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約翰·彌爾頓（John Milton），出生于一個富裕的清教徒家庭，在劍橋大學求學時和畢業后一個時期，鉆研古代和文藝復興時期文學，深受人文主義思想熏陶。1638年他旅行意大利，訪問過關在獄里的伽利略，并和意大利的文人學者交往。
Paradise Lost
失樂園
John Milton
約翰·彌爾頓
Nine times the space that measures day and night
依照人間的計算，大約九天九夜，
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
他和他那一伙可怕的徒眾
Lay vanquished, rolling in the fiery gulf
沉淪輾轉在烈火的深淵中
Confounded though immortal: But his doom
雖屬不死之身，卻象死者一樣橫陳；
Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought
但這個刑罰反激起他更大的忿怒，
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain
既失去了幸福，又受無盡痛苦的煎熬。
Torments(折磨) him; round he throws his baleful eyes
他抬起憂慮的雙眼，環視周遭，
That witnessed huge affliction and dismay
擺在眼前的是莫大的隱憂和煩惱，
Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate:
頑固的傲氣和難消的憎恨交織著。
At once as far as angels ken he views
霎時間，他竭盡天使的目力，望斷
The dismal situation waste and wild,
際涯，但見被風彌漫，浩渺無限，
A dungeon horrible, on all sides round
四面八方圍著他的是個可怕的地牢，
As one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames
象一個洪爐的烈火四射，但那火焰
No light, but rather darkness visible
卻不發光，只是灰蒙蒙的一片，
Served only to discover sights of woe
可以辨認出那兒的苦難景況，
Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace
悲慘的境地和凄愴的暗影。
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
和平和安息決不在那兒停留，
That comes to all; but torture without end
希望無所不到，唯獨不到那里。
Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed
只有無窮無盡的苦難緊緊跟著
With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed:
永燃的硫磺不斷的添注，不滅的火焰，洪水般向他們滾滾逼來。
Such place Eternal Justice had prepared
這個地方，就是正義之神為那些
For those rebellious, here their prison ordained
叛逆者準備的，在天外的冥荒中
In utter darkness, and their portion set
為他們設置的牢獄，那個地方
As far removed from God and light of Heaven
離開天神和天界的亮光
As from the Center thrice to th' utmost pole.
相當于天極到中心的三倍那么遠。
