Parallel between Theognis and Milton

Theognis l.3-4 reads

ἀλλ’ αἰεὶ πρῶτόν τε* καὶ ὕστατον ἔν τε μέσοισιν
ἀείσω· …

Which translates as “but always, first and last and in the middle, I shall sing.”

Milton’s Paradise Lost, V, l. 164-5 reads,

“…extol
Him first, him last, him midst, and without end.”

Coincidence? Or do you think Milton was familiar with Theognis?


*Note that most editors have changed τέ into σέ to supply an object for ἀείσω. However, the two manuscripts from which we reconstruct the text, A (Paris Biblioteque Nationale Supp. Grec no. 388, X century) and O (Vatican 915, XIII cent.) read τέ. This reading should be retained because a) the manuscript evidence is strong, b) an object for ἀείσω can easily be supplied from σεῖο in l.1, and c) πρ. τε καὶ ὕστ. is the usual form. Cf. ἡδυεπὴς πρῶτόν τε καὶ ὕστατον αἰὲν ἀείδει H.21.4.

Milton knew Greek very well and had memorized the Iliad and the Odyssey. Add to that that these are the opening lines from the Elegiac Poems. And add again that it is a quite unique triple idea (that I at least have never heard before) and I would say that the (Bayesian always) chances are about 10-1 he was referencing Theognis.