From 58daab21cd043e1dc37024a7f99b396788372918 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Daniel Baumann Date: Sat, 9 Mar 2024 14:19:48 +0100 Subject: Merging upstream version 1.44.3. Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann --- .../libh2o/deps/brotli/tests/testdata/plrabn12.txt | 10699 +++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 10699 insertions(+) create mode 100644 web/server/h2o/libh2o/deps/brotli/tests/testdata/plrabn12.txt (limited to 'web/server/h2o/libh2o/deps/brotli/tests/testdata/plrabn12.txt') diff --git a/web/server/h2o/libh2o/deps/brotli/tests/testdata/plrabn12.txt b/web/server/h2o/libh2o/deps/brotli/tests/testdata/plrabn12.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..34088b82c --- /dev/null +++ b/web/server/h2o/libh2o/deps/brotli/tests/testdata/plrabn12.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10699 @@ + +This is the February 1992 Project Gutenberg release of: + +Paradise Lost by John Milton + +The oldest etext known to Project Gutenberg (ca. 1964-1965) +(If you know of any older ones, please let us know.) + + +Introduction (one page) + +This etext was originally created in 1964-1965 according to Dr. +Joseph Raben of Queens College, NY, to whom it is attributed by +Project Gutenberg. We had heard of this etext for years but it +was not until 1991 that we actually managed to track it down to +a specific location, and then it took months to convince people +to let us have a copy, then more months for them actually to do +the copying and get it to us. Then another month to convert to +something we could massage with our favorite 486 in DOS. After +that is was only a matter of days to get it into this shape you +will see below. The original was, of course, in CAPS only, and +so were all the other etexts of the 60's and early 70's. Don't +let anyone fool you into thinking any etext with both upper and +lower case is an original; all those original Project Gutenberg +etexts were also in upper case and were translated or rewritten +many times to get them into their current condition. They have +been worked on by many people throughout the world. + +In the course of our searches for Professor Raben and his etext +we were never able to determine where copies were or which of a +variety of editions he may have used as a source. We did get a +little information here and there, but even after we received a +copy of the etext we were unwilling to release it without first +determining that it was in fact Public Domain and finding Raben +to verify this and get his permission. Interested enough, in a +totally unrelated action to our searches for him, the professor +subscribed to the Project Gutenberg listserver and we happened, +by accident, to notice his name. (We don't really look at every +subscription request as the computers usually handle them.) The +etext was then properly identified, copyright analyzed, and the +current edition prepared. + +To give you an estimation of the difference in the original and +what we have today: the original was probably entered on cards +commonly known at the time as "IBM cards" (Do Not Fold, Spindle +or Mutilate) and probably took in excess of 100,000 of them. A +single card could hold 80 characters (hence 80 characters is an +accepted standard for so many computer margins), and the entire +original edition we received in all caps was over 800,000 chars +in length, including line enumeration, symbols for caps and the +punctuation marks, etc., since they were not available keyboard +characters at the time (probably the keyboards operated at baud +rates of around 113, meaning the typists had to type slowly for +the keyboard to keep up). + +This is the second version of Paradise Lost released by Project +Gutenberg. The first was released as our October, 1991 etext. + + + + + +Paradise Lost + + + + +Book I + + +Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit +Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste +Brought death into the World, and all our woe, +With loss of Eden, till one greater Man +Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, +Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret top +Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire +That shepherd who first taught the chosen seed +In the beginning how the heavens and earth +Rose out of Chaos: or, if Sion hill +Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flowed +Fast by the oracle of God, I thence +Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song, +That with no middle flight intends to soar +Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues +Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme. +And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer +Before all temples th' upright heart and pure, +Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou from the first +Wast present, and, with mighty wings outspread, +Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast Abyss, +And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark +Illumine, what is low raise and support; +That, to the height of this great argument, +I may assert Eternal Providence, +And justify the ways of God to men. + Say first--for Heaven hides nothing from thy view, +Nor the deep tract of Hell--say first what cause +Moved our grand parents, in that happy state, +Favoured of Heaven so highly, to fall off +From their Creator, and transgress his will +For one restraint, lords of the World besides. +Who first seduced them to that foul revolt? + Th' infernal Serpent; he it was whose guile, +Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived +The mother of mankind, what time his pride +Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host +Of rebel Angels, by whose aid, aspiring +To set himself in glory above his peers, +He trusted to have equalled the Most High, +If he opposed, and with ambitious aim +Against the throne and monarchy of God, +Raised impious war in Heaven and battle proud, +With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power +Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky, +With hideous ruin and combustion, down +To bottomless perdition, there to dwell +In adamantine chains and penal fire, +Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms. + Nine times the space that measures day and night +To mortal men, he, with his horrid crew, +Lay vanquished, rolling in the fiery gulf, +Confounded, though immortal. But his doom +Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought +Both of lost happiness and lasting pain +Torments him: round he throws his baleful eyes, +That witnessed huge affliction and dismay, +Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfast hate. +At once, as far as Angels ken, he views +The dismal situation waste and wild. +A dungeon horrible, on all sides round, +As one great furnace flamed; yet from those flames +No light; but rather darkness visible +Served only to discover sights of woe, +Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace +And rest can never dwell, hope never comes +That comes to all, but torture without end +Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed +With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed. +Such place Eternal Justice has prepared +For those rebellious; here their prison ordained +In utter darkness, and their portion set, +As far removed from God and light of Heaven +As from the centre thrice to th' utmost pole. +Oh how unlike the place from whence they fell! +There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelmed +With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire, +He soon discerns; and, weltering by his side, +One next himself in power, and next in crime, +Long after known in Palestine, and named +Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-Enemy, +And thence in Heaven called Satan, with bold words +Breaking the horrid silence, thus began:-- + "If thou beest he--but O how fallen! how changed +From him who, in the happy realms of light +Clothed with transcendent brightness, didst outshine +Myriads, though bright!--if he whom mutual league, +United thoughts and counsels, equal hope +And hazard in the glorious enterprise +Joined with me once, now misery hath joined +In equal ruin; into what pit thou seest +From what height fallen: so much the stronger proved +He with his thunder; and till then who knew +The force of those dire arms? Yet not for those, +Nor what the potent Victor in his rage +Can else inflict, do I repent, or change, +Though changed in outward lustre, that fixed mind, +And high disdain from sense of injured merit, +That with the Mightiest raised me to contend, +And to the fierce contentions brought along +Innumerable force of Spirits armed, +That durst dislike his reign, and, me preferring, +His utmost power with adverse power opposed +In dubious battle on the plains of Heaven, +And shook his throne. What though the field be lost? +All is not lost--the unconquerable will, +And study of revenge, immortal hate, +And courage never to submit or yield: +And what is else not to be overcome? +That glory never shall his wrath or might +Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace +With suppliant knee, and deify his power +Who, from the terror of this arm, so late +Doubted his empire--that were low indeed; +That were an ignominy and shame beneath +This downfall; since, by fate, the strength of Gods, +And this empyreal sybstance, cannot fail; +Since, through experience of this great event, +In arms not worse, in foresight much advanced, +We may with more successful hope resolve +To wage by force or guile eternal war, +Irreconcilable to our grand Foe, +Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy +Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heaven." + So spake th' apostate Angel, though in pain, +Vaunting aloud, but racked with deep despair; +And him thus answered soon his bold compeer:-- + "O Prince, O Chief of many throned Powers +That led th' embattled Seraphim to war +Under thy conduct, and, in dreadful deeds +Fearless, endangered Heaven's perpetual King, +And put to proof his high supremacy, +Whether upheld by strength, or chance, or fate, +Too well I see and rue the dire event +That, with sad overthrow and foul defeat, +Hath lost us Heaven, and all this mighty host +In horrible destruction laid thus low, +As far as Gods and heavenly Essences +Can perish: for the mind and spirit remains +Invincible, and vigour soon returns, +Though all our glory extinct, and happy state +Here swallowed up in endless misery. +But what if he our Conqueror (whom I now +Of force believe almighty, since no less +Than such could have o'erpowered such force as ours) +Have left us this our spirit and strength entire, +Strongly to suffer and support our pains, +That we may so suffice his vengeful ire, +Or do him mightier service as his thralls +By right of war, whate'er his business be, +Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire, +Or do his errands in the gloomy Deep? +What can it the avail though yet we feel +Strength undiminished, or eternal being +To undergo eternal punishment?" + Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-Fiend replied:-- +"Fallen Cherub, to be weak is miserable, +Doing or suffering: but of this be sure-- +To do aught good never will be our task, +But ever to do ill our sole delight, +As being the contrary to his high will +Whom we resist. If then his providence +Out of our evil seek to bring forth good, +Our labour must be to pervert that end, +And out of good still to find means of evil; +Which ofttimes may succeed so as perhaps +Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb +His inmost counsels from their destined aim. +But see! the angry Victor hath recalled +His ministers of vengeance and pursuit +Back to the gates of Heaven: the sulphurous hail, +Shot after us in storm, o'erblown hath laid +The fiery surge that from the precipice +Of Heaven received us falling; and the thunder, +Winged with red lightning and impetuous rage, +Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now +To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep. +Let us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn +Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe. +Seest thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, +The seat of desolation, void of light, +Save what the glimmering of these livid flames +Casts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend +From off the tossing of these fiery waves; +There rest, if any rest can harbour there; +And, re-assembling our afflicted powers, +Consult how we may henceforth most offend +Our enemy, our own loss how repair, +How overcome this dire calamity, +What reinforcement we may gain from hope, +If not, what resolution from despair." + Thus Satan, talking to his nearest mate, +With head uplift above the wave, and eyes +That sparkling blazed; his other parts besides +Prone on the flood, extended long and large, +Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge +As whom the fables name of monstrous size, +Titanian or Earth-born, that warred on Jove, +Briareos or Typhon, whom the den +By ancient Tarsus held, or that sea-beast +Leviathan, which God of all his works +Created hugest that swim th' ocean-stream. +Him, haply slumbering on the Norway foam, +The pilot of some small night-foundered skiff, +Deeming some island, oft, as seamen tell, +With fixed anchor in his scaly rind, +Moors by his side under the lee, while night +Invests the sea, and wished morn delays. +So stretched out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay, +Chained on the burning lake; nor ever thence +Had risen, or heaved his head, but that the will +And high permission of all-ruling Heaven +Left him at large to his own dark designs, +That with reiterated crimes he might +Heap on himself damnation, while he sought +Evil to others, and enraged might see +How all his malice served but to bring forth +Infinite goodness, grace, and mercy, shewn +On Man by him seduced, but on himself +Treble confusion, wrath, and vengeance poured. + Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool +His mighty stature; on each hand the flames +Driven backward slope their pointing spires, and,rolled +In billows, leave i' th' midst a horrid vale. +Then with expanded wings he steers his flight +Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air, +That felt unusual weight; till on dry land +He lights--if it were land that ever burned +With solid, as the lake with liquid fire, +And such appeared in hue as when the force +Of subterranean wind transprots a hill +Torn from Pelorus, or the shattered side +Of thundering Etna, whose combustible +And fuelled entrails, thence conceiving fire, +Sublimed with mineral fury, aid the winds, +And leave a singed bottom all involved +With stench and smoke. Such resting found the sole +Of unblest feet. Him followed his next mate; +Both glorying to have scaped the Stygian flood +As gods, and by their own recovered strength, +Not by the sufferance of supernal Power. + "Is this the region, this the soil, the clime," +Said then the lost Archangel, "this the seat +That we must change for Heaven?--this mournful gloom +For that celestial light? Be it so, since he +Who now is sovereign can dispose and bid +What shall be right: farthest from him is best +Whom reason hath equalled, force hath made supreme +Above his equals. Farewell, happy fields, +Where joy for ever dwells! Hail, horrors! hail, +Infernal world! and thou, profoundest Hell, +Receive thy new possessor--one who brings +A mind not to be changed by place or time. +The mind is its own place, and in itself +Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven. +What matter where, if I be still the same, +And what I should be, all but less than he +Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least +We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built +Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: +Here we may reigh secure; and, in my choice, +To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell: +Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven. +But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, +Th' associates and co-partners of our loss, +Lie thus astonished on th' oblivious pool, +And call them not to share with us their part +In this unhappy mansion, or once more +With rallied arms to try what may be yet +Regained in Heaven, or what more lost in Hell?" + So Satan spake; and him Beelzebub +Thus answered:--"Leader of those armies bright +Which, but th' Omnipotent, none could have foiled! +If once they hear that voice, their liveliest pledge +Of hope in fears and dangers--heard so oft +In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge +Of battle, when it raged, in all assaults +Their surest signal--they will soon resume +New courage and revive, though now they lie +Grovelling and prostrate on yon lake of fire, +As we erewhile, astounded and amazed; +No wonder, fallen such a pernicious height!" + He scare had ceased when the superior Fiend +Was moving toward the shore; his ponderous shield, +Ethereal temper, massy, large, and round, +Behind him cast. The broad circumference +Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb +Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views +At evening, from the top of Fesole, +Or in Valdarno, to descry new lands, +Rivers, or mountains, in her spotty globe. +His spear--to equal which the tallest pine +Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mast +Of some great ammiral, were but a wand-- +He walked with, to support uneasy steps +Over the burning marl, not like those steps +On Heaven's azure; and the torrid clime +Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with fire. +Nathless he so endured, till on the beach +Of that inflamed sea he stood, and called +His legions--Angel Forms, who lay entranced +Thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks +In Vallombrosa, where th' Etrurian shades +High over-arched embower; or scattered sedge +Afloat, when with fierce winds Orion armed +Hath vexed the Red-Sea coast, whose waves o'erthrew +Busiris and his Memphian chivalry, +While with perfidious hatred they pursued +The sojourners of Goshen, who beheld +From the safe shore their floating carcases +And broken chariot-wheels. So thick bestrown, +Abject and lost, lay these, covering the flood, +Under amazement of their hideous change. +He called so loud that all the hollow deep +Of Hell resounded:--"Princes, Potentates, +Warriors, the Flower of Heaven--once yours; now lost, +If such astonishment as this can seize +Eternal Spirits! Or have ye chosen this place +After the toil of battle to repose +Your wearied virtue, for the ease you find +To slumber here, as in the vales of Heaven? +Or in this abject posture have ye sworn +To adore the Conqueror, who now beholds +Cherub and Seraph rolling in the flood +With scattered arms and ensigns, till anon +His swift pursuers from Heaven-gates discern +Th' advantage, and, descending, tread us down +Thus drooping, or with linked thunderbolts +Transfix us to the bottom of this gulf? +Awake, arise, or be for ever fallen!" + They heard, and were abashed, and up they sprung +Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch +On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread, +Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake. +Nor did they not perceive the evil plight +In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel; +Yet to their General's voice they soon obeyed +Innumerable. As when the potent rod +Of Amram's son, in Egypt's evil day, +Waved round the coast, up-called a pitchy cloud +Of locusts, warping on the eastern wind, +That o'er the realm of impious Pharaoh hung +Like Night, and darkened all the land of Nile; +So numberless were those bad Angels seen +Hovering on wing under the cope of Hell, +'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires; +Till, as a signal given, th' uplifted spear +Of their great Sultan waving to direct +Their course, in even balance down they light +On the firm brimstone, and fill all the plain: +A multitude like which the populous North +Poured never from her frozen loins to pass +Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous sons +Came like a deluge on the South, and spread +Beneath Gibraltar to the Libyan sands. +Forthwith, form every squadron and each band, +The heads and leaders thither haste where stood +Their great Commander--godlike Shapes, and Forms +Excelling human; princely Dignities; +And Powers that erst in Heaven sat on thrones, +Though on their names in Heavenly records now +Be no memorial, blotted out and rased +By their rebellion from the Books of Life. +Nor had they yet among the sons of Eve +Got them new names, till, wandering o'er the earth, +Through God's high sufferance for the trial of man, +By falsities and lies the greatest part +Of mankind they corrupted to forsake +God their Creator, and th' invisible +Glory of him that made them to transform +Oft to the image of a brute, adorned +With gay religions full of pomp and gold, +And devils to adore for deities: +Then were they known to men by various names, +And various idols through the heathen world. + Say, Muse, their names then known, who first, who last, +Roused from the slumber on that fiery couch, +At their great Emperor's call, as next in worth +Came singly where he stood on the bare strand, +While the promiscuous crowd stood yet aloof? + The chief were those who, from the pit of Hell +Roaming to seek their prey on Earth, durst fix +Their seats, long after, next the seat of God, +Their altars by his altar, gods adored +Among the nations round, and durst abide +Jehovah thundering out of Sion, throned +Between the Cherubim; yea, often placed +Within his sanctuary itself their shrines, +Abominations; and with cursed things +His holy rites and solemn feasts profaned, +And with their darkness durst affront his light. +First, Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood +Of human sacrifice, and parents' tears; +Though, for the noise of drums and timbrels loud, +Their children's cries unheard that passed through fire +To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite +Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain, +In Argob and in Basan, to the stream +Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with such +Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart +Of Solomon he led by fraoud to build +His temple right against the temple of God +On that opprobrious hill, and made his grove +The pleasant valley of Hinnom, Tophet thence +And black Gehenna called, the type of Hell. +Next Chemos, th' obscene dread of Moab's sons, +From Aroar to Nebo and the wild +Of southmost Abarim; in Hesebon +And Horonaim, Seon's real, beyond +The flowery dale of Sibma clad with vines, +And Eleale to th' Asphaltic Pool: +Peor his other name, when he enticed +Israel in Sittim, on their march from Nile, +To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe. +Yet thence his lustful orgies he enlarged +Even to that hill of scandal, by the grove +Of Moloch homicide, lust hard by hate, +Till good Josiah drove them thence to Hell. +With these came they who, from the bordering flood +Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts +Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names +Of Baalim and Ashtaroth--those male, +These feminine. For Spirits, when they please, +Can either sex assume, or both; so soft +And uncompounded is their essence pure, +Not tried or manacled with joint or limb, +Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones, +Like cumbrous flesh; but, in what shape they choose, +Dilated or condensed, bright or obscure, +Can execute their airy purposes, +And works of love or enmity fulfil. +For those the race of Israel oft forsook +Their Living Strength, and unfrequented left +His righteous altar, bowing lowly down +To bestial gods; for which their heads as low +Bowed down in battle, sunk before the spear +Of despicable foes. With these in troop +Came Astoreth, whom the Phoenicians called +Astarte, queen of heaven, with crescent horns; +To whose bright image nigntly by the moon +Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs; +In Sion also not unsung, where stood +Her temple on th' offensive mountain, built +By that uxorious king whose heart, though large, +Beguiled by fair idolatresses, fell +To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind, +Whose annual wound in Lebanon allured +The Syrian damsels to lament his fate +In amorous ditties all a summer's day, +While smooth Adonis from his native rock +Ran purple to the sea, supposed with blood +Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the love-tale +Infected Sion's daughters with like heat, +Whose wanton passions in the sacred proch +Ezekiel saw, when, by the vision led, +His eye surveyed the dark idolatries +Of alienated Judah. Next came one +Who mourned in earnest, when the captive ark +Maimed his brute image, head and hands lopt off, +In his own temple, on the grunsel-edge, +Where he fell flat and shamed his worshippers: +Dagon his name, sea-monster,upward man +And downward fish; yet had his temple high +Reared in Azotus, dreaded through the coast +Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon, +And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. +Him followed Rimmon, whose delightful seat +Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks +Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams. +He also against the house of God was bold: +A leper once he lost, and gained a king-- +Ahaz, his sottish conqueror, whom he drew +God's altar to disparage and displace +For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn +His odious offerings, and adore the gods +Whom he had vanquished. After these appeared +A crew who, under names of old renown-- +Osiris, Isis, Orus, and their train-- +With monstrous shapes and sorceries abused +Fanatic Egypt and her priests to seek +Their wandering gods disguised in brutish forms +Rather than human. Nor did Israel scape +Th' infection, when their borrowed gold composed +The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king +Doubled that sin in Bethel and in Dan, +Likening his Maker to the grazed ox-- +Jehovah, who, in one night, when he passed +From Egypt marching, equalled with one stroke +Both her first-born and all her bleating gods. +Belial came last; than whom a Spirit more lewd +Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love +Vice for itself. To him no temple stood +Or altar smoked; yet who more oft than he +In temples and at altars, when the priest +Turns atheist, as did Eli's sons, who filled +With lust and violence the house of God? +In courts and palaces he also reigns, +And in luxurious cities, where the noise +Of riot ascends above their loftiest towers, +And injury and outrage; and, when night +Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons +Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. +Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night +In Gibeah, when the hospitable door +Exposed a matron, to avoid worse rape. + These were the prime in order and in might: +The rest were long to tell; though far renowned +Th' Ionian gods--of Javan's issue held +Gods, yet confessed later than Heaven and Earth, +Their boasted parents;--Titan, Heaven's first-born, +With his enormous brood, and birthright seized +By younger Saturn: he from mightier Jove, +His own and Rhea's son, like measure found; +So Jove usurping reigned. These, first in Crete +And Ida known, thence on the snowy top +Of cold Olympus ruled the middle air, +Their highest heaven; or on the Delphian cliff, +Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds +Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old +Fled over Adria to th' Hesperian fields, +And o'er the Celtic roamed the utmost Isles. + All these and more came flocking; but with looks +Downcast and damp; yet such wherein appeared +Obscure some glimpse of joy to have found their Chief +Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost +In loss itself; which on his countenance cast +Like doubtful hue. But he, his wonted pride +Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore +Semblance of worth, not substance, gently raised +Their fainting courage, and dispelled their fears. +Then straight commands that, at the warlike sound +Of trumpets loud and clarions, be upreared +His mighty standard. That proud honour claimed +Azazel as his right, a Cherub tall: +Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurled +Th' imperial ensign; which, full high advanced, +Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind, +With gems and golden lustre rich emblazed, +Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while +Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds: +At which the universal host up-sent +A shout that tore Hell's concave, and beyond +Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night. +All in a moment through the gloom were seen +Ten thousand banners rise into the air, +With orient colours waving: with them rose +A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms +Appeared, and serried shields in thick array +Of depth immeasurable. Anon they move +In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood +Of flutes and soft recorders--such as raised +To height of noblest temper heroes old +Arming to battle, and instead of rage +Deliberate valour breathed, firm, and unmoved +With dread of death to flight or foul retreat; +Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage +With solemn touches troubled thoughts, and chase +Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain +From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they, +Breathing united force with fixed thought, +Moved on in silence to soft pipes that charmed +Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil. And now +Advanced in view they stand--a horrid front +Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise +Of warriors old, with ordered spear and shield, +Awaiting what command their mighty Chief +Had to impose. He through the armed files +Darts his experienced eye, and soon traverse +The whole battalion views--their order due, +Their visages and stature as of gods; +Their number last he sums. And now his heart +Distends with pride, and, hardening in his strength, +Glories: for never, since created Man, +Met such embodied force as, named with these, +Could merit more than that small infantry +Warred on by cranes--though all the giant brood +Of Phlegra with th' heroic race were joined +That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each side +Mixed with auxiliar gods; and what resounds +In fable or romance of Uther's son, +Begirt with British and Armoric knights; +And all who since, baptized or infidel, +Jousted in Aspramont, or Montalban, +Damasco, or Marocco, or Trebisond, +Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore +When Charlemain with all his peerage fell +By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond +Compare of mortal prowess, yet observed +Their dread Commander. He, above the rest +In shape and gesture proudly eminent, +Stood like a tower. His form had yet not lost +All her original brightness, nor appeared +Less than Archangel ruined, and th' excess +Of glory obscured: as when the sun new-risen +Looks through the horizontal misty air +Shorn of his beams, or, from behind the moon, +In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds +On half the nations, and with fear of change +Perplexes monarchs. Darkened so, yet shone +Above them all th' Archangel: but his face +Deep scars of thunder had intrenched, and care +Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows +Of dauntless courage, and considerate pride +Waiting revenge. Cruel his eye, but cast +Signs of remorse and passion, to behold +The fellows of his crime, the followers rather +(Far other once beheld in bliss), condemned +For ever now to have their lot in pain-- +Millions of Spirits for his fault amerced +Of Heaven, and from eteranl splendours flung +For his revolt--yet faithful how they stood, +Their glory withered; as, when heaven's fire +Hath scathed the forest oaks or mountain pines, +With singed top their stately growth, though bare, +Stands on the blasted heath. He now prepared +To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend +From wing to wing, and half enclose him round +With all his peers: attention held them mute. +Thrice he assayed, and thrice, in spite of scorn, +Tears, such as Angels weep, burst forth: at last +Words interwove with sighs found out their way:-- + "O myriads of immortal Spirits! O Powers +Matchless, but with th' Almighth!--and that strife +Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire, +As this place testifies, and this dire change, +Hateful to utter. But what power of mind, +Forseeing or presaging, from the depth +Of knowledge past or present, could have feared +How such united force of gods, how such +As stood like these, could ever know repulse? +For who can yet believe, though after loss, +That all these puissant legions, whose exile +Hath emptied Heaven, shall fail to re-ascend, +Self-raised, and repossess their native seat? +For me, be witness all the host of Heaven, +If counsels different, or danger shunned +By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns +Monarch in Heaven till then as one secure +Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, +Consent or custom, and his regal state +Put forth at full, but still his strength concealed-- +Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. +Henceforth his might we know, and know our own, +So as not either to provoke, or dread +New war provoked: our better part remains +To work in close design, by fraud or guile, +What force effected not; that he no less +At length from us may find, who overcomes +By force hath overcome but half his foe. +Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife +There went a fame in Heaven that he ere long +Intended to create, and therein plant +A generation whom his choice regard +Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven. +Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps +Our first eruption--thither, or elsewhere; +For this infernal pit shall never hold +Celestial Spirits in bondage, nor th' Abyss +Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts +Full counsel must mature. Peace is despaired; +For who can think submission? War, then, war +Open or understood, must be resolved." + He spake; and, to confirm his words, outflew +Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs +Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze +Far round illumined Hell. Highly they raged +Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms +Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war, +Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heaven. + There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top +Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire +Shone with a glossy scurf--undoubted sign +That in his womb was hid metallic ore, +The work of sulphur. Thither, winged with speed, +A numerous brigade hastened: as when bands +Of pioneers, with spade and pickaxe armed, +Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, +Or cast a rampart. Mammon led them on-- +Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell +From Heaven; for even in Heaven his looks and thoughts +Were always downward bent, admiring more +The riches of heaven's pavement, trodden gold, +Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed +In vision beatific. By him first +Men also, and by his suggestion taught, +Ransacked the centre, and with impious hands +Rifled the bowels of their mother Earth +For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew +Opened into the hill a spacious wound, +And digged out ribs of gold. Let none admire +That riches grow in Hell; that soil may best +Deserve the precious bane. And here let those +Who boast in mortal things, and wondering tell +Of Babel, and the works of Memphian kings, +Learn how their greatest monuments of fame +And strength, and art, are easily outdone +By Spirits reprobate, and in an hour +What in an age they, with incessant toil +And hands innumerable, scarce perform. +Nigh on the plain, in many cells prepared, +That underneath had veins of liquid fire +Sluiced from the lake, a second multitude +With wondrous art founded the massy ore, +Severing each kind, and scummed the bullion-dross. +A third as soon had formed within the ground +A various mould, and from the boiling cells +By strange conveyance filled each hollow nook; +As in an organ, from one blast of wind, +To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes. +Anon out of the earth a fabric huge +Rose like an exhalation, with the sound +Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet-- +Built like a temple, where pilasters round +Were set, and Doric pillars overlaid +With golden architrave; nor did there want +Cornice or frieze, with bossy sculptures graven; +The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon +Nor great Alcairo such magnificence +Equalled in all their glories, to enshrine +Belus or Serapis their gods, or seat +Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove +In wealth and luxury. Th' ascending pile +Stood fixed her stately height, and straight the doors, +Opening their brazen folds, discover, wide +Within, her ample spaces o'er the smooth +And level pavement: from the arched roof, +Pendent by subtle magic, many a row +Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed +With naptha and asphaltus, yielded light +As from a sky. The hasty multitude +Admiring entered; and the work some praise, +And some the architect. His hand was known +In Heaven by many a towered structure high, +Where sceptred Angels held their residence, +And sat as Princes, whom the supreme King +Exalted to such power, and gave to rule, +Each in his Hierarchy, the Orders bright. +Nor was his name unheard or unadored +In ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land +Men called him Mulciber; and how he fell +From Heaven they fabled, thrown by angry Jove +Sheer o'er the crystal battlements: from morn +To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, +A summer's day, and with the setting sun +Dropt from the zenith, like a falling star, +On Lemnos, th' Aegaean isle. Thus they relate, +Erring; for he with this rebellious rout +Fell long before; nor aught aviled him now +To have built in Heaven high towers; nor did he scape +By all his engines, but was headlong sent, +With his industrious crew, to build in Hell. + Meanwhile the winged Heralds, by command +Of sovereign power, with awful ceremony +And trumpet's sound, throughout the host proclaim +A solemn council forthwith to be held +At Pandemonium, the high capital +Of Satan and his peers. Their summons called +From every band and squared regiment +By place or choice the worthiest: they anon +With hundreds and with thousands trooping came +Attended. All access was thronged; the gates +And porches wide, but chief the spacious hall +(Though like a covered field, where champions bold +Wont ride in armed, and at the Soldan's chair +Defied the best of Paynim chivalry +To mortal combat, or career with lance), +Thick swarmed, both on the ground and in the air, +Brushed with the hiss of rustling wings. As bees +In spring-time, when the Sun with Taurus rides. +Pour forth their populous youth about the hive +In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers +Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank, +The suburb of their straw-built citadel, +New rubbed with balm, expatiate, and confer +Their state-affairs: so thick the airy crowd +Swarmed and were straitened; till, the signal given, +Behold a wonder! They but now who seemed +In bigness to surpass Earth's giant sons, +Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room +Throng numberless--like that pygmean race +Beyond the Indian mount; or faery elves, +Whose midnight revels, by a forest-side +Or fountain, some belated peasant sees, +Or dreams he sees, while overhead the Moon +Sits arbitress, and nearer to the Earth +Wheels her pale course: they, on their mirth and dance +Intent, with jocund music charm his ear; +At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds. +Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms +Reduced their shapes immense, and were at large, +Though without number still, amidst the hall +Of that infernal court. But far within, +And in their own dimensions like themselves, +The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim +In close recess and secret conclave sat, +A thousand demi-gods on golden seats, +Frequent and full. After short silence then, +And summons read, the great consult began. + + + +Book II + + +High on a throne of royal state, which far +Outshone the wealth or Ormus and of Ind, +Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand +Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, +Satan exalted sat, by merit raised +To that bad eminence; and, from despair +Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires +Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue +Vain war with Heaven; and, by success untaught, +His proud imaginations thus displayed:-- + "Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heaven!-- +For, since no deep within her gulf can hold +Immortal vigour, though oppressed and fallen, +I give not Heaven for lost: from this descent +Celestial Virtues rising will appear +More glorious and more dread than from no fall, +And trust themselves to fear no second fate!-- +Me though just right, and the fixed laws of Heaven, +Did first create your leader--next, free choice +With what besides in council or in fight +Hath been achieved of merit--yet this loss, +Thus far at least recovered, hath much more +Established in a safe, unenvied throne, +Yielded with full consent. The happier state +In Heaven, which follows dignity, might draw +Envy from each inferior; but who here +Will envy whom the highest place exposes +Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim +Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share +Of endless pain? Where there is, then, no good +For which to strive, no strife can grow up there +From faction: for none sure will claim in Hell +Precedence; none whose portion is so small +Of present pain that with ambitious mind +Will covet more! With this advantage, then, +To union, and firm faith, and firm accord, +More than can be in Heaven, we now return +To claim our just inheritance of old, +Surer to prosper than prosperity +Could have assured us; and by what best way, +Whether of open war or covert guile, +We now debate. Who can advise may speak." + He ceased; and next him Moloch, sceptred king, +Stood up--the strongest and the fiercest Spirit +That fought in Heaven, now fiercer by despair. +His trust was with th' Eternal to be deemed +Equal in strength, and rather than be less +Cared not to be at all; with that care lost +Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse, +He recked not, and these words thereafter spake:-- + "My sentence is for open war. Of wiles, +More unexpert, I boast not: them let those +Contrive who need, or when they need; not now. +For, while they sit contriving, shall the rest-- +Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait +The signal to ascend--sit lingering here, +Heaven's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place +Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame, +The prison of his ryranny who reigns +By our delay? No! let us rather choose, +Armed with Hell-flames and fury, all at once +O'er Heaven's high towers to force resistless way, +Turning our tortures into horrid arms +Against the Torturer; when, to meet the noise +Of his almighty engine, he shall hear +Infernal thunder, and, for lightning, see +Black fire and horror shot with equal rage +Among his Angels, and his throne itself +Mixed with Tartarean sulphur and strange fire, +His own invented torments. But perhaps +The way seems difficult, and steep to scale +With upright wing against a higher foe! +Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench +Of that forgetful lake benumb not still, +That in our porper motion we ascend +Up to our native seat; descent and fall +To us is adverse. Who but felt of late, +When the fierce foe hung on our broken rear +Insulting, and pursued us through the Deep, +With what compulsion and laborious flight +We sunk thus low? Th' ascent is easy, then; +Th' event is feared! Should we again provoke +Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find +To our destruction, if there be in Hell +Fear to be worse destroyed! What can be worse +Than to dwell here, driven out from bliss, condemned +In this abhorred deep to utter woe! +Where pain of unextinguishable fire +Must exercise us without hope of end +The vassals of his anger, when the scourge +Inexorably, and the torturing hour, +Calls us to penance? More destroyed than thus, +We should be quite abolished, and expire. +What fear we then? what doubt we to incense +His utmost ire? which, to the height enraged, +Will either quite consume us, and reduce +To nothing this essential--happier far +Than miserable to have eternal being!