An Introduction to the Prose and Poetical Works of John Milton / Comprising All the Autobiographic Passages in His Works, the More Explicit Presentations of His Ideas of True Liberty.

by John Milton

i.e. faced or confronted the enemy (Rolfe).

[533]. venereal trains: snares of Venus, or love.

[537]. me: an ethical dative? or it may be the usual dative.

[539]. Then turned me out ridiculous: an object of ridicule, a laughing-stock.

[549]. rod: ray of light.

[552]. turbulent: used causatively.

[563-572]. Now blind, disheartened: almost literally autobiographic.

[569]. robustious: Masson explains 'full of force'; but 'vain monument of strength' in the following verse, does not seem to support this explanation.

[581]. caused a fountain: Judges xv. 18, 19.

[590-598]. All otherwise: this pathetic passage is quite literally autobiographic, if 'race of shame' be excepted; but even this might be understood, in Milton's case, to be used objectively.