Three and a half centuries ago, John Milton gave us the best epic poem ever written in English. I want to share it with you by reciting it from memory.

Paradise Lost is the interlocking tale of two great rebellions: Satan's armed rebellion against God, leading to his fall from heaven; and Adam and Eve's choice to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, leading to their expulsion from the garden in Eden. It's a story about power and free will and responsibility, it's a story about hate, and it's a story about love.

Paradise Lost is divided internally into twelve "books" (we would probably call them "chapters" today).

I expect this event to last about an hour and a half - that's about ten minutes for me to introduce the poem and talk about why I love it, an hour or so for recitation, and about twenty minutes for audience discussion/Q&A.