recent criticism and scholarship surrounding the epic, including essays by Northrop Frye, Barbara Lewalski, Christopher Ricks, and Helen Vendler.
A Glossary and Selected Bibliography are also included.
About the Series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide.
内容简介回到顶部↑
Written at a time of personal and political crisis in Milton's ca-reer (1658-65), Paradise Lost is the greatest epic poem in English literature. It had an immense influence on the English Roman-tics and, through them, on modern poetry This Norton Critical Edition is based on the 1674 edition of the poem, the last to ap-pear in Milton's lifetime, with a few emendations and adoptions from the first edition and from the scribal manuscript, as noted.Gordon Teskey provides readers with a freshly edited text in-tended for those approaching Milton for the first time. Spelling and punctuation have been modernized, the latter within the limits imposed by Milton's syntax. The text is accompanied by an introduction, an account of Milton's life, ample annotations, a glossary,and suggestions for further reading.
"Sources and Backgrounds" includes selections from the Bible and from Milton's prose writings, including his greatest prose work, Areopagitica, in its entirety.
An unusually rich "Criticism" section collects forty-eight di-verse commentaries and interpretations, culled from the enor-mous body of scholarly writing on the poem. Classic assess-ments are provided by John Dryden, V oltaire, Samuel Johnson,William Blake, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelle Victor Hugo, and T. S. Eliot, among others. Modern contribu-tors include C. S. Lewis, William Empson, Douglas Bush,Northrop Frye, Barbara Lewalski, Balachandra Rajan, Stanley Fish, Mary Ann Radzinowicz, Christopher Ricks, Regina Schwartz, Julia Walker, and Helen Vcndler.
整理时间：
2009-12-31 小说简介： Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century
English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten
books. A second edition followed in 1674, redivided into twelve books (in the manner of the division of Virgil's Aeneid) with minor revisions
throughout and a note on the verification. The poem concerns the
Christian story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.
Milton's purpose, stated in Book I, is to "justify the ways of God to
men"[1] and elucidate the conflict between God's eternal foresight and free will.
Milton incorporates Paganism, classical Greek references, and
Christianity within the poem. It deals with diverse topics from marriage, politics (Milton was politically active during the time of the English Civil War), and monarchy, and grapples with many difficult theological
issues, including fate, predestination, the Trinity, and the introduction of sin and death into the world, as well as angels, fallen angels, Satan, and the war in heaven. Milton draws on his knowledge of languages, and
