Even though it would be easy and it is ripe for the picking, we wanted to be more of an homage to that type of storytelling because I think it has a really powerful message.

VOA: standard.2010.05.27

The laurels and the myrtles that he addresses here are, of course, the traditional plants classically associated with great poets; but for Milton in this passage, importantly these plants simply aren't ripe yet.

诗中提到的月桂树和常青藤，传统上常常与伟大诗人相联系;,但在弥尔顿的这首诗，重要的是这些植物尚未成熟。

耶鲁公开课 - 弥尔顿课程节选

If only you'd known you had another 50 years, that you weren't going to die young-- or James Dean, going to burn out fast and die young-- if only you'd realized you were going to live to the ripe old age of 97, you would have picked a different life for yourself.

如果你知道自己还剩下50年，你不会英年早逝-,或者说你不会油尽灯枯，英年早逝-,如果你知道,你可以活到97岁高龄，你就会为自己选择另一种生活。

耶鲁公开课 - 死亡课程节选