Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/441

 NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS

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��Had a symbolic meaning.

Page 134, lines 518-522.

The stairs extended down through the open- ing in the outer or tenth sphere to the ninth or crystalline sphere, which was conceived of as a sea of limpid waters, corresponding to "the waters that be above the heavens, of Scrip- ture. Spirits rising from the earth would of course have to pass this sphere.

Page 135, lines 557-561.

He views the universe first from west to east of the Zodiac, then from north to south. The "fleecy star," Aries, the Ram, is said to bear Andromeda because Andromeda lies above it in the heavens.

Page 135, line 562. The World's first region.

The upper of the three layers or strata into which mediaeval physicists believed the air to be divided. See note to line 516, Book I. Sa- tan really descends through the Primum Mobile and the crystalline sphere to the sphere of the Fixed Stars, as is shown by the lines which fol- low. In traversing this sphere he must " wind his oblique way" in order to avoid the "innu- merable stars " with which it is studded.

Page 135, line 575. Hard to tell.

Milton says it is hard to tell whether in going toward the Sun Satan is going " by centre " (i. e. toward the centre of the universe) or "eccentric " (i. e. away from the centre), and this has been interpreted as a statement of doubt as to whether the sun is or is not the cen- tre of the universe. It seems more probable i that he still thinks of the earth as the centre, i and uses the phrase " by centre or eccentric " still further to emphasize the deviousness of Satan's course implied in "up or down" and " oblique way."

Page 135, line 598. In Aaron's breast-plate.

See Exodus xxviii.

Page 135, lines 602-605. Bind volatile Hermes.

That is, solidify and fix mercury (Latin, Mer- curius = Greek, Hermes). Proteus, according to the legend, when seized by Menelaus, trans- formed himself into various shapes to escape giving prophecy, but at last was compelled to return to his native form. Milton likens the changes which a chemical substance undergoes in the alembic (limbec) of the natural philoso- pher to these supernatural transformations.

Page 136, line 606. What wonder then.

What wonder if here (in the sun) fields j breathe forth that " elixir vitae " which philoso- i phers have sought to find in order to prolong human life? The " elixir vitae " was believed to exist in the form of " potable gold," to which line 608 contains a reference.

Page 136, line 643. For speed succinct.

That is, girt up, so as to leave the limbs free. '

Page 137, line 716. This ethereal quintessence. \

Besides the four elements known directly to the senses, earth, water, air, and fire, Aristotle speaks of a fifth element, ether, which fills the celestial spaces and of which the stars and the spheres are made. Milton says that at the cre- ation this element flew upward, spirited or ani- mated with something that we can conceive of

��as whirlpools of denser material, which finally turned to stars. The theory has striking ele- ments in common with the nebular hypothesis of modern cosmology.

Page 137, line 721. Walls this Universe.

The rest of the ether which remained after the stars were made went to form the outer sphere of the universe, the Primum Mobile.

Page 137, line 730. Her countenance triform.

The moon had three mythic embodiments, Diana, Luna, and Hecate, corresponding to her three phases, crescent, full, and waning. Hence the epithet, triformis, which Milton borrows.

Page 137, line 742. Niphates.

A mountain of Armenia, on the borders of Assyria.

Page 138. BOOK IV.

Page 138, line 1. Ofor that warning voice.

See Revelation xii. 7-12.

Page 138, line 10. The accuser.

" Devil " is from the Greek <Sca/3oAo9, slanderer or accuser. The reference is to Revelation xii. 10, where Satan comes to earth as the "accuser of the brethren."

Page 138, lines 32-41.

These lines were written as early as 1642, as the opening verses of a contemplated tragedy.

Page 138, line 39. Above thy sphere.

Since the sphere of the sun was only fourth in the upward succession of the Ptolemaic spheres. Lucifer had dwelt in the Empyrean.

Page 139, line 115. Thrice changed with pale.

Ire, envy, and despair paled his face thrice with their successive agitations.

Page 139, line 123. Couched.

Coupled.

Page 140, line 132. Eden, where delicious Para- dise.

Eden is the whole region where Man was de- stined to dwell, Paradise a blissful garden set apart on its eastern side. See below, lines 208- 215.

Page 140, line 162. Sabean odours.

From Saba, a city of Araby Felix.

Page 140, line 168. Asmodeus with the .fishy fume.

Asmodeus, an evil spirit, in love with a Jew- ish maiden Sara, was driven from her by the smell of a fish which Raphael had instructed Tobias, her betrothed, to burn. Fleeing into Egypt, Asmodeus was there bound by an angel. See Apocryphal Book of Tobit. The allusion seems forced.

Page 140, line 170. With a vengeance.

Almost in the modern cant sense.

Page 140, line 193.

Compare Lycidas, 113-131.

Page 140, line 211. From Auran eastward.

Auran, a district of Syria, lying south of Damascus ; Seleucia, a city on the Tigris near the modern Bagdad. The region indicated is, roughly speaking, Syria and Mesopotamia.

Page 141, line 223. Southward through Eden.

The reader is to imagine a great river flowing south through Eden until it reaches the table- land upon which Paradise is placed. Under this it passes. A portion of its waters are

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