diverse sources — primarily Genesis, much of the New Testament, the deuterocanonical Book of Enoch, and other parts of the Old Testament.
《失乐园》以史诗一般的磅礴气势揭示了人的原罪与堕落。诗中叛逆之神撒旦，因为反抗上帝的权威被打入地狱，却毫不屈服，为复仇寻至伊甸园。亚当与夏娃受被撒旦附身的蛇的引诱，偷吃了上帝明令禁吃的知识树上的果子。最终，撒旦及其同伙遭谴全变成了蛇，亚当与夏娃被逐出了伊甸园。该诗体现了诗人追求自由的崇高精神，是世界文学史、思想史上的一部极重要的作品。
内容介绍
英国诗人约翰?米尔顿（John Milton, 1608-1674）最重要的作品《失乐园》（Paradise Lost），内容是圣经里面创世纪的第一章：亚当与夏娃受到撒旦的引诱，吃下了禁果，而被上帝驱逐出伊甸乐园。
张隆溪教授解释，以往西方传统的史诗故事，比如荷马或弗吉尔的史诗，总是关于战争和英雄，然而米尔顿的《失乐园》，它所描写的不是一个肉体的形容，不是大英雄，也不是打仗、战功，它写的完全是精神性的。故事里面最中心、核心的一个动作，就是一个女人从树上摘了一个果子吃，这个动作虽然很微小，但却充满了象征意义，它的象征就在于善跟恶之间的区隔，在于无知跟知识间的区别。因此，张隆溪教授认为这部史诗是精神的史诗，因为它描述不是人肉体的力量，而是描写人的精神，永恒的追求。
书摘
哲学与宗教的困惑成为主题
《失乐园》内容丰富，当中确实包含了弥尔顿激进的共和思想。然而英国革命对于全面理解弥尔顿及其著作固然重要，但就阅读《失乐园》而言，我认为那并不是一个包罗无遗的背景，甚至不是最重要的背景。善与恶的矛盾、知识与自由的困惑、乐园的幻想与对乐园的不断追求，这类意义深刻的哲学和宗教问题才是这部史诗作品的核心，也正是这些问题使这部史诗能超越某一时代之历史和政治，具有永恒的哲理之魅力。弥尔顿自己宣称说，他之所以写作《失乐园》，目的在于要“申明永恒的天命，对人类证明上帝之公正”（I.25）。颇值得注意的倒不在弥尔顿有如此雄心壮志，要达到这样的目的，而是上帝的公正竟然需要对人类做出证明。换言之，上帝是否公正，人失去乐园而有恶在世间存在，这永恒之天命究竟是否合理，都是人们产生的疑问。正是对这些宗教和伦理问题的深刻思考取代了轰轰烈烈的行动，构成弥尔顿史诗的主要内容，引导读者去深入探讨。采用《圣经》中亚当和夏娃的故事，也非常契合弥尔顿的目的，因为这个故事以生动而有高度象征意义的形式，提出了有关责任、知识和人的自由等人生的根本问题。
恶的存在就是一个根本问题。受人崇拜的上帝如果宠爱人，如果他又有无边的神力，为什么人世间还有这么多苦难，为什么恶人往往可以逞凶，好人却无端遭受痛苦，受尽欺凌呢？这大概就是人会产生疑问，而上帝的公正需要证明的原因吧？上帝造人之初，亚当和夏娃生活在伊甸园中，天真无邪，但同时也懵然不知善恶，无法识别真伪，所以魔鬼撒旦潜入乐园，化为一条蛇，他们当然不能辨识而终致受其蛊惑。上帝预知人会受撒旦诱惑，在伊甸园处处设防，派天使们把守。可是撒旦第一次潜入乐园虽被发现，被遣返地狱，第二次却居然逃过众天使的目光，终于在乐园中成功诱惑夏娃，使人违背上帝禁令而堕落。可是如果天使尚且不能识破撒旦的伪装，阻止魔鬼潜入伊甸，那么毫无神力而且天真无知的人类受诱惑而食禁果，何以就要承担那么严重的后果，受到那么严厉的惩罚呢？究竟谁应该为人之堕落负责呢？上帝全能全知，早已预知亚当和夏娃会堕落，可是他为什么放手不管呢？既然他预知人会堕落，甚至可以说他容许了这样的事情发生，那么在人堕落之后，他又为什么那样震怒，要处罚亚当和夏娃呢？人之堕落究竟是预先注定必然会发生的事？还是亚当和夏娃用他们的意志所做的自由选择，因而要由他们来承担全部责任呢？就我们的人性和人类状况说来，这一切又能给我们怎样的启迪呢？这些就是使《失乐园》成为世界文学中一部伟大经典的问题，无论人们对弥尔顿的艺术或个人信仰提出怎样的疑问，在这些质疑早已被人遗忘之后，《失乐园》探讨的问题还仍然会引人思索，这部经典作品也一定还会有读者，会长存于世。
John Milton (1608-1674)
重点掌握:
1，Life：
1.John Milton
excelled in languages and classical studies.
with a heavy tendency toward Puritanism
wanted to go into the ministry
The beginning of the Puritan Revolution found Milton back in England, fighting for a more humanist
and reformed church.
set aside poetry to write political and religious pamphlets for the cause of Puritanism.
Milton was born in a Roman Catholic family and both his parents were understanding parents.
As a Puritan, however, he believed that the Bible was the answer and the guide to all, even if it went against democracy itself. Where the Bible didn't afford an answer, Milton would turn to reason.
The classical influences in his work Homer, Ovid, but especially Virgil. Shakespeare was the leading playwright of his day, and there are some references to his works in Milton's own poetry. The style and
structure of the Spencer's "The Faerie Queen," was another influence on Paradise Lost. It was one of only a few books that were owned by the
Miltons during John's upbringing.
Milton died from "gout" in 1674 and was buried in the Church of St.
Giles in London.
