Upon The Circumcision - Poem

Poem

Milton begins his poem by invoking the angels, and he claims that they too would need to cry along with mankind:

So sweetly sung your joy the clouds along
Through the soft silence of the list'ning night;
Now mourn, and if sad share with us to bear
Your fiery essence can distill no tear
Burn in your sighs, and borrow
Seas wept from our deep sorrow; (lines 4–9)

The final lines connect the act of Circumcision to Christ's Passion:

And that great cov'nant which we still transgress
Entirely satisfied,
And the full wrath beside
Of vengeful Justice bore for our excess,
And seals obedience first with wounding smart
This day: but O ere long
Huge pangs and strong
Will pierce more near his heart. (lines 21–28)

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