Paradise Lost

[Rían]

Originally Posted by Beren3000

I read PL in English. I always try to read literature in its original language if I can help it.

Yes, I can see why. Things definitely get lost in translation, unfortunately.

As to The Comedy, I read a good, semi-poetry version by an American translator called John Ciardi.

I'll see if I can find it

About your other questions:
My native language is Arabic; I speak French and English quite well. Two years ago, I tried to learn German (and have picked up some basics) but I found it hard to keep going with it what with school going on and all

Did you find it hard picking up the different alphabet style from yours when you learned French and English? That seems like the hardest part. For me, I studied German and Spanish, but they use basically the same letters as English, so that makes it easier. My dad took some business trips to China, and it was very difficult, because you just can't make any type of sense of the alphabet if you're only familiar with the English alphabet.

I think the Arabic style alphabets are really cool looking, but I"m afraid that to me, they sometimes just look like long squiggly lines with some marks on top! Are the letters just all connected together when you write words? (maybe this should go on the "languages" thread ... )

I have no "phrases" to share with you from PL, I'm afraid. I read it a while ago and barely remember the wording. There was this part I particularly liked though: the part where Satan says he can't really escape Hell because Envy creates Hell within himself. Such strong words!

Here are a few lines that I think you mean:

Book IV, lines 18-23, 73-75
Horror and doubt distract
His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir
The Hell within him, for within him Hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell
One step, no more than from himself, can fly
By change of place.
...
[Satan speaking]
"Me miserable! Which way shall I fly
Infinite wrath, and infinite despair?
Which way I fly is Hell. Myself am Hell,

Whew! Milton has such a skill for saying a lot with few words!

Here's a couple of my favorite "shorties":

III:123 "For so I formed them free, and free they must remain, Til they enthrall themselves." (God speaking about mankind)

III:210 "Die he or justice must" (God speaking about how sin must be paid for or justice is a mockery)

III:236 "Behold me, then: me for him, life for life I offer. On me let Thine anger fall; account me man." (Jesus offering his life to God in place of man to satisfy justice)

III:252 "Death his Death's wound shall then receive" (Jesus speaking of his victory over death)

III:683 "Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks invisible, except to God alone"

IX:239 "for smiles from reason flow"

IX:782 "Earth felt the wound" (this was right after Eve ate the fruit - what a powerful picture!)

IX:1058 "He covered, but his robe uncovered more." (whew! what a use of words! The very fact that he covered up his body uncovered that he sinned...)

IX:1070 "False in our promised rising" (Adam's words to Eve after they realized they were lied to by Satan)

X:798 "Can He make deathless death?" (Adam speaking about God)

XII:414 "slain for bringing life." (Michael speaking of Jesus' death on the cross to bring life to us)

XII:585 "Then wilt thou not be loath to leave this Paradise, but shalt possess a Paradise within thee, happier far." (Michael's profound words about those who choose to become reconciled with God thru Jesus's sacrifice on the cross)

Enjoy your weekend

you too