Notes on Milton's Nativity Ode. 347 



Mercy is associated with justice in P.L. 3. 132-4, 406-7 ; 10. 58-9, 

 77-9. Cf. 3. 333-8; 12. 545-550. 



146. The detail of this is not clear to me. How does one steer 

 with radiant feet ? Is down a preposition or an adverb ? And why 

 emphasize the radiance of the feet ? If one could substitute ' wings ' 

 for ' feet ' the interpretation would be easier, for one can hardly 

 suppose winged feet, like those of Mercury. 



Jebb renders : 



Nubes coruscas mille coloribus 

 Splendente findet tramite Lenitas. 



tissued. ' Brilliant in color ' (L.) ; but quer}' ? 



148. gates. Homer, 11. 5. 749-751 ; 8. 393-5 : ' Self-moving 

 groaned upon their hinges the gates of heaven.' These are of 

 cloud. Cf. Gen. 28. 17; Ovid, Met. 1. 172. See P.L. 3. 515; 5. 

 253; 1. 171; 7. 206, 565; Vac. Ex. 34. 



palace-hall. We have ' the great palace of the sky ' in Ovid, 

 Met 1. 176; cf. Virgil, G. 503; ^n. 7. 210-1 ; 10. 1 ; Lucan 1. 45-7. 

 See also the templa of Lucretius 1. 1014, 1064, etc. 



149. Fate. So P.L. 2. 809, and elsewhere. 



152. bitter cross. Perhaps a reminiscence of / Hen. IV 1. 1. 

 27. Cf. 25, note. 



153. redeem. L. ' make good.' 



loss. L. 'spiritual ruin,' comparing P.L. 3. 308; 9. 131 (see 

 L., lose, l.b); cf Cowper, Tiroc. 166. 



155. yehained. Thejj'- is the Old English prefix ge-, frequently 

 used in past participles, '^ee yclept, L'Al. 12; star y pointing, Ep. on 

 Sliak. 4. 



sleep. Death, as in the Bible. 



156. wakeful. Arousing, wakening. 



trump. Sannazaro {Part. Virg. 1. 384—5), like Milton, brings 

 this into close relation with the destruction of hell : 



Sed tempus erit quum Martia rauco 

 Mugitu caelum quatiet tuba. 



157. clang. The Latin of Exod. 19. 16 has clangor, where the 

 English has voice (of the trumpet). 



158. Sinai. See Exod. 19. 16 ff. 



159. smouldering. With a suggestion of the smoke of Exod. 

 19. 18. Cf. Todd's note. 



164. middle air. Cf Dan. 7. 13; Matt. 24. 30; Rev. 1. 7; P.L. 

 12. 545. See also P.L. 1. 516. 



