Classical mythology and other classical allusions are used
in a variety of ways in John Milton’s ode “On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity.” Some
these ways include the following:
- In line 15,
the speaker invokes the “heavenly Muse,” a Christian counterpart to the kinds of
classical muses invoked in poems written by ancient Greek and Roman
authors. - In line 19, the speaker alludes to the classical
myth of Apollo (the sun) driving his chariot across the
skies. - In lines 55-58, the speaker alludes to classical
instruments of warfare, including chariots, spears, and
shields. - In line 74, when referring to “Lucifer,” the
speaker actually alludes to the planet named after the classical goddess
Venus. - Chariots are again alluded to in line
84. - In line 89, Christ is likened to the ancient Greek
god Pan, whose name meant “all.” - In line 103, the moon is
referred to by the classical name “Cynthia.” - In line 135,
the speaker alludes to the classical golden age. - In line
173, the speaker implies that the coming of Christ silences the classical
oracles. - In lines 176-80, the speaker specifically
mentions the passing of the classical Gods, as when he
says,
Apollo from his
shrine
Can now no more
divine,
With hollow shriek the steep of Delphos leavening.
(176-78)
- Further
signs that the age of the pagan gods and other mythological figures has now ended are
announced in lines 181-96. The coming of Christ means the triumph of the true God over
all earlier figments of the human imagination. These include the mostly non-classical
pagan figures described in lines 197-220. - In lines 226-28
the infant Jesus is likened to the infant Hercules in his power to defeat
evil. - A final allusion to a chariot occurs in line
240.
Milton repeatedly suggests, then, that the
advent of Jesus Christ means the replacement of mythology with truth. Milton thus shows
his thorough familiarity with classical myth while also showing his commitment to
Christian triumphalism.
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