Wednesday, April 17, 2013

To be dispraised by the people is praise


  For what is glory but the blaze of fame,
  The people's praise, if always praise unmixed?
  And what the people but a herd confused,
  A miscellaneous rabble, who extol
  Things vulgar, and, well weighed, scarce worth the praise?
  They praise and they admire they know not what,
  And know not whom, but as one leads the other;
  And what delight to be by such extolled,
  To live upon their tongues, and be their talk?
  Of whom to be dispraised were no small praise—
  His lot who dares be singularly good.
  The intelligent among them and the wise
  Are few, and glory scarce of few is raised.

- John Milton, Paradise Regained, Book III, Lines 47-59
(Christ replying to Satan's temptations)

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