Milton was nicknamed “the lady of Christ’s” because he was as
handsome as a lady.
Milton is a great stylist. He is famous for his grand style for its dignity and polish , which is the result of his life-ling classical biblical study
Milton was the greatest English poet after Shakespeare.
The “mighty line” refers to the poem of Milton.
Milton is the great writer of the seventeenth century, and one of the giants of English literature.
Milton is the glorious pioneer to introduce blank verse into non-dramatic poetry.
Milton was a master of blank verse. He first used it in Paradise Lost.
masterpieces
Paradise Lost, "Lycidas" (1638)
Paradise Regained,
Samson Agonistes after blindness.
2.Satan tempts Eve to eat an apple from the forbidden tree.
2,Samson Agonistes is a poetical drama. It deals with the story of Samson from the Book of Judges in the Old Testament.
3.The most striking similarities between Milton and Samson Agonistes
are their blindness and unhappy marriage.
greatest poets
One of the greatest poets of the English language, best-known for his epic poem PARADISE LOST (1667). Milton's powerful, rhetoric prose and the eloquence of his poetry had an immense influence especially on the 18th-century verse. Besides poems, Milton published pamphlets
defending civil and religious rights.
"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."
(from Paradise Lost)
重点掌握:
1，Satan tempts Eve to eat an apple from the forbidden tree.
2，Satan is a character with a strong desire for freedom.
作品：Paradise Lost 失乐园
第一部分选段以及译文
1OF Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
2Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
3Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
4With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
5Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, [ 5 ]
1关于人类最初违反天神命令
2偷尝禁树的果子，把死亡和其他
3各种各色的灾祸带来人间，并失去
4伊甸乐园，直等到一个更伟大的人来，
5才为我们恢复乐土的事，请歌咏吧，
6Sing Heav'nly Muse,that on the secret top
7Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
8That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,
9In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
10Rose out of Chaos: Or if Sion Hill [ 10 ]
6天庭的诗神缪斯呀！您当年曾在那
7神秘的何烈山头，或西奈的峰巅，
8点化过那个牧羊人，最初向您的选民
9宣讲太初天和地怎样从混沌中生出；
10那郇山似乎更加蒙您的喜悦，
11Delight thee more, and Siloa's Brook that flow'd Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
15Above th' Aonian Mount, while it pursues [ 15 ] 11下有西罗亚溪水在神殿近旁奔流；
12因此我向那儿求您助我吟成这篇
13大胆冒险的诗歌，追踪一段事迹——
14从未有人尝试缡彩成文，吟咏成诗的
15题材，遐想凌云，飞越爱奥尼的高峰。
17Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime.
And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure, Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread [ 20 ] 16特别请您，圣灵呀！您喜爱公正
17和清洁的心胸，胜过所有的神殿。
18请您教导我，因为您无所不知；
19您从太初便存在，张开巨大的翅膀，
20象鸽子一样孵伏那洪荒，使它怀孕，
21Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss 22And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark 23Illumin, what is low raise and support;
24That to the highth of this great Argument
25I may assert Eternal Providence, [ 25 ]
21愿您的光明照耀我心中的蒙昧，
22提举而且撑持我的卑微，使我能够
23适应这个伟大主题的崇高境界，
24使我能够阐明永恒的天理，
25向世人昭示天道的公正。
26And justifie the wayes of God to men.
Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view Nor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what cause Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State, Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off [ 30 ] 26请先说，天界和地狱深渊，
27在您的眼中，一切都了如指掌，
28请先讲，为什么我们的始祖，
29在那样的乐土，得天惠那样独厚，
30除了那唯一的禁令以外，他们俩
31From thir Creator, and transgress his Will
For one restraint, Lords of the World besides? Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt?
Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd [ 35 ] 31本是世界的主宰；竟背叛而自绝于
32他们的创造主？当初是谁引诱
33他们犯下这不幸的忤逆呢？
34原来是地狱的蛇，是他由于
35嫉妒和仇恨，激起他的奸智，
The Mother of Mankind, what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring
To set himself in Glory above his Peers,
He trusted to have equal'd the most High, [ 40 ]
36欺骗了人类的母亲。他的高傲
37致使他和他的全部天军被逐出天界，
38那时他由于造反天军的援助，
39使他觉得自己比众光荣，他相信：
40如果他反叛，就能和至高者分庭抗礼，
If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim
Against the Throne and Monarchy of God
Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power
Hurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie [ 45 ]
41于是包藏野心，觊觎神的宝座和主权，
42枉费心机地在天界掀起了
43不逊不敬的战争。全能的神把他
44倒栽葱，全身火焰，从净火天上
45摔下去，这个敢于向全能全力者
With hideous ruine and combustion down
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell
In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire,
Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms.
Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night [ 50 ] 46挑战的神魔迅速坠下，一直落到
47无底的地狱深渊，被禁锢在
48金刚不坏的镣铐和永不熄灭的刑火中。
49依照人间的计算，大约九天九夜，
50他和他那一伙可怕的徒众，
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquisht, rowling in the fiery Gulfe Confounded though immortal: But his doom
Reserv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain [ 55 ]
51沉沦辗转在烈火的深渊中。
52虽属不死之身，却象死者一样横陈，
53但这个刑罚反激起他更大的忿怒，
54既失去了幸福，又受无穷痛苦的煎熬。
55他抬起忧虑的双眼，环视周遭，
Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes That witness'd huge affliction and dismay
Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate:
At once as far as Angels kenn he views
The dismal Situation waste and wilde, [ 60 ]
摆在眼前的是莫大的隐忧和烦恼，
顽固的傲气和难消的憎恨交织着。
霎时间，他竭尽天使的目力，望断
际涯，但见悲风弥漫，浩渺无垠，
四面八方围着他的是个可怕的地牢，
A Dungeon horrible, on all sides round
As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness visible
Serv'd onely to discover sights of woe,
Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace [ 65 ]象一个洪炉的烈火四射，但那火焰
却不发光，只是灰蒙蒙的一片，
可以辨认出那儿的苦难景况，
悲惨的境地和凄怆的暗影。
和平和安息绝不在那儿停留，
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
That comes to all; but torture without end
Still urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed
With ever-burning Sulphur unconsum'd:
Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd [ 70 ]
希望无所不到，唯独不到那里。
只有无穷无尽的苦难紧紧跟着
永燃的硫磺不断地添注，不灭的
火焰，洪水般向他们滚滚逼来。
这个地方，就是正义之神为那些
For those rebellious, here thir Prison ordain'd
In utter darkness, and thir portion set
As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n
As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Pole.
O how unlike the place from whence they fell! [ 75 ]叛逆者准备的，在天外的冥荒中
为他们设置的牢狱，那个地方
离开天神和天界的亮光，
相当于天极到中心的三倍那么远。
啊，这里和他所从坠落的地方
There the companions of his fall, o'rewhelm'd
With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire, He soon discerns, and weltring by his side
One next himself in power, and next in crime, Long after known in Palestine, and nam'd [ 80 ]
比起来是何等的不同呀！
和他一起坠落的伙伴们
掩没在猛火的洪流和旋风之中，
他辨认得出，在他近旁挣扎的，
论权力和罪行都仅次于他的神魔，Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-Enemy,
And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words Breaking the horrid silence thus began.
If thou beest he; But O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who in the happy Realms of Light [ 85 ]后来在巴勒斯坦知道他的名字叫
别西卜。这个在天上叫做撒但的
首要神敌，用豪言壮语打破可怕的
沉寂，开始向他的伙伴这样说道，
“是你啊；这是何等的坠落！
Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst out-shine Myriads though bright: If he Whom mutual league, United thoughts and counsels, equal hope
And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,
Joynd with me once, now misery hath joynd [ 90 ]何等的变化呀！你原来住在
光明的乐土，全身披覆着
无比的光辉，胜过群星的灿烂，
你曾和我结成同盟，同心同气，
同一希望，在光荣的大事业中
In equal ruin: into what Pit thou seest
From what highth fall'n, so much the stronger prov'd
He with his Thunder: and till then who knew
The force of those dire Arms? yet not for those,
Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage [ 95 ]
和我在一起。现在，我们是从
何等高的高天上，沉沦到了
何等深的深渊呀！他握有雷霆，
确是强大，谁知道这凶恶的
武器竟有那么大的威力呢？
Can else inflict, do I repent or change,
Though chang'd in outward lustre; that fixt mind
And high disdain, from sence of injur'd merit,
That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend,
And to the fierce contention brought along [ 100 ]
可是，那威力，那强有力的
胜利者的狂暴，都不能
叫我懊丧，或者叫我改变初衷，
虽然外表的光彩改变了，
但坚定的心志和岸然的骄矜
Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd
That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring,
His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd
In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n,
And shook his throne. What though the field be lost? [ 105 ]决不转变，由于真价值的受损，
激动了我，决心和强权决一胜负，
率领无数天军投入剧烈的战斗，
他们都厌恶天神的统治而来拥护我，
拿出全部力量跟至高的权力对抗，
All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield:
And what is else not to be overcome?
