Famous Quote by John Milton
"Who overcomes by force hath overcome but half his foe."

Interesting facts about John Milton the man
Milton was born in 1608 and even at an early age it was clear he was both gifted and talented. Milton's father, a London notary, gave his son the best education that could be had. John had private tutoring and then entered St. Paul's School. After St. Paul's John went onto Cambridge. After Cambridge John was supported for a further five years of selected study, then sent on a further two years tour of Europe to round off his education. During the later part of his education Milton wrote much of his greatest poetry. In 1649 his growing reputation and fluency in Latin won him the post of "Latin secretary to Oliver Cromwell". The work entailed dealing with urgent correspondents to foreign powers, often at night with poor lighting. The result of this work on Milton's already weak eyesight was severe and by 1652 he was all but blind. Old and despairing of ever seeing a republican England, he became determined using the help of others to write his words, to create an epic. The result of Milton's determination was published in 1667, it was of course the epic "Paradise Lost". The poem "When I consider how my light is spent" reflects the feelings of John Milton about the loss of his eyesight, and the use he had put it to when he still had it.