-- +Or, if our substance be indeed divine, +And cannot cease to be, we are at worst +On this side nothing; and by proof we feel +Our power sufficient to disturb his Heaven, +And with perpetual inroads to alarm, +Though inaccessible, his fatal throne: +Which, if not victory, is yet revenge." + He ended frowning, and his look denounced +Desperate revenge, and battle dangerous +To less than gods. On th' other side up rose +Belial, in act more graceful and humane. +A fairer person lost not Heaven; he seemed +For dignity composed, and high exploit. +But all was false and hollow; though his tongue +Dropped manna, and could make the worse appear +The better reason, to perplex and dash +Maturest counsels: for his thoughts were low-- + To vice industrious, but to nobler deeds +Timorous and slothful. Yet he pleased the ear, +And with persuasive accent thus began:-- + "I should be much for open war, O Peers, +As not behind in hate, if what was urged +Main reason to persuade immediate war +Did not dissuade me most, and seem to cast +Ominous conjecture on the whole success; +When he who most excels in fact of arms, +In what he counsels and in what excels +Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair +And utter dissolution, as the scope +Of all his aim, after some dire revenge. +First, what revenge? The towers of Heaven are filled +With armed watch, that render all access +Impregnable: oft on the bodering Deep +Encamp their legions, or with obscure wing +Scout far and wide into the realm of Night, +Scorning surprise. Or, could we break our way +By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise +With blackest insurrection to confound +Heaven's purest light, yet our great Enemy, +All incorruptible, would on his throne +Sit unpolluted, and th' ethereal mould, +Incapable of stain, would soon expel +Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, +Victorious. Thus repulsed, our final hope +Is flat despair: we must exasperate +Th' Almighty Victor to spend all his rage; +And that must end us; that must be our cure-- +To be no more. Sad cure! for who would lose, +Though full of pain, this intellectual being, +Those thoughts that wander through eternity, +To perish rather, swallowed up and lost +In the wide womb of uncreated Night, +Devoid of sense and motion? And who knows, +Let this be good, whether our angry Foe +Can give it, or will ever? How he can +Is doubtful; that he never will is sure. +Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire, +Belike through impotence or unaware, +To give his enemies their wish, and end +Them in his anger whom his anger saves +To punish endless? 'Wherefore cease we, then?' +Say they who counsel war; 'we are decreed, +Reserved, and destined to eternal woe; +Whatever doing, what can we suffer more, +What can we suffer worse?' Is this, then, worst-- +Thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in arms? +What when we fled amain, pursued and struck +With Heaven's afflicting thunder, and besought +The Deep to shelter us? This Hell then seemed +A refuge from those wounds. Or when we lay +Chained on the burning lake? That sure was worse. +What if the breath that kindled those grim fires, +Awaked, should blow them into sevenfold rage, +And plunge us in the flames; or from above +Should intermitted vengeance arm again +His red right hand to plague us? What if all +Her stores were opened, and this firmament +Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire, +Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall +One day upon our heads; while we perhaps, +Designing or exhorting glorious war, +Caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurled, +Each on his rock transfixed, the sport and prey +Or racking whirlwinds, or for ever sunk +Under yon boiling ocean, wrapt in chains, +There to converse with everlasting groans, +Unrespited, unpitied, unreprieved, +Ages of hopeless end? This would be worse. +War, therefore, open or concealed, alike +My voice dissuades; for what can force or guile +With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye +Views all things at one view? He from Heaven's height +All these our motions vain sees and derides, +Not more almighty to resist our might +Than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. +Shall we, then, live thus vile--the race of Heaven +Thus trampled, thus expelled, to suffer here +Chains and these torments? Better these than worse, +By my advice; since fate inevitable +Subdues us, and omnipotent decree, +The Victor's will. To suffer, as to do, +Our strength is equal; nor the law unjust +That so ordains. This was at first resolved, +If we were wise, against so great a foe +Contending, and so doubtful what might fall. +I laugh when those who at the spear are bold +And venturous, if that fail them, shrink, and fear +What yet they know must follow--to endure +Exile, or igominy, or bonds, or pain, +The sentence of their Conqueror. This is now +Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, +Our Supreme Foe in time may much remit +His anger, and perhaps, thus far removed, +Not mind us not offending, satisfied +With what is punished; whence these raging fires +Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. +Our purer essence then will overcome +Their noxious vapour; or, inured, not feel; +Or, changed at length, and to the place conformed +In temper and in nature, will receive +Familiar the fierce heat; and, void of pain, +This horror will grow mild, this darkness light; +Besides what hope the never-ending flight +Of future days may bring, what chance, what change +Worth waiting--since our present lot appears +For happy though but ill, for ill not worst, +If we procure not to ourselves more woe." + Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb, +Counselled ignoble ease and peaceful sloth, +Not peace; and after him thus Mammon spake:-- + "Either to disenthrone the King of Heaven +We war, if war be best, or to regain +Our own right lost. Him to unthrone we then +May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield +To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife. +The former, vain to hope, argues as vain +The latter; for what place can be for us +Within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's Lord supreme +We overpower? Suppose he should relent +And publish grace to all, on promise made +Of new subjection; with what eyes could we +Stand in his presence humble, and receive +Strict laws imposed, to celebrate his throne +With warbled hyms, and to his Godhead sing +Forced hallelujahs, while he lordly sits +Our envied sovereign, and his altar breathes +Ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers, +Our servile offerings? This must be our task +In Heaven, this our delight. How wearisome +Eternity so spent in worship paid +To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue, +By force impossible, by leave obtained +Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state +Of splendid vassalage; but rather seek +Our own good from ourselves, and from our own +Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess, +Free and to none accountable, preferring +Hard liberty before the easy yoke +Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear +Then most conspicuous when great things of small, +Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse, +We can create, and in what place soe'er +Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain +Through labour and endurance. This deep world +Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst +Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all-ruling Sire +Choose to reside, his glory unobscured, +And with the majesty of darkness round +Covers his throne, from whence deep thunders roar. +Mustering their rage, and Heaven resembles Hell! +As he our darkness, cannot we his light +Imitate when we please? This desert soil +Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold; +Nor want we skill or art from whence to raise +Magnificence; and what can Heaven show more? +Our torments also may, in length of time, +Become our elements, these piercing fires +As soft as now severe, our temper changed +Into their temper; which must needs remove +The sensible of pain. All things invite +To peaceful counsels, and the settled state +Of order, how in safety best we may +Compose our present evils, with regard +Of what we are and where, dismissing quite +All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise." + He scarce had finished, when such murmur filled +Th' assembly as when hollow rocks retain +The sound of blustering winds, which all night long +Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull +Seafaring men o'erwatched, whose bark by chance +Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay +After the tempest. Such applause was heard +As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased, +Advising peace: for such another field +They dreaded worse than Hell; so much the fear +Of thunder and the sword of Michael +Wrought still within them; and no less desire +To found this nether empire, which might rise, +By policy and long process of time, +In emulation opposite to Heaven. +Which when Beelzebub perceived--than whom, +Satan except, none higher sat--with grave +Aspect he rose, and in his rising seemed +A pillar of state. Deep on his front engraven +Deliberation sat, and public care; +And princely counsel in his face yet shone, +Majestic, though in ruin. Sage he stood +With Atlantean shoulders, fit to bear +The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look +Drew audience and attention still as night +Or summer's noontide air, while thus he spake:-- + "Thrones and Imperial Powers, Offspring of Heaven, +Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now +Must we renounce, and, changing style, be called +Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote +Inclines--here to continue, and build up here +A growing empire; doubtless! while we dream, +And know not that the King of Heaven hath doomed +This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat +Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt +From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league +Banded against his throne, but to remain +In strictest bondage, though thus far removed, +Under th' inevitable curb, reserved +His captive multitude. For he, to be sure, +In height or depth, still first and last will reign +Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part +By our revolt, but over Hell extend +His empire, and with iron sceptre rule +Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven. +What sit we then projecting peace and war? +War hath determined us and foiled with loss +Irreparable; terms of peace yet none +Vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be given +To us enslaved, but custody severe, +And stripes and arbitrary punishment +Inflicted? and what peace can we return, +But, to our power, hostility and hate, +Untamed reluctance, and revenge, though slow, +Yet ever plotting how the Conqueror least +May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice +In doing what we most in suffering feel? +Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need +With dangerous expedition to invade +Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault or siege, +Or ambush from the Deep. What if we find +Some easier enterprise? There is a place +(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven +Err not)--another World, the happy seat +Of some new race, called Man, about this time +To be created like to us, though less +In power and excellence, but favoured more +Of him who rules above; so was his will +Pronounced among the Gods, and by an oath +That shook Heaven's whole circumference confirmed. +Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn +What creatures there inhabit, of what mould +Or substance, how endued, and what their power +And where their weakness: how attempted best, +By force of subtlety. Though Heaven be shut, +And Heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure +In his own strength, this place may lie exposed, +The utmost border of his kingdom, left +To their defence who hold it: here, perhaps, +Some advantageous act may be achieved +By sudden onset--either with Hell-fire +To waste his whole creation, or possess +All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, +The puny habitants; or, if not drive, +Seduce them to our party, that their God +May prove their foe, and with repenting hand +Abolish his own works. This would surpass +Common revenge, and interrupt his joy +In our confusion, and our joy upraise +In his disturbance; when his darling sons, +Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse +Their frail original, and faded bliss-- +Faded so soon! Advise if this be worth +Attempting, or to sit in darkness here +Hatching vain empires." Thus beelzebub +Pleaded his devilish counsel--first devised +By Satan, and in part proposed: for whence, +But from the author of all ill, could spring +So deep a malice, to confound the race +Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell +To mingle and involve, done all to spite +The great Creator? But their spite still serves +His glory to augment. The bold design +Pleased highly those infernal States, and joy +Sparkled in all their eyes: with full assent +They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews:-- +"Well have ye judged, well ended long debate, +Synod of Gods, and, like to what ye are, +Great things resolved, which from the lowest deep +Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate, +Nearer our ancient seat--perhaps in view +Of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring arms, +And opportune excursion, we may chance +Re-enter Heaven; or else in some mild zone +Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light, +Secure, and at the brightening orient beam +Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air, +To heal the scar of these corrosive fires, +Shall breathe her balm. But, first, whom shall we send +In search of this new World? whom shall we find +Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandering feet +The dark, unbottomed, infinite Abyss, +And through the palpable obscure find out +His uncouth way, or spread his airy flight, +Upborne with indefatigable wings +Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive +The happy Isle? What strength, what art, can then +Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe, +Through the strict senteries and stations thick +Of Angels watching round? Here he had need +All circumspection: and we now no less +Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send +The weight of all, and our last hope, relies." + This said, he sat; and expectation held +His look suspense, awaiting who appeared +To second, or oppose, or undertake +The perilous attempt. But all sat mute, +Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each +In other's countenance read his own dismay, +Astonished. None among the choice and prime +Of those Heaven-warring champions could be found +So hardy as to proffer or accept, +Alone, the dreadful voyage; till, at last, +Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised +Above his fellows, with monarchal pride +Conscious of highest worth, unmoved thus spake:-- + "O Progeny of Heaven! Empyreal Thrones! +With reason hath deep silence and demur +Seized us, though undismayed. Long is the way +And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light. +Our prison strong, this huge convex of fire, +Outrageous to devour, immures us round +Ninefold; and gates of burning adamant, +Barred over us, prohibit all egress. +These passed, if any pass, the void profound +Of unessential Night receives him next, +Wide-gaping, and with utter loss of being +Threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf. +If thence he scape, into whatever world, +Or unknown region, what remains him less +Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape? +But I should ill become this throne, O Peers, +And this imperial sovereignty, adorned +With splendour, armed with power, if aught proposed +And judged of public moment in the shape +Of difficulty or danger, could deter +Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume +These royalties, and not refuse to reign, +Refusing to accept as great a share +Of hazard as of honour, due alike +To him who reigns, and so much to him due +Of hazard more as he above the rest +High honoured sits? Go, therefore, mighty Powers, +Terror of Heaven, though fallen; intend at home, +While here shall be our home, what best may ease +The present misery, and render Hell +More tolerable; if there be cure or charm +To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain +Of this ill mansion: intermit no watch +Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad +Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek +Deliverance for us all. This enterprise +None shall partake with me." Thus saying, rose +The Monarch, and prevented all reply; +Prudent lest, from his resolution raised, +Others among the chief might offer now, +Certain to be refused, what erst they feared, +And, so refused, might in opinion stand +His rivals, winning cheap the high repute +Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they +Dreaded not more th' adventure than his voice +Forbidding; and at once with him they rose. +Their rising all at once was as the sound +Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend +With awful reverence prone, and as a God +Extol him equal to the Highest in Heaven. +Nor failed they to express how much they praised +That for the general safety he despised +His own: for neither do the Spirits damned +Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast +Their specious deeds on earth, which glory excites, +Or close ambition varnished o'er with zeal. + Thus they their doubtful consultations dark +Ended, rejoicing in their matchless Chief: +As, when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds +Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o'erspread +Heaven's cheerful face, the louring element +Scowls o'er the darkened landscape snow or shower, +If chance the radiant sun, with farewell sweet, +Extend his evening beam, the fields revive, +The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds +Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings. +O shame to men! Devil with devil damned +Firm concord holds; men only disagree +Of creatures rational, though under hope +Of heavenly grace, and, God proclaiming peace, +Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife +Among themselves, and levy cruel wars +Wasting the earth, each other to destroy: +As if (which might induce us to accord) +Man had not hellish foes enow besides, +That day and night for his destruction wait! + The Stygian council thus dissolved; and forth +In order came the grand infernal Peers: +Midst came their mighty Paramount, and seemed +Alone th' antagonist of Heaven, nor less +Than Hell's dread Emperor, with pomp supreme, +And god-like imitated state: him round +A globe of fiery Seraphim enclosed +With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms. +Then of their session ended they bid cry +With trumpet's regal sound the great result: +Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim +Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy, +By herald's voice explained; the hollow Abyss +Heard far adn wide, and all the host of Hell +With deafening shout returned them loud acclaim. +Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised +By false presumptuous hope, the ranged Powers +Disband; and, wandering, each his several way +Pursues, as inclination or sad choice +Leads him perplexed, where he may likeliest find +Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain +The irksome hours, till his great Chief return. +Part on the plain, or in the air sublime, +Upon the wing or in swift race contend, +As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields; +Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal +With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form: +As when, to warn proud cities, war appears +Waged in the troubled sky, and armies rush +To battle in the clouds; before each van +Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their spears, +Till thickest legions close; with feats of arms +From either end of heaven the welkin burns. +Others, with vast Typhoean rage, more fell, +Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air +In whirlwind; Hell scarce holds the wild uproar:-- +As when Alcides, from Oechalia crowned +With conquest, felt th' envenomed robe, and tore +Through pain up by the roots Thessalian pines, +And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw +Into th' Euboic sea. Others, more mild, +Retreated in a silent valley, sing +With notes angelical to many a harp +Their own heroic deeds, and hapless fall +By doom of battle, and complain that Fate +Free Virtue should enthrall to Force or Chance. +Their song was partial; but the harmony +(What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?) +Suspended Hell, and took with ravishment +The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet +(For Eloquence the Soul, Song charms the Sense) +Others apart sat on a hill retired, +In thoughts more elevate, and reasoned high +Of Providence, Foreknowledge, Will, and Fate-- +Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute, +And found no end, in wandering mazes lost. +Of good and evil much they argued then, +Of happiness and final misery, +Passion and apathy, and glory and shame: +Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy!-- +Yet, with a pleasing sorcery, could charm +Pain for a while or anguish, and excite +Fallacious hope, or arm th' obdured breast +With stubborn patience as with triple steel. +Another part, in squadrons and gross bands, +On bold adventure to discover wide +That dismal world, if any clime perhaps +Might yield them easier habitation, bend +Four ways their flying march, along the banks +Of four infernal rivers, that disgorge +Into the burning lake their baleful streams-- +Abhorred Styx, the flood of deadly hate; +Sad Acheron of sorrow, black and deep; +Cocytus, named of lamentation loud +Heard on the rueful stream; fierce Phlegeton, +Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage. +Far off from these, a slow and silent stream, +Lethe, the river of oblivion, rolls +Her watery labyrinth, whereof who drinks +Forthwith his former state and being forgets-- +Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain. +Beyond this flood a frozen continent +Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms +Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land +Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin seems +Of ancient pile; all else deep snow and ice, +A gulf profound as that Serbonian bog +Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casius old, +Where armies whole have sunk: the parching air +Burns frore, and cold performs th' effect of fire. +Thither, by harpy-footed Furies haled, +At certain revolutions all the damned +Are brought; and feel by turns the bitter change +Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce, +From beds of raging fire to starve in ice +Their soft ethereal warmth, and there to pine +Immovable, infixed, and frozen round +Periods of time,--thence hurried back to fire. +They ferry over this Lethean sound +Both to and fro, their sorrow to augment, +And wish and struggle, as they pass, to reach +The tempting stream, with one small drop to lose +In sweet forgetfulness all pain and woe, +All in one moment, and so near the brink; +But Fate withstands, and, to oppose th' attempt, +Medusa with Gorgonian terror guards +The ford, and of itself the water flies +All taste of living wight, as once it fled +The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on +In confused march forlorn, th' adventurous bands, +With shuddering horror pale, and eyes aghast, +Viewed first their lamentable lot, and found +No rest. Through many a dark and dreary vale +They passed, and many a region dolorous, +O'er many a frozen, many a fiery alp, +Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and shades of death-- +A universe of death, which God by curse +Created evil, for evil only good; +Where all life dies, death lives, and Nature breeds, +Perverse, all monstrous, all prodigious things, +Obominable, inutterable, and worse +Than fables yet have feigned or fear conceived, +Gorgons, and Hydras, and Chimeras dire. + Meanwhile the Adversary of God and Man, +Satan, with thoughts inflamed of highest design, +Puts on swift wings, and toward the gates of Hell +Explores his solitary flight: sometimes +He scours the right hand coast, sometimes the left; +Now shaves with level wing the deep, then soars +Up to the fiery concave towering high. +As when far off at sea a fleet descried +Hangs in the clouds, by equinoctial winds +Close sailing from Bengala, or the isles +Of Ternate and Tidore, whence merchants bring +Their spicy drugs; they on the trading flood, +Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape, +Ply stemming nightly toward the pole: so seemed +Far off the flying Fiend. At last appear +Hell-bounds, high reaching to the horrid roof, +And thrice threefold the gates; three folds were brass, +Three iron, three of adamantine rock, +Impenetrable, impaled with circling fire, +Yet unconsumed. Before the gates there sat +On either side a formidable Shape. +The one seemed woman to the waist, and fair, +But ended foul in many a scaly fold, +Voluminous and vast--a serpent armed +With mortal sting. About her middle round +A cry of Hell-hounds never-ceasing barked +With wide Cerberean mouths full loud, and rung +A hideous peal; yet, when they list, would creep, +If aught disturbed their noise, into her womb, +And kennel there; yet there still barked and howled +Within unseen. Far less abhorred than these +Vexed Scylla, bathing in the sea that parts +Calabria from the hoarse Trinacrian shore; +Nor uglier follow the night-hag, when, called +In secret, riding through the air she comes, +Lured with the smell of infant blood, to dance +With Lapland witches, while the labouring moon +Eclipses at their charms. The other Shape-- +If shape it might be called that shape had none +Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; +Or substance might be called that shadow seemed, +For each seemed either--black it stood as Night, +Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell, +And shook a dreadful dart: what seemed his head +The likeness of a kingly crown had on. +Satan was now at hand, and from his seat +The monster moving onward came as fast +With horrid strides; Hell trembled as he strode. +Th' undaunted Fiend what this might be admired-- +Admired, not feared (God and his Son except, +Created thing naught valued he nor shunned), +And with disdainful look thus first began:-- + "Whence and what art thou, execrable Shape, +That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance +Thy miscreated front athwart my way +To yonder gates? Through them I mean to pass, +That be assured, without leave asked of thee. +Retire; or taste thy folly, and learn by proof, +Hell-born, not to contend with Spirits of Heaven." + To whom the Goblin, full of wrath, replied:-- +"Art thou that traitor Angel? art thou he, +Who first broke peace in Heaven and faith, till then +Unbroken, and in proud rebellious arms +Drew after him the third part of Heaven's sons, +Conjured against the Highest--for which both thou +And they, outcast from God, are here condemned +To waste eternal days in woe and pain? +And reckon'st thou thyself with Spirits of Heaven +Hell-doomed, and breath'st defiance here and scorn, +Where I reign king, and, to enrage thee more, +Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment, +False fugitive; and to thy speed add wings, +Lest with a whip of scorpions I pursue +Thy lingering, or with one stroke of this dart +Strange horror seize thee, and pangs unfelt before." + So spake the grisly Terror, and in shape, +So speaking and so threatening, grew tenfold, +More dreadful and deform. On th' other side, +Incensed with indignation, Satan stood +Unterrified, and like a comet burned, +That fires the length of Ophiuchus huge +In th' arctic sky, and from his horrid hair +Shakes pestilence and war. Each at the head +Levelled his deadly aim; their fatal hands +No second stroke intend; and such a frown +Each cast at th' other as when two black clouds, +With heaven's artillery fraught, came rattling on +Over the Caspian,--then stand front to front +Hovering a space, till winds the signal blow +To join their dark encounter in mid-air. +So frowned the mighty combatants that Hell +Grew darker at their frown; so matched they stood; +For never but once more was wither like +To meet so great a foe. And now great deeds +Had been achieved, whereof all Hell had rung, +Had not the snaky Sorceress, that sat +Fast by Hell-gate and kept the fatal key, +Risen, and with hideous outcry rushed between. + "O father, what intends thy hand," she cried, +"Against thy only son? What fury, O son, +Possesses thee to bend that mortal dart +Against thy father's head? And know'st for whom? +For him who sits above, and laughs the while +At thee, ordained his drudge to execute +Whate'er his wrath, which he calls justice, bids-- +His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both!" + She spake, and at her words the hellish Pest +Forbore: then these to her Satan returned:-- + "So strange thy outcry, and thy words so strange +Thou interposest, that my sudden hand, +Prevented, spares to tell thee yet by deeds +What it intends, till first I know of thee +What thing thou art, thus double-formed, and why, +In this infernal vale first met, thou call'st +Me father, and that phantasm call'st my son. +I know thee not, nor ever saw till now +Sight more detestable than him and thee." + T' whom thus the Portress of Hell-gate replied:-- +"Hast thou forgot me, then; and do I seem +Now in thine eye so foul?--once deemed so fair +In Heaven, when at th' assembly, and in sight +Of all the Seraphim with thee combined +In bold conspiracy against Heaven's King, +All on a sudden miserable pain +Surprised thee, dim thine eyes and dizzy swum +In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast +Threw forth, till on the left side opening wide, +Likest to thee in shape and countenance bright, +Then shining heavenly fair, a goddess armed, +Out of thy head I sprung. Amazement seized +All th' host of Heaven; back they recoiled afraid +At first, and called me Sin, and for a sign +Portentous held me; but, familiar grown, +I pleased, and with attractive graces won +The most averse--thee chiefly, who, full oft +Thyself in me thy perfect image viewing, +Becam'st enamoured; and such joy thou took'st +With me in secret that my womb conceived +A growing burden. Meanwhile war arose, +And fields were fought in Heaven: wherein remained +(For what could else?) to our Almighty Foe +Clear victory; to our part loss and rout +Through all the Empyrean. Down they fell, +Driven headlong from the pitch of Heaven, down +Into this Deep; and in the general fall +I also: at which time this powerful key +Into my hands was given, with charge to keep +These gates for ever shut, which none can pass +Without my opening. Pensive here I sat +Alone; but long I sat not, till my womb, +Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown, +Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes. +At last this odious offspring whom thou seest, +Thine own begotten, breaking violent way, +Tore through my entrails, that, with fear and pain +Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew +Transformed: but he my inbred enemy +Forth issued, brandishing his fatal dart, +Made to destroy. I fled, and cried out Death! +Hell trembled at the hideous name, and sighed +From all her caves, and back resounded Death! +I fled; but he pursued (though more, it seems, +Inflamed with lust than rage), and, swifter far, +Me overtook, his mother, all dismayed, +And, in embraces forcible and foul +Engendering with me, of that rape begot +These yelling monsters, that with ceaseless cry +Surround me, as thou saw'st--hourly conceived +And hourly born, with sorrow infinite +To me; for, when they list, into the womb +That bred them they return, and howl, and gnaw +My bowels, their repast; then, bursting forth +Afresh, with conscious terrors vex me round, +That rest or intermission none I find. +Before mine eyes in opposition sits +Grim Death, my son and foe, who set them on, +And me, his parent, would full soon devour +For want of other prey, but that he knows +His end with mine involved, and knows that I +Should prove a bitter morsel, and his bane, +Whenever that shall be: so Fate pronounced. +But thou, O father, I forewarn thee, shun +His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope +To be invulnerable in those bright arms, +Through tempered heavenly; for that mortal dint, +Save he who reigns above, none can resist." + She finished; and the subtle Fiend his lore +Soon learned, now milder, and thus answered smooth:-- + "Dear daughter--since thou claim'st me for thy sire, +And my fair son here show'st me, the dear pledge +Of dalliance had with thee in Heaven, and joys +Then sweet, now sad to mention, through dire change +Befallen us unforeseen, unthought-of--know, +I come no enemy, but to set free +From out this dark and dismal house of pain +Both him and thee, and all the heavenly host +Of Spirits that, in our just pretences armed, +Fell with us from on high. From them I go +This uncouth errand sole, and one for all +Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread +Th' unfounded Deep, and through the void immense +To search, with wandering quest, a place foretold +Should be--and, by concurring signs, ere now +Created vast and round--a place of bliss +In the purlieus of Heaven; and therein placed +A race of upstart creatures, to supply +Perhaps our vacant room, though more removed, +Lest Heaven, surcharged with potent multitude, +Might hap to move new broils. Be this, or aught +Than this more secret, now designed, I haste +To know; and, this once known, shall soon return, +And bring ye to the place where thou and Death +Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen +Wing silently the buxom air, embalmed +With odours. There ye shall be fed and filled +Immeasurably; all things shall be your prey." + He ceased; for both seemed highly pleased, and Death +Grinned horrible a ghastly smile, to hear +His famine should be filled, and blessed his maw +Destined to that good hour. No less rejoiced +His mother bad, and thus bespake her sire:-- + "The key of this infernal Pit, by due +And by command of Heaven's all-powerful King, +I keep, by him forbidden to unlock +These adamantine gates; against all force +Death ready stands to interpose his dart, +Fearless to be o'ermatched by living might. +But what owe I to his commands above, +Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down +Into this gloom of Tartarus profound, +To sit in hateful office here confined, +Inhabitant of Heaven and heavenly born-- +Here in perpetual agony and pain, +With terrors and with clamours compassed round +Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed? +Thou art my father, thou my author, thou +My being gav'st me; whom should I obey +But thee? whom follow? Thou wilt bring me soon +To that new world of light and bliss, among +The gods who live at ease, where I shall reign +At thy right hand voluptuous, as beseems +Thy daughter and thy darling, without end." + Thus saying, from her side the fatal key, +Sad instrument of all our woe, she took; +And, towards the gate rolling her bestial train, +Forthwith the huge portcullis high up-drew, +Which, but herself, not all the Stygian Powers +Could once have moved; then in the key-hole turns +Th' intricate wards, and every bolt and bar +Of massy iron or solid rock with ease +Unfastens. On a sudden open fly, +With impetuous recoil and jarring sound, +Th' infernal doors, and on their hinges grate +Harsh thunder, that the lowest bottom shook +Of Erebus. She opened; but to shut +Excelled her power: the gates wide open stood, +That with extended wings a bannered host, +Under spread ensigns marching, mibht pass through +With horse and chariots ranked in loose array; +So wide they stood, and like a furnace-mouth +Cast forth redounding smoke and ruddy flame. +Before their eyes in sudden view appear +The secrets of the hoary Deep--a dark +Illimitable ocean, without bound, +Without dimension; where length, breadth, and height, +And time, and place, are lost; where eldest Night +And Chaos, ancestors of Nature, hold +Eternal anarchy, amidst the noise +Of endless wars, and by confusion stand. +For Hot, Cold, Moist, and Dry, four champions fierce, +Strive here for mastery, and to battle bring +Their embryon atoms: they around the flag +Of each his faction, in their several clans, +Light-armed or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift, or slow, +Swarm populous, unnumbered as the sands +Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil, +Levied to side with warring winds, and poise +Their lighter wings. To whom these most adhere +He rules a moment: Chaos umpire sits, +And by decision more embroils the fray +By which he reigns: next him, high arbiter, +Chance governs all. Into this wild Abyss, +The womb of Nature, and perhaps her grave, +Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire, +But all these in their pregnant causes mixed +Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight, +Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain +His dark materials to create more worlds-- +Into this wild Abyss the wary Fiend +Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while, +Pondering his voyage; for no narrow frith +He had to cross. Nor was his ear less pealed +With noises loud and ruinous (to compare +Great things with small) than when Bellona storms +With all her battering engines, bent to rase +Some capital city; or less than if this frame +Of Heaven were falling, and these elements +In mutiny had from her axle torn +The steadfast Earth. At last his sail-broad vans +He spread for flight, and, in the surging smoke +Uplifted, spurns the ground; thence many a league, +As in a cloudy chair, ascending rides +Audacious; but, that seat soon failing, meets +A vast vacuity. All unawares, +Fluttering his pennons vain, plumb-down he drops +Ten thousand fathom deep, and to this hour +Down had been falling, had not, by ill chance, +The strong rebuff of some tumultuous cloud, +Instinct with fire and nitre, hurried him +As many miles aloft. That fury stayed-- +Quenched in a boggy Syrtis, neither sea, +Nor good dry land--nigh foundered, on he fares, +Treading the crude consistence, half on foot, +Half flying; behoves him now both oar and sail. +As when a gryphon through the wilderness +With winged course, o'er hill or moory dale, +Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stealth +Had from his wakeful custody purloined +The guarded gold; so eagerly the Fiend +O'er bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare, +With head, hands, wings, or feet, pursues his way, +And swims, or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flies. +At length a universal hubbub wild +Of stunning sounds, and voices all confused, +Borne through the hollow dark, assaults his ear +With loudest vehemence. Thither he plies +Undaunted, to meet there whatever Power +Or Spirit of the nethermost Abyss +Might in that noise reside, of whom to ask +Which way the nearest coast of darkness lies +Bordering on light; when straight behold the throne +Of Chaos, and his dark pavilion spread +Wide on the wasteful Deep! With him enthroned +Sat sable-vested Night, eldest of things, +The consort of his reign; and by them stood +Orcus and Ades, and the dreaded name +Of Demogorgon; Rumour next, and Chance, +And Tumult, and Confusion, all embroiled, +And Discord with a thousand various mouths. + T' whom Satan, turning boldly, thus:--"Ye Powers +And Spirtis of this nethermost Abyss, +Chaos and ancient Night, I come no spy +With purpose to explore or to disturb +The secrets of your realm; but, by constraint +Wandering this darksome desert, as my way +Lies through your spacious empire up to light, +Alone and without guide, half lost, I seek, +What readiest path leads where your gloomy bounds +Confine with Heaven; or, if some other place, +From your dominion won, th' Ethereal King +Possesses lately, thither to arrive +I travel this profound. Direct my course: +Directed, no mean recompense it brings +To your behoof, if I that region lost, +All usurpation thence expelled, reduce +To her original darkness and your sway +(Which is my present journey), and once more +Erect the standard there of ancient Night. +Yours be th' advantage all, mine the revenge!" + Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch old, +With faltering speech and visage incomposed, +Answered: "I know thee, stranger, who thou art-- *** +That mighty leading Angel, who of late +Made head against Heaven's King, though overthrown. +I saw and heard; for such a numerous host +Fled not in silence through the frighted Deep, +With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout, +Confusion worse confounded; and Heaven-gates +Poured out by millions her victorious bands, +Pursuing. I upon my frontiers here +Keep residence; if all I can will serve +That little which is left so to defend, +Encroached on still through our intestine broils +Weakening the sceptre of old Night: first, Hell, +Your dungeon, stretching far and wide beneath; +Now lately Heaven and Earth, another world +Hung o'er my realm, linked in a golden chain +To that side