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Can any one translate poetry? John Milton?


I have no idea what these two poems mean, or what John Milton is trying to say…Can anyone help me please?

Sonnet XVI: To the Lord General Cromwell

BY JOHN MILTON

Cromwell, our chief of men, who through a cloud
Not of war only, but detractions rude,
Guided by faith and matchless fortitude,
To peace and truth thy glorious way hast plough’d,
And on the neck of crowned Fortune proud
Hast rear’d God’s trophies, and his work pursu’d,
While Darwen stream with blood of Scots imbru’d,
And Dunbar field, resounds thy praises loud,
And Worcester’s laureate wreath; yet much remains
To conquer still: peace hath her victories
No less renown’d than war. New foes arise
Threat’ning to bind our souls with secular chains:
Help us to save free Conscience from the paw
Of hireling wolves whose gospel is their maw.

#2

1645
ON THE NEW FORCERS OF CONSCIENCE UNDER THE LONG PARLIAMENT
by John Milton
On the new forcers of Conscience under the Long Parliament

Because you have thrown of your Prelate Lord,
And with stiff Vowes renounc’d his Liturgie
To seise the widdow’d whore Pluralitie
From them whose sin ye envi’d, not abhor’d,
Dare ye for this adjure the Civill Sword
To force our Consciences that Christ set free,
And ride us with a classic Hierarchy
Taught ye by meer A. S. and Rotherford?
Men whose Life, Learning, Faith and pure intent
Would have been held in high esteem with Paul
Must now be nam’d and printed Hereticks
By shallow Edwards and Scotch what d’ye call:
But we do hope to find out all your tricks,
Your plots and packing wors then those of Trent,
That so the Parliament
May with their wholsom and preventive Shears
Clip your Phylacteries, though bauk your Ears,
And succour our just Fears
When they shall read this clearly in your charge
New Presbyter is but Old Priest writ Large.

-THE END-

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  1. Henry I says

    I don’t think you’re going to get much help on this here. Sorry. These poems are quite complex and rooted in very specific historical events. The pieces are rendered completely meaningless unless you know about the events they refer to. A good starting point would be this little article giving you the historic touchstones in the first poem. You’ll need to do some additional research, though.

    Best wishes!

    http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/1456.html

    p.s. Since this poem is written in English, it would be much better to use the word “interpret” rather than “translate.” :)

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