In my attributes I stood So high and so heroically great, In lineage so supreme, and with a genius Which penetrated with a glance the world Beneath my feet, that, won by my high merit, A King--whom I may call the King of Kings, Because all others tremble in their pride Before the terrors of his countenance-- In his high palace, roofed with brightest gems Of living light--call them the stars of heaven-- Named me his counsellor.

But the high praise Stung me with pride and envy, and I rose In mighty competition, to ascend His seat, and place my foot triumphantly Upon his subject thrones.

Chastised, I know The depth to which ambition falls.

For mad Was the attempt; and yet more mad were now Repentance of the irrevocable deed.
Therefore I chose this ruin with the glory Of not to be subdued, before the shame Of reconciling me with him who reigns By coward cession.

Nor was I alone, Nor am I now, nor shall I be, alone.
And there was hope, and there may still be hope; For many suffrages among his vassals Hailed me their lord and king, and many still Are mine, and many more perchance shall be." A striking proof that resemblance does not necessarily imply plagiarism.
Milton's affinity to Calderon has been overlooked by his commentators; but four luminaries have been named from which he is alleged to have drawn, however sparingly, in his golden urn--Caedmon, the Adamus Exul of Grotius, the Adamo of the Italian dramatist Andreini, and the Lucifer of the Dutch poet Vondel.