Heaven from whence your legions fell! +If that way be your walk, you have not far; +So much the nearer danger. Go, and speed; +Havoc, and spoil, and ruin, are my gain." + He ceased; and Satan stayed not to reply, +But, glad that now his sea should find a shore, +With fresh alacrity and force renewed +Springs upward, like a pyramid of fire, +Into the wild expanse, and through the shock +Of fighting elements, on all sides round +Environed, wins his way; harder beset +And more endangered than when Argo passed +Through Bosporus betwixt the justling rocks, +Or when Ulysses on the larboard shunned +Charybdis, and by th' other whirlpool steered. +So he with difficulty and labour hard +Moved on, with difficulty and labour he; +But, he once passed, soon after, when Man fell, +Strange alteration! Sin and Death amain, +Following his track (such was the will of Heaven) +Paved after him a broad and beaten way +Over the dark Abyss, whose boiling gulf +Tamely endured a bridge of wondrous length, +From Hell continued, reaching th' utmost orb +Of this frail World; by which the Spirits perverse +With easy intercourse pass to and fro +To tempt or punish mortals, except whom +God and good Angels guard by special grace. + But now at last the sacred influence +Of light appears, and from the walls of Heaven +Shoots far into the bosom of dim Night +A glimmering dawn. Here Nature first begins +Her farthest verge, and Chaos to retire, +As from her outmost works, a broken foe, +With tumult less and with less hostile din; +That Satan with less toil, and now with ease, +Wafts on the calmer wave by dubious light, +And, like a weather-beaten vessel, holds +Gladly the port, though shrouds and tackle torn; +Or in the emptier waste, resembling air, +Weighs his spread wings, at leisure to behold +Far off th' empyreal Heaven, extended wide +In circuit, undetermined square or round, +With opal towers and battlements adorned +Of living sapphire, once his native seat; +And, fast by, hanging in a golden chain, +This pendent World, in bigness as a star +Of smallest magnitude close by the moon. +Thither, full fraught with mischievous revenge, +Accursed, and in a cursed hour, he hies. + + + +Book III + + +Hail, holy Light, offspring of Heaven firstborn, +Or of the Eternal coeternal beam +May I express thee unblam'd? since God is light, +And never but in unapproached light +Dwelt from eternity, dwelt then in thee +Bright effluence of bright essence increate. +Or hear"st thou rather pure ethereal stream, +Whose fountain who shall tell? before the sun, +Before the Heavens thou wert, and at the voice +Of God, as with a mantle, didst invest *** +The rising world of waters dark and deep, +Won from the void and formless infinite. +Thee I re-visit now with bolder wing, +Escap'd the Stygian pool, though long detain'd +In that obscure sojourn, while in my flight +Through utter and through middle darkness borne, +With other notes than to the Orphean lyre +I sung of Chaos and eternal Night; +Taught by the heavenly Muse to venture down +The dark descent, and up to re-ascend, +Though hard and rare: Thee I revisit safe, +And feel thy sovran vital lamp; but thou +Revisit'st not these eyes, that roll in vain +To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn; +So thick a drop serene hath quench'd their orbs, +Or dim suffusion veil'd. Yet not the more +Cease I to wander, where the Muses haunt, +Clear spring, or shady grove, or sunny hill, +Smit with the love of sacred song; but chief +Thee, Sion, and the flowery brooks beneath, +That wash thy hallow'd feet, and warbling flow, +Nightly I visit: nor sometimes forget +So were I equall'd with them in renown, +Thy sovran command, that Man should find grace; +Blind Thamyris, and blind Maeonides, +And Tiresias, and Phineus, prophets old: +Then feed on thoughts, that voluntary move +Harmonious numbers; as the wakeful bird +Sings darkling, and in shadiest covert hid +Tunes her nocturnal note. Thus with the year +Seasons return; but not to me returns +Day, or the sweet approach of even or morn, +Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose, +Or flocks, or herds, or human face divine; +But cloud instead, and ever-during dark +Surrounds me, from the cheerful ways of men +Cut off, and for the book of knowledge fair +Presented with a universal blank +Of nature's works to me expung'd and ras'd, +And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out. +So much the rather thou, celestial Light, +Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers +Irradiate; there plant eyes, all mist from thence +Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell +Of things invisible to mortal sight. +Now had the Almighty Father from above, +From the pure empyrean where he sits +High thron'd above all highth, bent down his eye +His own works and their works at once to view: +About him all the Sanctities of Heaven +Stood thick as stars, and from his sight receiv'd +Beatitude past utterance; on his right +The radiant image of his glory sat, +His only son; on earth he first beheld +Our two first parents, yet the only two +Of mankind in the happy garden plac'd +Reaping immortal fruits of joy and love, +Uninterrupted joy, unrivall'd love, +In blissful solitude; he then survey'd +Hell and the gulf between, and Satan there +Coasting the wall of Heaven on this side Night +In the dun air sublime, and ready now +To stoop with wearied wings, and willing feet, +On the bare outside of this world, that seem'd +Firm land imbosom'd, without firmament, +Uncertain which, in ocean or in air. +Him God beholding from his prospect high, +Wherein past, present, future, he beholds, +Thus to his only Son foreseeing spake. +Only begotten Son, seest thou what rage +Transports our Adversary? whom no bounds +Prescrib'd no bars of Hell, nor all the chains +Heap'd on him there, nor yet the main abyss +Wide interrupt, can hold; so bent he seems +On desperate revenge, that shall redound +Upon his own rebellious head. And now, +Through all restraint broke loose, he wings his way +Not far off Heaven, in the precincts of light, +Directly towards the new created world, +And man there plac'd, with purpose to assay +If him by force he can destroy, or, worse, +By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert; +For man will hearken to his glozing lies, +And easily transgress the sole command, +Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall +He and his faithless progeny: Whose fault? +Whose but his own? ingrate, he had of me +All he could have; I made him just and right, +Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall. +Such I created all the ethereal Powers +And Spirits, both them who stood, and them who fail'd; +Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. +Not free, what proof could they have given sincere +Of true allegiance, constant faith or love, +Where only what they needs must do appear'd, +Not what they would? what praise could they receive? +What pleasure I from such obedience paid, +When will and reason (reason also is choice) +Useless and vain, of freedom both despoil'd, +Made passive both, had serv'd necessity, +Not me? they therefore, as to right belong$ 'd, +So were created, nor can justly accuse +Their Maker, or their making, or their fate, +As if predestination over-rul'd +Their will dispos'd by absolute decree +Or high foreknowledge they themselves decreed +Their own revolt, not I; if I foreknew, +Foreknowledge had no influence on their fault, +Which had no less proved certain unforeknown. +So without least impulse or shadow of fate, +Or aught by me immutably foreseen, +They trespass, authors to themselves in all +Both what they judge, and what they choose; for so +I form'd them free: and free they must remain, +Till they enthrall themselves; I else must change +Their nature, and revoke the high decree +Unchangeable, eternal, which ordain'd +$THeir freedom: they themselves ordain'd their fall. +The first sort by their own suggestion fell, +Self-tempted, self-deprav'd: Man falls, deceiv'd +By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace, +The other none: In mercy and justice both, +Through Heaven and Earth, so shall my glory excel; +But Mercy, first and last, shall brightest shine. +Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance fill'd +All Heaven, and in the blessed Spirits elect +Sense of new joy ineffable diffus'd. +Beyond compare the Son of God was seen +Most glorious; in him all his Father shone +Substantially express'd; and in his face +Divine compassion visibly appear'd, +Love without end, and without measure grace, +Which uttering, thus he to his Father spake. +O Father, gracious was that word which clos'd +Thy sovran command, that Man should find grace; +, that Man should find grace; +For which both Heaven and earth shall high extol +Thy praises, with the innumerable sound +Of hymns and sacred songs, wherewith thy throne +Encompass'd shall resound thee ever blest. +For should Man finally be lost, should Man, +Thy creature late so lov'd, thy youngest son, +Fall circumvented thus by fraud, though join'd +With his own folly? that be from thee far, +That far be from thee, Father, who art judge +Of all things made, and judgest only right. +Or shall the Adversary thus obtain +His end, and frustrate thine? shall he fulfill +His malice, and thy goodness bring to nought, +Or proud return, though to his heavier doom, +Yet with revenge accomplish'd, and to Hell +Draw after him the whole race of mankind, +By him corrupted? or wilt thou thyself +Abolish thy creation, and unmake +For him, what for thy glory thou hast made? +So should thy goodness and thy greatness both +Be question'd and blasphem'd without defence. +To whom the great Creator thus replied. +O son, in whom my soul hath chief delight, +Son of my bosom, Son who art alone. +My word, my wisdom, and effectual might, +All hast thou spoken as my thoughts are, all +As my eternal purpose hath decreed; +Man shall not quite be lost, but sav'd who will; +Yet not of will in him, but grace in me +Freely vouchsaf'd; once more I will renew +His lapsed powers, though forfeit; and enthrall'd +By sin to foul exorbitant desires; +Upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand +On even ground against his mortal foe; +By me upheld, that he may know how frail +His fallen condition is, and to me owe +All his deliverance, and to none but me. +Some I have chosen of peculiar grace, +Elect above the rest; so is my will: +The rest shall hear me call, and oft be warn'd +Their sinful state, and to appease betimes +The incensed Deity, while offer'd grace +Invites; for I will clear their senses dark, +What may suffice, and soften stony hearts +To pray, repent, and bring obedience due. +To prayer, repentance, and obedience due, +Though but endeavour'd with sincere intent, +Mine ear shall not be slow, mine eye not shut. +And I will place within them as a guide, +My umpire Conscience; whom if they will hear, +Light after light, well us'd, they shall attain, +And to the end, persisting, safe arrive. +This my long sufferance, and my day of grace, +They who neglect and scorn, shall never taste; +But hard be harden'd, blind be blinded more, +That they may stumble on, and deeper fall; +And none but such from mercy I exclude. +But yet all is not done; Man disobeying, +Disloyal, breaks his fealty, and sins +Against the high supremacy of Heaven, +Affecting God-head, and, so losing all, +To expiate his treason hath nought left, +But to destruction sacred and devote, +He, with his whole posterity, must die, +Die he or justice must; unless for him +Some other able, and as willing, pay +The rigid satisfaction, death for death. +Say, heavenly Powers, where shall we find such love? +Which of you will be mortal, to redeem +Man's mortal crime, and just the unjust to save? +Dwells in all Heaven charity so dear? +And silence was in Heaven: $ on Man's behalf +He ask'd, but all the heavenly quire stood mute, +Patron or intercessour none appear'd, +Much less that durst upon his own head draw +The deadly forfeiture, and ransom set. +And now without redemption all mankind +Must have been lost, adjudg'd to Death and Hell +By doom severe, had not the Son of God, +In whom the fulness dwells of love divine, +His dearest mediation thus renew'd. +Father, thy word is past, Man shall find grace; +And shall grace not find means, that finds her way, +The speediest of thy winged messengers, +To visit all thy creatures, and to all +Comes unprevented, unimplor'd, unsought? +Happy for Man, so coming; he her aid +Can never seek, once dead in sins, and lost; +Atonement for himself, or offering meet, +Indebted and undone, hath none to bring; +Behold me then: me for him, life for life +I offer: on me let thine anger fall; +Account me Man; I for his sake will leave + Thy bosom, and this glory next to thee + Freely put off, and for him lastly die + Well pleased; on me let Death wreak all his rage. + Under his gloomy power I shall not long + Lie vanquished. Thou hast given me to possess + Life in myself for ever; by thee I live; + Though now to Death I yield, and am his due, + All that of me can die, yet, that debt paid, + $ thou wilt not leave me in the loathsome grave + His prey, nor suffer my unspotted soul + For ever with corruption there to dwell; + But I shall rise victorious, and subdue + My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted spoil. + Death his death's wound shall then receive, and stoop + Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarmed; + I through the ample air in triumph high + Shall lead Hell captive maugre Hell, and show +The powers of darkness bound. Thou, at the sight + Pleased, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile, + While, by thee raised, I ruin all my foes; + Death last, and with his carcase glut the grave; + Then, with the multitude of my redeemed, + Shall enter Heaven, long absent, and return, + Father, to see thy face, wherein no cloud + Of anger shall remain, but peace assured + And reconcilement: wrath shall be no more + Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire. + His words here ended; but his meek aspect + Silent yet spake, and breathed immortal love + To mortal men, above which only shone + Filial obedience: as a sacrifice + Glad to be offered, he attends the will + Of his great Father. Admiration seized + All Heaven, what this might mean, and whither tend, + Wondering; but soon th' Almighty thus replied. + O thou in Heaven and Earth the only peace + Found out for mankind under wrath, O thou + My sole complacence! Well thou know'st how dear + To me are all my works; nor Man the least, + Though last created, that for him I spare + Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save, + By losing thee a while, the whole race lost. + + 00021053 + Thou, therefore, whom thou only canst redeem, + Their nature also to thy nature join; + And be thyself Man among men on Earth, + Made flesh, when time shall be, of virgin seed, + By wondrous birth; be thou in Adam's room +The head of all mankind, though Adam's son. +As in him perish all men, so in thee, +As from a second root, shall be restored +As many as are restored, without thee none. +His crime makes guilty all his sons; thy merit, +Imputed, shall absolve them who renounce +Their own both righteous and unrighteous deeds, +And live in thee transplanted, and from thee +Receive new life. So Man, as is most just, +Shall satisfy for Man, be judged and die, +And dying rise, and rising with him raise +His brethren, ransomed with his own dear life. +So heavenly love shall outdo hellish hate, +Giving to death, and dying to redeem, +So dearly to redeem what hellish hate +So easily destroyed, and still destroys +In those who, when they may, accept not grace. +Nor shalt thou, by descending to assume +Man's nature, lessen or degrade thine own. +Because thou hast, though throned in highest bliss +Equal to God, and equally enjoying +God-like fruition, quitted all, to save +A world from utter loss, and hast been found +By merit more than birthright Son of God, +Found worthiest to be so by being good, +Far more than great or high; because in thee +Love hath abounded more than glory abounds; +Therefore thy humiliation shall exalt +With thee thy manhood also to this throne: +Here shalt thou sit incarnate, here shalt reign +Both God and Man, Son both of God and Man, +Anointed universal King; all power +I give thee; reign for ever, and assume +Thy merits; under thee, as head supreme, +Thrones, Princedoms, Powers, Dominions, I reduce: +All knees to thee shall bow, of them that bide +In Heaven, or Earth, or under Earth in Hell. +When thou, attended gloriously from Heaven, +Shalt in the sky appear, and from thee send +The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaim +Thy dread tribunal; forthwith from all winds, +The living, and forthwith the cited dead +Of all past ages, to the general doom +Shall hasten; such a peal shall rouse their sleep. +Then, all thy saints assembled, thou shalt judge +Bad Men and Angels; they, arraigned, shall sink +Beneath thy sentence; Hell, her numbers full, +Thenceforth shall be for ever shut. Mean while +The world shall burn, and from her ashes spring +New Heaven and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell, +And, after all their tribulations long, +See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, +With joy and peace triumphing, and fair truth. +Then thou thy regal scepter shalt lay by, +For regal scepter then no more shall need, +God shall be all in all. But, all ye Gods, +Adore him, who to compass all this dies; +Adore the Son, and honour him as me. +No sooner had the Almighty ceased, but all +The multitude of Angels, with a shout +Loud as from numbers without number, sweet +As from blest voices, uttering joy, Heaven rung +With jubilee, and loud Hosannas filled +The eternal regions: Lowly reverent +Towards either throne they bow, and to the ground +With solemn adoration down they cast +Their crowns inwove with amarant and gold; +Immortal amarant, a flower which once +In Paradise, fast by the tree of life, +Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence +To Heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows, +And flowers aloft shading the fount of life, +And where the river of bliss through midst of Heaven +Rolls o'er Elysian flowers her amber stream; +With these that never fade the Spirits elect +Bind their resplendent locks inwreathed with beams; +Now in loose garlands thick thrown off, the bright +Pavement, that like a sea of jasper shone, +Impurpled with celestial roses smiled. +Then, crowned again, their golden harps they took, +Harps ever tuned, that glittering by their side +Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet +Of charming symphony they introduce +Their sacred song, and waken raptures high; +No voice exempt, no voice but well could join +Melodious part, such concord is in Heaven. +Thee, Father, first they sung Omnipotent, +Immutable, Immortal, Infinite, +Eternal King; the Author of all being, +Fonntain of light, thyself invisible +Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit'st +Throned inaccessible, but when thou shadest +The full blaze of thy beams, and, through a cloud +Drawn round about thee like a radiant shrine, +Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appear, +Yet dazzle Heaven, that brightest Seraphim +Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes. +Thee next they sang of all creation first, +Begotten Son, Divine Similitude, +In whose conspicuous countenance, without cloud +Made visible, the Almighty Father shines, +Whom else no creature can behold; on thee +Impressed the effulgence of his glory abides, +Transfused on thee his ample Spirit rests. +He Heaven of Heavens and all the Powers therein +By thee created; and by thee threw down +The aspiring Dominations: Thou that day +Thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare, +Nor stop thy flaming chariot-wheels, that shook +Heaven's everlasting frame, while o'er the necks +Thou drovest of warring Angels disarrayed. +Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaim +Thee only extolled, Son of thy Father's might, +To execute fierce vengeance on his foes, +Not so on Man: Him through their malice fallen, +Father of mercy and grace, thou didst not doom +So strictly, but much more to pity incline: +No sooner did thy dear and only Son +Perceive thee purposed not to doom frail Man +So strictly, but much more to pity inclined, +He to appease thy wrath, and end the strife +Of mercy and justice in thy face discerned, +Regardless of the bliss wherein he sat +Second to thee, offered himself to die +For Man's offence. O unexampled love, +Love no where to be found less than Divine! +Hail, Son of God, Saviour of Men! Thy name +Shall be the copious matter of my song +Henceforth, and never shall my heart thy praise +Forget, nor from thy Father's praise disjoin. +Thus they in Heaven, above the starry sphere, +Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent. +Mean while upon the firm opacous globe +Of this round world, whose first convex divides +The luminous inferiour orbs, enclosed +From Chaos, and the inroad of Darkness old, +Satan alighted walks: A globe far off +It seemed, now seems a boundless continent +Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night +Starless exposed, and ever-threatening storms +Of Chaos blustering round, inclement sky; +Save on that side which from the wall of Heaven, +Though distant far, some small reflection gains +Of glimmering air less vexed with tempest loud: +Here walked the Fiend at large in spacious field. +As when a vultur on Imaus bred, +Whose snowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds, +Dislodging from a region scarce of prey +To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeanling kids, +On hills where flocks are fed, flies toward the springs +Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams; +But in his way lights on the barren plains +Of Sericana, where Chineses drive +With sails and wind their cany waggons light: +So, on this windy sea of land, the Fiend +Walked up and down alone, bent on his prey; +Alone, for other creature in this place, +Living or lifeless, to be found was none; +None yet, but store hereafter from the earth +Up hither like aereal vapours flew +Of all things transitory and vain, when sin +With vanity had filled the works of men: +Both all things vain, and all who in vain things +Built their fond hopes of glory or lasting fame, +Or happiness in this or the other life; +All who have their reward on earth, the fruits +Of painful superstition and blind zeal, +Nought seeking but the praise of men, here find +Fit retribution, empty as their deeds; +All the unaccomplished works of Nature's hand, +Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mixed, +Dissolved on earth, fleet hither, and in vain, +Till final dissolution, wander here; +Not in the neighbouring moon as some have dreamed; +Those argent fields more likely habitants, +Translated Saints, or middle Spirits hold +Betwixt the angelical and human kind. +Hither of ill-joined sons and daughters born +First from the ancient world those giants came +With many a vain exploit, though then renowned: +The builders next of Babel on the plain +Of Sennaar, and still with vain design, +New Babels, had they wherewithal, would build: +Others came single; he, who, to be deemed +A God, leaped fondly into Aetna flames, +Empedocles; and he, who, to enjoy +Plato's Elysium, leaped into the sea, +Cleombrotus; and many more too long, +Embryos, and idiots, eremites, and friars +White, black, and gray, with all their trumpery. +Here pilgrims roam, that strayed so far to seek +In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heaven; +And they, who to be sure of Paradise, +Dying, put on the weeds of Dominick, +Or in Franciscan think to pass disguised; +They pass the planets seven, and pass the fixed, +And that crystalling sphere whose balance weighs +The trepidation talked, and that first moved; +And now Saint Peter at Heaven's wicket seems +To wait them with his keys, and now at foot +Of Heaven's ascent they lift their feet, when lo +A violent cross wind from either coast +Blows them transverse, ten thousand leagues awry +Into the devious air: Then might ye see +Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, tost +And fluttered into rags; then reliques, beads, +Indulgences, dispenses, pardons, bulls, +The sport of winds: All these, upwhirled aloft, +Fly o'er the backside of the world far off +Into a Limbo large and broad, since called +The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown +Long after; now unpeopled, and untrod. +All this dark globe the Fiend found as he passed, +And long he wandered, till at last a gleam +Of dawning light turned thither-ward in haste +His travelled steps: far distant he descries +Ascending by degrees magnificent +Up to the wall of Heaven a structure high; +At top whereof, but far more rich, appeared +The work as of a kingly palace-gate, +With frontispiece of diamond and gold +Embellished; thick with sparkling orient gems +The portal shone, inimitable on earth +By model, or by shading pencil, drawn. +These stairs were such as whereon Jacob saw +Angels ascending and descending, bands +Of guardians bright, when he from Esau fled +To Padan-Aram, in the field of Luz +Dreaming by night under the open sky +And waking cried, This is the gate of Heaven. +Each stair mysteriously was meant, nor stood +There always, but drawn up to Heaven sometimes +Viewless; and underneath a bright sea flowed +Of jasper, or of liquid pearl, whereon +Who after came from earth, failing arrived +Wafted by Angels, or flew o'er the lake +Rapt in a chariot drawn by fiery steeds. +The stairs were then let down, whether to dare +The Fiend by easy ascent, or aggravate +His sad exclusion from the doors of bliss: +Direct against which opened from beneath, +Just o'er the blissful seat of Paradise, +A passage down to the Earth, a passage wide, +Wider by far than that of after-times +Over mount Sion, and, though that were large, +Over the Promised Land to God so dear; +By which, to visit oft those happy tribes, +On high behests his angels to and fro +Passed frequent, and his eye with choice regard +From Paneas, the fount of Jordan's flood, +To Beersaba, where the Holy Land +Borders on Egypt and the Arabian shore; +So wide the opening seemed, where bounds were set +To darkness, such as bound the ocean wave. +Satan from hence, now on the lower stair, +That scaled by steps of gold to Heaven-gate, +Looks down with wonder at the sudden view +Of all this world at once. As when a scout, +Through dark?;nd desart ways with?oeril gone +All?might,?;t?kast by break of cheerful dawn +Obtains the brow of some high-climbing hill, +Which to his eye discovers unaware +The goodly prospect of some foreign land +First seen, or some renowned metropolis +With glistering spires and pinnacles adorned, +Which now the rising sun gilds with his beams: +Such wonder seised, though after Heaven seen, +The Spirit malign, but much more envy seised, +At sight of all this world beheld so fair. +Round he surveys (and well might, where he stood +So high above the circling canopy +Of night's extended shade,) from eastern point +Of Libra to the fleecy star that bears +Andromeda far off Atlantick seas +Beyond the horizon; then from pole to pole +He views in breadth, and without longer pause +Down right into the world's first region throws +His flight precipitant, and winds with ease +Through the pure marble air his oblique way +Amongst innumerable stars, that shone +Stars distant, but nigh hand seemed other worlds; +Or other worlds they seemed, or happy isles, +Like those Hesperian gardens famed of old, +Fortunate fields, and groves, and flowery vales, +Thrice happy isles; but who dwelt happy there +He staid not to inquire: Above them all +The golden sun, in splendour likest Heaven, +Allured his eye; thither his course he bends +Through the calm firmament, (but up or down, +By center, or eccentrick, hard to tell, +Or longitude,) where the great luminary +Aloof the vulgar constellations thick, +That from his lordly eye keep distance due, +Dispenses light from far; they, as they move +Their starry dance in numbers that compute +Days, months, and years, towards his all-cheering lamp +Turn swift their various motions, or are turned +By his magnetick beam, that gently warms +The universe, and to each inward part +With gentle penetration, though unseen, +Shoots invisible virtue even to the deep; +So wonderously was set his station bright. +There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps +Astronomer in the sun's lucent orb +Through his glazed optick tube yet never saw. +The place he found beyond expression bright, +Compared with aught on earth, metal or stone; +Not all parts like, but all alike informed +With radiant light, as glowing iron with fire; +If metal, part seemed gold, part silver clear; +If stone, carbuncle most or chrysolite, +Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shone +In Aaron's breast-plate, and a stone besides +Imagined rather oft than elsewhere seen, +That stone, or like to that which here below +Philosophers in vain so long have sought, +In vain, though by their powerful art they bind +Volatile Hermes, and call up unbound +In various shapes old Proteus from the sea, +Drained through a limbeck to his native form. +What wonder then if fields and regions here +Breathe forth Elixir pure, and rivers run +Potable gold, when with one virtuous touch +The arch-chemick sun, so far from us remote, +Produces, with terrestrial humour mixed, +Here in the dark so many precious things +Of colour glorious, and effect so rare? +Here matter new to gaze the Devil met +Undazzled; far and wide his eye commands; +For sight no obstacle found here, nor shade, +But all sun-shine, as when his beams at noon +Culminate from the equator, as they now +Shot upward still direct, whence no way round +Shadow from body opaque can fall; and the air, +No where so clear, sharpened his visual ray +To objects distant far, whereby he soon +Saw within ken a glorious Angel stand, +The same whom John saw also in the sun: +His back was turned, but not his brightness hid; +Of beaming sunny rays a golden tiar +Circled his head, nor less his locks behind +Illustrious on his shoulders fledge with wings +Lay waving round; on some great charge employed +He seemed, or fixed in cogitation deep. +Glad was the Spirit impure, as now in hope +To find who might direct his wandering flight +To Paradise, the happy seat of Man, +His journey's end and our beginning woe. +But first he casts to change his proper shape, +Which else might work him danger or delay: +And now a stripling Cherub he appears, +Not of the prime, yet such as in his face +Youth smiled celestial, and to every limb +Suitable grace diffused, so well he feigned: +Under a coronet his flowing hair +In curls on either cheek played; wings he wore +Of many a coloured plume, sprinkled with gold; +His habit fit for speed succinct, and held +Before his decent steps a silver wand. +He drew not nigh unheard; the Angel bright, +Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turned, +Admonished by his ear, and straight was known +The Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the seven +Who in God's presence, nearest to his throne, +Stand ready at command, and are his eyes +That run through all the Heavens, or down to the Earth +Bear his swift errands over moist and dry, +O'er sea and land: him Satan thus accosts. +Uriel, for thou of those seven Spirits that stand +In sight of God's high throne, gloriously bright, +The first art wont his great authentick will +Interpreter through highest Heaven to bring, +Where all his sons thy embassy attend; +And here art likeliest by supreme decree +Like honour to obtain, and as his eye +To visit oft this new creation round; +Unspeakable desire to see, and know +All these his wonderous works, but chiefly Man, +His chief delight and favour, him for whom +All these his works so wonderous he ordained, +Hath brought me from the quires of Cherubim +Alone thus wandering. Brightest Seraph, tell +In which of all these shining orbs hath Man +His fixed seat, or fixed seat hath none, +But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell; +That I may find him, and with secret gaze +Or open admiration him behold, +On whom the great Creator hath bestowed +Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces poured; +That both in him and all things, as is meet, +The universal Maker we may praise; +Who justly hath driven out his rebel foes +To deepest Hell, and, to repair that loss, +Created this new happy race of Men +To serve him better: Wise are all his ways. +So spake the false dissembler unperceived; +For neither Man nor Angel can discern +Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks +Invisible, except to God alone, +By his permissive will, through Heaven and Earth: +And oft, though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps +At wisdom's gate, and to simplicity +Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill +Where no ill seems: Which now for once beguiled +Uriel, though regent of the sun, and held +The sharpest-sighted Spirit of all in Heaven; +Who to the fraudulent impostor foul, +In his uprightness, answer thus returned. +Fair Angel, thy desire, which tends to know +The works of God, thereby to glorify +The great Work-master, leads to no excess +That reaches blame, but rather merits praise +The more it seems excess, that led thee hither +From thy empyreal mansion thus alone, +To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps, +Contented with report, hear only in Heaven: +For wonderful indeed are all his works, +Pleasant to know, and worthiest to be all +Had in remembrance always with delight; +But what created mind can comprehend +Their number, or the wisdom infinite +That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep? +I saw when at his word the formless mass, +This world's material mould, came to a heap: +Confusion heard his voice, and wild uproar +Stood ruled, stood vast infinitude confined; +Till at his second bidding Darkness fled, +Light shone, and order from disorder sprung: +Swift to their several quarters hasted then +The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire; +And this ethereal quintessence of Heaven +Flew upward, spirited with various forms, +That rolled orbicular, and turned to stars +Numberless, as thou seest, and how they move; +Each had his place appointed, each his course; +The rest in circuit walls this universe. +Look downward on that globe, whose hither side +With light from hence, though but reflected, shines; +That place is Earth, the seat of Man; that light +His day, which else, as the other hemisphere, +Night would invade; but there the neighbouring moon +So call that opposite fair star) her aid +Timely interposes, and her monthly round +Still ending, still renewing, through mid Heaven, +With borrowed light her countenance triform +Hence fills and empties to enlighten the Earth, +And in her pale dominion checks the night. +That spot, to which I point, is Paradise, +Adam's abode; those lofty shades, his bower. +Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires. +Thus said, he turned; and Satan, bowing low, +As to superiour Spirits is wont in Heaven, +Where honour due and reverence none neglects, +Took leave, and toward the coast of earth beneath, +Down from the ecliptick, sped with hoped success, +Throws his steep flight in many an aery wheel; +Nor staid, till on Niphates' top he lights. + + + +Book IV + + +O, for that warning voice, which he, who saw +The Apocalypse, heard cry in Heaven aloud, +Then when the Dragon, put to second rout, +Came furious down to be revenged on men, +Woe to the inhabitants on earth! that now, +While time was, our first parents had been warned +The coming of their secret foe, and 'scaped, +Haply so 'scaped his mortal snare: For now +Satan, now first inflamed with rage, came down, +The tempter ere the accuser of mankind, +To wreak on innocent frail Man his loss +Of that first battle, and his flight to Hell: +Yet, not rejoicing in his speed, though bold +Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast, +Begins his dire attempt; which nigh the birth +Now rolling boils in his tumultuous breast, +And like a devilish engine back recoils +Upon himself; horrour and doubt distract +His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir +The Hell within him; for within him Hell +He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell +One step, no more than from himself, can fly +By change of place: Now conscience wakes despair, +That slumbered; wakes the bitter memory +Of what he was, what is, and what must be +Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue. +Sometimes towards Eden, which now in his view +Lay pleasant, his grieved look he fixes sad; +Sometimes towards Heaven, and the full-blazing sun, +Which now sat high in his meridian tower: +Then, much revolving, thus in sighs began. +O thou, that, with surpassing glory crowned, +Lookest from thy sole dominion like the God +Of this new world; at whose sight all the stars +Hide their diminished heads; to thee I call, +But with no friendly voice, and add thy name, +Of Sun! to tell thee how I hate thy beams, +That bring to my remembrance from what state +I fell, how glorious once above thy sphere; +Till pride and worse ambition threw me down +Warring in Heaven against Heaven's matchless King: +Ah, wherefore! he deserved no such return +From me, whom he created what I was +In that bright eminence, and with his good +Upbraided none; nor was his service hard. +What could be less than to afford him praise, +The easiest recompence, and pay him thanks, +How due! yet all his good proved ill in me, +And wrought but malice; lifted up so high +I sdeined subjection, and thought one step higher +Would set me highest, and in a moment quit +The debt immense of endless gratitude, +So burdensome still paying, still to owe, +Forgetful what from him I still received, +And understood not that a grateful mind +By owing owes not, but still pays, at once +Indebted and discharged; what burden then +O, had his powerful destiny ordained +Me some inferiour Angel, I had stood +Then happy; no unbounded hope had raised +Ambition! Yet why not some other Power +As great might have aspired, and me, though mean, +Drawn to his part; but other Powers as great +Fell not, but stand unshaken, from within +Or from without, to all temptations armed. +Hadst thou the same free will and power to stand? +Thou hadst: whom hast thou then or what to accuse, +But Heaven's free love dealt equally to all? +Be then his love accursed, since love or hate, +To me alike, it deals eternal woe. +Nay, cursed be thou; since against his thy will +Chose freely what it now so justly rues. +Me miserable! which way shall I fly +Infinite wrath, and infinite despair? +Which way I fly is Hell; myself am Hell; +And, in the lowest deep, a lower deep +Still threatening to devour me opens wide, +To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven. +O, then, at last relent: Is there no place +Left for repentance, none for pardon left? +None left but by submission; and that word +Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame +Among the Spirits beneath, whom I seduced +With other promises and other vaunts +Than to submit, boasting I could subdue +The Omnipotent. Ay me! they little know +How dearly I abide that boast so vain, +Under what torments inwardly I groan, +While they adore me on the throne of Hell. +With diadem and scepter high advanced, +The lower still I fall, only supreme +In misery: Such joy ambition finds. +But say I could repent, and could obtain, +By act of grace, my former state; how soon +Would highth recall high thoughts, how soon unsay +What feigned submission swore? Ease would recant +Vows made in pain, as violent and void. +For never can true reconcilement grow, +Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep: +Which would but lead me to a worse relapse +And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear +Short intermission bought with double smart. +This knows my Punisher; therefore as far +From granting he, as I from begging, peace; +All hope excluded thus, behold, in stead +Mankind created, and for him this world. +So farewell, hope; and with hope farewell, fear; +Farewell, remorse! all good to me is lost; +Evil, be thou my good; by thee at least +Divided empire with Heaven's King I hold, +By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign; +As Man ere long, and this new world, shall know. +Thus while he spake, each passion dimmed his face +Thrice changed with pale, ire, envy, and despair; +Which marred his borrowed visage, and betrayed +Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld. +For heavenly minds from such distempers foul +Are ever clear. Whereof he soon aware, +Each perturbation smoothed with outward calm, +Artificer of fraud; and was the first +That practised falsehood under saintly show, +Deep malice to conceal, couched with revenge: +Yet not enough had practised to deceive +Uriel once warned; whose eye pursued him down + The way he went, and on the Assyrian mount + Saw him disfigured, more than could befall + Spirit of happy sort; his gestures fierce + He marked and mad demeanour, then alone, + As he supposed, all unobserved, unseen. + So on he fares, and to the border comes + Of Eden, where delicious Paradise, + Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green, + As with a rural mound, the champaign head + Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides +Access denied; and overhead upgrew + Insuperable height of loftiest shade, + Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm, + A sylvan scene, and, as the ranks ascend, + Shade above shade, a woody theatre + Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops + The verdurous wall of Paradise upsprung; + + 00081429 +Which to our general sire gave prospect large +Into his nether empire neighbouring round. +And higher than that wall a circling row +Of goodliest trees, loaden with fairest fruit, +Blossoms and fruits at once of golden hue, +Appeared, with gay enamelled colours mixed: +On which the sun more glad impressed his beams +Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow, +When God hath showered the earth; so lovely seemed +That landskip: And of pure now purer air +Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires +Vernal delight and joy, able to drive +All sadness but despair: Now gentle gales, +Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense +Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole +Those balmy spoils. As when to them who fail +Beyond the Cape of Hope, and now are past +Mozambick, off at sea north-east winds blow +Sabean odours from the spicy shore +Of Araby the blest; with such delay +Well pleased they slack their course, and many a league +Cheered with the grateful smell old Ocean smiles: +So entertained those odorous sweets the Fiend, +Who came their bane; though with them better pleased +Than Asmodeus with the fishy fume +That drove him, though enamoured, from the spouse +Of Tobit's son, and with a vengeance sent +From Media post to Egypt, there fast bound. +Now to the ascent of that steep savage hill +Satan had journeyed on, pensive and slow; +But further way found none, so thick entwined, +As one continued brake, the undergrowth +Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplexed +All path of man or beast that passed that way. +One gate there only was, and that looked east +On the other side: which when the arch-felon saw, +Due entrance he disdained; and, in contempt, +At one flight bound high over-leaped all bound +Of hill or highest wall, and sheer within +Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf, +Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey, +Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve +In hurdled cotes amid the field secure, +Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold: +Or as a thief, bent to unhoard the cash +Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors, +Cross-barred and bolted fast, fear no assault, +In at the window climbs, or o'er the tiles: +So clomb this first grand thief into God's fold; +So since into his church lewd hirelings climb. +Thence up he flew, and on the tree of life, +The middle tree and highest there that grew, +Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life +Thereby regained, but sat devising death +To them who lived; nor on the virtue thought +Of that life-giving plant, but only used +For prospect, what well used had been the pledge +Of immortality. So little knows +Any, but God alone, to value right +The good before him, but perverts best things +To worst abuse, or to their meanest use. +Beneath him with new wonder now he views, +To all delight of human sense exposed, +In narrow room, Nature's whole wealth, yea more, +A Heaven on Earth: For blissful Paradise +Of God the garden was, by him in the east +Of Eden planted; Eden stretched her line +From Auran eastward to the royal towers +Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian kings, +Of where the sons of Eden long before +Dwelt in Telassar: In this pleasant soil +His far more pleasant garden God ordained; +Out of the fertile ground he caused to grow +All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste; +And all amid them stood the tree of life, +High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit +Of vegetable gold; and next to life, +Our death, the tree of knowledge, grew fast by, +Knowledge of good bought dear by knowing ill. +Southward through Eden went a river large, +Nor changed his course, but through the shaggy hill +Passed underneath ingulfed; for God had thrown +That mountain as his garden-mould high raised +Upon the rapid current, which, through veins +Of porous earth with kindly thirst up-drawn, +Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill +Watered the garden; thence united fell +Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood, +Which from his darksome passage now appears, +And now, divided into four main streams, +Runs diverse, wandering many a famous realm +And country, whereof here needs no account; +But rather to tell how, if Art could tell, +How from that sapphire fount the crisped brooks, +Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold, +With mazy errour under pendant shades +Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed +Flowers worthy of Paradise, which not nice Art +In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon +Poured forth profuse on hill, and dale, and plain, +Both where the morning sun first warmly smote +The open field, and where the unpierced shade +Imbrowned the noontide bowers: Thus was this place +A happy rural seat of various view; +Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm, +Others whose fruit, burnished with golden rind, +Hung amiable, Hesperian fables true, +If true, here only, and of delicious taste: +Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks +Grazing the tender herb, were interposed, +Or palmy hillock; or the flowery lap +Of some irriguous valley spread her store, +Flowers of all hue, and without thorn the rose: +Another side, umbrageous grots and caves +Of cool recess, o'er which the mantling vine +Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps +Luxuriant; mean while murmuring waters fall +Down the slope hills, dispersed, or in a lake, +That to the fringed bank with myrtle crowned +Her crystal mirrour holds, unite their streams. +The birds their quire apply; airs, vernal airs, +Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune +The trembling leaves, while universal Pan, +Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance, +Led on the eternal Spring. Not that fair field +Of Enna, where Proserpine gathering flowers, +Herself a fairer flower by gloomy Dis +Was gathered, which cost Ceres all that pain +To seek her through the world; nor that sweet grove +Of Daphne by Orontes, and the inspired +Castalian spring, might with this Paradise +Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle +Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham, +Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove, +Hid Amalthea, and her florid son +Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye; +Nor where Abassin kings their issue guard, +Mount Amara, though this by some supposed +True Paradise under the Ethiop line +By Nilus' head, enclosed with shining rock, +A whole day's journey high, but wide remote +From this Assyrian garden, where the Fiend +Saw, undelighted, all delight, all kind +Of living creatures, new to sight, and strange +Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, +Godlike erect, with native honour clad +In naked majesty seemed lords of all: +And worthy seemed; for in their looks divine +The image of their glorious Maker shone, +Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure, +(Severe, but in true filial freedom placed,) +Whence true authority in men; though both +Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed; +For contemplation he and valour formed; +For softness she and sweet attractive grace; +He for God only, she for God in him: +His fair large front and eye sublime declared +Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks +Round from his parted forelock manly hung +Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders broad: +She, as a veil, down to the slender waist +Her unadorned golden tresses wore +Dishevelled, but in wanton ringlets waved +As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied +Subjection, but required with gentle sway, +And by her yielded, by him best received, +Yielded with coy submission, modest pride, +And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay. +Nor those mysterious parts were then concealed; +Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame +Of nature's works, honour dishonourable, +Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind +With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure, +And banished from man's life his happiest life, +Simplicity and spotless innocence! +So passed they naked on, nor shunned the sight +Of God or Angel; for they thought no ill: +So hand in hand they passed, the loveliest pair, +That ever since in love's embraces met; +Adam the goodliest man of men since born +His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve. +Under a tuft of shade that on a green +Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain side +They sat them down; and, after no more toil +Of their sweet gardening labour than sufficed +To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease +More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite +More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell, +Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs +Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline +On the soft downy bank damasked with flowers: +The savoury pulp they chew, and in the rind, +Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream; +Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles +Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems +Fair couple, linked in happy nuptial league, +Alone as they. About them frisking played +All beasts of the earth, since wild, and of all chase +In wood or wilderness, forest or den; +Sporting the lion ramped, and in his paw +Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards, +Gambolled before them; the unwieldy elephant, +To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed +His?kithetmroboscis; close the serpent sly, +Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine +His braided train, and of his fatal guile +Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass +Couched, and now filled with pasture gazing sat, +Or bedward ruminating; for the sun, +Declined, was hasting now with prone career +To the ocean isles, and in the ascending scale +Of Heaven the stars that usher evening rose: +When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood, +Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered sad. +O Hell! what do mine eyes with grief behold! +Into our room of bliss thus high advanced +Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, +Not Spirits, yet to heavenly Spirits bright +Little inferiour; whom my thoughts pursue +With wonder, and could love, so lively shines +In them divine resemblance, and such grace +The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured. +Ah! gentle pair, ye little think how nigh +Your change approaches, when all these delights +Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe; +More woe, the more your taste is now of joy; +Happy, but for so happy ill secured +Long to continue, and this high seat your Heaven +Ill fenced for Heaven to keep out such a foe +As now is entered; yet no purposed foe +To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, +Though I unpitied: League with you I seek, +And mutual amity, so strait, so close, +That I with you must dwell, or you with me +Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please, +Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet such +Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, +Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold, +To entertain you two, her widest gates, +And send forth all her kings; there will be room, +Not like these narrow limits, to receive +Your numerous offspring; if no better place, +Thank him who puts me loth to this revenge +On you who wrong me not for him who wronged. +And should I at your harmless innocence +Melt, as I do, yet publick reason just, +Honour and empire with revenge enlarged, +By conquering this new world, compels me now +To do what else, though damned, I should abhor. +So spake the Fiend, and with necessity, +The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish deeds. +Then from his lofty stand on that high tree +Down he alights among the sportful herd +Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one, +Now other, as their shape served best his end +Nearer to view his prey, and, unespied, +To mark what of their state he more might learn, +By word or action marked. About them round +A lion now he stalks with fiery glare; +Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied +In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, +Straight couches close, then, rising, changes oft +His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground, +Whence rushing, he might surest seize them both, +Griped in each paw: when, Adam first of men +To first of women Eve thus moving speech, +Turned him, all ear to hear new utterance flow. +Sole partner, and sole part, of all these joys, +Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power +That made us, and for us this ample world, +Be infinitely good, and of his good +As liberal and free as infinite; +That raised us from the dust, and placed us here +In all this happiness, who at his hand +Have nothing merited, nor can perform +Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires +From us no other service than to keep +This one, this easy charge, of all the trees +In Paradise that bear delicious fruit +So various, not to taste that only tree +Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life; +So near grows death to life, whate'er death is, +Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowest +God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree, +The only sign of our obedience left, +Among so many signs of power and rule +Conferred upon us, and dominion given +Over all other creatures that possess +Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard +One easy prohibition, who enjoy +Free leave so large to all things else, and choice +Unlimited of manifold delights: +But let us ever praise him, and extol +His bounty, following our delightful task, +To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers, +Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet. +To whom thus Eve replied. O thou for whom +And from whom I was formed, flesh of thy flesh, +And without whom am to no end, my guide +And head! what thou hast said is just and right. +For we to him indeed all praises owe, +And daily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy +So far the happier lot, enjoying thee +Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou +Like consort to thyself canst no where find. +That day I oft remember, when from sleep +I first awaked, and found myself reposed +Under a shade on flowers, much wondering where +And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. +Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound +Of waters issued from a cave, and spread +Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved +Pure as the expanse of Heaven; I thither went +With unexperienced thought, and laid me down +On the green bank, to look into the clear +Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky. +As I bent down to look, just opposite +A shape within the watery gleam appeared, +Bending to look on me: I started back, +It started back; but pleased I soon returned, +Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks +Of sympathy and love: There I had fixed +Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire, +Had not a voice thus warned me; 'What thou seest, +'What there thou seest, fair Creature, is thyself; +'With thee it came and goes: but follow me, +'And I will bring thee where no shadow stays +'Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he +'Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy +'Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear +'Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called +'Mother of human race.' What could I do, +But follow straight, invisibly thus led? +Till I espied thee, fair indeed and tall, +Under a platane; yet methought less fair, +Less winning soft, less amiably mild, +Than that smooth watery image: Back I turned; +Thou following cryedst aloud, 'Return, fair Eve; +'Whom flyest thou? whom thou flyest, of him thou art, +'His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent +'Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart, +'Substantial life, to have thee by my side +'Henceforth an individual solace dear; +'Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim +'My other half:' With that thy gentle hand +Seised mine: I yielded;and from that time see +How beauty is excelled by manly grace, +And wisdom, which alone is truly fair. +So spake our general mother, and with eyes +Of conjugal attraction unreproved, +And meek surrender, half-embracing leaned +On our first father; half her swelling breast +Naked met his, under the flowing gold +Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight +Both of her beauty, and submissive charms, +Smiled with superiour love, as Jupiter +On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds +That shed Mayflowers; and pressed her matron lip +With kisses pure: Aside the Devil turned +For envy; yet with jealous leer malign +Eyed them askance, and to himself thus plained. +Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two, +Imparadised in one another's arms, +The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill +Of bliss on bliss; while I to Hell am thrust, +Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire, +Among our other torments not the least, +Still unfulfilled with pain of longing pines. +Yet let me not forget what I have gained +From their own mouths: All is not theirs, it seems; +One fatal tree there stands, of knowledge called, +Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidden +Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord +Envy them that? Can it be sin to know? +Can it be death? And do they only stand +By ignorance? Is that their happy state, +The proof of their obedience and their faith? +O fair foundation laid whereon to build +Their ruin! hence I will excite their minds +With more desire to know, and to reject +Envious commands, invented with design +To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt +Equal with Gods: aspiring to be such, +They taste and die: What likelier can ensue +But first with narrow search I must walk round +This garden, and no corner leave unspied; +A chance but chance may lead where I may meet +Some wandering Spirit of Heaven by fountain side, +Or in thick shade retired, from him to draw +What further would be learned. Live while ye may, +Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return, +Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed! +So saying, his proud step he scornful turned, +But with sly circumspection, and began +Through wood, through waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam +Mean while in utmost longitude, where Heaven +With earth and ocean meets, the setting sun +Slowly descended, and with right aspect +Against the eastern gate of Paradise +Levelled his evening rays: It was a rock +Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds, +Conspicuous far, winding with one ascent +Accessible from earth, one entrance high; +The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung +Still as it rose, impossible to climb. +Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat, +Chief of the angelick guards, awaiting night; +About him exercised heroick games +The unarmed youth of Heaven, but nigh at hand +Celestial armoury, shields, helms, and spears, +Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold. +Thither came Uriel, gliding through the even +On a sun-beam, swift as a shooting star +In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fired +Impress the air, and shows the mariner +From what point of his compass to beware +Impetuous winds: He thus began in haste. +Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot hath given +Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place +No evil thing approach or enter in. +This day at highth of noon came to my sphere +A Spirit, zealous, as he seemed, to know +More of the Almighty's works, and chiefly Man, +God's latest image: I described his way +Bent all on speed, and marked his aery gait; +But in the mount that lies from Eden north, +Where he first lighted, soon discerned his looks +Alien from Heaven, with passions foul obscured: +Mine eye pursued him still, but under shade +Lost sight of him: One of the banished crew, +I fear, hath ventured from the deep, to raise +New troubles; him thy care must be to find. +To whom the winged warriour thus returned. +Uriel, no wonder if thy perfect sight, +Amid the sun's bright circle where thou sitst, +See far and wide: In at this gate none pass +The vigilance here placed, but such as come +Well known from Heaven; and since meridian hour +No creature thence: If Spirit of other sort, +So minded, have o'er-leaped these earthly bounds +On purpose, hard thou knowest it to exclude +Spiritual substance with corporeal bar. +But if within the circuit of these walks, +In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom +Thou tellest, by morrow dawning I shall know. +So promised he; and Uriel to his charge +Returned on that bright beam, whose point now raised +Bore him slope downward to the sun now fallen +Beneath the Azores; whether the prime orb, +Incredible how swift, had thither rolled +Diurnal, or this less volubil earth, +By shorter flight to the east, had left him there +Arraying with reflected purple and gold +The clouds that on his western throne attend. +Now came still Evening on, and Twilight gray +Had in her sober livery all things clad; +Silence accompanied; for beast and bird, +They to their grassy couch, these to their nests +Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale; +She all night long her amorous descant sung; +Silence was pleased: Now glowed the firmament +With living sapphires: Hesperus, that led +The starry host, rode brightest, till the moon, +Rising in clouded majesty, at length +Apparent queen unveiled her peerless light, +And o'er the dark her silver mantle threw. +When Adam thus to Eve. Fair Consort, the hour +Of night, and all things now retired to rest, +Mind us of like repose; since God hath set +Labour and rest, as day and night, to men +Successive; and the timely dew of sleep, +Now falling with soft slumbrous weight, inclines +Our eye-lids: Other creatures all day long +Rove idle, unemployed, and less need rest; +Man hath his daily work of body or mind +Appointed, which declares his dignity, +And the regard of Heaven on all his ways; +While other animals unactive range, +And of their doings God takes no account. +To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east +With first approach of light, we must be risen, +And at our pleasant labour, to reform +Yon flowery arbours, yonder alleys green, +Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown, +That mock our scant manuring, and require +More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth: +Those blossoms also, and those dropping gums, +That lie bestrown, unsightly and unsmooth, +Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease; +Mean while, as Nature wills, night bids us rest. +To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty adorned +My Author and Disposer, what thou bidst +Unargued I obey: So God ordains; +God is thy law, thou mine: To know no more +Is woman's happiest knowledge, and her praise. +With thee conversing I forget all time; +All seasons, and their change, all please alike. +Sweet is the breath of Morn, her rising sweet, +With charm of earliest birds: pleasant the sun, +When first on this delightful land he spreads +His orient beams, on herb, tree, fruit, and flower, +Glistering with dew; fragrant the fertile earth +After soft showers; and sweet the coming on +Of grateful Evening mild; then silent Night, +With this her solemn bird, and this fair moon, +And these the gems of Heaven, her starry train: +But neither breath of Morn, when she ascends +With charm of earliest birds; nor rising sun +On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flower, +Glistering with dew; nor fragrance after showers; +Nor grateful Evening mild; nor silent Night, +With this her solemn bird, nor walk by moon, +Or glittering star-light, without thee is sweet. +But wherefore all night long shine these? for whom +This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes? +To whom our general ancestor replied. +Daughter of God and Man, accomplished Eve, +These have their course to finish round the earth, +By morrow evening, and from land to land +In order, though to nations yet unborn, +Ministring light prepared, they set and rise; +Lest total Darkness should by night regain +Her old possession, and extinguish life +In Nature and all things; which these soft fires +Not only enlighten, but with kindly heat +Of various influence foment and warm, +Temper or nourish, or in part shed down +Their stellar virtue on all kinds that grow +On earth, made hereby apter to receive +Perfection from the sun's more potent ray. +These then, though unbeheld in deep of night, +Shine not in vain; nor think, though men were none, +That Heaven would want spectators, God want praise: +Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth +Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep: +All these with ceaseless praise his works behold +Both day and night: How often from the steep +Of echoing hill or thicket have we heard +Celestial voices to the midnight air, +Sole, or responsive each to others note, +Singing their great Creator? oft in bands +While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk, +With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds +In full harmonick number joined, their songs +Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to Heaven. +Thus talking, hand in hand alone they passed +On to their blissful bower: it was a place +Chosen by the sovran Planter, when he framed +All things to Man's delightful use; the roof +Of thickest covert was inwoven shade +Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew +Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side +Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub, +Fenced up the verdant wall; each beauteous flower, +Iris all hues, roses, and jessamin, +Reared high their flourished heads between, and wrought +Mosaick; underfoot the violet, +Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay +Broidered the ground, more coloured than with stone +Of costliest emblem: Other creature here, +Bird, beast, insect, or worm, durst enter none, +Such was their awe of Man. In shadier bower +More sacred and sequestered, though but feigned, +Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor Nymph +Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess, +With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs, +Espoused Eve decked first her nuptial bed; +And heavenly quires the hymenaean sung, +What day the genial Angel to our sire +Brought her in naked beauty more adorned, +More lovely, than Pandora, whom the Gods +Endowed with all their gifts, and O! too like +In sad event, when to the unwiser son +Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared +Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged +On him who had stole Jove's authentick fire. +Thus, at their shady lodge arrived, both stood, +Both turned, and under open sky adored +The God that made both sky, air, earth, and heaven, +Which they beheld, the moon's resplendent globe, +And starry pole: Thou also madest the night, +Maker Omnipotent, and thou the day, +Which we, in our appointed work employed, +Have finished, happy in our mutual help +And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss +Ordained by thee; and this delicious place +For us too large, where thy abundance wants +Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground. +But thou hast promised from us two a race +To fill the earth, who shall with us extol +Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake, +And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep. +This said unanimous, and other rites +Observing none, but adoration pure +Which God likes best, into their inmost bower +Handed they went; and, eased the putting off +These troublesome disguises which we wear, +Straight side by side were laid; nor turned, I ween, +Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites +Mysterious of connubial love refused: +Whatever hypocrites austerely talk +Of purity, and place, and innocence, +Defaming as impure what God declares +Pure, and commands to some, leaves free to all. +Our Maker bids encrease; who bids abstain +But our Destroyer, foe to God and Man? +Hail, wedded Love, mysterious law, true source +Of human offspring, sole propriety +In Paradise of all things common else! +By thee adulterous Lust was driven from men +Among the bestial herds to range; by thee +Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure, +Relations dear, and all the charities +Of father, son, and brother, first were known. +Far be it, that I should write thee sin or blame, +Or think thee unbefitting holiest place, +Perpetual fountain of domestick sweets, +Whose bed is undefiled and chaste pronounced, +Present, or past, as saints and patriarchs used. +Here Love his golden shafts employs, here lights +His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings, +Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile +Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendeared, +Casual fruition; nor in court-amours, +Mixed dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball, +Or serenate, which the starved lover sings +To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain. +These, lulled by nightingales, embracing slept, +And on their naked limbs the flowery roof +Showered roses, which the morn repaired. Sleep on, +Blest pair; and O!yet happiest, if ye seek +No happier state, and know to know no more. +Now had night measured with her shadowy cone +Half way up hill this vast sublunar vault, +And from their ivory port the Cherubim, +Forth issuing at the accustomed hour, stood armed +To their night watches in warlike parade; +When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake. +Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the south +With strictest watch; these other wheel the north; +Our circuit meets full west. As flame they part, +Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear. +From these, two strong and subtle Spirits he called +That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge. +Ithuriel and Zephon, with winged speed +Search through this garden, leave unsearched no nook; +But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge, +Now laid perhaps asleep, secure of harm. +This evening from the sun's decline arrived, +Who tells of some infernal Spirit seen +Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escaped +The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt: +Such, where ye find, seise fast, and hither bring. +So saying, on he led his radiant files, +Dazzling the moon; these to the bower direct +In search of whom they sought: Him there they found +Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve, +Assaying by his devilish art to reach +The organs of her fancy, and with them forge +Illusions, as he list, phantasms and dreams; +Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint +The animal spirits, that from pure blood arise +Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise +At least distempered, discontented thoughts, +Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires, +Blown up with high conceits ingendering pride. +Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear +Touched lightly; for no falshood can endure +Touch of celestial temper, but returns +Of force to its own likeness: Up he starts +Discovered and surprised. As when a spark +Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid +Fit for the tun some magazine to store +Against a rumoured war, the smutty grain, +With sudden blaze diffused, inflames the air; +So started up in his own shape the Fiend. +Back stept those two fair Angels, half amazed +So sudden to behold the grisly king; +Yet thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon. +Which of those rebel Spirits adjudged to Hell +Comest thou, escaped thy prison? and, transformed, +Why sat'st thou like an enemy in wait, +Here watching at the head of these that sleep? +Know ye not then said Satan, filled with scorn, +Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate +For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar: +Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, +The lowest of your throng; or, if ye know, +Why ask ye, and superfluous begin +Your message, like to end as much in vain? +To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with scorn. +Think not, revolted Spirit, thy shape the same, +Or undiminished brightness to be known, +As when thou stoodest in Heaven upright and pure; +That glory then, when thou no more wast good, +Departed from thee; and thou resemblest now +Thy sin and place of doom obscure and foul. +But come, for thou, be sure, shalt give account +To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep +This place inviolable, and these from harm. +So spake the Cherub; and his grave rebuke, +Severe in youthful beauty, added grace +Invincible: Abashed the Devil stood, +And felt how awful goodness is, and saw +Virtue in her shape how lovely; saw, and pined +His loss; but chiefly to find here observed +His lustre visibly impaired; yet seemed +Undaunted. If I must contend, said he, +Best with the best, the sender, not the sent, +Or all at once; more glory will be won, +Or less be lost. Thy fear, said Zephon bold, +Will save us trial what the least can do +Single against thee wicked, and thence weak. +The Fiend replied not, overcome with rage; +But, like a proud steed reined, went haughty on, +Champing his iron curb: To strive or fly +He held it vain; awe from above had quelled +His heart, not else dismayed. Now drew they nigh +The western point, where those half-rounding guards +Just met, and closing stood in squadron joined, +A waiting next command. To whom their Chief, +Gabriel, from the front thus called aloud. +O friends! I hear the tread of nimble feet +Hasting this way, and now by glimpse discern +Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade; +And with them comes a third of regal port, +But faded splendour wan; who by his gait +And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of Hell, +Not likely to part hence without contest; +Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours. +He scarce had ended, when those two approached, +And brief related whom they brought, where found, +How busied, in what form and posture couched. +To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake. +Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescribed +To thy transgressions, and disturbed the charge +Of others, who approve not to transgress +By thy example, but have power and right +To question thy bold entrance on this place; +Employed, it seems, to violate sleep, and those +Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss! +To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow. +Gabriel? thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of wise, +And such I held thee; but this question asked +Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain! +Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell, +Though thither doomed! Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt +And boldly venture to whatever place +Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change +Torment with ease, and soonest recompense +Dole with delight, which in this place I sought; +To thee no reason, who knowest only good, +But evil hast not tried: and wilt object +His will who bounds us! Let him surer bar +His iron gates, if he intends our stay +In that dark durance: Thus much what was asked. +The rest is true, they found me where they say; +But that implies not violence or harm. +Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel moved, +Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied. +O loss of one in Heaven to judge of wise +Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew, +And now returns him from his prison 'scaped, +Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise +Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither +Unlicensed from his bounds in Hell prescribed; +So wise he judges it to fly from pain +However, and to 'scape his punishment! +So judge thou still, presumptuous! till the wrath, +Which thou incurrest by flying, meet thy flight +Sevenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell, +Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain +Can equal anger infinite provoked. +But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee +Came not all hell broke loose? or thou than they +Less hardy to endure? Courageous Chief! +The first in flight from pain! hadst thou alleged +To thy deserted host this cause of flight, +Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive. +To which the Fiend thus answered, frowning stern. +Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain, +Insulting Angel! well thou knowest I stood +Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid +The blasting vollied thunder made all speed, +And seconded thy else not dreaded spear. +But still thy words at random, as before, +Argue thy inexperience what behoves +From hard assays and ill successes past +A faithful leader, not to hazard all +Through ways of danger by himself untried: +I, therefore, I alone first undertook +To wing the desolate abyss, and spy +This new created world, whereof in Hell +Fame is not silent, here in hope to find +Better abode, and my afflicted Powers +To settle here on earth, or in mid air; +Though for possession put to try once more +What thou and thy gay legions dare against; +Whose easier business were to serve their Lord +High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, +And practised distances to cringe, not fight, +To whom the warriour Angel soon replied. +To say and straight unsay, pretending first +Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy, +Argues no leader but a liear traced, +Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name, +O sacred name of faithfulness profaned! +Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew? +Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head. +Was this your discipline and faith engaged, +Your military obedience, to dissolve +Allegiance to the acknowledged Power supreme? +And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem +Patron of liberty, who more than thou +Once fawned, and cringed, and servily adored +Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope +To dispossess him, and thyself to reign? +But mark what I arreed thee now, Avant; +Fly neither whence thou fledst! If from this hour +Within these hallowed limits thou appear, +Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained, +And seal thee so, as henceforth not to scorn +The facile gates of Hell too slightly barred. +So threatened he; but Satan to no threats +Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied. +Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, +Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then +Far heavier load thyself expect to feel +From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King +Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers, +Us'd to the yoke, drawest his triumphant wheels +In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved. +While thus he spake, the angelick squadron bright +Turned fiery red, sharpening in mooned horns +Their phalanx, and began to hem him round +With ported spears, as thick as when a field +Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends +Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind +Sways them; the careful plowman doubting stands, +Left on the threshing floor his hopeless sheaves +Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarmed, +Collecting all his might, dilated stood, +Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremoved: +His stature reached the sky, and on his crest +Sat Horrour plumed; nor wanted in his grasp +What seemed both spear and shield: Now dreadful deeds +Might have ensued, nor only Paradise +In this commotion, but the starry cope +Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements +At least had gone to wrack, disturbed and torn +With violence of this conflict, had not soon +The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray, +Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen +Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign, +Wherein all things created first he weighed, +The pendulous round earth with balanced air +In counterpoise, now ponders all events, +Battles and realms: In these he put two weights, +The sequel each of parting and of fight: +The latter quick up flew, and kicked the beam, +Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend. +Satan, I know thy strength, and thou knowest mine; +Neither our own, but given: What folly then +To boast what arms can do? since thine no more +Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now +To trample thee as mire: For proof look up, +And read thy lot in yon celestial sign; +Where thou art weighed, and shown how light, how weak, +If thou resist. The Fiend looked up, and knew +His mounted scale aloft: Nor more;but fled +Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night. + + + +Book V + + +Now Morn, her rosy steps in the eastern clime +Advancing, sowed the earth with orient pearl, +When Adam waked, so customed; for his sleep +Was aery-light, from pure digestion bred, +And temperate vapours bland, which the only sound +Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan, +Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song +Of birds on every bough; so much the more +His wonder was to find unwakened Eve +With tresses discomposed, and glowing cheek, +As through unquiet rest: He, on his side +Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial love +Hung over her enamoured, and beheld +Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep, +Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice +Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, +Her hand soft touching, whispered thus. Awake, +My fairest, my espoused, my latest found, +Heaven's last best gift, my ever new delight! +Awake: The morning shines, and the fresh field +Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how spring +Our tender plants, how blows the citron grove, +What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed, +How nature paints her colours, how the bee +Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet. +Such whispering waked her, but with startled eye +On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake. +O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, +My glory, my perfection! glad I see +Thy face, and morn returned; for I this night +(Such night till this I never passed) have dreamed, +If dreamed, not, as I oft am wont, of thee, +Works of day past, or morrow's next design, +But of offence and trouble, which my mind +Knew never till this irksome night: Methought, +Close at mine ear one called me forth to walk +With gentle voice; I thought it thine: It said, +'Why sleepest thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time, +'The cool, the silent, save where silence yields +'To the night-warbling bird, that now awake +'Tunes sweetest his love-laboured song; now reigns +'Full-orbed the moon, and with more pleasing light +'Shadowy sets off the face of things; in vain, +'If none regard; Heaven wakes with all his eyes, +'Whom to behold but thee, Nature's desire? +'In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment +'Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.' +I rose as at thy call, but found thee not; +To find thee I directed then my walk; +And on, methought, alone I passed through ways +That brought me on a sudden to the tree +Of interdicted knowledge: fair it seemed, +Much fairer to my fancy than by day: +And, as I wondering looked, beside it stood +One shaped and winged like one of those from Heaven +By us oft seen; his dewy locks distilled +Ambrosia; on that tree he also gazed; +And 'O fair plant,' said he, 'with fruit surcharged, +'Deigns none to ease thy load, and taste thy sweet, +'Nor God, nor Man? Is knowledge so despised? +'Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste? +'Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold +'Longer thy offered good; why else set here? +This said, he paused not, but with venturous arm +He plucked, he tasted; me damp horrour chilled +At such bold words vouched with a deed so bold: +But he thus, overjoyed; 'O fruit divine, +'Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus cropt, +'Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit +'For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men: +'And why not Gods of Men; since good, the