John Milton wrote one of the greatest epics in the English language, 'Paradise Lost,' after he had gone completely blind. By 1652, due to what historians believe was glaucoma or detached retinas, Milton lost his sight entirely. Undeterred, he dictated the 10,000 lines of blank verse to a series of aides and his daughters, a process he called 'milking.' The poem, which tells the story of the Fall of Man and the rebellion of Satan, was intended to 'justify the ways of God to men.' Milton's rich, complex language and his sympathetic portrayal of Satan as a tragic, complex rebel influenced centuries of poets, including the Romantics like William Blake and Mary Shelley. His work is a testament to the power of the internal 'poetic eye' and the ability of the human spirit to create monumental art despite significant physical limitations.