[geargrinder]

The language and imagery of this poem is worth the effort it takes to read it. It helps to have a good mythology reference nearby because he wraps the biblical story in references to classical mythology which gives it all a deeper meaning. It is amazing that he was blind when he wrote it and dictated a new section from memory each morning.

[simonh]

I read an annotated edition once, well tried to. The problem is if you actually pay attention to all the annotations pointing our references to this, influences on the text from that, digressions on the other it would take forever. The breadth and depth of the man's classical knowledge was extraordinary.

[xenophonf]

Honestly, it's more fun to read aloud, skipping the references. The Devil gets all the best lines IMO.