more +'Communicated, more abundant grows, +'The author not impaired, but honoured more? +'Here, happy creature, fair angelick Eve! +'Partake thou also; happy though thou art, +'Happier thou mayest be, worthier canst not be: +'Taste this, and be henceforth among the Gods +'Thyself a Goddess, not to earth confined, +'But sometimes in the air, as we, sometimes +'Ascend to Heaven, by merit thine, and see +'What life the Gods live there, and such live thou!' +So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held, +Even to my mouth of that same fruit held part +Which he had plucked; the pleasant savoury smell +So quickened appetite, that I, methought, +Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the clouds +With him I flew, and underneath beheld +The earth outstretched immense, a prospect wide +And various: Wondering at my flight and change +To this high exaltation; suddenly +My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down, +And fell asleep; but O, how glad I waked +To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her night +Related, and thus Adam answered sad. +Best image of myself, and dearer half, +The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep +Affects me equally; nor can I like +This uncouth dream, of evil sprung, I fear; +Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, +Created pure. But know that in the soul +Are many lesser faculties, that serve +Reason as chief; among these Fancy next +Her office holds; of all external things +Which the five watchful senses represent, +She forms imaginations, aery shapes, +Which Reason, joining or disjoining, frames +All what we affirm or what deny, and call +Our knowledge or opinion; then retires +Into her private cell, when nature rests. +Oft in her absence mimick Fancy wakes +To imitate her; but, misjoining shapes, +Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams; +Ill matching words and deeds long past or late. +Some such resemblances, methinks, I find +Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream, +But with addition strange; yet be not sad. +Evil into the mind of God or Man +May come and go, so unreproved, and leave +No spot or blame behind: Which gives me hope +That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream, +Waking thou never will consent to do. +Be not disheartened then, nor cloud those looks, +That wont to be more cheerful and serene, +Than when fair morning first smiles on the world; +And let us to our fresh employments rise +Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers +That open now their choisest bosomed smells, +Reserved from night, and kept for thee in store. +So cheered he his fair spouse, and she was cheered; +But silently a gentle tear let fall +From either eye, and wiped them with her hair; +Two other precious drops that ready stood, +Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell +Kissed, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse +And pious awe, that feared to have offended. +So all was cleared, and to the field they haste. +But first, from under shady arborous roof +Soon as they forth were come to open sight +Of day-spring, and the sun, who, scarce up-risen, +With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean-brim, +Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, +Discovering in wide landskip all the east +Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains, +Lowly they bowed adoring, and began +Their orisons, each morning duly paid +In various style; for neither various style +Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise +Their Maker, in fit strains pronounced, or sung +Unmeditated; such prompt eloquence +Flowed from their lips, in prose or numerous verse, +More tuneable than needed lute or harp +To add more sweetness; and they thus began. +These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, +Almighty! Thine this universal frame, +Thus wonderous fair; Thyself how wonderous then! +Unspeakable, who sitst above these heavens +To us invisible, or dimly seen +In these thy lowest works; yet these declare +Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. +Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light, +Angels; for ye behold him, and with songs +And choral symphonies, day without night, +Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heaven +On Earth join all ye Creatures to extol +Him first, him last, him midst, and without end. +Fairest of stars, last in the train of night, +If better thou belong not to the dawn, +Sure pledge of day, that crownest the smiling morn +With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere, +While day arises, that sweet hour of prime. +Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and soul, +Acknowledge him thy greater; sound his praise +In thy eternal course, both when thou climbest, +And when high noon hast gained, and when thou fallest. +Moon, that now meetest the orient sun, now flyest, +With the fixed Stars, fixed in their orb that flies; +And ye five other wandering Fires, that move +In mystick dance not without song, resound +His praise, who out of darkness called up light. +Air, and ye Elements, the eldest birth +Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run +Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix +And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change +Vary to our great Maker still new praise. +Ye Mists and Exhalations, that now rise +From hill or steaming lake, dusky or gray, +Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold, +In honour to the world's great Author rise; +Whether to deck with clouds the uncoloured sky, +Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers, +Rising or falling still advance his praise. +His praise, ye Winds, that from four quarters blow, +Breathe soft or loud; and, wave your tops, ye Pines, +With every plant, in sign of worship wave. +Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow, +Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise. +Join voices, all ye living Souls: Ye Birds, +That singing up to Heaven-gate ascend, +Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise. +Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk +The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep; +Witness if I be silent, morn or even, +To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, +Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise. +Hail, universal Lord, be bounteous still +To give us only good; and if the night +Have gathered aught of evil, or concealed, +Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark! +So prayed they innocent, and to their thoughts +Firm peace recovered soon, and wonted calm. +On to their morning's rural work they haste, +Among sweet dews and flowers; where any row +Of fruit-trees over-woody reached too far +Their pampered boughs, and needed hands to check +Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine +To wed her elm; she, spoused, about him twines +Her marriageable arms, and with him brings +Her dower, the adopted clusters, to adorn +His barren leaves. Them thus employed beheld +With pity Heaven's high King, and to him called +Raphael, the sociable Spirit, that deigned +To travel with Tobias, and secured +His marriage with the seventimes-wedded maid. +Raphael, said he, thou hearest what stir on Earth +Satan, from Hell 'scaped through the darksome gulf, +Hath raised in Paradise; and how disturbed +This night the human pair; how he designs +In them at once to ruin all mankind. +Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend +Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade +Thou findest him from the heat of noon retired, +To respite his day-labour with repast, +Or with repose; and such discourse bring on, +As may advise him of his happy state, +Happiness in his power left free to will, +Left to his own free will, his will though free, +Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware +He swerve not, too secure: Tell him withal +His danger, and from whom; what enemy, +Late fallen himself from Heaven, is plotting now +The fall of others from like state of bliss; +By violence? no, for that shall be withstood; +But by deceit and lies: This let him know, +Lest, wilfully transgressing, he pretend +Surprisal, unadmonished, unforewarned. +So spake the Eternal Father, and fulfilled +All justice: Nor delayed the winged Saint +After his charge received; but from among +Thousand celestial Ardours, where he stood +Veiled with his gorgeous wings, up springing light, +Flew through the midst of Heaven; the angelick quires, +On each hand parting, to his speed gave way +Through all the empyreal road; till, at the gate +Of Heaven arrived, the gate self-opened wide +On golden hinges turning, as by work +Divine the sovran Architect had framed. +From hence no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight, +Star interposed, however small he sees, +Not unconformed to other shining globes, +Earth, and the garden of God, with cedars crowned +Above all hills. As when by night the glass +Of Galileo, less assured, observes +Imagined lands and regions in the moon: +Or pilot, from amidst the Cyclades +Delos or Samos first appearing, kens +A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight +He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky +Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady wing +Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan +Winnows the buxom air; till, within soar +Of towering eagles, to all the fowls he seems +A phoenix, gazed by all as that sole bird, +When, to enshrine his reliques in the Sun's +Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies. +At once on the eastern cliff of Paradise +He lights, and to his proper shape returns +A Seraph winged: Six wings he wore, to shade +His lineaments divine; the pair that clad +Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast +With regal ornament; the middle pair +Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round +Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold +And colours dipt in Heaven; the third his feet +Shadowed from either heel with feathered mail, +Sky-tinctured grain. Like Maia's son he stood, +And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance filled +The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the bands +Of Angels under watch; and to his state, +And to his message high, in honour rise; +For on some message high they guessed him bound. +Their glittering tents he passed, and now is come +Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh, +And flowering odours, cassia, nard, and balm; +A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here +Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will +Her virgin fancies pouring forth more sweet, +Wild above rule or art, enormous bliss. +Him through the spicy forest onward come +Adam discerned, as in the door he sat +Of his cool bower, while now the mounted sun +Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm +Earth's inmost womb, more warmth than Adam needs: +And Eve within, due at her hour prepared +For dinner savoury fruits, of taste to please +True appetite, and not disrelish thirst +Of nectarous draughts between, from milky stream, +Berry or grape: To whom thus Adam called. +Haste hither, Eve, and worth thy sight behold +Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape +Comes this way moving; seems another morn +Risen on mid-noon; some great behest from Heaven +To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe +This day to be our guest. But go with speed, +And, what thy stores contain, bring forth, and pour +Abundance, fit to honour and receive +Our heavenly stranger: Well we may afford +Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow +From large bestowed, where Nature multiplies +Her fertile growth, and by disburthening grows +More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare. +To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallowed mould, +Of God inspired! small store will serve, where store, +All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk; +Save what by frugal storing firmness gains +To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes: +But I will haste, and from each bough and brake, +Each plant and juciest gourd, will pluck such choice +To entertain our Angel-guest, as he +Beholding shall confess, that here on Earth +God hath dispensed his bounties as in Heaven. +So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste +She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent +What choice to choose for delicacy best, +What order, so contrived as not to mix +Tastes, not well joined, inelegant, but bring +Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change; +Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk +Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields +In India East or West, or middle shore +In Pontus or the Punick coast, or where +Alcinous reigned, fruit of all kinds, in coat +Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell, +She gathers, tribute large, and on the board +Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape +She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths +From many a berry, and from sweet kernels pressed +She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold +Wants her fit vessels pure; then strows the ground +With rose and odours from the shrub unfumed. +Mean while our primitive great sire, to meet +His God-like guest, walks forth, without more train +Accompanied than with his own complete +Perfections; in himself was all his state, +More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits +On princes, when their rich retinue long +Of horses led, and grooms besmeared with gold, +Dazzles the croud, and sets them all agape. +Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed, +Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek, +As to a superiour nature bowing low, +Thus said. Native of Heaven, for other place +None can than Heaven such glorious shape contain; +Since, by descending from the thrones above, +Those happy places thou hast deigned a while +To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us +Two only, who yet by sovran gift possess +This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower +To rest; and what the garden choicest bears +To sit and taste, till this meridian heat +Be over, and the sun more cool decline. +Whom thus the angelick Virtue answered mild. +Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such +Created, or such place hast here to dwell, +As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heaven, +To visit thee; lead on then where thy bower +O'ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise, +I have at will. So to the sylvan lodge +They came, that like Pomona's arbour smiled, +With flowerets decked, and fragrant smells; but Eve, +Undecked save with herself, more lovely fair +Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feigned +Of three that in mount Ida naked strove, +Stood to entertain her guest from Heaven; no veil +She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm +Altered her cheek. On whom the Angel Hail +Bestowed, the holy salutation used +Long after to blest Mary, second Eve. +Hail, Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb +Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons, +Than with these various fruits the trees of God +Have heaped this table!--Raised of grassy turf +Their table was, and mossy seats had round, +And on her ample square from side to side +All autumn piled, though spring and autumn here +Danced hand in hand. A while discourse they hold; +No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began +Our author. Heavenly stranger, please to taste +These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom +All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends, +To us for food and for delight hath caused +The earth to yield; unsavoury food perhaps +To spiritual natures; only this I know, +That one celestial Father gives to all. +To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives +(Whose praise be ever sung) to Man in part +Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found +No ingrateful food: And food alike those pure +Intelligential substances require, +As doth your rational; and both contain +Within them every lower faculty +Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste, +Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate, +And corporeal to incorporeal turn. +For know, whatever was created, needs +To be sustained and fed: Of elements +The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea, +Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires +Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon; +Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurged +Vapours not yet into her substance turned. +Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale +From her moist continent to higher orbs. +The sun that light imparts to all, receives +From all his alimental recompence +In humid exhalations, and at even +Sups with the ocean. Though in Heaven the trees +Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines +Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn +We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground +Covered with pearly grain: Yet God hath here +Varied his bounty so with new delights, +As may compare with Heaven; and to taste +Think not I shall be nice. So down they sat, +And to their viands fell; nor seemingly +The Angel, nor in mist, the common gloss +Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch +Of real hunger, and concoctive heat +To transubstantiate: What redounds, transpires +Through Spirits with ease; nor wonder;if by fire +Of sooty coal the empirick alchemist +Can turn, or holds it possible to turn, +Metals of drossiest ore to perfect gold, +As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve +Ministered naked, and their flowing cups +With pleasant liquours crowned: O innocence +Deserving Paradise! if ever, then, +Then had the sons of God excuse to have been +Enamoured at that sight; but in those hearts +Love unlibidinous reigned, nor jealousy +Was understood, the injured lover's hell. +Thus when with meats and drinks they had sufficed, +Not burdened nature, sudden mind arose +In Adam, not to let the occasion pass +Given him by this great conference to know +Of things above his world, and of their being +Who dwell in Heaven, whose excellence he saw +Transcend his own so far; whose radiant forms, +Divine effulgence, whose high power, so far +Exceeded human; and his wary speech +Thus to the empyreal minister he framed. +Inhabitant with God, now know I well +Thy favour, in this honour done to Man; +Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsafed +To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste, +Food not of Angels, yet accepted so, +As that more willingly thou couldst not seem +At Heaven's high feasts to have fed: yet what compare +To whom the winged Hierarch replied. +O Adam, One Almighty is, from whom +All things proceed, and up to him return, +If not depraved from good, created all +Such to perfection, one first matter all, +Endued with various forms, various degrees +Of substance, and, in things that live, of life; +But more refined, more spiritous, and pure, +As nearer to him placed, or nearer tending +Each in their several active spheres assigned, +Till body up to spirit work, in bounds +Proportioned to each kind. So from the root +Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves +More aery, last the bright consummate flower +Spirits odorous breathes: flowers and their fruit, +Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublimed, +To vital spirits aspire, to animal, +To intellectual; give both life and sense, +Fancy and understanding; whence the soul +Reason receives, and reason is her being, +Discursive, or intuitive; discourse +Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours, +Differing but in degree, of kind the same. +Wonder not then, what God for you saw good +If I refuse not, but convert, as you +To proper substance. Time may come, when Men +With Angels may participate, and find +No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare; +And from these corporal nutriments perhaps +Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit, +Improved by tract of time, and, winged, ascend +Ethereal, as we; or may, at choice, +Here or in heavenly Paradises dwell; +If ye be found obedient, and retain +Unalterably firm his love entire, +Whose progeny you are. Mean while enjoy +Your fill what happiness this happy state +Can comprehend, incapable of more. +To whom the patriarch of mankind replied. +O favourable Spirit, propitious guest, +Well hast thou taught the way that might direct +Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set +From center to circumference; whereon, +In contemplation of created things, +By steps we may ascend to God. But say, +What meant that caution joined, If ye be found +Obedient? Can we want obedience then +To him, or possibly his love desert, +Who formed us from the dust and placed us here +Full to the utmost measure of what bliss +Human desires can seek or apprehend? +To whom the Angel. Son of Heaven and Earth, +Attend! That thou art happy, owe to God; +That thou continuest such, owe to thyself, +That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. +This was that caution given thee; be advised. +God made thee perfect, not immutable; +And good he made thee, but to persevere +He left it in thy power; ordained thy will +By nature free, not over-ruled by fate +Inextricable, or strict necessity: +Our voluntary service he requires, +Not our necessitated; such with him +Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how +Can hearts, not free, be tried whether they serve +Willing or no, who will but what they must +By destiny, and can no other choose? +Myself, and all the angelick host, that stand +In sight of God, enthroned, our happy state +Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds; +On other surety none: Freely we serve, +Because we freely love, as in our will +To love or not; in this we stand or fall: +And some are fallen, to disobedience fallen, +And so from Heaven to deepest Hell; O fall +From what high state of bliss, into what woe! +To whom our great progenitor. Thy words +Attentive, and with more delighted ear, +Divine instructer, I have heard, than when +Cherubick songs by night from neighbouring hills +Aereal musick send: Nor knew I not +To be both will and deed created free; +Yet that we never shall forget to love +Our Maker, and obey him whose command +Single is yet so just, my constant thoughts +Assured me, and still assure: Though what thou tellest +Hath passed in Heaven, some doubt within me move, +But more desire to hear, if thou consent, +The full relation, which must needs be strange, +Worthy of sacred silence to be heard; +And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun +Hath finished half his journey, and scarce begins +His other half in the great zone of Heaven. +Thus Adam made request; and Raphael, +After short pause assenting, thus began. +High matter thou enjoinest me, O prime of men, +Sad task and hard: For how shall I relate +To human sense the invisible exploits +Of warring Spirits? how, without remorse, +The ruin of so many glorious once +And perfect while they stood? how last unfold +The secrets of another world, perhaps +Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good +This is dispensed; and what surmounts the reach +Of human sense, I shall delineate so, +By likening spiritual to corporal forms, +As may express them best; though what if Earth +Be but a shadow of Heaven, and things therein +Each to other like, more than on earth is thought? +As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild +Reigned where these Heavens now roll, where Earth now rests +Upon her center poised; when on a day +(For time, though in eternity, applied +To motion, measures all things durable +By present, past, and future,) on such day +As Heaven's great year brings forth, the empyreal host +Of Angels by imperial summons called, +Innumerable before the Almighty's throne +Forthwith, from all the ends of Heaven, appeared +Under their Hierarchs in orders bright: +Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanced, +Standards and gonfalons 'twixt van and rear +Stream in the air, and for distinction serve +Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees; +Or in their glittering tissues bear imblazed +Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love +Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs +Of circuit inexpressible they stood, +Orb within orb, the Father Infinite, +By whom in bliss imbosomed sat the Son, +Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top +Brightness had made invisible, thus spake. +Hear, all ye Angels, progeny of light, +Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers; +Hear my decree, which unrevoked shall stand. +This day I have begot whom I declare +My only Son, and on this holy hill +Him have anointed, whom ye now behold +At my right hand; your head I him appoint; +And by myself have sworn, to him shall bow +All knees in Heaven, and shall confess him Lord: +Under his great vice-gerent reign abide +United, as one individual soul, +For ever happy: Him who disobeys, +Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day, +Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls +Into utter darkness, deep ingulfed, his place +Ordained without redemption, without end. +So spake the Omnipotent, and with his words +All seemed well pleased; all seemed, but were not all. +That day, as other solemn days, they spent +In song and dance about the sacred hill; +Mystical dance, which yonder starry sphere +Of planets, and of fixed, in all her wheels +Resembles nearest, mazes intricate, +Eccentrick, intervolved, yet regular +Then most, when most irregular they seem; +And in their motions harmony divine +So smooths her charming tones, that God's own ear +Listens delighted. Evening now approached, +(For we have also our evening and our morn, +We ours for change delectable, not need;) +Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn +Desirous; all in circles as they stood, +Tables are set, and on a sudden piled +With Angels food, and rubied nectar flows +In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold, +Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heaven. +On flowers reposed, and with fresh flowerets crowned, +They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet +Quaff immortality and joy, secure +Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds +Excess, before the all-bounteous King, who showered +With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy. +Now when ambrosial night with clouds exhaled +From that high mount of God, whence light and shade +Spring both, the face of brightest Heaven had changed +To grateful twilight, (for night comes not there +In darker veil,) and roseat dews disposed +All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest; +Wide over all the plain, and wider far +Than all this globous earth in plain outspread, +(Such are the courts of God) the angelick throng, +Dispersed in bands and files, their camp extend +By living streams among the trees of life, +Pavilions numberless, and sudden reared, +Celestial tabernacles, where they slept +Fanned with cool winds; save those, who, in their course, +Melodious hymns about the sovran throne +Alternate all night long: but not so waked +Satan; so call him now, his former name +Is heard no more in Heaven; he of the first, +If not the first Arch-Angel, great in power, +In favour and pre-eminence, yet fraught +With envy against the Son of God, that day +Honoured by his great Father, and proclaimed +Messiah King anointed, could not bear +Through pride that sight, and thought himself impaired. +Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain, +Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour +Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolved +With all his legions to dislodge, and leave +Unworshipt, unobeyed, the throne supreme, +Contemptuous; and his next subordinate +Awakening, thus to him in secret spake. +Sleepest thou, Companion dear? What sleep can close +Thy eye-lids? and rememberest what decree +Of yesterday, so late hath passed the lips +Of Heaven's Almighty. Thou to me thy thoughts +Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart; +Both waking we were one; how then can now +Thy sleep dissent? New laws thou seest imposed; +New laws from him who reigns, new minds may raise +In us who serve, new counsels to debate +What doubtful may ensue: More in this place +To utter is not safe. Assemble thou +Of all those myriads which we lead the chief; +Tell them, that by command, ere yet dim night +Her shadowy cloud withdraws, I am to haste, +And all who under me their banners wave, +Homeward, with flying march, where we possess +The quarters of the north; there to prepare +Fit entertainment to receive our King, +The great Messiah, and his new commands, +Who speedily through all the hierarchies +Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws. +So spake the false Arch-Angel, and infused +Bad influence into the unwary breast +Of his associate: He together calls, +Or several one by one, the regent Powers, +Under him Regent; tells, as he was taught, +That the Most High commanding, now ere night, +Now ere dim night had disincumbered Heaven, +The great hierarchal standard was to move; +Tells the suggested cause, and casts between +Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound +Or taint integrity: But all obeyed +The wonted signal, and superiour voice +Of their great Potentate; for great indeed +His name, and high was his degree in Heaven; +His countenance, as the morning-star that guides +The starry flock, allured them, and with lies +Drew after him the third part of Heaven's host. +Mean while the Eternal eye, whose sight discerns +Abstrusest thoughts, from forth his holy mount, +And from within the golden lamps that burn +Nightly before him, saw without their light +Rebellion rising; saw in whom, how spread +Among the sons of morn, what multitudes +Were banded to oppose his high decree; +And, smiling, to his only Son thus said. +Son, thou in whom my glory I behold +In full resplendence, Heir of all my might, +Nearly it now concerns us to be sure +Of our Omnipotence, and with what arms +We mean to hold what anciently we claim +Of deity or empire: Such a foe +Is rising, who intends to erect his throne +Equal to ours, throughout the spacious north; +Nor so content, hath in his thought to try +In battle, what our power is, or our right. +Let us advise, and to this hazard draw +With speed what force is left, and all employ +In our defence; lest unawares we lose +This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill. +To whom the Son with calm aspect and clear, +Lightning divine, ineffable, serene, +Made answer. Mighty Father, thou thy foes +Justly hast in derision, and, secure, +Laughest at their vain designs and tumults vain, +Matter to me of glory, whom their hate +Illustrates, when they see all regal power +Given me to quell their pride, and in event +Know whether I be dextrous to subdue +Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Heaven. +So spake the Son; but Satan, with his Powers, +Far was advanced on winged speed; an host +Innumerable as the stars of night, +Or stars of morning, dew-drops, which the sun +Impearls on every leaf and every flower. +Regions they passed, the mighty regencies +Of Seraphim, and Potentates, and Thrones, +In their triple degrees; regions to which +All thy dominion, Adam, is no more +Than what this garden is to all the earth, +And all the sea, from one entire globose +Stretched into longitude; which having passed, +At length into the limits of the north +They came; and Satan to his royal seat +High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount +Raised on a mount, with pyramids and towers +From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold; +The palace of great Lucifer, (so call +That structure in the dialect of men +Interpreted,) which not long after, he +Affecting all equality with God, +In imitation of that mount whereon +Messiah was declared in sight of Heaven, +The Mountain of the Congregation called; +For thither he assembled all his train, +Pretending so commanded to consult +About the great reception of their King, +Thither to come, and with calumnious art +Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears. +Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers; +If these magnifick titles yet remain +Not merely titular, since by decree +Another now hath to himself engrossed +All power, and us eclipsed under the name +Of King anointed, for whom all this haste +Of midnight-march, and hurried meeting here, +This only to consult how we may best, +With what may be devised of honours new, +Receive him coming to receive from us +Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile! +Too much to one! but double how endured, +To one, and to his image now proclaimed? +But what if better counsels might erect +Our minds, and teach us to cast off this yoke? +Will ye submit your necks, and choose to bend +The supple knee? Ye will not, if I trust +To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves +Natives and sons of Heaven possessed before +By none; and if not equal all, yet free, +Equally free; for orders and degrees +Jar not with liberty, but well consist. +Who can in reason then, or right, assume +Monarchy over such as live by right +His equals, if in power and splendour less, +In freedom equal? or can introduce +Law and edict on us, who without law +Err not? much less for this to be our Lord, +And look for adoration, to the abuse +Of those imperial titles, which assert +Our being ordained to govern, not to serve. +Thus far his bold discourse without controul +Had audience; when among the Seraphim +Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal adored +The Deity, and divine commands obeyed, +Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe +The current of his fury thus opposed. +O argument blasphemous, false, and proud! +Words which no ear ever to hear in Heaven +Expected, least of all from thee, Ingrate, +In place thyself so high above thy peers. +Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn +The just decree of God, pronounced and sworn, +That to his only Son, by right endued +With regal scepter, every soul in Heaven +Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due +Confess him rightful King? unjust, thou sayest, +Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free, +And equal over equals to let reign, +One over all with unsucceeded power. +Shalt thou give law to God? shalt thou dispute +With him the points of liberty, who made +Thee what thou art, and formed the Powers of Heaven +Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being? +Yet, by experience taught, we know how good, +And of our good and of our dignity +How provident he is; how far from thought +To make us less, bent rather to exalt +Our happy state, under one head more near +United. But to grant it thee unjust, +That equal over equals monarch reign: +Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count, +Or all angelick nature joined in one, +Equal to him begotten Son? by whom, +As by his Word, the Mighty Father made +All things, even thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven +By him created in their bright degrees, +Crowned them with glory, and to their glory named +Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, +Essential Powers; nor by his reign obscured, +But more illustrious made; since he the head +One of our number thus reduced becomes; +His laws our laws; all honour to him done +Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, +And tempt not these; but hasten to appease +The incensed Father, and the incensed Son, +While pardon may be found in time besought. +So spake the fervent Angel; but his zeal +None seconded, as out of season judged, +Or singular and rash: Whereat rejoiced +The Apostate, and, more haughty, thus replied. +That we were formed then sayest thou? and the work +Of secondary hands, by task transferred +From Father to his Son? strange point and new! +Doctrine which we would know whence learned: who saw +When this creation was? rememberest thou +Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being? +We know no time when we were not as now; +Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised +By our own quickening power, when fatal course +Had circled his full orb, the birth mature +Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons. +Our puissance is our own; our own right hand +Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try +Who is our equal: Then thou shalt behold +Whether by supplication we intend +Address, and to begirt the almighty throne +Beseeching or besieging. This report, +These tidings carry to the anointed King; +And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight. +He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, +Hoarse murmur echoed to his words applause +Through the infinite host; nor less for that +The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone +Encompassed round with foes, thus answered bold. +O alienate from God, O Spirit accursed, +Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall +Determined, and thy hapless crew involved +In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread +Both of thy crime and punishment: Henceforth +No more be troubled how to quit the yoke +Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws +Will not be now vouchsafed; other decrees +Against thee are gone forth without recall; +That golden scepter, which thou didst reject, +Is now an iron rod to bruise and break +Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise; +Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly +These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath +Impendent, raging into sudden flame, +Distinguish not: For soon expect to feel +His thunder on thy head, devouring fire. +Then who created thee lamenting learn, +When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know. +So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found +Among the faithless, faithful only he; +Among innumerable false, unmoved, +Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified, +His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; +Nor number, nor example, with him wrought +To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, +Though single. From amidst them forth he passed, +Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustained +Superiour, nor of violence feared aught; +And, with retorted scorn, his back he turned +On those proud towers to swift destruction doomed. + + + +Book VI + + +All night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, +Through Heaven's wide champain held his way; till Morn, +Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand +Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave +Within the mount of God, fast by his throne, +Where light and darkness in perpetual round +Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heaven +Grateful vicissitude, like day and night; +Light issues forth, and at the other door +Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour +To veil the Heaven, though darkness there might well +Seem twilight here: And now went forth the Morn +Such as in highest Heaven arrayed in gold +Empyreal; from before her vanished Night, +Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain +Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright, +Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, +Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: +War he perceived, war in procinct; and found +Already known what he for news had thought +To have reported: Gladly then he mixed +Among those friendly Powers, who him received +With joy and acclamations loud, that one, +That of so many myriads fallen, yet one +Returned not lost. On to the sacred hill +They led him high applauded, and present +Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice, +From midst a golden cloud, thus mild was heard. +Servant of God. Well done; well hast thou fought +The better fight, who single hast maintained +Against revolted multitudes the cause +Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; +And for the testimony of truth hast borne +Universal reproach, far worse to bear +Than violence; for this was all thy care +To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds +Judged thee perverse: The easier conquest now +Remains thee, aided by this host of friends, +Back on thy foes more glorious to return, +Than scorned thou didst depart; and to subdue +By force, who reason for their law refuse, +Right reason for their law, and for their King +Messiah, who by right of merit reigns. +Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince, +And thou, in military prowess next, +Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons +Invincible; lead forth my armed Saints, +By thousands and by millions, ranged for fight, +Equal in number to that Godless crew +Rebellious: Them with fire and hostile arms +Fearless assault; and, to the brow of Heaven +Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss, +Into their place of punishment, the gulf +Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide +His fiery Chaos to receive their fall. +So spake the Sovran Voice, and clouds began +To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll +In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign +Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud +Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow: +At which command the Powers militant, +That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined +Of union irresistible, moved on +In silence their bright legions, to the sound +Of instrumental harmony, that breathed +Heroick ardour to adventurous deeds +Under their God-like leaders, in the cause +Of God and his Messiah. On they move +Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill, +Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides +Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground +Their march was, and the passive air upbore +Their nimble tread; as when the total kind +Of birds, in orderly array on wing, +Came summoned over Eden to receive +Their names of thee; so over many a tract +Of Heaven they marched, and many a province wide, +Tenfold the length of this terrene: At last, +Far in the horizon to the north appeared +From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched +In battailous aspect, and nearer view +Bristled with upright beams innumerable +Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and shields +Various, with boastful argument portrayed, +The banded Powers of Satan hasting on +With furious expedition; for they weened +That self-same day, by fight or by surprise, +To win the mount of God, and on his throne +To set the Envier of his state, the proud +Aspirer; but their thoughts proved fond and vain +In the mid way: Though strange to us it seemed +At first, that Angel should with Angel war, +And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet +So oft in festivals of joy and love +Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire, +Hymning the Eternal Father: But the shout +Of battle now began, and rushing sound +Of onset ended soon each milder thought. +High in the midst, exalted as a God, +The Apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat, +Idol of majesty divine, enclosed +With flaming Cherubim, and golden shields; +Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now +"twixt host and host but narrow space was left, +A dreadful interval, and front to front +Presented stood in terrible array +Of hideous length: Before the cloudy van, +On the rough edge of battle ere it joined, +Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced, +Came towering, armed in adamant and gold; +Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood +Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds, +And thus his own undaunted heart explores. +O Heaven! that such resemblance of the Highest +Should yet remain, where faith and realty +Remain not: Wherefore should not strength and might +There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove +Where boldest, though to fight unconquerable? +His puissance, trusting in the Almighty's aid, +I mean to try, whose reason I have tried +Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just, +That he, who in debate of truth hath won, +Should win in arms, in both disputes alike +Victor; though brutish that contest and foul, +When reason hath to deal with force, yet so +Most reason is that reason overcome. +So pondering, and from his armed peers +Forth stepping opposite, half-way he met +His daring foe, at this prevention more +Incensed, and thus securely him defied. +Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reached +The highth of thy aspiring unopposed, +The throne of God unguarded, and his side +Abandoned, at the terrour of thy power +Or potent tongue: Fool!not to think how vain +Against the Omnipotent to rise in arms; +Who out of smallest things could, without end, +Have raised incessant armies to defeat +Thy folly; or with solitary hand +Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow, +Unaided, could have finished thee, and whelmed +Thy legions under darkness: But thou seest +All are not of thy train; there be, who faith +Prefer, and piety to God, though then +To thee not visible, when I alone +Seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent +From all: My sect thou seest;now learn too late +How few sometimes may know, when thousands err. +Whom the grand foe, with scornful eye askance, +Thus answered. Ill for thee, but in wished hour +Of my revenge, first sought for, thou returnest +From flight, seditious Angel! to receive +Thy merited reward, the first assay +Of this right hand provoked, since first that tongue, +Inspired with contradiction, durst oppose +A third part of the Gods, in synod met +Their deities to assert; who, while they feel +Vigour divine within them, can allow +Omnipotence to none. But well thou comest +Before thy fellows, ambitious to win +From me some plume, that thy success may show +Destruction to the rest: This pause between, +(Unanswered lest thou boast) to let thee know, +At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven +To heavenly souls had been all one; but now +I see that most through sloth had rather serve, +Ministring Spirits, trained up in feast and song! +Such hast thou armed, the minstrelsy of Heaven, +Servility with freedom to contend, +As both their deeds compared this day shall prove. +To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied. +Apostate! still thou errest, nor end wilt find +Of erring, from the path of truth remote: +Unjustly thou depravest it with the name +Of servitude, to serve whom God ordains, +Or Nature: God and Nature bid the same, +When he who rules is worthiest, and excels +Them whom he governs. This is servitude, +To serve the unwise, or him who hath rebelled +Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, +Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled; +Yet lewdly darest our ministring upbraid. +Reign thou in Hell, thy kingdom; let me serve +In Heaven God ever blest, and his divine +Behests obey, worthiest to be obeyed; +Yet chains in Hell, not realms, expect: Mean while +From me returned, as erst thou saidst, from flight, +This greeting on thy impious crest receive. +So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, +Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell +On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, +Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield, +Such ruin intercept: Ten paces huge +He back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee +His massy spear upstaid; as if on earth +Winds under ground, or waters forcing way, +Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat, +Half sunk with all his pines. Amazement seised +The rebel Thrones, but greater rage, to see +Thus foiled their mightiest; ours joy filled, and shout, +Presage of victory, and fierce desire +Of battle: Whereat Michael bid sound +The Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven +It sounded, and the faithful armies rung +Hosanna to the Highest: Nor stood at gaze +The adverse legions, nor less hideous joined +The horrid shock. Now storming fury rose, +And clamour such as heard in Heaven till now +Was never; arms on armour clashing brayed +Horrible discord, and the madding wheels +Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise +Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss +Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew, +And flying vaulted either host with fire. +So under fiery cope together rushed +Both battles main, with ruinous assault +And inextinguishable rage. All Heaven +Resounded; and had Earth been then, all Earth +Had to her center shook. What wonder? when +Millions of fierce encountering Angels fought +On either side, the least of whom could wield +These elements, and arm him with the force +Of all their regions: How much more of power +Army against army numberless to raise +Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb, +Though not destroy, their happy native seat; +Had not the Eternal King Omnipotent, +From his strong hold of Heaven, high over-ruled +And limited their might; though numbered such +As each divided legion might have seemed +A numerous host; in strength each armed hand +A legion; led in fight, yet leader seemed +Each warriour single as in chief, expert +When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway +Of battle, open when, and when to close +The ridges of grim war: No thought of flight, +None of retreat, no unbecoming deed +That argued fear; each on himself relied, +As only in his arm the moment lay +Of victory: Deeds of eternal fame +Were done, but infinite; for wide was spread +That war and various; sometimes on firm ground +A standing fight, then, soaring on main wing, +Tormented all the air; all air seemed then +Conflicting fire. Long time in even scale +The battle hung; till Satan, who that day +Prodigious power had shown, and met in arms +No equal, ranging through the dire attack +Of fighting Seraphim confused, at length +Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and felled +Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed sway +Brandished aloft, the horrid edge came down +Wide-wasting; such destruction to withstand +He hasted, and opposed the rocky orb +Of tenfold adamant, his ample shield, +A vast circumference. At his approach +The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toil +Surceased, and glad, as hoping here to end +Intestine war in Heaven, the arch-foe subdued +Or captive dragged in chains, with hostile frown +And visage all inflamed first thus began. +Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt, +Unnamed in Heaven, now plenteous as thou seest +These acts of hateful strife, hateful to all, +Though heaviest by just measure on thyself, +And thy adherents: How hast thou disturbed +Heaven's blessed peace, and into nature brought +Misery, uncreated till the crime +Of thy rebellion! how hast thou instilled +Thy malice into thousands, once upright +And faithful, now proved false! But think not here +To trouble holy rest; Heaven casts thee out +From all her confines. Heaven, the seat of bliss, +Brooks not the works of violence and war. +Hence then, and evil go with thee along, +Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell; +Thou and thy wicked crew! there mingle broils, +Ere this avenging sword begin thy doom, +Or some more sudden vengeance, winged from God, +Precipitate thee with augmented pain. +So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus +The Adversary. Nor think thou with wind +Of aery threats to awe whom yet with deeds +Thou canst not. Hast thou turned the least of these +To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise +Unvanquished, easier to transact with me +That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats +To chase me hence? err not, that so shall end +The strife which thou callest evil, but we style +The strife of glory; which we mean to win, +Or turn this Heaven itself into the Hell +Thou fablest; here however to dwell free, +If not to reign: Mean while thy utmost force, +And join him named Almighty to thy aid, +I fly not, but have sought thee far and nigh. +They ended parle, and both addressed for fight +Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue +Of Angels, can relate, or to what things +Liken on earth conspicuous, that may lift +Human imagination to such highth +Of Godlike power? for likest Gods they seemed, +Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms, +Fit to decide the empire of great Heaven. +Now waved their fiery swords, and in the air +Made horrid circles; two broad suns their shields +Blazed opposite, while Expectation stood +In horrour: From each hand with speed retired, +Where erst was thickest fight, the angelick throng, +And left large field, unsafe within the wind +Of such commotion; such as, to set forth +Great things by small, if, nature's concord broke, +Among the constellations war were sprung, +Two planets, rushing from aspect malign +Of fiercest opposition, in mid sky +Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound. +Together both with next to almighty arm +Up-lifted imminent, one stroke they aimed +That might determine, and not need repeat, +As not of power at once; nor odds appeared +In might or swift prevention: But the sword +Of Michael from the armoury of God +Was given him tempered so, that neither keen +Nor solid might resist that edge: it met +The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite +Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor staid, +But with swift wheel reverse, deep entering, shared +All his right side: Then Satan first knew pain, +And writhed him to and fro convolved; so sore +The griding sword with discontinuous wound +Passed through him: But the ethereal substance closed, +Not long divisible; and from the gash +A stream of necturous humour issuing flowed +Sanguine, such as celestial Spirits may bleed, +And all his armour stained, ere while so bright. +Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run +By Angels many and strong, who interposed +Defence, while others bore him on their shields +Back to his chariot, where it stood retired +From off the files of war: There they him laid +Gnashing for anguish, and despite, and shame, +To find himself not matchless, and his pride +Humbled by such rebuke, so far beneath +His confidence to equal God in power. +Yet soon he healed; for Spirits that live throughout +Vital in every part, not as frail man +In entrails, heart of head, liver or reins, +Cannot but by annihilating die; +Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound +Receive, no more than can the fluid air: +All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear, +All intellect, all sense; and, as they please, +They limb themselves, and colour, shape, or size +Assume, as?kikes them best, condense or rare. +Mean while in other parts like deeds deserved +Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought, +And with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array +Of Moloch, furious king; who him defied, +And at his chariot-wheels to drag him bound +Threatened, nor from the Holy One of Heaven +Refrained his tongue blasphemous; but anon +Down cloven to the waist, with shattered arms +And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing +Uriel, and Raphael, his vaunting foe, +Though huge, and in a rock of diamond armed, +Vanquished Adramelech, and Asmadai, +Two potent Thrones, that to be less than Gods +Disdained, but meaner thoughts learned in their flight, +Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail. +Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy +The atheist crew, but with redoubled blow +Ariel, and Arioch, and the violence +Of Ramiel scorched and blasted, overthrew. +I might relate of thousands, and their names +Eternize here on earth; but those elect +Angels, contented with their fame in Heaven, +Seek not the praise of men: The other sort, +In might though wonderous and in acts of war, +Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom +Cancelled from Heaven and sacred memory, +Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell. +For strength from truth divided, and from just, +Illaudable, nought merits but dispraise +And ignominy; yet to glory aspires +Vain-glorious, and through infamy seeks fame: +Therefore eternal silence be their doom. +And now, their mightiest quelled, the battle swerved, +With many an inroad gored; deformed rout +Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground +With shivered armour strown, and on a heap +Chariot and charioteer lay overturned, +And fiery-foaming steeds; what stood, recoiled +O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanick host +Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surprised, +Then first with fear surprised, and sense of pain, +Fled ignominious, to such evil brought +By sin of disobedience; till that hour +Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain. +Far otherwise the inviolable Saints, +In cubick phalanx firm, advanced entire, +Invulnerable, impenetrably armed; +Such high advantages their innocence +Gave them above their foes; not to have sinned, +Not to have disobeyed; in fight they stood +Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained +By wound, though from their place by violence moved, +Now Night her course began, and, over Heaven +Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposed, +And silence on the odious din of war: +Under her cloudy covert both retired, +Victor and vanquished: On the foughten field +Michael and his Angels prevalent +Encamping, placed in guard their watches round, +Cherubick waving fires: On the other part, +Satan with his rebellious disappeared, +Far in the dark dislodged; and, void of rest, +His potentates to council called by night; +And in the midst thus undismayed began. +O now in danger tried, now known in arms +Not to be overpowered, Companions dear, +Found worthy not of liberty alone, +Too mean pretence! but what we more affect, +Honour, dominion, glory, and renown; +Who have sustained one day in doubtful fight, +(And if one day, why not eternal days?) +What Heaven's Lord had powerfullest to send +Against us from about his throne, and judged +Sufficient to subdue us to his will, +But proves not so: Then fallible, it seems, +Of future we may deem him, though till now +Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly armed, +Some disadvantage we endured and pain, +Till now not known, but, known, as soon contemned; +Since now we find this our empyreal form +Incapable of mortal injury, +Imperishable, and, though pierced with wound, +Soon closing, and by native vigour healed. +Of evil then so small as easy think +The remedy; perhaps more valid arms, +Weapons more violent, when next we meet, +May serve to better us, and worse our foes, +Or equal what between us made the odds, +In nature none: If other hidden cause +Left them superiour, while we can preserve +Unhurt our minds, and understanding sound, +Due search and consultation will disclose. +He sat; and in the assembly next upstood +Nisroch, of Principalities the prime; +As one he stood escaped from cruel fight, +Sore toiled, his riven arms to havock hewn, +And cloudy in aspect thus answering spake. +Deliverer from new Lords, leader to free +Enjoyment of our right as Gods; yet hard +For Gods, and too unequal work we find, +Against unequal arms to fight in pain, +Against unpained, impassive; from which evil +Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails +Valour or strength, though matchless, quelled with pain +Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands +Of mightiest? Sense of pleasure we may well +Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, +But live content, which is the calmest life: +But pain is perfect misery, the worst +Of evils, and, excessive, overturns +All patience. He, who therefore can invent +With what more forcible we may offend +Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm +Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves +No less than for deliverance what we owe. +Whereto with look composed Satan replied. +Not uninvented that, which thou aright +Believest so main to our success, I bring. +Which of us who beholds the bright surface +Of this ethereous mould whereon we stand, +This continent of spacious Heaven, adorned +With plant, fruit, flower ambrosial, gems, and gold; +Whose eye so superficially surveys +These things, as not to mind from whence they grow +Deep under ground, materials dark and crude, +Of spiritous and fiery spume, till touched +With Heaven's ray, and tempered, they shoot forth +So beauteous, opening to the ambient light? +These in their dark nativity the deep +Shall yield us, pregnant with infernal flame; +Which, into hollow engines, long and round, +Thick rammed, at the other bore with touch of fire +Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth +From far, with thundering noise, among our foes +Such implements of mischief, as shall dash +To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands +Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarmed +The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt. +Nor long shall be our labour; yet ere dawn, +Effect shall end our wish. Mean while revive; +Abandon fear; to strength and counsel joined +Think nothing hard, much less to be despaired. +He ended, and his words their drooping cheer +Enlightened, and their languished hope revived. +The invention all admired, and each, how he +To be the inventer missed; so easy it seemed +Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought +Impossible: Yet, haply, of thy race +In future days, if malice should abound, +Some one intent on mischief, or inspired +With devilish machination, might devise +Like instrument to plague the sons of men +For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent. +Forthwith from council to the work they flew; +None arguing stood; innumerable hands +Were ready; in a moment up they turned +Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath +The originals of nature in their crude +Conception; sulphurous and nitrous foam +They found, they mingled, and, with subtle art, +Concocted and adusted they reduced +To blackest grain, and into store conveyed: +Part hidden veins digged up (nor hath this earth +Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone, +Whereof to found their engines and their balls +Of missive ruin; part incentive reed +Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire. +So all ere day-spring, under conscious night, +Secret they finished, and in order set, +With silent circumspection, unespied. +Now when fair morn orient in Heaven appeared, +Up rose the victor-Angels, and to arms +The matin trumpet sung: In arms they stood +Of golden panoply, refulgent host, +Soon banded; others from the dawning hills +Look round, and scouts each coast light-armed scour, +Each quarter to descry the distant foe, +Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight, +In motion or in halt: Him soon they met +Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow +But firm battalion; back with speediest sail +Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing, +Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried. +Arm, Warriours, arm for fight; the foe at hand, +Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit +This day; fear not his flight;so thick a cloud +He comes, and settled in his face I see +Sad resolution, and secure: Let each +His adamantine coat gird well, and each +Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield, +Borne even or high; for this day will pour down, +If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower, +But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire. +So warned he them, aware themselves, and soon +In order, quit of all impediment; +Instant without disturb they took alarm, +And onward moved embattled: When behold! +Not distant far with heavy pace the foe +Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube +Training his devilish enginery, impaled +On every side with shadowing squadrons deep, +To hide the fraud. At interview both stood +A while; but suddenly at head appeared +Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud. +Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold; +That all may see who hate us, how we seek +Peace and composure, and with open breast +Stand ready to receive them, if they like +Our overture; and turn not back perverse: +But that I doubt; however witness, Heaven! +Heaven, witness thou anon! while we discharge +Freely our part: ye, who appointed stand +Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch +What we propound, and loud that all may hear! +So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce +Had ended; when to right and left the front +Divided, and to either flank retired: +Which to our eyes discovered, new and strange, +A triple mounted row of pillars laid +On wheels (for like to pillars most they seemed, +Or hollowed bodies made of oak or fir, +With branches lopt, in wood or mountain felled,) +Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths +With hideous orifice gaped on us wide, +Portending hollow truce: At each behind +A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed +Stood waving tipt with fire; while we, suspense, +Collected stood within our thoughts amused, +Not long; for sudden all at once their reeds +Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied +With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, +But soon obscured with smoke, all Heaven appeared, +From those deep-throated engines belched, whose roar +Embowelled with outrageous noise the air, +And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul +Their devilish glut, chained thunderbolts and hail +Of iron globes; which, on the victor host +Levelled, with such impetuous fury smote, +That, whom they hit, none on their feet might stand, +Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell +By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel rolled; +The sooner for their arms; unarmed, they might +Have easily, as Spirits, evaded swift +By quick contraction or remove; but now +Foul dissipation followed, and forced rout; +Nor served it to relax their serried files. +What should they do? if on they rushed, repulse +Repeated, and indecent overthrow +Doubled, would render them yet more despised, +And to their foes a laughter; for in view +Stood ranked of Seraphim another row, +In posture to displode their second tire +Of thunder: Back defeated to return +They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight, +And to his mates thus in derision called. +O Friends! why come not on these victors proud +Ere while they fierce were coming; and when we, +To entertain them fair with open front +And breast, (what could we more?) propounded terms +Of composition, straight they changed their minds, +Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell, +As they would dance; yet for a dance they seemed +Somewhat extravagant and wild; perhaps +For joy of offered peace: But I suppose, +If our proposals once again were heard, +We should compel them to a quick result. +To whom thus Belial, in like gamesome mood. +Leader! the terms we sent were terms of weight, +Of hard contents, and full of force urged home; +Such as we might perceive amused them all, +And stumbled many: Who receives them right, +Had need from head to foot well understand; +Not understood, this gift they have besides, +They show us when our foes walk not upright. +So they among themselves in pleasant vein +Stood scoffing, hightened in their thoughts beyond +All doubt of victory: Eternal Might +To match with their inventions they presumed +So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn, +And all his host derided, while they stood +A while in trouble: But they stood not long; +Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms +Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose. +Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power, +Which God hath in his mighty Angels placed!) +Their arms away they threw, and to the hills +(For Earth hath this variety from Heaven +Of pleasure situate in hill and dale,) +Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew; +From their foundations loosening to and fro, +They plucked the seated hills, with all their load, +Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops +Up-lifting bore them in their hands: Amaze, +Be sure, and terrour, seized the rebel host, +When coming towards them so dread they saw +The bottom of the mountains upward turned; +Till on those cursed engines' triple-row +They saw them whelmed, and all their confidence +Under the weight of mountains buried deep; +Themselves invaded next, and on their heads +Main promontories flung, which in the air +Came shadowing, and oppressed whole legions armed; +Their armour helped their harm, crushed in and bruised +Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain +Implacable, and many a dolorous groan; +Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind +Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light, +Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown. +The rest, in imitation, to like arms +Betook them, and the neighbouring hills uptore: +So hills amid the air encountered hills, +Hurled to and fro with jaculation dire; +That under ground they fought in dismal shade; +Infernal noise! war seemed a civil game +To this uproar; horrid confusion heaped +Upon confusion rose: And now all Heaven +Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread; +Had not the Almighty Father, where he sits +Shrined in his sanctuary of Heaven secure, +Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen +This tumult, and permitted all, advised: +That his great purpose he might so fulfil, +To honour his anointed Son avenged +Upon his enemies, and to declare +All power on him transferred: Whence to his Son, +The Assessour of his throne, he thus began. +Effulgence of my glory, Son beloved, +Son, in whose face invisible is beheld +Visibly, what by Deity I am; +And in whose hand what by decree I do, +Second Omnipotence! two days are past, +Two days, as we compute the days of Heaven, +Since Michael and his Powers went forth to tame +These disobedient: Sore hath been their fight, +As likeliest was, when two such foes met armed; +For to themselves I left them; and thou knowest, +Equal in their creation they were formed, +Save what sin hath impaired; which yet hath wrought +Insensibly, for I suspend their doom; +Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last +Endless, and no solution will be found: +War wearied hath performed what war can do, +And to disordered rage let loose the reins +With mountains, as with weapons, armed; which makes +Wild work in Heaven, and dangerous to the main. +Two days are therefore past, the third is thine; +For thee I have ordained it; and thus far +Have suffered, that the glory may be thine +Of ending this great war, since none but Thou +Can end it. Into thee such virtue and grace +Immense I have transfused, that all may know +In Heaven and Hell thy power above compare; +And, this perverse commotion governed thus, +To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir +Of all things; to be Heir, and to be King +By sacred unction, thy deserved right. +Go then, Thou Mightiest, in thy Father's might; +Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels +That shake Heaven's basis, bring forth all my war, +My bow and thunder, my almighty arms +Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh; +Pursue these sons of darkness, drive them out +From all Heaven's bounds into the utter deep: +There let them learn, as likes them, to despise +God, and Messiah his anointed King. +He said, and on his Son with rays direct +Shone full; he all his Father full expressed +Ineffably into his face received; +And thus the Filial Godhead answering spake. +O Father, O Supreme of heavenly Thrones, +First, Highest, Holiest, Best; thou always seek'st +To glorify thy Son, I always thee, +As is most just: This I my glory account, +My exaltation, and my whole delight, +That thou, in me well pleased, declarest thy will +Fulfilled, which to fulfil is all my bliss. +Scepter and power, thy giving, I assume, +And gladlier shall resign, when in the end +Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee +For ever; and in me all whom thou lovest: +But whom thou hatest, I hate, and can put on +Thy terrours, as I put thy mildness on, +Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, +Armed with thy might, rid Heaven of these rebelled; +To their prepared ill mansion driven down, +To chains of darkness, and the undying worm; +That from thy just obedience could revolt, +Whom to obey is happiness entire. +Then shall thy Saints unmixed, and from the impure +Far separate, circling thy holy mount, +Unfeigned Halleluiahs to thee sing, +Hymns of high praise, and I among them Chief. +So said, he, o'er his scepter bowing, rose +From the right hand of Glory where he sat; +And the third sacred morn began to shine, +Dawning through Heaven. Forth rushed with whirlwind sound +The chariot of Paternal Deity, +Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, +Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoyed +By four Cherubick shapes; four faces each +Had wonderous; as with stars, their bodies all +And wings were set with eyes; with eyes the wheels +Of beryl, and careering fires between; +Over their heads a crystal firmament, +Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure +Amber, and colours of the showery arch. +He, in celestial panoply all armed +Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought, +Ascended; at his right hand Victory +Sat eagle-winged; beside him hung his bow +And quiver with three-bolted thunder stored; +And from about him fierce effusion rolled +Of smoke, and bickering flame, and sparkles dire: +Attended with ten thousand thousand Saints, +He onward came; far off his coming shone; +And twenty thousand (I their number heard) +Chariots of God, half on each hand, were seen; +He on the wings of Cherub rode sublime +On the crystalline sky, in sapphire throned, +Illustrious far and wide; but by his own +First seen: Them unexpected joy surprised, +When the great ensign of Messiah blazed +Aloft by Angels borne, his sign in Heaven; +Under whose conduct Michael soon reduced +His army, circumfused on either wing, +Under their Head imbodied all in one. +Before him Power Divine his way prepared; +At his command the uprooted hills retired +Each to his place; they heard his voice, and went +Obsequious; Heaven his wonted face renewed, +And with fresh flowerets hill and valley smiled. +This saw his hapless foes, but stood obdured, +And to rebellious fight rallied their Powers, +Insensate, hope conceiving from despair. +In heavenly Spirits could such perverseness dwell? +But to convince the proud what signs avail, +Or wonders move the obdurate to relent? +They, hardened more by what might most reclaim, +Grieving to see his glory, at the sight +Took envy; and, aspiring to his highth, +Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud +Weening to prosper, and at length prevail +Against God and Messiah, or to fall +In universal ruin last; and now +To final battle drew, disdaining flight, +Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God +To all his host on either hand thus spake. +Stand still in bright array, ye Saints; here stand, +Ye Angels armed; this day from battle rest: +Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God +Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause; +And as ye have received, so have ye done, +Invincibly: But of this cursed crew +The punishment to other hand belongs; +Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints: +Number to this day's work is not ordained, +Nor multitude; stand only, and behold +God's indignation on these godless poured +By me; not you, but me, they have despised, +Yet envied; against me is all their rage, +Because the Father, to whom in Heaven s'preme +Kingdom, and power, and glory appertains, +Hath honoured me, according to his will. +Therefore to me their doom he hath assigned; +That they may have their wish, to try with me +In battle which the stronger proves; they all, +Or I alone against them; since by strength +They measure all, of other excellence +Not emulous, nor care who them excels; +Nor other strife with them do I vouchsafe. +So spake the Son, and into terrour changed +His countenance too severe to be beheld, +And full of wrath bent on his enemies. +At once the Four spread out their starry wings +With dreadful shade contiguous, and the orbs +Of his fierce chariot rolled, as with the sound +Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host. +He on his impious foes right onward drove, +Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels +The stedfast empyrean shook throughout, +All but the throne itself of God. Full soon +Among them he arrived; in his right hand +Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent +Before him, such as in their souls infixed +Plagues: They, astonished, all resistance lost, +All courage; down their idle weapons dropt: +O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode +Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate, +That wished the mountains now might be again +Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire. +Nor less on either side tempestuous fell +His arrows, from the fourfold-visaged Four +Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels +Distinct alike with multitude of eyes; +One Spirit in them ruled; and every eye +Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire +Among the accursed, that withered all their strength, +And of their wonted vigour left them drained, +Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen. +Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked +His thunder in mid volley; for he meant +Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven: +The overthrown he raised, and as a herd +Of goats or timorous flock together thronged +Drove them before him thunder-struck, pursued +With terrours, and with furies, to the bounds +And crystal wall of Heaven; which, opening wide, +Rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed +Into the wasteful deep: The monstrous sight +Struck them with horrour backward, but far worse +Urged them behind: Headlong themselves they threw +Down from the verge of Heaven; eternal wrath +Burnt after them to the bottomless pit. +Hell heard the unsufferable noise, Hell saw +Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled +Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep +Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. +Nine days they fell: Confounded Chaos roared, +And felt tenfold confusion in their fall +Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout +Incumbered him with ruin: Hell at last +Yawning received them whole, and on them closed; +Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire +Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain. +Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired +Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled. +Sole victor, from the expulsion of his foes, +Messiah his triumphal chariot turned: +To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood +Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts, +With jubilee advanced; and, as they went, +Shaded with branching palm, each Order bright, +Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King, +Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given, +Worthiest to reign: He, celebrated, rode +Triumphant through mid Heaven, into the courts +And temple of his Mighty Father throned +On high; who into glory him received, +Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss. +Thus, measuring things in Heaven by things on Earth, +At thy request, and that thou mayest beware +By what is past, to thee I have revealed +What might have else to human race been hid; +The discord which befel, and war in Heaven +Among the angelick Powers, and the deep fall +Of those too high aspiring, who rebelled +With Satan; he who envies now thy state, +Who now is plotting how he may seduce +Thee also from obedience, that, with him +Bereaved of happiness, thou mayest partake +His punishment, eternal misery; +Which would be all his solace and revenge, +As a despite done against the Most High, +Thee once to gain companion of his woe. +But listen not to his temptations, warn +Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard, +By terrible example, the reward +Of disobedience; firm they might have stood, +Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress. + + + +Book VII + + +Descend from Heaven, Urania, by that name +If rightly thou art called, whose voice divine +Following, above the Olympian hill I soar, +Above the flight of Pegasean wing! +The meaning, not the name, I call: for thou +Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top +Of old Olympus dwellest; but, heavenly-born, +Before the hills appeared, or fountain flowed, +Thou with eternal Wisdom didst converse, +Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play +In presence of the Almighty Father, pleased +With thy celestial song. Up led by thee +Into the Heaven of Heavens I have presumed, +An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air, +Thy tempering: with like safety guided down +Return me to my native element: +Lest from this flying steed unreined, (as once +Bellerophon, though from a lower clime,) +Dismounted, on the Aleian field I fall, +Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn. +Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound +Within the visible diurnal sphere; +Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole, +More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchanged +To hoarse or mute, though fallen on evil days, +On evil days though fallen, and evil tongues; +In darkness, and with dangers compassed round, +And solitude; yet not alone, while thou +Visitest my slumbers nightly, or when morn +Purples the east: still govern thou my song, +Urania, and fit audience find, though few. +But drive far off the barbarous dissonance +Of Bacchus and his revellers, the race +Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard +In Rhodope, where woods and rocks had ears +To rapture, till the savage clamour drowned +Both harp and voice; nor could the Muse defend +Her son. So fail not thou, who thee implores: +For thou art heavenly, she an empty dream. +Say, Goddess, what ensued when Raphael, +The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarned +Adam, by dire example, to beware +Apostasy, by what befel in Heaven +To those apostates; lest the like befall +In Paradise to Adam or his race, +Charged not to touch the interdicted tree, +If they transgress, and slight that sole command, +So easily obeyed amid the choice +Of all tastes else to please their appetite, +Though wandering. He, with his consorted Eve, +The story heard attentive, and was filled +With admiration and deep muse, to hear +Of things so high and strange; things, to their thought +So unimaginable, as hate in Heaven, +And war so near the peace of God in bliss, +With such confusion: but the evil, soon +Driven back, redounded as a flood on those +From whom it sprung; impossible to mix +With blessedness. Whence Adam soon repealed +The doubts that in his heart arose: and now +Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know +What nearer might concern him, how this world +Of Heaven and Earth conspicuous first began; +When, and whereof created; for what cause; +What within Eden, or without, was done +Before his memory; as one whose drouth +Yet scarce allayed still eyes the current stream, +Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites, +Proceeded thus to ask his heavenly guest. +Great things, and full of wonder in our ears, +Far differing from this world, thou hast revealed, +Divine interpreter! by favour sent +Down from the empyrean, to forewarn +Us timely of what might else have been our loss, +Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach; +For which to the infinitely Good we owe +Immortal thanks, and his admonishment +Receive, with solemn purpose to observe +Immutably his sovran will, the end +Of what we are. But since thou hast vouchsafed +Gently, for our instruction, to impart +Things above earthly thought, which yet concerned +Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seemed, +Deign to descend now lower, and relate +What may no less perhaps avail us known, +How first began this Heaven which we behold +Distant so high, with moving fires adorned +Innumerable; and this which yields or fills +All space, the ambient air wide interfused +Embracing round this floried Earth; what cause +Moved the Creator, in his holy rest +Through all eternity, so late to build +In Chaos; and the work begun, how soon +Absolved; if unforbid thou mayest unfold +What we, not to explore the secrets ask +Of his eternal empire, but the more +To magnify his works, the more we know. +And the great light of day yet wants to run +Much of his race though steep; suspense in Heaven, +Held by thy voice, thy potent voice, he hears, +And longer will delay to hear thee tell +His generation, and the rising birth +Of Nature from the unapparent Deep: +Or if the star of evening and the moon +Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring, +Silence; and Sleep, listening to thee, will watch; +Or we can bid his absence, till thy song +End, and dismiss thee ere the morning shine. +Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought: +And thus the Godlike Angel answered mild. +This also thy request, with caution asked, +Obtain; though to recount almighty works +What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice, +Or heart of man suffice to comprehend? +Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve +To glorify the Maker, and infer +Thee also happier, shall not be withheld +Thy hearing; such commission from above +I have received, to answer thy desire +Of knowledge within bounds; beyond, abstain +To ask; nor let thine own inventions hope +Things not revealed, which the invisible King, +Only Omniscient, hath suppressed in night; +To none communicable in Earth or Heaven: +Enough is left besides to search and know. +But knowledge is as food, and needs no less +Her temperance over