约翰·弥尔顿（John Milton），出生于一个富裕的清教徒家庭，在剑桥大学求学时和毕业后一个时期，钻研古代和文艺复兴时期文学，深受人文主义思想熏陶。1638年他旅行意大利，访问过关在狱里的伽利略，并和意大利的文人学者交往。
Paradise Lost
失乐园
John Milton
约翰·弥尔顿
Nine times the space that measures day and night
依照人间的计算，大约九天九夜，
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
他和他那一伙可怕的徒众
Lay vanquished, rolling in the fiery gulf
沉沦辗转在烈火的深渊中
Confounded though immortal: But his doom
虽属不死之身，却象死者一样横陈；
Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought
但这个刑罚反激起他更大的忿怒，
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain
既失去了幸福，又受无尽痛苦的煎熬。
Torments(折磨) him; round he throws his baleful eyes
他抬起忧虑的双眼，环视周遭，
That witnessed huge affliction and dismay
摆在眼前的是莫大的隐忧和烦恼，
Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate:
顽固的傲气和难消的憎恨交织着。
At once as far as angels ken he views
霎时间，他竭尽天使的目力，望断
The dismal situation waste and wild,
际涯，但见被风弥漫，浩渺无限，
A dungeon horrible, on all sides round
四面八方围着他的是个可怕的地牢，
As one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames
象一个洪炉的烈火四射，但那火焰
No light, but rather darkness visible
却不发光，只是灰蒙蒙的一片，
Served only to discover sights of woe
可以辨认出那儿的苦难景况，
Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace
悲惨的境地和凄怆的暗影。
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
和平和安息决不在那儿停留，
That comes to all; but torture without end
希望无所不到，唯独不到那里。
Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed
只有无穷无尽的苦难紧紧跟着
With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed:
永燃的硫磺不断的添注，不灭的火焰，洪水般向他们滚滚逼来。
Such place Eternal Justice had prepared
这个地方，就是正义之神为那些
For those rebellious, here their prison ordained
叛逆者准备的，在天外的冥荒中
In utter darkness, and their portion set
为他们设置的牢狱，那个地方
As far removed from God and light of Heaven
离开天神和天界的亮光
As from the Center thrice to th' utmost pole.
相当于天极到中心的三倍那么远。
