The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations

He for God only, she for God in him:

His fair large front and eye sublime declared Absolute rule.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 297

And by her yielded, by him best received, Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet reluctant amorous delay.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 309

Adam, the goodliest man of men since born His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 323

The unwieldy elephant

To make them mirth used all his might, and wreathed His lithe proboscis.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 345

These two

Emparadised in one another’s arms The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill Of bliss on bliss.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 505

Now came still evening on, and twilight grey Had in her sober livery all things clad; Silence accompanied, for beast and bird, They to their grassy couch, these to their nests Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale; She all night long her amorous descant sung;

Silence was pleased: now glowed the firmament With living sapphires: Hesperus that led

The starry host, rode brightest, till the moon Rising in clouded majesty, at length Apparent queen unveiled her peerless light, And o’er the dark her silver mantle threw.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 598

God is thy law, thou mine: to know no more Is woman’s happiest knowledge and her praise. With thee conversing I forget all time.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 637

Sweet the coming on

Of grateful evening mild, then silent night With this her solemn bird and this fair moon,

And these the gems of heaven, her starry train.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 646

Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 677

Into their inmost bower

Handed they went; and eased the putting off These troublesome disguises which we wear, Strait side by side were laid, nor turned I ween Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites Mysterious of connubial love refused: Whatever hypocrites austerely talk

Of purity and place and innocence, Defaming as impure what God declares

Pure, and commands to some, leaves free to all.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 738

Hail, wedded love, mysterious law, true source Of human offspring, sole propriety

In Paradise of all things common else.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 750

Sleep on

Blest pair; and O yet happiest if ye seek

No happier state, and know to know no more.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 773

Him there they found

Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 799

But wherefore thou alone? Wherefore with thee Came not all hell broke loose?

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 917

Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, Proud limitary cherub.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 4, l. 970

His sleep

Was airy light from pure digestion bred.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 3

My fairest, my espoused, my latest found, Heaven’s last best gift, my ever new delight.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 18

Best image of myself and dearer half.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 95

On earth join all ye creatures to extol

Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 164

So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 331

Nor jealousy

Was understood, the injured lover’s hell.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 449

Freely we serve,

Because we freely love, as in our will To love or not; in this we stand or fall.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 538

What if earth

Be but the shadow of heaven, and things therein Each to other like, more than on earth is thought?

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 574

Hear all ye angels, progeny of light,

Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 600

All seemed well pleased, all seemed, but were not all.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 617

Mystical dance, which yonder starry sphere Of planets and of fixed in all her wheels Resembles nearest, mazes intricate, Eccentric intervolved, yet regular

Then most, when most irregular they seem, And in their motions harmony divine

So smoothes her charming tones, that God’s own ear Listens delighted.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 620

Satan, so call him now, his former name Is heard no more in heaven.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 5, l. 658

Servant of God, well done, well hast thou fought The better fight, who single has maintained Against revolted multitudes the cause

Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 6, l. 29

Headlong themselves they threw

Down from the verge of heaven, eternal wrath Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 6, l. 864

Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole, More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchanged To hoarse or mute, though fall’n on evil days, On evil days though fallen, and evil tongues.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 7, l. 23

But drive far off the barbarous dissonance Of Bacchus and his revellers.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 7, l. 32

Necessity and chance

Approach not me, and what I will is fate.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 7, l. 172

There Leviathan

Hugest of living creatures, on the deep Stretched like a promontory sleeps or swims, And seems a moving land, and at his gills Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out a sea.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 7, l. 412

The planets in their stations listening stood, While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. Open, ye everlasting gates, they sung, Open, ye heavens, your living doors; let in The great creator from his work returned Magnificent, his six days’ work, a world.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 7, l. 563

He his fabric of the heavens

Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move His laughter at their quaint opinions wide Hereafter, when they come to model heaven And calculate the stars, how they will wield The mighty frame, how build, unbuild, contrive To save appearances, how gird the sphere With centric and eccentric scribbled o’er, Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 8, l. 76

Heaven is for thee too high

To know what passes there; be lowly wise:

Think only what concerns thee and thy being.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 8, l. 172

Tell me, how may I know him, how adore, From whom I have that thus I move and live, And feel that I am happier than I know?

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 8, l. 280

In solitude

What happiness? who can enjoy alone, Or all enjoying, what contentment find?

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 8, l. 364

So absolute she seems

And in herself complete, so well to know Her own, that what she wills to do or say Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 8, l. 547

Ofttimes nothing profits more

Than self esteem, grounded on just and right Well managed.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 8, l. 571

My celestial patroness, who deigns Her nightly visitation unimplored,

And dictates to me slumbering, or inspires Easy my unpremeditated verse:

Since first this subject for heroic song Pleased me long choosing, and beginning late.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 21

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

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 44

The serpent subtlest beast of all the field.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 86

For solitude sometimes is best society, And short retirement urges sweet return.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 249

As one who long in populous city pent, Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air, Forth issuing on a summer’s morn to breathe Among the pleasant villages and farms

Adjoined, from each thing met conceives delight.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 445

She fair, divinely fair, fit love for gods.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 489

God so commanded, and left that command Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live Law to our selves, our reason is our law.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 652

Her rash hand in evil hour

Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she ate: Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat Sighing through all her works gave signs of woe That all was lost.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 780

O fairest of creation, last and best

Of all God’s works, creature in whom excelled Whatever can to sight or thought be formed, Holy, divine, good, amiable or sweet!

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 896

For with thee

Certain my resolution is to die;

How can I live without thee, how forgo

Thy sweet converse and love so dearly joined, To live again in these wild woods forlorn?

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 906

Flesh of flesh,

Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 914

What thou art is mine;

Our state cannot be severed, we are one, One flesh; to lose thee were to lose my self.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 9, l. 957

Yet I shall temper so Justice with mercy.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 10, l. 77

He hears

On all sides, from innumerable tongues A dismal universal hiss, the sound

Of public scorn.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 10, l. 506

O why did God,

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 12, l. 581

In me is no delay; with thee to go,

Is to stay here; without thee here to stay, Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me

Art all things under heaven, all places thou, Who for my wilful crime art banished hence.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 12, l. 615

They looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat,

Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms:

Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose

Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: They hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.

‘Paradise Lost’ (1667) bk. 12, l. 641

Skilled to retire, and in retiring draw Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 2, l. 161

Of whom to be dispraised were no small praise.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 3, l. 56

But on occasion’s forelock watchful wait.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 3, l. 173

He who seeking asses found a kingdom.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 3, l. 242 (referring to Saul). See Samuel ch. 9, v. 3

The childhood shows the man,

As morning shows the day. Be famous then By wisdom; as thy empire must extend, So let extend thy mind o’er all the world.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 4, l. 220

Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence, native to famous wits Or hospitable, in her sweet recess,

City or suburban, studious walks and shades; See there the olive grove of Academe, Plato’s retirement, where the Attic bird

Trills her thick-warbled notes the summer long.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 4, l. 240

The first and wisest of them all professed

To know this only, that he nothing knew.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 4, l. 293.

Who reads

Incessantly, and to his reading brings not A spirit and judgement equal or superior

(And what he brings, what needs he elsewhere seek?) Uncertain and unsettled still remains,

Deep-versed in books and shallow in himself.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 4, l. 322

In them is plainest taught, and easiest learnt, What makes a nation happy, and keeps it so.

‘Paradise Regained’ (1671) bk. 4, l. 361 (on the prophets)

But headlong joy is ever on the wing.

‘The Passion’ (1645) st. 1

Ask for this great deliverer now, and find him Eyeless in Gaza at the mill with slaves.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 40

O dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon, Irrecoverably dark, total eclipse

Without all hope of day!

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 80

The sun to me is dark And silent as the moon, When she deserts the night

Hid in her vacant interlunar cave.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 86

To live a life half dead, a living death.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 100

Ran on embattled armies clad in iron, And, weaponless himself,

Made arms ridiculous.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 129

Wisest men

Have erred, and by bad women been deceived; And shall again, pretend they ne’er so wise.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 210

Just are the ways of God, And justifiable to men;

Unless there be who think not God at all.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 293

Of such doctrine never was there school, But the heart of the fool,

And no man therein doctor but himself.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 297

But what availed this temperance, not complete Against another object more enticing?

What boots it at one gate to make defence, And at another to let in the foe?

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 558

That grounded maxim

So rife and celebrated in the mouths Of wisest men; that to the public good Private respects must yield.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 865

Yet beauty, though injurious, hath strange power, After offence returning, to regain

Love once possessed.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1003

Love-quarrels oft in pleasing concord end.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1008

Lords are lordliest in their wine.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1418

For evil news rides post, while good news baits.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1538

And as an evening dragon came, Assailant on the perchéd roosts, And nests in order ranged

Of tame villatic fowl.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1692

Like that self-begotten bird

In the Arabian woods embossed, That no second knows nor third, And lay erewhile a holocaust.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1699

And though her body die, her fame survives, A secular bird ages of lives.

‘Samson Agonistes’ (1671) l. 1706

Samson hath quit himself

Like Samson, and heroically hath finished A life heroic.