That Glory never shall his wrath or might [ 110 ]在天界疆场上做一次冒险的战斗，
动摇了他的宝座。我们损失了什么了
并非什么都丢光：不挠的意志、
热切的复仇心、不灭的憎恨，
以及永不屈服、永不退让的勇气，
Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace
With suppliant knee, and deifie his power,
Who from the terrour of this Arm so late Doubted his Empire, that were low indeed,
That were an ignominy and shame beneath [ 115 ]还有什么比这些更难战胜的呢？
他的暴怒也罢，威力也罢，
绝不能夺去我这份光荣。
经过这一次战争的惨烈，
好容易才使他的政权动摇，
This downfall; since by Fate the strength of Gods And this Empyreal substance cannot fail,
Since through experience of this great event
In Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc't, We may with more successful hope resolve [ 120 ]这时还要弯腰屈膝，向他
哀求怜悯，拜倒在他的权力之下，
那才真正是卑鄙、可耻，
比这次的沉沦还要卑贱。
因为我们生而具有神力，
To wage by force or guile eternal Warr Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe,
Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy
Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n.
So spake th' Apostate Angel, though in pain, [ 125 ]秉有轻清的灵质，不能朽坏，
又因这次大事件的经验，
我们要准备更好的武器，
更远的预见，更有成功的希望，
用暴力或智力向我们的大敌
Vaunting aloud, but rackt with deep despare:
And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer.
O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers,
That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr
Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds [ 130 ]
挑起不可调解的持久战争。
他现在正自夸胜利，得意忘形，
独揽大权，在天上掌握虐政呢。”
背叛的天使这样说了，虽忍痛说出
豪言壮语，心却为深沉的失望所苦。Fearless, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King;
And put to proof his high Supremacy,
Whether upheld by strength, or Chance, or Fate, Too well I see and rue the dire event,
That with sad overthrow and foul defeat [ 135 ]
他那勇敢的伙伴立即回答他说，
“大王，掌权天使的首长啊，
掌权者们率领英勇的撒拉弗天军
在您的指挥之下去作战，
大无畏地，投身于惊险的行动，
Hath lost us Heav'n, and all this mighty Host
In horrible destruction laid thus low,
As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences
Can perish: for the mind and spirit remains Invincible, and vigour soon returns, [ 140 ]
使天上永生的王陷于危急，
他靠暴力、侥幸，或靠命运，
来支持自己至高无上的权力，
我目睹而哀痛这次可怕的事件，
可悲的覆没，可耻的败绩，
Though all our Glory extinct, and happy state
Here swallow'd up in endless misery.
