A history of Britain by the famed poet John Milton that covers the period from Britain's earliest mythological beginnings to the year 1066. This is a book that has not received the credit it deserves. It is filled with many poetic passages and shows the hand of the master at every turn of the page.
People best know John Milton, English scholar, for Paradise Lost, the epic poem of 1667 and an account of fall of humanity from grace.
Beelzebub, one fallen angel in Paradise Lost, of John Milton, lay in power next to Satan.
Belial, one fallen angel, rebelled against God in Paradise Lost of John Milton.
John Milton, polemicist, man of letters, served the civil Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote in blank verse at a time of religious flux and political upheaval.
Prose of John Milton reflects deep personal convictions, a passion for freedom and self-determination, and the urgent issues and political turbulence of his day. He wrote in Latin, Greek, and Italian and achieved international renown within his lifetime, and his celebrated Areopagitica (1644) in condemnation of censorship before publication among most influential and impassioned defenses of free speech and the press of history.
William Hayley in biography of 1796 called and generally regarded John Milton, the "greatest ... author," "as one of the preeminent writers in the ... language," though since his death, critical reception oscillated often on his republicanism in the centuries. Samuel Johnson praised, "with respect to design may claim the first place, and with respect to performance, the second, among the productions of the ... mind," though he, a Tory and recipient of royal patronage, described politics of Milton, an "acrimonious and surly republican."
Because of his republicanism, centuries of British partisanship subjected John Milton.
A pleasantly-written, wryly humorous tracing of British history by a well-beloved author. I was reminded of why so much of history was names and dates - because certain ancient periods have record of nothing but that. Yes, it is also somewhat dry, but over all I enjoyed it and it was good night time listening.