[66.] Make three syllables of Oceän, and make it rhyme with began.
[68. birds of calm.] The birds referred to are doubtless halcyons. Dr. Murray defines halcyon thus: “A bird of which the ancients fabled that it bred about the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and that it charmed the wind and waves so that the sea was specially calm during the period; usually identified with a species of kingfisher, hence a poetic name of this bird.”
[71. their precious influence.] The word influence is originally a term of astrology,—“a flowing in, or influent course, of the planets; their virtue infused into, or their course working on, inferior creatures” (Skeat, Etym. Dict.).
[73. For all the morning light.] As in Burns’s “We dare be poor for a’ that,” for meaning in spite of.
[74. Lucifer.] See Par. Lost VII 131-133.
[81. As], for as if.
[86. Or ere the point of dawn.] The two words or ere mean simply before, as in Hamlet I 2 147, “A little month, or ere those shoes were old.” The point of dawn imitates the French le point du jour.
[88. Full little thought they than.] Than is an ancient form of then, not wholly obsolete in Milton’s day.
[89. the mighty Pan.] The poet takes the point of view of the shepherds and uses the name of their special deity.
[95. by mortal finger strook.] Milton uses the three participle forms, strook, struck, and strucken.