Milton's Sonnet 12

Sonnet 12
by John Milton

I did but prompt the age to quit their cloggs
By the known rules of antient libertie,
When strait a barbarous noise environs me
Of Owles and Cuckoes, Asses, Apes and Doggs.
As when those Hinds that were transform'd to Froggs
Raild at Latona's twin-born progenie
Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee.
But this is got by casting Pearl to Hoggs;
That bawle for freedom in their senceless mood,
And still revolt when truth would set them free.
Licence they mean when they cry libertie;
For who loves that, must first be wise and good;
But from that mark how far they roave we see
For all this wast of wealth, and loss of blood.








This sonnet was one of Milton's works on his divorce. The negativity in his divorce work usually prevails over reason. This work in particular was said to be targeted at one of two groups, Presbyterians who had rejected his divorce pamphlets, or the radical sects who had welcomed them too enthusiastically.

I did but prompt the age to quit their cloggs By the known rules of antient libertie, When strait a barbarous noise environs me Of Owles and Cuckoes, Asses, Apes and Doggs.
The first section of this sonnet is Milton asking readers to leave behind their thoughts on the divorce laws and to not listen to the opinions swirling around you from others.


As when those Hinds that were transform'd to Froggs Raild at Latona's twin-born progenie Which after held the Sun and Moon in fee. But this is got by casting Pearl to Hoggs;

This part is a reference to Apollo and Diana, the deities of the sun and moon, and their mother, Latona. Latona went to drink from a pool of water, and the villagers did not allow it, so they were all turned to frogs. The line of the sun and moon holding them in fee means that Apollo and Diana could hold the villagers as their own.


That bawle for freedom in their senceless mood, And still revolt when truth would set them free. Licence they mean when they cry libertie;

In this, he targets the Prebytarians and their rejection of divorce. It was said that Milton didn't target them for taking the Reformation too far, but rather, not taking it far enough.
For who loves that, must first be wise and good; But from that mark how far they roave we see For all this wast of wealth, and loss of blood. To close the sonnet, Milton says that the civil war took a toll on the people and their quality of life, but did so in vain. It is in vain because those now in power, the Presbytarians, have reverted to old habits that should be a thing of the past, rather than spreading liberty.