Paradise Lost (poem)


 * See Paradise Lost for other uses of the term.

Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton in the 17th century. First published in 1667, a second revised version was released in 1674. In the poem, Milton stated that he was attempting to justify God's ways to man, and to elucidate the conflict between God's foresight and free will. In the poem, Satan is presented as a sympathetic character who defies God, and is cast down as a result of his defiance.

In 1671, Milton published a sequel to this poem titled Paradise Regained.

Both Captain James T. Kirk and Khan Noonien Singh had read this poem. When Kirk asked Khan if he and his augment followers could go on to tame Ceti Alpha V, Khan replied by asking Kirk if he had ever read Milton. Kirk understood what Khan was referring to, however as Montgomery Scott was not up on Milton, Scott did not. Kirk explained to Scott that Khan was referring to the portion of the poem when Lucifer was cast into the pit, when he stated that ...it is better to serve in hell than rule in heaven.

Khan and the augment colony took a number of works with them to their exile on Ceti Alpha V. These works included the human bible, Moby Dick, and Milton's Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained.