WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - The Poetry Fix: Nativity Ode, Part Two

Episode Date: February 10, 2025

Today, we continue exploring Milton's "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity." In this excerpt, Milton meditates on the cosmic awe that the Christ child's surpassing power inspires.

Welcome to the Poetry Fix on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm your host, Erica Kaiba, bringing you your weekly fix of poetry from across time. Today we're continuing our journey through on the Morning of Christ's Nativity by John Milton. Last week, we discussed how Milton plays with classical themes, setting them into dialogue with Christian Revelation. Today's excerpt opens with a pretty clear parallel to Virgil's fourth echlog, which includes a messianic prophecy, foreseeing a child of divine origin, who will put an end to war, take away guilt, and ultimately bring peace. While Virgil links the divine child to Apollo, also a god of light,

Milton portrays the Christ as far surpassing Apollo. Later on in this excerpt, the Christ will command the stars in place of Lucifer, which was another name for Apollo. Though the classical tradition, symbolized by Apollo, provided valuable light to the pagan world, its influence and power is nowhere near as great as the messias. In Milton's portrayal, the whole world, and all the violence in it,

seems to stop in its course in the presence of the Christ child. Spear and shield are uphung, the chariot freezes unstained with blood, and the trumpet's battle cry is hushed. Kings themselves are stilled, somehow sensing that a greater power than them has arrived. Indeed, all of creation is hushed by the arrival of the Prince of Light. Milton describes the winds being whisted or silenced with wonder. The wind then whispers its joy to the ocean, who then forgets to rave, charmed to silence.

The image of whispering wind is highly evocative. In First Kings, when the prophet Elijah hides in a cave, God sends majestic displays of nature, such as earthquakes and fire, but ultimately appears to Elijah in a low whisper. Additionally, the Holy Spirit is often associated with wind, so Milton's whispering wind carries holy, reverent significance. With all that said, let's dive in. On the Morning of Christ's Nativity by John Milton, No war or battle's sound was heard the world around. The idle spear and shield were high uphung. The hooked chariot stood, unstained with hostile blood. The trumpet spake not to the armid throng, and kings sat still with awful eye, as if they surely

knew their sovereign lord was by. But peaceful was the night, wherein the prince of light his reign of peace upon the earth began. The winds with wonder wist, smoothly the waters kissed. whispering new joys to the mild ocean, who now hath quite forgot to rave, while birds of calm sit brooding on the charmin wave. The stars with deep amaze stand fixed and steadfast gaze, bending one way their precious influence, and will not take their flight for all the morning light,

or Lucifer that often warned them thence, but in their glimmering orbs did glow, until their Lord himself bespake and bid them go. You've been listening to The Poetry Fix with Erica Kaiba. If you enjoyed this episode, consider following The Poetry Fix on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. And if you have any poems you want to see in a future episode, email your suggestions to The Poetry Fix at gmail.com.

Join me next week, and we'll be continuing our journey through the Nativity Ode.