The passage chosen here comes at the close of the poemвЂ™s second book. I laced up my trainers, and prepared for some Miltonic weightlifting.

Everyone loves MiltonвЂ™s Satan, and IвЂ™m no exception. A space-travel pioneer, being interviewed, mentioned seeing the world for the first time, вЂњlike MiltonвЂ™s SatanвЂќ. Too often parochial, patronising and predictable, the programme recovered its form in the New Horizons edition on New YearвЂ™s Day. It started with a comment on BBC Radio 4вЂ™s Today programme. This week IвЂ™ve been revisiting Paradise Lost. Though it may be a return visit, IвЂ™m guaranteed to find all sorts of new treasure. ThereвЂ™s no pressure any more: I can read as slowly as I like, and replace the bookmark guiltlessly if I fancy a snooze. Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge,Д®very so often I put on my sports bra, flex a few surprised muscles and head to the literary gym of some major classic. Of living sapphire, once his native seat In circuit, undetermined square or round, Weighs his spread wings, at leisure to beholdДЇar off the empyreal heaven, extended wide Gladly the port, though shrouds and tackle torn Wafts on the calmer wave by dubious light That Satan with less toil, and now with ease With tumult less and with less hostile din, Of light appears, and from the walls of heavenДЄ glimmering dawn here nature first begins God and good angels guard by special grace. Of this frail world by which the spirits perverse Tamely endured a bridge of wondrous lengthДЇrom Hell continued reaching the utmost orb Through Bosporus, betwixt the jostling Rocks:Д¬harybdis, and by the other whirlpool steered.Д«ut he once past, soon after when man fell,ДЇollowing his track, such was the will of heaven, Into the wild expanse, and through the shockДЄnd more endangered, than when Argo passвЂ™d

He ceased and Satan stayed not to reply,Д«ut glad that now his sea should find a shore,

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