But what if he our Conquerour, (whom I now
Of force believe Almighty, since no less
Then such could hav orepow'rd such force as ours) [ 145 ]
使我们失去天界，这样的大军
竟遭到这么大的失败，
沉沦到这样的阴间里来，
我们原是神灵，气质轻清，
论破灭可说已经到了尽头，
Have left us this our spirit and strength intire
Strongly to suffer and support our pains,
That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,
Or do him mightier service as his thralls
By right of Warr, what e're his business be [ 150 ]
因为我们还留有心志和精神，
不可战胜，很快就会恢复元气。
他使我们还留有这样的精力，
大概是要使我们更能忍受痛苦，
吃足苦头，承受他那报复的怒火，
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《英國文學選讀——Unit4 John Milton--Paradise Lost 失乐园（151-190）》2009-03-02 16:12
Here in the heart of Hell to work in Fire,
Or do his Errands in the gloomy Deep
What can it then avail though yet we feel
Strength undiminisht, or eternal being
To undergo eternal punishment? [ 155 ]
或者是要我们服更大的苦役，
把我们当做俘虏，当做奴隶，
在地狱猛火的中心来干苦活，
在幽暗的深渊中为他奔走。
这样，我们将永受无穷刑罚，
Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-fiend reply'd. Fall'n Cherube, to be weak is miserable
Doing or Suffering: but of this be sure,
To do ought good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight, [ 160 ]
即使是自己觉得力量还没衰退，
甚至是永生的，那又有什么好处？”
大魔王立刻用急激的话语回答他：
“坠落的基路伯呀，示弱是可悲的，
无论做事或受苦，但这一条是明确的：
As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist. If then his Providence
Out of our evil seek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,
And out of good still to find means of evil; [ 165 ]行善决不是我们的任务，
做恶才是我们唯一的乐事，
这样才算是反抗我们敌对者的
高强意志。如果他想要
从我们的恶中寻找善的话，
Which oft times may succeed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb
His inmost counsels from thir destind aim.
But see the angry Victor hath recall'd
His Ministers of vengeance and pursuit [ 170 ]
我们的事业就得颠倒目标，
就要寻求从善到恶的途径。
如果我不失算，定会屡次奏效，
使他烦恼，搅乱他极密的计划；
使它们对不准所预定的目标。
Back to the Gates of Heav'n: The Sulphurous Hail Shot after us in storm, oreblown hath laid
The fiery Surge, that from the Precipice
Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling, and the Thunder,
Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage, [ 175 ]你看，那忿怒的胜利者已经
把复仇和袭击的使者召回天门，
暴风雨一般追击我们的
硫磺火霰已经静下来了，
迎接我们从天界的悬崖上
Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now
To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep.
Let us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn,
Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe.
Seest thou yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wilde, [ 180 ]坠落下来的火焰的洪波也平静些了，
以赭红的闪电和狂暴的忿怒，
因为带翅膀的轰雷，大概已经
用完了弹头，现在已经不在
这广漠无边的深渊中吼响了。
The seat of desolation, voyd of light,
Save what the glimmering of these livid flames Casts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend
From off the tossing of these fiery waves,
There rest, if any rest can harbour there, [ 185
我们不要放过这个机会，
不管这是由于敌人的轻蔑，
或者是由于他气头已过的机会。
你没看见那一片荒凉的原野吗？
寂寞、荒芜、绝无人迹、不见亮光，
And reassembling our afflicted Powers
Consult how we may henceforth most offend
Our Enemy, our own loss how repair,
How overcome this dire Calamity,
What reinforcement we may gain from Hope, [ 190 ] If not what resolution from despare.
Satan holds court in hell [Gustave Doré]
只有这么一些铅色的幽焰，
闪着青灰色的，可怕的幽光。
我们往那儿去，一避火浪的冲击，
可以休息的话，就休息一下，
重新集合我们疲惫的队伍，
大家讨论，怎样给敌人更多的损害，
怎样弥补我们自己的损失，
怎样战胜这个可怕的灾祸，
从希望中可以得些怎样的援助，
或从失望中来一个怎样的决策。”
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《英國文學選讀——Unit4 John Milton--Paradise Lost 失乐园-- Summary 》2009-03-02 16:12
Short Summary of Paradise Lost
Milton's epic poem opens on the fiery lake of hell, where Satan and his army of fallen angels find themselves chained. Satan and his leutenant Beezlebub get up from the lake and yell to the others to rise and join them. Music plays and banners fly as the army of rebel angels comes to attention, tormented and defeated but faithful to their general. They create a great and terrible temple, perched on a volcano top, and Satan calls a council there to decide on their course of action.
The fallen angels give various suggestions. Finally, Beezlebub suggests that they take the battle to a new battlefield, a place called earth where, it is rumoured, God has created a new being called man. Man is not as powerful as the angels, but he is God's chosen favorite among his creations. Beezlebub suggests that they seek revenge against God by seducing man to their corrupted side.
