| Sumario: | The article focuses on English poet John Milton's invocation in his book "Paradise Lost." Book 1 of "Paradise Lost" with its invocations to a "heavenly Muse" and "spirit" is regarded as constituting an address to two Muses, one classical, the other Christian. While there does seem to be a transition from classical to Christian terminology, the whole achieves cohesive unity through the metaphorical motifs of flight and elevation. The phrase "heavenly Muse" is a virtual paradox, since the Muses dwell on Helicon, not in Heaven. This may give some indication of Milton's treatment. He is aspiring beyond the pagan world of classical epic to embrace religious subject matter, moving from Helicon to Heaven, as it were, in quest of his inspirational source.
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