John Milton - When assault was intended to the city

When assault

was intended to the city

Captain or colonel, or knight in arms,

Whose chance on these defenceless dores may sease,

If ever deed of honour did thee please,

Guard them, and him within protect from harms,

He can requite thee, for he knows the charms

That call fame on such gentle acts as these,

And he can spred thy name o’re lands and seas,

What ever clime the suns bright circle warms.

Lift not thy spear against the muses bowre,

The great emathian  conqueror bid spare

The house of pindarus, when temple and towre

Went to ground : and the repeated air

Of sad electra’s  poet had the power

To  save th’ Athenian walls from ruine bare.

Critical analysis

This poem was written by Milton during 1642, at that time it was believed that an attack on London by Charles Ist was Imminent

In above lines Milton fearing that his city will be defenseless during assault calls for heroes to protect his city and its inhabitants and he as their reward will immortalize their name in all over the world through his poetries, a while later he remembering the legend of Alexander the great he says that while the sack of Thebes Alexander told his soldiers to leave the home of the poet Pindar untouched due to his respect for poets works here Milton adding a touch of humor states that like Pindar was spared by Alexander he will also be spared by Charles Ist, Milton in next lines adding even more humor states that as the  sad  poet Electra was able to save the city of Athens through his poetry he will also be able to save the city of London.

The poem “when assault was intended to the city” is an outstanding example of Milton grand poetry style which made him famous it was his eighth poem to be published and he was yet maturing his style but even then it shows the massive talent of the prodigy which was seen at the best in Milton’s epic “paradise lost”.

      

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Shailesh Chandra Raj