Season 3 Podcast 188, Milton's Paradise Lost, Book VII, Pt XV, "The Story of Creation" Pt II

Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk VII, Pt XV, “The Story of Creation” Pt IIIn Bk VII, Raphael explains to Adam and Eve about the creation of the earth. In the following Milton describes the First Day of Creation. One could successfully argue that the Old Testament is already written in exquisite poetry; however, Milton, though faithful to the original story, adds his own peculiar and elegant style and strays from the economy of the Holy Bible. It is fun to juxtapose the style of Milton with the Style of the King James Version of the story of creation. Milton leaves out verses 1 & 2; therefore, I am just going to compare the language of Milton with the comparable language of the King James Bible.Speaking of the first day of creation, Moses in the King James version, records. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.” And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and morning were the first day. The Bible is celebrated for its terseness. In Milton’s version of the same thing, we have. Let there be Light, said God, and forthwith LightEthereal, first of things, quintessence pureSprung from the Deep, and from her Native EastTo journey through the airie gloom began,Sphear’d in a radiant Cloud, for yet the SunWas not; she in a cloudy TabernacleSojourned the while. God saw the Light was good;And light from darkness by the HemisphereDivided: Light the Day, and Darkness NightHe named. Thus was the first Day Eev’n and Morn: In the King James version, we have only 49 words. In Milton’s version, we have 80 words, nearly double. Milton takes other liberties with the first day, because he brings in the heavenly choirs who celebrate the first day of Creation.  Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsungBy the Celestial Choirs, when Orient LightExhaling first from Darkness they beheld;Birth-day of Heav’n and Earth; with joy and shoutThe hollow Universal Orb they filled,And touched their Golden Harps, & hymning praisedGod and his works, Creator him they sung,Both when first Evening was, and when first Morn. In the above Milton has taken his cue from the Book of Job who recorded,  4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:4-7) Milton in poetic elegance embellishes the story of the creation. One addition is notable. Throughout the story of creation Milton has heavenly choirs praising God and singing of the glory of the earth’s creation. Using his poetic license, Milton wants you not only to understand the creation, but to feel its impact on the spirits anxiously waiting to come to earth.Fortunately for you I am not going to make a line by line comparison between Milton and the King James Bible or the podcast would never end. For economy’s sake I shall primarily present Milton’s version as it parallels the Biblical version. That allows me to cover all six days of creation in a single podcast. If time permits, with Bible in hand, I recommend you compare the entire Biblical version with Milton’s poetic rendition. It is worth your time.