Satan volunteers to explore this new place himself and find out more about man so that he may corrupt him. His fallen army unanimously agrees by banging on their swords.
Satan takes off to the gates of hell, guarded by his daughter, Sin, and their horrible son, Death. Sin agrees to open the gates for her creator (and rapist), knowing that she will follow him and reign with him in whatever kingdom he conquers.
Satan then travels through chaos, and finally arrives at earth, connected to heaven by a golden chain.
God witnesses all of this and points out Satan's journey to his Son. God tells his Son that, indeed,
Satan will corrupt God's favorite creation, man. His Son offers to die a mortal death to bring man back into the grace and light of God. God agrees and tells how his Son will be born to a virgin. God then makes his Son the king of man, son of both man and God.
Meanwhile, Satan disguises himself as a handsome cherub in order to get by the angel Uriel who is guarding earth. Uriel is impressed that an angel would come all the way from heaven to witness God's creation, and points the Garden of Eden out to Satan. Satan makes his way into the Garden and is in awe at the beauty of Eden and of the handsome couple of Adam and Eve. For a moment, he deeply regrets his fall from grace. This feeling soon turns, however, to hatred.
Uriel, however, has realized that he has been fooled by Satan and tells the angel Gabriel as much. Gabriel finds Satan in the Garden and sends him away.
God, seeing how things are going, sends Raphael to warn Adam and Eve about Satan. Raphael goes down to the Garden and is invited for dinner by Adam and Eve. While there, he narrates how Satan came to fall and the subsequent battle that was held in heaven. Satan first sin was pride, when he took issue with the fact that he had to bow down to the Son. Satan was one of the top angels in heaven and did not understand why he should bow. Satan called a council and convinced many of the angels who were beneath him to join in fighting God.
A tremendous, cosmic three-day battle ensued between Satan's forces and God's forces. On the first day, Satan's forces were beaten back by the army led by the archangels Michael and Gabriel. On the second day, Satan seemed to gain ground by constructing artillery, literally cannons, and turning them against the good forces. On the third day, however, the Son faced Satan's army alone and they quickly retreat, falling through a hole in heaven's fabric and cascading down to hell.
This is the reason, Raphael explains, that God created man: to replace the empty space that the fallen angels have left in heaven. Raphael then tells of how God created man and all the universe in seven days. Adam
himself remembers the moment he was created and, as well, how he came to ask God for a companion, Eve. Raphael leaves.
The next morning, Eve insists on working separately from Adam. Satan, in the form of serpent, finds her working alone and starts to flatter her. Eve asks where he learned to speak, and Satan shows her the Tree of Knowledge. Although Eve knows that this was the one tree God had forbidden that they eat from, she is told by Satan that this is only because God knows she will become a goddess herself. Eve eats the fruit and then decides to share it with Adam.
Adam, clearly, is upset that Eve disobeyed God, but he cannot imagine a life without her so he eats the apple as well. They both, then, satiate their new-born lust in the bushes and wake up ashamed, knowing now the difference from good and evil (and, therefore, being able to choose evil). They spend the afternoon blaming each other for their fall. God sends the Son down to judge the two disobediant creatures. The Son condemns Eve, and all of womankind, to painful childbirths and submission to her husband. He condemns Adam to a life of a painful battle with nature and hard work at getting food from the ground. He condemns the serpent to always crawl on the ground on its belly, always at the heel of Eve's sons.
Satan, in the meantime, returns to hell victorious. On the way, he meets Sin and Death, who have built a bridge from hell to earth, to mankind, whom they will now reign over. When Satan arrives in hell, however, he finds his fallen compatriots not cheering as he had wished, but hissing. The reason behind the horrible hissing soon becomes clear: all of the fallen angels are being transformed into ugly monsters and terrible reptiles. Even Satan finds himself turning into a horrible snake. Adam and Eve, after bitterly blaming each other, finally decide to turn to God and ask for forgiveness. God hears them and agrees with his Son that he will not lose mankind completely to Sin, Death and Satan. Instead, he will send his son as a man to earth to sacrifice himself and, in so doing, conquer the evil trinity.
Michael is sent by God to escort Adam and Eve out of the Garden. Before he does, however, he tells Adam what will become of mankind