appetite, to know +In measure what the mind may well contain; +Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns +Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind. +Know then, that, after Lucifer from Heaven +(So call him, brighter once amidst the host +Of Angels, than that star the stars among,) +Fell with his flaming legions through the deep +Into his place, and the great Son returned +Victorious with his Saints, the Omnipotent +Eternal Father from his throne beheld +Their multitude, and to his Son thus spake. +At least our envious Foe hath failed, who thought +All like himself rebellious, by whose aid +This inaccessible high strength, the seat +Of Deity supreme, us dispossessed, +He trusted to have seised, and into fraud +Drew many, whom their place knows here no more: +Yet far the greater part have kept, I see, +Their station; Heaven, yet populous, retains +Number sufficient to possess her realms +Though wide, and this high temple to frequent +With ministeries due, and solemn rites: +But, lest his heart exalt him in the harm +Already done, to have dispeopled Heaven, +My damage fondly deemed, I can repair +That detriment, if such it be to lose +Self-lost; and in a moment will create +Another world, out of one man a race +Of men innumerable, there to dwell, +Not here; till, by degrees of merit raised, +They open to themselves at length the way +Up hither, under long obedience tried; +And Earth be changed to Heaven, and Heaven to Earth, +One kingdom, joy and union without end. +Mean while inhabit lax, ye Powers of Heaven; +And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee +This I perform; speak thou, and be it done! +My overshadowing Spirit and Might with thee +I send along; ride forth, and bid the Deep +Within appointed bounds be Heaven and Earth; +Boundless the Deep, because I Am who fill +Infinitude, nor vacuous the space. +Though I, uncircumscribed myself, retire, +And put not forth my goodness, which is free +To act or not, Necessity and Chance +Approach not me, and what I will is Fate. +So spake the Almighty, and to what he spake +His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect. +Immediate are the acts of God, more swift +Than time or motion, but to human ears +Cannot without process of speech be told, +So told as earthly notion can receive. +Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven, +When such was heard declared the Almighty's will; +Glory they sung to the Most High, good will +To future men, and in their dwellings peace; +Glory to Him, whose just avenging ire +Had driven out the ungodly from his sight +And the habitations of the just; to Him +Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordained +Good out of evil to create; instead +Of Spirits malign, a better race to bring +Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse +His good to worlds and ages infinite. +So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son +On his great expedition now appeared, +Girt with Omnipotence, with radiance crowned +Of Majesty Divine; sapience and love +Immense, and all his Father in him shone. +About his chariot numberless were poured +Cherub, and Seraph, Potentates, and Thrones, +And Virtues, winged Spirits, and chariots winged +From the armoury of God; where stand of old +Myriads, between two brazen mountains lodged +Against a solemn day, harnessed at hand, +Celestial equipage; and now came forth +Spontaneous, for within them Spirit lived, +Attendant on their Lord: Heaven opened wide +Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound +On golden hinges moving, to let forth +The King of Glory, in his powerful Word +And Spirit, coming to create new worlds. +On heavenly ground they stood; and from the shore +They viewed the vast immeasurable abyss +Outrageous as a sea, dark, wasteful, wild, +Up from the bottom turned by furious winds +And surging waves, as mountains, to assault +Heaven's highth, and with the center mix the pole. +Silence, ye troubled Waves, and thou Deep, peace, +Said then the Omnifick Word; your discord end! +Nor staid; but, on the wings of Cherubim +Uplifted, in paternal glory rode +Far into Chaos, and the world unborn; +For Chaos heard his voice: Him all his train +Followed in bright procession, to behold +Creation, and the wonders of his might. +Then staid the fervid wheels, and in his hand +He took the golden compasses, prepared +In God's eternal store, to circumscribe +This universe, and all created things: +One foot he centered, and the other turned +Round through the vast profundity obscure; +And said, Thus far extend, thus far thy bounds, +This be thy just circumference, O World! +Thus God the Heaven created, thus the Earth, +Matter unformed and void: Darkness profound +Covered the abyss: but on the watery calm +His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread, +And vital virtue infused, and vital warmth +Throughout the fluid mass; but downward purged +The black tartareous cold infernal dregs, +Adverse to life: then founded, then conglobed +Like things to like; the rest to several place +Disparted, and between spun out the air; +And Earth self-balanced on her center hung. +Let there be light, said God; and forthwith Light +Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure, +Sprung from the deep; and from her native east +To journey through the aery gloom began, +Sphered in a radiant cloud, for yet the sun +Was not; she in a cloudy tabernacle +Sojourned the while. God saw the light was good; +And light from darkness by the hemisphere +Divided: light the Day, and darkness Night, +He named. Thus was the first day even and morn: +Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung +By the celestial quires, when orient light +Exhaling first from darkness they beheld; +Birth-day of Heaven and Earth; with joy and shout +The hollow universal orb they filled, +And touched their golden harps, and hymning praised +God and his works; Creator him they sung, +Both when first evening was, and when first morn. +Again, God said, Let there be firmament +Amid the waters, and let it divide +The waters from the waters; and God made +The firmament, expanse of liquid, pure, +Transparent, elemental air, diffused +In circuit to the uttermost convex +Of this great round; partition firm and sure, +The waters underneath from those above +Dividing: for as earth, so he the world +Built on circumfluous waters calm, in wide +Crystalline ocean, and the loud misrule +Of Chaos far removed; lest fierce extremes +Contiguous might distemper the whole frame: +And Heaven he named the Firmament: So even +And morning chorus sung the second day. +The Earth was formed, but in the womb as yet +Of waters, embryon immature involved, +Appeared not: over all the face of Earth +Main ocean flowed, not idle; but, with warm +Prolifick humour softening all her globe, +Fermented the great mother to conceive, +Satiate with genial moisture; when God said, +Be gathered now ye waters under Heaven +Into one place, and let dry land appear. +Immediately the mountains huge appear +Emergent, and their broad bare backs upheave +Into the clouds; their tops ascend the sky: +So high as heaved the tumid hills, so low +Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep, +Capacious bed of waters: Thither they +Hasted with glad precipitance, uprolled, +As drops on dust conglobing from the dry: +Part rise in crystal wall, or ridge direct, +For haste; such flight the great command impressed +On the swift floods: As armies at the call +Of trumpet (for of armies thou hast heard) +Troop to their standard; so the watery throng, +Wave rolling after wave, where way they found, +If steep, with torrent rapture, if through plain, +Soft-ebbing; nor withstood them rock or hill; +But they, or under ground, or circuit wide +With serpent errour wandering, found their way, +And on the washy oose deep channels wore; +Easy, ere God had bid the ground be dry, +All but within those banks, where rivers now +Stream, and perpetual draw their humid train. +The dry land, Earth; and the great receptacle +Of congregated waters, he called Seas: +And saw that it was good; and said, Let the Earth +Put forth the verdant grass, herb yielding seed, +And fruit-tree yielding fruit after her kind, +Whose seed is in herself upon the Earth. +He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then +Desart and bare, unsightly, unadorned, +Brought forth the tender grass, whose verdure clad +Her universal face with pleasant green; +Then herbs of every leaf, that sudden flowered +Opening their various colours, and made gay +Her bosom, smelling sweet: and, these scarce blown, +Forth flourished thick the clustering vine, forth crept +The swelling gourd, up stood the corny reed +Embattled in her field, and the humble shrub, +And bush with frizzled hair implicit: Last +Rose, as in dance, the stately trees, and spread +Their branches hung with copious fruit, or gemmed +Their blossoms: With high woods the hills were crowned; +With tufts the valleys, and each fountain side; +With borders long the rivers: that Earth now +Seemed like to Heaven, a seat where Gods might dwell, +Or wander with delight, and love to haunt +Her sacred shades: though God had yet not rained +Upon the Earth, and man to till the ground +None was; but from the Earth a dewy mist +Went up, and watered all the ground, and each +Plant of the field; which, ere it was in the Earth, +God made, and every herb, before it grew +On the green stem: God saw that it was good: +So even and morn recorded the third day. +Again the Almighty spake, Let there be lights +High in the expanse of Heaven, to divide +The day from night; and let them be for signs, +For seasons, and for days, and circling years; +And let them be for lights, as I ordain +Their office in the firmament of Heaven, +To give light on the Earth; and it was so. +And God made two great lights, great for their use +To Man, the greater to have rule by day, +The less by night, altern; and made the stars, +And set them in the firmament of Heaven +To illuminate the Earth, and rule the day +In their vicissitude, and rule the night, +And light from darkness to divide. God saw, +Surveying his great work, that it was good: +For of celestial bodies first the sun +A mighty sphere he framed, unlightsome first, +Though of ethereal mould: then formed the moon +Globose, and every magnitude of stars, +And sowed with stars the Heaven, thick as a field: +Of light by far the greater part he took, +Transplanted from her cloudy shrine, and placed +In the sun's orb, made porous to receive +And drink the liquid light; firm to retain +Her gathered beams, great palace now of light. +Hither, as to their fountain, other stars +Repairing, in their golden urns draw light, +And hence the morning-planet gilds her horns; +By tincture or reflection they augment +Their small peculiar, though from human sight +So far remote, with diminution seen, +First in his east the glorious lamp was seen, +Regent of day, and all the horizon round +Invested with bright rays, jocund to run +His longitude through Heaven's high road; the gray +Dawn, and the Pleiades, before him danced, +Shedding sweet influence: Less bright the moon, +But opposite in levelled west was set, +His mirrour, with full face borrowing her light +From him; for other light she needed none +In that aspect, and still that distance keeps +Till night; then in the east her turn she shines, +Revolved on Heaven's great axle, and her reign +With thousand lesser lights dividual holds, +With thousand thousand stars, that then appeared +Spangling the hemisphere: Then first adorned +With their bright luminaries that set and rose, +Glad evening and glad morn crowned the fourth day. +And God said, Let the waters generate +Reptile with spawn abundant, living soul: +And let fowl fly above the Earth, with wings +Displayed on the open firmament of Heaven. +And God created the great whales, and each +Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously +The waters generated by their kinds; +And every bird of wing after his kind; +And saw that it was good, and blessed them, saying. +Be fruitful, multiply, and in the seas, +And lakes, and running streams, the waters fill; +And let the fowl be multiplied, on the Earth. +Forthwith the sounds and seas, each creek and bay, +With fry innumerable swarm, and shoals +Of fish that with their fins, and shining scales, +Glide under the green wave, in sculls that oft +Bank the mid sea: part single, or with mate, +Graze the sea-weed their pasture, and through groves +Of coral stray; or, sporting with quick glance, +Show to the sun their waved coats dropt with gold; +Or, in their pearly shells at ease, attend +Moist nutriment; or under rocks their food +In jointed armour watch: on smooth the seal +And bended dolphins play: part huge of bulk +Wallowing unwieldy, enormous in their gait, +Tempest the ocean: there leviathan, +Hugest of living creatures, on the deep +Stretched like a promontory sleeps or swims, +And seems a moving land; and at his gills +Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out, a sea. +Mean while the tepid caves, and fens, and shores, +Their brood as numerous hatch, from the egg that soon +Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclosed +Their callow young; but feathered soon and fledge +They summed their pens; and, soaring the air sublime, +With clang despised the ground, under a cloud +In prospect; there the eagle and the stork +On cliffs and cedar tops their eyries build: +Part loosely wing the region, part more wise +In common, ranged in figure, wedge their way, +Intelligent of seasons, and set forth +Their aery caravan, high over seas +Flying, and over lands, with mutual wing +Easing their flight; so steers the prudent crane +Her annual voyage, borne on winds; the air +Floats as they pass, fanned with unnumbered plumes: +From branch to branch the smaller birds with song +Solaced the woods, and spread their painted wings +Till even; nor then the solemn nightingale +Ceased warbling, but all night tun'd her soft lays: +Others, on silver lakes and rivers, bathed +Their downy breast; the swan with arched neck, +Between her white wings mantling proudly, rows +Her state with oary feet; yet oft they quit +The dank, and, rising on stiff pennons, tower +The mid aereal sky: Others on ground +Walked firm; the crested cock whose clarion sounds +The silent hours, and the other whose gay train +Adorns him, coloured with the florid hue +Of rainbows and starry eyes. The waters thus +With fish replenished, and the air with fowl, +Evening and morn solemnized the fifth day. +The sixth, and of creation last, arose +With evening harps and matin; when God said, +Let the Earth bring forth soul living in her kind, +Cattle, and creeping things, and beast of the Earth, +Each in their kind. The Earth obeyed, and straight +Opening her fertile womb teemed at a birth +Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms, +Limbed and full grown: Out of the ground up rose, +As from his lair, the wild beast where he wons +In forest wild, in thicket, brake, or den; +Among the trees in pairs they rose, they walked: +The cattle in the fields and meadows green: +Those rare and solitary, these in flocks +Pasturing at once, and in broad herds upsprung. +The grassy clods now calved; now half appeared +The tawny lion, pawing to get free +His hinder parts, then springs as broke from bonds, +And rampant shakes his brinded mane; the ounce, +The libbard, and the tiger, as the mole +Rising, the crumbled earth above them threw +In hillocks: The swift stag from under ground +Bore up his branching head: Scarce from his mould +Behemoth biggest born of earth upheaved +His vastness: Fleeced the flocks and bleating rose, +As plants: Ambiguous between sea and land +The river-horse, and scaly crocodile. +At once came forth whatever creeps the ground, +Insect or worm: those waved their limber fans +For wings, and smallest lineaments exact +In all the liveries decked of summer's pride +With spots of gold and purple, azure and green: +These, as a line, their long dimension drew, +Streaking the ground with sinuous trace; not all +Minims of nature; some of serpent-kind, +Wonderous in length and corpulence, involved +Their snaky folds, and added wings. First crept +The parsimonious emmet, provident +Of future; in small room large heart enclosed; +Pattern of just equality perhaps +Hereafter, joined in her popular tribes +Of commonalty: Swarming next appeared +The female bee, that feeds her husband drone +Deliciously, and builds her waxen cells +With honey stored: The rest are numberless, +And thou their natures knowest, and gavest them names, +Needless to thee repeated; nor unknown +The serpent, subtlest beast of all the field, +Of huge extent sometimes, with brazen eyes +And hairy mane terrifick, though to thee +Not noxious, but obedient at thy call. +Now Heaven in all her glory shone, and rolled +Her motions, as the great first Mover's hand +First wheeled their course: Earth in her rich attire +Consummate lovely smiled; air, water, earth, +By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was walked, +Frequent; and of the sixth day yet remained: +There wanted yet the master-work, the end +Of all yet done; a creature, who, not prone +And brute as other creatures, but endued +With sanctity of reason, might erect +His stature, and upright with front serene +Govern the rest, self-knowing; and from thence +Magnanimous to correspond with Heaven, +But grateful to acknowledge whence his good +Descends, thither with heart, and voice, and eyes +Directed in devotion, to adore +And worship God Supreme, who made him chief +Of all his works: therefore the Omnipotent +Eternal Father (for where is not he +Present?) thus to his Son audibly spake. +Let us make now Man in our image, Man +In our similitude, and let them rule +Over the fish and fowl of sea and air, +Beast of the field, and over all the Earth, +And every creeping thing that creeps the ground. +This said, he formed thee, Adam, thee, O Man, +Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breathed +The breath of life; in his own image he +Created thee, in the image of God +Express; and thou becamest a living soul. +Male he created thee; but thy consort +Female, for race; then blessed mankind, and said, +Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the Earth; +Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold +Over fish of the sea, and fowl of the air, +And every living thing that moves on the Earth. +Wherever thus created, for no place +Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou knowest, +He brought thee into this delicious grove, +This garden, planted with the trees of God, +Delectable both to behold and taste; +And freely all their pleasant fruit for food +Gave thee; all sorts are here that all the Earth yields, +Variety without end; but of the tree, +Which, tasted, works knowledge of good and evil, +Thou mayest not; in the day thou eatest, thou diest; +Death is the penalty imposed; beware, +And govern well thy appetite; lest Sin +Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death. +Here finished he, and all that he had made +Viewed, and behold all was entirely good; +So even and morn accomplished the sixth day: +Yet not till the Creator from his work +Desisting, though unwearied, up returned, +Up to the Heaven of Heavens, his high abode; +Thence to behold this new created world, +The addition of his empire, how it showed +In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, +Answering his great idea. Up he rode +Followed with acclamation, and the sound +Symphonious of ten thousand harps, that tuned +Angelick harmonies: The earth, the air +Resounded, (thou rememberest, for thou heardst,) +The heavens and all the constellations rung, +The planets in their station listening stood, +While the bright pomp ascended jubilant. +Open, ye everlasting gates! they sung, +Open, ye Heavens! your living doors;let in +The great Creator from his work returned +Magnificent, his six days work, a World; +Open, and henceforth oft; for God will deign +To visit oft the dwellings of just men, +Delighted; and with frequent intercourse +Thither will send his winged messengers +On errands of supernal grace. So sung +The glorious train ascending: He through Heaven, +That opened wide her blazing portals, led +To God's eternal house direct the way; +A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold +And pavement stars, as stars to thee appear, +Seen in the galaxy, that milky way, +Which nightly, as a circling zone, thou seest +Powdered with stars. And now on Earth the seventh +Evening arose in Eden, for the sun +Was set, and twilight from the east came on, +Forerunning night; when at the holy mount +Of Heaven's high-seated top, the imperial throne +Of Godhead, fixed for ever firm and sure, +The Filial Power arrived, and sat him down +With his great Father; for he also went +Invisible, yet staid, (such privilege +Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordained, +Author and End of all things; and, from work +Now resting, blessed and hallowed the seventh day, +As resting on that day from all his work, +But not in silence holy kept: the harp +Had work and rested not; the solemn pipe, +And dulcimer, all organs of sweet stop, +All sounds on fret by string or golden wire, +Tempered soft tunings, intermixed with voice +Choral or unison: of incense clouds, +Fuming from golden censers, hid the mount. +Creation and the six days acts they sung: +Great are thy works, Jehovah! infinite +Thy power! what thought can measure thee, or tongue +Relate thee! Greater now in thy return +Than from the giant Angels: Thee that day +Thy thunders magnified; but to create +Is greater than created to destroy. +Who can impair thee, Mighty King, or bound +Thy empire! Easily the proud attempt +Of Spirits apostate, and their counsels vain, +Thou hast repelled; while impiously they thought +Thee to diminish, and from thee withdraw +The number of thy worshippers. Who seeks +To lessen thee, against his purpose serves +To manifest the more thy might: his evil +Thou usest, and from thence createst more good. +Witness this new-made world, another Heaven +From Heaven-gate not far, founded in view +On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea; +Of amplitude almost immense, with stars +Numerous, and every star perhaps a world +Of destined habitation; but thou knowest +Their seasons: among these the seat of Men, +Earth, with her nether ocean circumfused, +Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy Men, +And sons of Men, whom God hath thus advanced! +Created in his image, there to dwell +And worship him; and in reward to rule +Over his works, on earth, in sea, or air, +And multiply a race of worshippers +Holy and just: Thrice happy, if they know +Their happiness, and persevere upright! +So sung they, and the empyrean rung +With halleluiahs: Thus was sabbath kept. +And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked +How first this world and face of things began, +And what before thy memory was done +From the beginning; that posterity, +Informed by thee, might know: If else thou seekest +Aught, not surpassing human measure, say. + + + +Book VIII + + +The Angel ended, and in Adam's ear +So charming left his voice, that he a while +Thought him still speaking, still stood fixed to hear; +Then, as new waked, thus gratefully replied. +What thanks sufficient, or what recompence +Equal, have I to render thee, divine +Historian, who thus largely hast allayed +The thirst I had of knowledge, and vouchsafed +This friendly condescension to relate +Things, else by me unsearchable; now heard +With wonder, but delight, and, as is due, +With glory attributed to the high +Creator! Something yet of doubt remains, +Which only thy solution can resolve. +When I behold this goodly frame, this world, +Of Heaven and Earth consisting; and compute +Their magnitudes; this Earth, a spot, a grain, +An atom, with the firmament compared +And all her numbered stars, that seem to roll +Spaces incomprehensible, (for such +Their distance argues, and their swift return +Diurnal,) merely to officiate light +Round this opacous Earth, this punctual spot, +One day and night; in all her vast survey +Useless besides; reasoning I oft admire, +How Nature wise and frugal could commit +Such disproportions, with superfluous hand +So many nobler bodies to create, +Greater so manifold, to this one use, +For aught appears, and on their orbs impose +Such restless revolution day by day +Repeated; while the sedentary Earth, +That better might with far less compass move, +Served by more noble than herself, attains +Her end without least motion, and receives, +As tribute, such a sumless journey brought +Of incorporeal speed, her warmth and light; +Speed, to describe whose swiftness number fails. +So spake our sire, and by his countenance seemed +Entering on studious thoughts abstruse; which Eve +Perceiving, where she sat retired in sight, +With lowliness majestick from her seat, +And grace that won who saw to wish her stay, +Rose, and went forth among her fruits and flowers, +To visit how they prospered, bud and bloom, +Her nursery; they at her coming sprung, +And, touched by her fair tendance, gladlier grew. +Yet went she not, as not with such discourse +Delighted, or not capable her ear +Of what was high: such pleasure she reserved, +Adam relating, she sole auditress; +Her husband the relater she preferred +Before the Angel, and of him to ask +Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix +Grateful digressions, and solve high dispute +With conjugal caresses: from his lip +Not words alone pleased her. O! when meet now +Such pairs, in love and mutual honour joined? +With Goddess-like demeanour forth she went, +Not unattended; for on her, as Queen, +A pomp of winning Graces waited still, +And from about her shot darts of desire +Into all eyes, to wish her still in sight. +And Raphael now, to Adam's doubt proposed, +Benevolent and facile thus replied. +To ask or search, I blame thee not; for Heaven +Is as the book of God before thee set, +Wherein to read his wonderous works, and learn +His seasons, hours, or days, or months, or years: +This to attain, whether Heaven move or Earth, +Imports not, if thou reckon right; the rest +From Man or Angel the great Architect +Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge +His secrets to be scanned by them who ought +Rather admire; or, if they list to try +Conjecture, he his fabrick of the Heavens +Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move +His laughter at their quaint opinions wide +Hereafter; when they come to model Heaven +And calculate the stars, how they will wield +The mighty frame; how build, unbuild, contrive +To save appearances; how gird the sphere +With centrick and eccentrick scribbled o'er, +Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb: +Already by thy reasoning this I guess, +Who art to lead thy offspring, and supposest +That bodies bright and greater should not serve +The less not bright, nor Heaven such journeys run, +Earth sitting still, when she alone receives +The benefit: Consider first, that great +Or bright infers not excellence: the Earth +Though, in comparison of Heaven, so small, +Nor glistering, may of solid good contain +More plenty than the sun that barren shines; +Whose virtue on itself works no effect, +But in the fruitful Earth; there first received, +His beams, unactive else, their vigour find. +Yet not to Earth are those bright luminaries +Officious; but to thee, Earth's habitant. +And for the Heaven's wide circuit, let it speak +The Maker's high magnificence, who built +So spacious, and his line stretched out so far; +That Man may know he dwells not in his own; +An edifice too large for him to fill, +Lodged in a small partition; and the rest +Ordained for uses to his Lord best known. +The swiftness of those circles attribute, +Though numberless, to his Omnipotence, +That to corporeal substances could add +Speed almost spiritual: Me thou thinkest not slow, +Who since the morning-hour set out from Heaven +Where God resides, and ere mid-day arrived +In Eden; distance inexpressible +By numbers that have name. But this I urge, +Admitting motion in the Heavens, to show +Invalid that which thee to doubt it moved; +Not that I so affirm, though so it seem +To thee who hast thy dwelling here on Earth. +God, to remove his ways from human sense, +Placed Heaven from Earth so far, that earthly sight, +If it presume, might err in things too high, +And no advantage gain. What if the sun +Be center to the world; and other stars, +By his attractive virtue and their own +Incited, dance about him various rounds? +Their wandering course now high, now low, then hid, +Progressive, retrograde, or standing still, +In six thou seest; and what if seventh to these +The planet earth, so stedfast though she seem, +Insensibly three different motions move? +Which else to several spheres thou must ascribe, +Moved contrary with thwart obliquities; +Or save the sun his labour, and that swift +Nocturnal and diurnal rhomb supposed, +Invisible else above all stars, the wheel +Of day and night; which needs not thy belief, +If earth, industrious of herself, fetch day +Travelling east, and with her part averse +From the sun's beam meet night, her other part +Still luminous by his ray. What if that light, +Sent from her through the wide transpicuous air, +To the terrestrial moon be as a star, +Enlightening her by day, as she by night +This earth? reciprocal, if land be there, +Fields and inhabitants: Her spots thou seest +As clouds, and clouds may rain, and rain produce +Fruits in her softened soil for some to eat +Allotted there; and other suns perhaps, +With their attendant moons, thou wilt descry, +Communicating male and female light; +Which two great sexes animate the world, +Stored in each orb perhaps with some that live. +For such vast room in Nature unpossessed +By living soul, desart and desolate, +Only to shine, yet scarce to contribute +Each orb a glimpse of light, conveyed so far +Down to this habitable, which returns +Light back to them, is obvious to dispute. +But whether thus these things, or whether not; +But whether the sun, predominant in Heaven, +Rise on the earth; or earth rise on the sun; +He from the east his flaming road begin; +Or she from west her silent course advance, +With inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps +On her soft axle, while she paces even, +And bears thee soft with the smooth hair along; +Sollicit not thy thoughts with matters hid; +Leave them to God above; him serve, and fear! +Of other creatures, as him pleases best, +Wherever placed, let him dispose; joy thou +In what he gives to thee, this Paradise +And thy fair Eve; Heaven is for thee too high +To know what passes there; be lowly wise: +Think only what concerns thee, and thy being; +Dream not of other worlds, what creatures there +Live, in what state, condition, or degree; +Contented that thus far hath been revealed +Not of Earth only, but of highest Heaven. +To whom thus Adam, cleared of doubt, replied. +How fully hast thou satisfied me, pure +Intelligence of Heaven, Angel serene! +And, freed from intricacies, taught to live +The easiest way; nor with perplexing thoughts +To interrupt the sweet of life, from which +God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares, +And not molest us; unless we ourselves +Seek them with wandering thoughts, and notions vain. +But apt the mind or fancy is to rove +Unchecked, and of her roving is no end; +Till warned, or by experience taught, she learn, +That, not to know at large of things remote +From use, obscure and subtle; but, to know +That which before us lies in daily life, +Is the prime wisdom: What is more, is fume, +Or emptiness, or fond impertinence: +And renders us, in things that most concern, +Unpractised, unprepared, and still to seek. +Therefore from this high pitch let us descend +A lower flight, and speak of things at hand +Useful; whence, haply, mention may arise +Of something not unseasonable to ask, +By sufferance, and thy wonted favour, deigned. +Thee I have heard relating what was done +Ere my remembrance: now, hear me relate +My story, which perhaps thou hast not heard; +And day is not yet spent; till then thou seest +How subtly to detain thee I devise; +Inviting thee to hear while I relate; +Fond! were it not in hope of thy reply: +For, while I sit with thee, I seem in Heaven; +And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear +Than fruits of palm-tree pleasantest to thirst +And hunger both, from labour, at the hour +Of sweet repast; they satiate, and soon fill, +Though pleasant; but thy words, with grace divine +Imbued, bring to their sweetness no satiety. +To whom thus Raphael answered heavenly meek. +Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of men, +Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee +Abundantly his gifts hath also poured +Inward and outward both, his image fair: +Speaking, or mute, all comeliness and grace +Attends thee; and each word, each motion, forms; +Nor less think we in Heaven of thee on Earth +Than of our fellow-servant, and inquire +Gladly into the ways of God with Man: +For God, we see, hath honoured thee, and set +On Man his equal love: Say therefore on; +For I that day was absent, as befel, +Bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure, +Far on excursion toward the gates of Hell; +Squared in full legion (such command we had) +To see that none thence issued forth a spy, +Or enemy, while God was in his work; +Lest he, incensed at such eruption bold, +Destruction with creation might have mixed. +Not that they durst without his leave attempt; +But us he sends upon his high behests +For state, as Sovran King; and to inure +Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut, +The dismal gates, and barricadoed strong; +But long ere our approaching heard within +Noise, other than the sound of dance or song, +Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. +Glad we returned up to the coasts of light +Ere sabbath-evening: so we had in charge. +But thy relation now; for I attend, +Pleased with thy words no less than thou with mine. +So spake the Godlike Power, and thus our Sire. +For Man to tell how human life began +Is hard; for who himself beginning knew +Desire with thee still longer to converse +Induced me. As new waked from soundest sleep, +Soft on the flowery herb I found me laid, +In balmy sweat; which with his beams the sun +Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed. +Straight toward Heaven my wondering eyes I turned, +And gazed a while the ample sky; till, raised +By quick instinctive motion, up I sprung, +As thitherward endeavouring, and upright +Stood on my feet: about me round I saw +Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains, +And liquid lapse of murmuring streams; by these, +Creatures that lived and moved, and walked, or flew; +Birds on the branches warbling; all things smiled; +With fragrance and with joy my heart o'erflowed. +Myself I then perused, and limb by limb +Surveyed, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran +With supple joints, as lively vigour led: +But who I was, or where, or from what cause, +Knew not; to speak I tried, and forthwith spake; +My tongue obeyed, and readily could name +Whate'er I saw. Thou Sun, said I, fair light, +And thou enlightened Earth, so fresh and gay, +Ye Hills, and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plains, +And ye that live and move, fair Creatures, tell, +Tell, if ye saw, how I came thus, how here?-- +Not of myself;--by some great Maker then, +In goodness and in power pre-eminent: +Tell me, how may I know him, how adore, +From whom I have that thus I move and live, +And feel that I am happier than I know.-- +While thus I called, and strayed I knew not whither, +From where I first drew air, and first beheld +This happy light; when, answer none returned, +On a green shady bank, profuse of flowers, +Pensive I sat me down: There gentle sleep +First found me, and with soft oppression seised +My droused sense, untroubled, though I thought +I then was passing to my former state +Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve: +When suddenly stood at my head a dream, +Whose inward apparition gently moved +My fancy to believe I yet had being, +And lived: One came, methought, of shape divine, +And said, 'Thy mansion wants thee, Adam; rise, +'First Man, of men innumerable ordained +'First Father! called by thee, I come thy guide +'To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepared.' +So saying, by the hand he took me raised, +And over fields and waters, as in air +Smooth-sliding without step, last led me up +A woody mountain; whose high top was plain, +A circuit wide, enclosed, with goodliest trees +Planted, with walks, and bowers; that what I saw +Of Earth before scarce pleasant seemed. Each tree, +Loaden with fairest fruit that hung to the eye +Tempting, stirred in me sudden appetite +To pluck and eat; whereat I waked, and found +Before mine eyes all real, as the dream +Had lively shadowed: Here had new begun +My wandering, had not he, who was my guide +Up hither, from among the trees appeared, +Presence Divine. Rejoicing, but with awe, +In adoration at his feet I fell +Submiss: He reared me, and 'Whom thou soughtest I am,' +Said mildly, 'Author of all this thou seest +'Above, or round about thee, or beneath. +'This Paradise I give thee, count it thine +'To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat: +'Of every tree that in the garden grows +'Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth: +'But of the tree whose operation brings +'Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set +'The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith, +'Amid the garden by the tree of life, +'Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste, +'And shun the bitter consequence: for know, +'The day thou eatest thereof, my sole command +'Transgressed, inevitably thou shalt die, +'From that day mortal; and this happy state +'Shalt lose, expelled from hence into a world +'Of woe and sorrow.' Sternly he pronounced +The rigid interdiction, which resounds +Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice +Not to incur; but soon his clear aspect +Returned, and gracious purpose thus renewed. +'Not only these fair bounds, but all the Earth +'To thee and to thy race I give; as lords +'Possess it, and all things that therein live, +'Or live in sea, or air; beast, fish, and fowl. +'In sign whereof, each bird and beast behold +'After their kinds; I bring them to receive +'From thee their names, and pay thee fealty +'With low subjection; understand the same +'Of fish within their watery residence, +'Not hither summoned, since they cannot change +'Their element, to draw the thinner air.' +As thus he spake, each bird and beast behold +Approaching two and two; these cowering low +With blandishment; each bird stooped on his wing. +I named them, as they passed, and understood +Their nature, with such knowledge God endued +My sudden apprehension: But in these +I found not what methought I wanted still; +And to the heavenly Vision thus presumed. +O, by what name, for thou above all these, +Above mankind, or aught than mankind higher, +Surpassest far my naming; how may I +Adore thee, Author of this universe, +And all this good to man? for whose well being +So amply, and with hands so liberal, +Thou hast provided all things: But with me +I see not who partakes. In solitude +What happiness, who can enjoy alone, +Or, all enjoying, what contentment find? +Thus I presumptuous; and the Vision bright, +As with a smile more brightened, thus replied. +What callest thou solitude? Is not the Earth +With various living creatures, and the air +Replenished, and all these at thy command +To come and play before thee? Knowest thou not +Their language and their ways? They also know, +And reason not contemptibly: With these +Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large. +So spake the Universal Lord, and seemed +So ordering: I, with leave of speech implored, +And humble deprecation, thus replied. +Let not my words offend thee, Heavenly Power; +My Maker, be propitious while I speak. +Hast thou not made me here thy substitute, +And these inferiour far beneath me set? +Among unequals what society +Can sort, what harmony, or true delight? +Which must be mutual, in proportion due +Given and received; but, in disparity +The one intense, the other still remiss, +Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove +Tedious alike: Of fellowship I speak +Such as I seek, fit to participate +All rational delight: wherein the brute +Cannot be human consort: They rejoice +Each with their kind, lion with lioness; +So fitly them in pairs thou hast combined: +Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl +So well converse, nor with the ox the ape; +Worse then can man with beast, and least of all. +Whereto the Almighty answered, not displeased. +A nice and subtle happiness, I see, +Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice +Of thy associates, Adam! and wilt taste +No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary. +What thinkest thou then of me, and this my state? +Seem I to thee sufficiently possessed +Of happiness, or not? who am alone +From all eternity; for none I know +Second to me or like, equal much less. +How have I then with whom to hold converse, +Save with the creatures which I made, and those +To me inferiour, infinite descents +Beneath what other creatures are to thee? +He ceased; I lowly answered. To attain +The highth and depth of thy eternal ways +All human thoughts come short, Supreme of things! +Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee +Is no deficience found: Not so is Man, +But in degree; the cause of his desire +By conversation with his like to help +Or solace his defects. No need that thou +Shouldst propagate, already Infinite; +And through all numbers absolute, though One: +But Man by number is to manifest +His single imperfection, and beget +Like of his like, his image multiplied, +In unity defective; which requires +Collateral love, and dearest amity. +Thou in thy secresy although alone, +Best with thyself accompanied, seekest not +Social communication; yet, so pleased, +Canst raise thy creature to what highth thou wilt +Of union or communion, deified: +I, by conversing, cannot these erect +From prone; nor in their ways complacence find. +Thus I emboldened spake, and freedom used +Permissive, and acceptance found; which gained +This answer from the gracious Voice Divine. +Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased; +And find thee knowing, not of beasts alone, +Which thou hast rightly named, but of thyself; +Expressing well the spirit within thee free, +My image, not imparted to the brute; +Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee +Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike; +And be so minded still: I, ere thou spakest, +Knew it not good for Man to be alone; +And no such company as then thou sawest +Intended thee; for trial only brought, +To see how thou couldest judge of fit and meet: +What next I bring shall please thee, be assured, +Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self, +Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire. +He ended, or I heard no more; for now +My earthly by his heavenly overpowered, +Which it had long stood under, strained to the highth +In that celestial colloquy sublime, +As with an object that excels the sense +Dazzled and spent, sunk down; and sought repair +Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, called +By Nature as in aid, and closed mine eyes. +Mine eyes he closed, but open left the cell +Of fancy, my internal sight; by which, +Abstract as in a trance, methought I saw, +Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape +Still glorious before whom awake I stood: +Who stooping opened my left side, and took +From thence a rib, with cordial spirits warm, +And life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound, +But suddenly with flesh filled up and healed: +The rib he formed and fashioned with his hands; +Under his forming hands a creature grew, +Man-like, but different sex; so lovely fair, +That what seemed fair in all the world, seemed now +Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained +And in her looks; which from that time infused +Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before, +And into all things from her air inspired +The spirit of love and amorous delight. +She disappeared, and left me dark; I waked +To find her, or for ever to deplore +Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure: +When out of hope, behold her, not far off, +Such as I saw her in my dream, adorned +With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow +To make her amiable: On she came, +Led by her heavenly Maker, though unseen, +And guided by his voice; nor uninformed +Of nuptial sanctity, and marriage rites: +Grace was in all her steps, Heaven in her eye, +In every gesture dignity and love. +I, overjoyed, could not forbear aloud. +This turn hath made amends; thou hast fulfilled +Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign, +Giver of all things fair! but fairest this +Of all thy gifts! nor enviest. I now see +Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself +Before me: Woman is her name;of Man +Extracted: for this cause he shall forego +Father and mother, and to his wife adhere; +And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul. +She heard me thus; and though divinely brought, +Yet innocence, and virgin modesty, +Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth, +That would be wooed, and not unsought be won, +Not obvious, not obtrusive, but, retired, +The more desirable; or, to say all, +Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought, +Wrought in her so, that, seeing me, she turned: +I followed her; she what was honour knew, +And with obsequious majesty approved +My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bower +I led her blushing like the morn: All Heaven, +And happy constellations, on that hour +Shed their selectest influence; the Earth +Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill; +Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs +Whispered it to the woods, and from their wings +Flung rose, flung odours from the spicy shrub, +Disporting, till the amorous bird of night +Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening-star +On his hill top, to light the bridal lamp. +Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought +My story to the sum of earthly bliss, +Which I enjoy; and must confess to find +In all things else delight indeed, but such +As, used or not, works in the mind no change, +Nor vehement desire; these delicacies +I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers, +Walks, and the melody of birds: but here +Far otherwise, transported I behold, +Transported touch; here passion first I felt, +Commotion strange! in all enjoyments else +Superiour and unmoved; here only weak +Against the charm of Beauty's powerful glance. +Or Nature failed in me, and left some part +Not proof enough such object to sustain; +Or, from my side subducting, took perhaps +More than enough; at least on her bestowed +Too much of ornament, in outward show +Elaborate, of inward less exact. +For well I understand in the prime end +Of Nature her the inferiour, in the mind +And inward faculties, which most excel; +In outward also her resembling less +His image who made both, and less expressing +The character of that dominion given +O'er other creatures: Yet when I approach +Her loveliness, so absolute she seems +And in herself complete, so well to know +Her own, that what she wills to do or say, +Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best: +All higher knowledge in her presence falls +Degraded; Wisdom in discourse with her +Loses discountenanced, and like Folly shows; +Authority and Reason on her wait, +As one intended first, not after made +Occasionally; and, to consummate all, +Greatness of mind and Nobleness their seat +Build in her loveliest, and create an awe +About her, as a guard angelick placed. +To whom the Angel with contracted brow. +Accuse not Nature, she hath done her part; +Do thou but thine; and be not diffident +Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou +Dismiss not her, when most thou needest her nigh, +By attributing overmuch to things +Less excellent, as thou thyself perceivest. +For, what admirest thou, what transports thee so, +An outside? fair, no doubt, and worthy well +Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love; +Not thy subjection: Weigh with her thyself; +Then value: Oft-times nothing profits more +Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right +Well managed; of that skill the more thou knowest, +The more she will acknowledge thee her head, +And to realities yield all her shows: +Made so adorn for thy delight the more, +So awful, that with honour thou mayest love +Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. +But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind +Is propagated, seem such dear delight +Beyond all other; think the same vouchsafed +To cattle and each beast; which would not be +To them made common and divulged, if aught +Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue +The soul of man, or passion in him move. +What higher in her society thou findest +Attractive, human, rational, love still; +In loving thou dost well, in passion not, +Wherein true love consists not: Love refines +The thoughts, and heart enlarges; hath his seat +In reason, and is judicious; is the scale +By which to heavenly love thou mayest ascend, +Not sunk in carnal pleasure; for which cause, +Among the beasts no mate for thee was found. +To whom thus, half abashed, Adam replied. +Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught +In procreation common to all kinds, +(Though higher of the genial bed by far, +And with mysterious reverence I deem,) +So much delights me, as those graceful acts, +Those thousand decencies, that daily flow +From all her words and actions mixed with love +And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned +Union of mind, or in us both one soul; +Harmony to behold in wedded pair +More grateful than harmonious sound to the ear. +Yet these subject not; I to thee disclose +What inward thence I feel, not therefore foiled, +Who meet with various objects, from the sense +Variously representing; yet, still free, +Approve the best, and follow what I approve. +To love, thou blamest me not; for Love, thou sayest, +Leads up to Heaven, is both the way and guide; +Bear with me then, if lawful what I ask: +Love not the heavenly Spirits, and how their love +Express they? by looks only? or do they mix +Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch? +To whom the Angel, with a smile that glowed +Celestial rosy red, Love's proper hue, +Answered. Let it suffice thee that thou knowest +Us happy, and without love no happiness. +Whatever pure thou in the body enjoyest, +(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy +In eminence; and obstacle find none +Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars; +Easier than air with air, if Spirits embrace, +Total they mix, union of pure with pure +Desiring, nor restrained conveyance need, +As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul. +But I can now no more; the parting sun +Beyond the Earth's green Cape and verdant Isles +Hesperian sets, my signal to depart. +Be strong, live happy, and love! But, first of all, +Him, whom to love is to obey, and keep +His great command; take heed lest passion sway +Thy judgement to do aught, which else free will +Would not admit: thine, and of all thy sons, +The weal or woe in thee is placed; beware! +I in thy persevering shall rejoice, +And all the Blest: Stand fast;to stand or fall +Free in thine own arbitrement it lies. +Perfect within, no outward aid require; +And all temptation to transgress repel. +So saying, he arose; whom Adam thus +Followed with benediction. Since to part, +Go, heavenly guest, ethereal Messenger, +Sent from whose sovran goodness I adore! +Gentle to me and affable hath been +Thy condescension, and shall be honoured ever +With grateful memory: Thou to mankind +Be good and friendly still, and oft return! +So parted they; the Angel up to Heaven +From the thick shade, and Adam to his bower. + + + +Book IX + + +No more of talk where God or Angel guest +With Man, as with his friend, familiar us'd, +To sit indulgent, and with him partake +Rural repast; permitting him the while +Venial discourse unblam'd. I now must change +Those notes to tragick; foul distrust, and breach +Disloyal on the part of Man, revolt, +And disobedience: on the part of Heaven +Now alienated, distance and distaste, +Anger and just rebuke, and judgement given, +That brought into this world a world of woe, +Sin and her shadow Death, and Misery +Death's harbinger: Sad talk!yet argument +Not less but more heroick than the wrath +Of stern Achilles on his foe pursued +Thrice fugitive about Troy wall; or rage +Of Turnus for Lavinia disespous'd; +Or Neptune's ire, or Juno's, that so long +Perplexed the Greek, and Cytherea's son: + + 00482129 +If answerable style I can obtain +Of my celestial patroness, who deigns +Her nightly visitation unimplor'd, +And dictates to me slumbering; or inspires +Easy my unpremeditated verse: +Since first this subject for heroick song +Pleas'd me long choosing, and beginning late; +Not sedulous by nature to indite +Wars, hitherto the only argument +Heroick deem'd chief mastery to dissect +With long and tedious havock fabled knights +In battles feign'd; the better fortitude +Of patience and heroick martyrdom +Unsung; or to describe races and games, +Or tilting furniture, imblazon'd shields, +Impresses quaint, caparisons and steeds, +Bases and tinsel trappings, gorgeous knights +At joust and tournament; then marshall'd feast +Serv'd up in hall with sewers and seneshals; +The skill of artifice or office mean, +Not that which justly gives heroick name +To person, or to poem. Me, of these +Nor skill'd nor studious, higher argument +Remains; sufficient of itself to raise +That name, unless an age too late, or cold +Climate, or years, damp my intended wing +Depress'd; and much they may, if all be mine, +Not hers, who brings it nightly to my ear. +The sun was sunk, and after him the star +Of Hesperus, whose office is to bring +Twilight upon the earth, short arbiter +"twixt day and night, and now from end to end +Night's hemisphere had veil'd the horizon round: +When satan, who late fled before the threats +Of Gabriel out of Eden, now improv'd +In meditated fraud and malice, bent +On Man's destruction, maugre what might hap +Of heavier on himself, fearless returned +From compassing the earth; cautious of day, +Since Uriel, regent of the sun, descried +His entrance, and foreworned the Cherubim +That kept their watch; thence full of anguish driven, +The space of seven continued nights he rode +With darkness; thrice the equinoctial line +He circled; four times crossed the car of night +From pole to pole, traversing each colure; +On the eighth returned; and, on the coast averse +From entrance or Cherubick watch, by stealth +Found unsuspected way. There was a place, +Now not, though sin, not time, first wrought the change, +Where Tigris, at the foot of Paradise, +Into a gulf shot under ground, till part +Rose up a fountain by the tree of life: +In with the river sunk, and with it rose +Satan, involved in rising mist; then sought +Where to lie hid; sea he had searched, and land, +From Eden over Pontus and the pool +Maeotis, up beyond the river Ob; +Downward as far antarctick; and in length, +West from Orontes to the ocean barred +At Darien ; thence to the land where flows +Ganges and Indus: Thus the orb he roamed +With narrow search; and with inspection deep +Considered every creature, which of all +Most opportune might serve his wiles; and found +The Serpent subtlest beast of all the field. +Him after long debate, irresolute +Of thoughts revolved, his final sentence chose +Fit vessel, fittest imp of fraud, in whom +To enter, and his dark suggestions hide +From sharpest sight: for, in the wily snake +Whatever sleights, none would suspicious mark, +As from his wit and native subtlety +Proceeding; which, in other beasts observed, +Doubt might beget of diabolick power +Active within, beyond the sense of brute. +Thus he resolved, but first from inward grief +His bursting passion into plaints thus poured. +More justly, seat worthier of Gods, as built +With second thoughts, reforming what was old! +O Earth, how like to Heaven, if not preferred +For what God, after better, worse would build? +Terrestrial Heaven, danced round by other Heavens +That shine, yet bear their bright officious lamps, +Light above light, for thee alone, as seems, +In thee concentring all their precious beams +Of sacred influence! As God in Heaven +Is center, yet extends to all; so thou, +Centring, receivest from all those orbs: in thee, +Not in themselves, all their known virtue appears +Productive in herb, plant, and nobler birth +Of creatures animate with gradual life +Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in Man. +With what delight could I have walked thee round, +If I could joy in aught, sweet interchange +Of hill, and valley, rivers, woods, and plains, +Now land, now sea and shores with forest crowned, +Rocks, dens, and caves! But I in none of these +Find place or refuge; and the more I see +Pleasures about me, so much more I feel +Torment within me, as from the hateful siege +Of contraries: all good to me becomes +Bane, and in Heaven much worse would be my state. +But neither here seek I, no nor in Heaven +To dwell, unless by mastering Heaven's Supreme; +Nor hope to be myself less miserable +By what I seek, but others to make such +As I, though thereby worse to me redound: +For only in destroying I find ease +To my relentless thoughts; and, him destroyed, +Or won to what may work his utter loss, +For whom all this was made, all this will soon +Follow, as to him linked in weal or woe; +In woe then; that destruction wide may range: +To me shall be the glory sole among +The infernal Powers, in one day to have marred +What he, Almighty styled, six nights and days +Continued making; and who knows how long +Before had been contriving? though perhaps +Not longer than since I, in one night, freed +From servitude inglorious well nigh half +The angelick name, and thinner left the throng +Of his adorers: He, to be avenged, +And to repair his numbers thus impaired, +Whether such virtue spent of old now failed +More Angels to create, if they at least +Are his created, or, to spite us more, +Determined to advance into our room +A creature formed of earth, and him endow, +Exalted from so base original, +With heavenly spoils, our spoils: What he decreed, +He effected; Man he made, and for him built +Magnificent this world, and earth his seat, +Him lord pronounced; and, O indignity! +Subjected to his service angel-wings, +And flaming ministers to watch and tend +Their earthly charge: Of these the vigilance +I dread; and, to elude, thus wrapt in mist +Of midnight vapour glide obscure, and pry +In every bush and brake, where hap may find +The serpent sleeping; in whose mazy folds +To hide me, and the dark intent I bring. +O foul descent! that I, who erst contended +With Gods to sit the highest, am now constrained +Into a beast; and, mixed with bestial slime, +This essence to incarnate and imbrute, +That to the highth of Deity aspired! +But what will not ambition and revenge +Descend to? Who aspires, must down as low +As high he soared; obnoxious, first or last, +To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet, +Bitter ere long, back on itself recoils: +Let it; I reck not, so it light well aimed, +Since higher I fall short, on him who next +Provokes my envy, this new favourite +Of Heaven, this man of clay, son of despite, +Whom, us the more to spite, his Maker raised +From dust: Spite then with spite is best repaid. +So saying, through each thicket dank or dry, +Like a black mist low-creeping, he held on +His midnight-search, where soonest he might find +The serpent; him fast-sleeping soon he found +In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled, +His head the midst, well stored with subtile wiles: +Not yet in horrid shade or dismal den, +Nor nocent yet; but, on the grassy herb, +Fearless unfeared he slept: in at his mouth +The Devil entered; and his brutal sense, +In heart or head, possessing, soon inspired +With act intelligential; but his sleep +Disturbed not, waiting close the approach of morn. +Now, when as sacred light began to dawn +In Eden on the humid flowers, that breathed +Their morning incense, when all things, that breathe, +From the Earth's great altar send up silent praise +To the Creator, and his nostrils fill +With grateful smell, forth came the human pair, +And joined their vocal worship to the quire +Of creatures wanting voice; that done, partake +The season prime for sweetest scents and airs: +Then commune, how that day they best may ply +Their growing work: for much their work out-grew +The hands' dispatch of two gardening so wide, +And Eve first to her husband thus began. +Adam, well may we labour still to dress +This garden, still to tend plant, herb, and flower, +Our pleasant task enjoined; but, till more hands +Aid us, the work under our labour grows, +Luxurious by restraint; what we by day +Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind, +One night or two with wanton growth derides +Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise, +Or bear what to my mind first thoughts present: +Let us divide our labours; thou, where choice +Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind +The woodbine round this arbour, or direct +The clasping ivy where to climb; while I, +In yonder spring of roses intermixed +With myrtle, find what to redress till noon: +For, while so near each other thus all day +Our task we choose, what wonder if so near +Looks intervene and smiles, or object new +Casual discourse draw on; which intermits +Our day's work, brought to little, though begun +Early, and the hour of supper comes unearned? +To whom mild answer Adam thus returned. +Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond +Compare above all living creatures dear! +Well hast thou motioned, well thy thoughts employed, +How we might best fulfil the work which here +God hath assigned us; nor of me shalt pass +Unpraised: for nothing lovelier can be found +In woman, than to study houshold good, +And good works in her husband to promote. +Yet not so strictly hath our Lord imposed +Labour, as to debar us when we need +Refreshment, whether food, or talk between, +Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse +Of looks and smiles; for smiles from reason flow, +To brute denied, and are of love the food; +Love, not the lowest end of human life. +For not to irksome toil, but to delight, +He made us, and delight to reason joined. +These paths and bowers doubt not but our joint hands +Will keep from wilderness with ease, as wide +As we need walk, till younger hands ere long +Assist us; But, if much converse perhaps +Thee satiate, to short absence I could yield: +For solitude sometimes is best society, +And short retirement urges sweet return. +But other doubt possesses me, lest harm +Befall thee severed from me; for thou knowest +What hath been warned us, what malicious foe +Envying our happiness, and of his own +Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame +By sly assault; and somewhere nigh at hand +Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find +His wish and best advantage, us asunder; +Hopeless to circumvent us joined, where each +To other speedy aid might lend at need: +Whether his first design be to withdraw +Our fealty from God, or to disturb +Conjugal love, than which perhaps no bliss +Enjoyed by us excites his envy more; +Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful side +That gave thee being, still shades thee, and protects. +The wife, where danger or dishonour lurks, +Safest and seemliest by her husband stays, +Who guards her, or with her the worst endures. +To whom the virgin majesty of Eve, +As one who loves, and some unkindness meets, +With sweet austere composure thus replied. +Offspring of Heaven and Earth, and all Earth's Lord! +That such an enemy we have, who seeks +Our ruin, both by thee informed I learn, +And from the parting Angel over-heard, +As in a shady nook I stood behind, +Just then returned at shut of evening flowers. +But, that thou shouldst my firmness therefore doubt +To God or thee, because we have a foe +May tempt it, I expected not to hear. +His violence thou fearest not, being such +As we, not capable of death or pain, +Can either not receive, or can repel. +His fraud is then thy fear; which plain infers +Thy equal fear, that my firm faith and love +Can by his fraud be shaken or seduced; +Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy breast, +Adam, mis-thought of her to thee so dear? +To whom with healing words Adam replied. +Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve! +For such thou art; from sin and blame entire: +Not diffident of thee do I dissuade +Thy absence from my sight, but to avoid +The attempt itself, intended by our foe. +For he who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses +The tempted with dishonour foul; supposed +Not incorruptible of faith, not proof +Against temptation: Thou thyself with scorn +And anger wouldst resent the offered wrong, +Though ineffectual found: misdeem not then, +If such affront I labour to avert +From thee alone, which on us both at once +The enemy, though bold, will hardly dare; +Or daring, first on me the assault shall light. +Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn; +Subtle he needs must be, who could seduce +Angels; nor think superfluous other's aid. +I, from the influence of thy looks, receive +Access in every virtue; in thy sight +More wise, more watchful, stronger, if need were +Of outward strength; while shame, thou looking on, +Shame to be overcome or over-reached, +Would utmost vigour raise, and raised unite. +Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel +When I am present, and thy trial choose +With me, best witness of thy virtue tried? +So spake domestick Adam in his care +And matrimonial love; but Eve, who thought +Less attributed to her faith sincere, +Thus her reply with accent sweet renewed. +If this be our condition, thus to dwell +In narrow circuit straitened by a foe, +Subtle or violent, we not endued +Single with like defence, wherever met; +How are we happy, still in fear of harm? +But harm precedes not sin: only our foe, +Tempting, affronts us with his foul esteem +Of our integrity: his foul esteem +Sticks no dishonour on our front, but turns +Foul on himself; then wherefore shunned or feared +By us? who rather double honour gain +From his surmise proved false; find peace within, +Favour from Heaven, our witness, from the event. +And what is faith, love, virtue, unassayed +Alone, without exteriour help sustained? +Let us not then suspect our happy state +Left so imperfect by the Maker wise, +As not secure to single or combined. +Frail is our happiness, if this be so, +And Eden were no Eden, thus exposed. +To whom thus Adam fervently replied. +O Woman, best are all things as the will +Of God ordained them: His creating hand +Nothing imperfect or deficient left +Of all that he created, much less Man, +Or aught that might his happy state secure, +Secure from outward force; within himself +The danger lies, yet lies within his power: +Against his will he can receive no harm. +But God left free the will; for what obeys +Reason, is free; and Reason he made right, +But bid her well be ware, and still erect; +Lest, by some fair-appearing good surprised, +She dictate false; and mis-inform the will +To do what God expressly hath forbid. +Not then mistrust, but tender love, enjoins, +That I should mind thee oft; and mind thou me. +Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve; +Since Reason not impossibly may meet +Some specious object by the foe suborned, +And fall into deception unaware, +Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warned. +Seek not temptation then, which to avoid +Were better, and most likely if from me +Thou sever not: Trial will come unsought. +Wouldst thou approve thy constancy, approve +First thy obedience; the other who can know, +Not seeing thee attempted, who attest? +But, if thou think, trial unsought may find +Us both securer than thus warned thou seemest, +Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more; +Go in thy native innocence, rely +On what thou hast of virtue; summon all! +For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine. +So spake the patriarch of mankind; but Eve +Persisted; yet submiss, though last, replied. +With thy permission then, and thus forewarned +Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words +Touched only; that our trial, when least sought, +May find us both perhaps far less prepared, +The willinger I go, nor much expect +A foe so proud will first the weaker seek; +So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse. +Thus saying, from her husband's hand her hand +Soft she withdrew; and, like a Wood-Nymph light, +Oread or Dryad, or of Delia's train, +Betook her to the groves; but Delia's self +In gait surpassed, and Goddess-like deport, +Though not as she with bow and quiver armed, +But with such gardening tools as Art yet rude, +Guiltless of fire, had formed, or Angels brought. +To Pales, or Pomona, thus adorned, +Likest she seemed, Pomona when she fled +Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her prime, +Yet virgin of Proserpina from Jove. +Her long with ardent look his eye pursued +Delighted, but desiring more her stay. +Oft he to her his charge of quick return +Repeated; she to him as oft engaged +To be returned by noon amid the bower, +And all things in best order to invite +Noontide repast, or afternoon's repose. +O much deceived, much failing, hapless Eve, +Of thy presumed return! event perverse! +Thou never from that hour in Paradise +Foundst either sweet repast, or sound repose; +Such ambush, hid among sweet flowers and shades, +Waited with hellish rancour imminent +To intercept thy way, or send thee back +Despoiled of innocence, of faith, of bliss! +For now, and since first break of dawn, the Fiend, +Mere serpent in appearance, forth was come; +And on his quest, where likeliest he might find +The only two of mankind, but in them +The whole included race, his purposed prey. +In bower and field he sought, where any tuft +Of grove or garden-plot more pleasant lay, +Their tendance, or plantation for delight; +By fountain or by shady rivulet +He sought them both, but wished his hap might find +Eve separate; he wished, but not with hope +Of what so seldom chanced; when to his wish, +Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies, +Veiled in a cloud of fragrance, where she stood, +Half spied, so thick the roses blushing round +About her glowed, oft stooping to support +Each flower of slender stalk, whose head, though gay +Carnation, purple, azure, or specked with gold, +Hung drooping unsustained; them she upstays +Gently with myrtle band, mindless the while +Herself, though fairest unsupported flower, +From her best prop so far, and storm so nigh. +Nearer he drew, and many a walk traversed +Of stateliest covert, cedar, pine, or palm; +Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seen, +Among thick-woven arborets, and flowers +Imbordered on each bank, the hand of Eve: +Spot more delicious than those gardens feigned +Or of revived Adonis, or renowned +Alcinous, host of old Laertes' son; +Or that, not mystick, where the sapient king +Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian spouse. +Much he the place admired, the person more. +As one who long in populous city pent, +Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air, +Forth issuing on a summer's morn, to breathe +Among the pleasant villages and farms +Adjoined, from each thing met conceives delight; +The smell of grain, or tedded grass, or kine, +Or dairy, each rural sight, each rural sound; +If chance, with nymph-like step, fair virgin pass, +What pleasing seemed, for her now pleases more; +She most, and in her look sums all delight: +Such pleasure took the Serpent to behold +This flowery plat, the sweet recess of Eve +Thus early, thus alone: Her heavenly form +Angelick, but more soft, and feminine, +Her graceful innocence, her every air +Of gesture, or least action, overawed +His malice, and with rapine sweet bereaved +His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought: +That space the Evil-one abstracted stood +From his own evil, and for the time remained +Stupidly good; of enmity disarmed, +Of guile, of hate, of envy, of revenge: +But the hot Hell that always in him burns, +Though in mid Heaven, soon ended his delight, +And tortures him now more, the more he sees +Of pleasure, not for him ordained: then soon +Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts +Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites. +Thoughts, whither have ye led me! with what sweet +Compulsion thus transported, to forget +What hither brought us! hate, not love;nor hope +Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste +Of pleasure; but all pleasure to destroy, +Save what is in destroying; other joy +To me is lost. Then, let me not let pass +Occasion which now smiles; behold alone +The woman, opportune to all attempts, +Her husband, for I view far round, not nigh, +Whose higher intellectual more I shun, +And strength, of courage haughty, and of limb +Heroick built, though of terrestrial mould; +Foe not informidable! exempt from wound, +I not; so much hath Hell debased, and pain +Enfeebled me, to what I was in Heaven. +She fair, divinely fair, fit love for Gods! +Not terrible, though terrour be in love +And beauty, not approached by stronger hate, +Hate stronger, under show of love well feigned; +The way which to her ruin now I tend. +So spake the enemy of mankind, enclosed +In serpent, inmate bad! and toward Eve +Addressed his way: not with indented wave, +Prone on the ground, as since; but on his rear, +Circular base of rising folds, that towered +Fold above fold, a surging maze! his head +Crested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes; +With burnished neck of verdant gold, erect +Amidst his circling spires, that on the grass +Floated redundant: pleasing was his shape +And lovely; never since of serpent-kind +Lovelier, not those that in Illyria changed, +Hermione and Cadmus, or the god +In Epidaurus; nor to which transformed +Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline, was seen; +He with Olympias; this with her who bore +Scipio, the highth of Rome. With tract oblique +At first, as one who sought access, but feared +To interrupt, side-long he works his way. +As when a ship, by skilful steersmen wrought +Nigh river's mouth or foreland, where the wind +Veers oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her sail: +So varied he, and of his tortuous train +Curled many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve, +To lure her eye; she, busied, heard the sound +Of rusling leaves, but minded not, as used +To such disport before her through the field, +From every beast; more duteous at her call, +Than at Circean call the herd disguised. +He, bolder now, uncalled before her stood, +But as in gaze admiring: oft he bowed +His turret crest, and sleek enamelled neck, +Fawning; and licked the ground whereon she trod. +His gentle dumb expression turned at length +The eye of Eve to mark his play; he, glad +Of her attention gained, with serpent-tongue +Organick, or impulse of vocal air, +His fraudulent temptation thus began. +Wonder not, sovran Mistress, if perhaps +Thou canst, who art sole wonder! much less arm +Thy looks, the Heaven of mildness, with disdain, +Displeased that I approach thee thus, and gaze +Insatiate; I thus single;nor have feared +Thy awful brow, more awful thus retired. +Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair, +Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine +By gift, and thy celestial beauty adore +With ravishment beheld! there best beheld, +Where universally admired; but here +In this enclosure wild, these beasts among, +Beholders rude, and shallow to discern +Half what in thee is fair, one man except, +Who sees thee? and what is one? who should be seen +A Goddess among Gods, adored and served +By Angels numberless, thy daily train. +So glozed the Tempter, and his proem tuned: +Into the heart of Eve his words made way, +Though at the voice much marvelling; at length, +Not unamazed, she thus in answer spake. +What may this mean? language of man pronounced +By tongue of brute, and human sense expressed? +The first, at least, of these I thought denied +To beasts; whom God, on their creation-day, +Created mute to all articulate sound: +The latter I demur; for in their looks +Much reason, and in their actions, oft appears. +Thee, Serpent, subtlest beast of all the field +I knew, but not with human voice endued; +Redouble then this miracle, and say, +How camest thou speakable of mute, and how +To me so friendly grown above the rest +Of brutal kind, that daily are in sight? +Say, for such wonder claims attention due. +To whom the guileful Tempter thus replied. +Empress of this fair world, resplendent Eve! +Easy to me it is to tell thee all +What thou commandest; and right thou shouldst be obeyed: +I was at first as other beasts that graze +The trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low, +As was my food; nor aught but food discerned +Or sex, and apprehended nothing high: +Till, on a day roving the field, I chanced +A goodly tree far distant to behold +Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixed, +Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze; +When from the boughs a savoury odour blown, +Grateful to appetite, more pleased my sense +Than smell of sweetest fennel, or the teats +Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at even, +Unsucked of lamb or kid, that tend their play. +To satisfy the sharp desire I had +Of tasting those fair apples, I resolved +Not to defer; hunger and thirst at once, +Powerful persuaders, quickened at the scent +Of that alluring fruit, urged me so keen. +About the mossy trunk I wound me soon; +For, high from ground, the branches would require +Thy utmost reach or Adam's: Round the tree +All other beasts that saw, with like desire +Longing and envying stood, but could not reach. +Amid the tree now got, where plenty hung +Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill +I spared not; for, such pleasure till that hour, +At feed or fountain, never had I found. +Sated at length, ere long I might perceive +Strange alteration in me, to degree +Of reason in my inward powers; and speech +Wanted not long; though to this shape retained. +Thenceforth to speculations high or deep +I turned my thoughts, and with capacious mind +Considered all things visible in Heaven, +Or Earth, or Middle; all things fair and good: +But all that fair and good in thy divine +Semblance, and in thy beauty's heavenly ray, +United I beheld; no fair to thine +Equivalent or second! which compelled +Me thus, though importune perhaps, to come +And gaze, and worship thee of right declared +Sovran of creatures, universal Dame! +So talked the spirited sly Snake; and Eve, +Yet more amazed, unwary thus replied. +Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubt +The virtue of that fruit, in thee first proved: +But say, where grows the tree? from hence how far? +For many are the trees of God that grow +In Paradise, and various, yet unknown +To us; in such abundance lies our choice, +As leaves a greater store of fruit untouched, +Still hanging incorruptible, till men +Grow up to their provision, and more hands +Help to disburden Nature of her birth. +To whom the wily Adder, blithe and glad. +Empress, the way is ready, and not long; +Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat, +Fast by a fountain, one small thicket past +Of blowing myrrh and balm: if thou accept +My conduct, I can bring thee thither soon +Lead then, said Eve. He, leading, swiftly rolled +In tangles, and made intricate seem straight, +To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy +Brightens his crest; as when a wandering fire, +Compact of unctuous vapour, which the night +Condenses, and the cold environs round, +Kindled through agitation to a flame, +Which oft, they say, some evil Spirit attends, +Hovering and blazing with delusive light, +Misleads the amazed night-wanderer from his way +To bogs and mires, and oft through pond or pool; +There swallowed up and lost, from succour far. +So glistered the dire Snake, and into fraud +Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the tree +Of prohibition, root of all our woe; +Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake. +Serpent, we might have spared our coming hither, +Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to excess, +The credit of whose virtue rest with thee; +Wonderous indeed, if cause of such effects. +But of this tree we may not taste nor touch; +God so commanded, and left that command +Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live +Law to ourselves; our reason is our law. +To whom the Tempter guilefully replied. +Indeed! hath God then said that of the fruit +Of all these garden-trees ye shall not eat, +Yet Lords declared of all in earth or air$? +To whom thus Eve, yet sinless. Of the fruit +Of each tree in the garden we may eat; +But of the fruit of this fair tree amidst +The garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat +Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, lest ye die. +She scarce had said, though brief, when now more bold +The Tempter, but with show of zeal and love +To Man, and indignation at his wrong, +New part puts on; and, as to passion moved, +Fluctuates disturbed, yet comely and in act +Raised, as of some great matter to begin. +As when of old some orator renowned, +In Athens or free Rome, where eloquence +Flourished, since mute! to some great cause addressed, +Stood in himself collected; while each part, +Motion, each act, won audience ere the tongue; +Sometimes in highth began, as no delay +Of preface brooking, through his zeal of right: +So standing, moving, or to highth up grown, +The Tempter, all impassioned, thus began. +O sacred, wise, and wisdom-giving Plant, +Mother of science! now I feel thy power +Within me clear; not only to discern +Things in their causes, but to trace the ways +Of highest agents, deemed however wise. +Queen of this universe! do not believe +Those rigid threats of death: ye shall not die: +How should you? by the fruit? it gives you life +To knowledge; by the threatener? look on me, +Me, who have touched and tasted; yet both live, +And life more perfect have attained than Fate +Meant me, by venturing higher than my lot. +Shall that be shut to Man, which to the Beast +Is open? or will God incense his ire +For such a petty trespass? and not praise +Rather your dauntless virtue, whom the pain +Of death denounced, whatever thing death be, +Deterred not from achieving what might lead +To happier life, knowledge of good and evil; +Of good, how just? of evil, if what is evil +Be real, why not known, since easier shunned? +God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just; +Not just, not God; not feared then, nor obeyed: +Your fear itself of death removes the fear. +Why then was this forbid? Why, but to awe; +Why, but to keep ye low and ignorant, +His worshippers? He knows that in the day +Ye eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear, +Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be then +Opened and cleared, and ye shall be as Gods, +Knowing both good and evil, as they know. +That ye shall be as Gods, since I as Man, +Internal Man, is but proportion meet; +I, of brute, human; ye, of human, Gods. +So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off +Human, to put on Gods; death to be wished, +Though threatened, which no worse than this can bring. +And what are Gods, that Man may not become +As they, participating God-like food? +The Gods are first, and that advantage use +On our belief, that all from them proceeds: +I question it; for this fair earth I see, +Warmed by the sun, producing every kind; +Them, nothing: if they all things, who enclosed +Knowledge of good and evil in this tree, +That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attains +Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies +The offence, that Man should thus attain to know? +What can your knowledge hurt him, or this tree +Impart against his will, if all be his? +Or is it envy? and can envy dwell +In heavenly breasts? These, these, and many more +Causes import your need of this fair fruit. +Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste! +He ended; and his words, replete with guile, +Into her heart too easy entrance won: +Fixed on the fruit she gazed, which to behold +Might tempt alone; and in her ears the sound +Yet rung of his persuasive words, impregned +With reason, to her seeming, and with truth: +Mean while the hour of noon drew on, and waked +An eager appetite, raised by the smell +So savoury of that fruit, which with desire, +Inclinable now grown to touch or taste, +Solicited her longing eye; yet first +Pausing a while, thus to herself she mused. +Great are thy virtues, doubtless, best of fruits, +Though kept from man, and worthy to be admired; +Whose taste, too long forborn, at first assay +Gave elocution to the mute, and taught +The tongue not made for speech to speak thy praise: +Thy praise he also, who forbids thy use, +Conceals not from us, naming thee the tree +Of knowledge, knowledge both of good and evil; +Forbids us then to taste! but his forbidding +Commends thee more, while it infers the good +By thee communicated, and our want: +For good unknown sure is not had; or, had +And yet unknown, is as not had at all. +In plain then, what forbids he but to know, +Forbids us good, forbids us to be wise? +Such prohibitions bind not. But, if death +Bind us with after-bands, what profits then +Our inward freedom? In the day we eat +Of this fair fruit, our doom is, we shall die! +How dies the Serpent? he hath eaten and lives, +And knows, and speaks, and reasons, and discerns, +Irrational till then. For us alone +Was death invented? or to us denied +This intellectual food, for beasts reserved? +For beasts it seems: yet that one beast which first +Hath tasted envies not, but brings with joy +The good befallen him, author unsuspect, +Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile. +What fear I then? rather, what know to fear +Under this ignorance of good and evil, +Of God or death, of law or penalty? +Here grows the cure of all, this fruit divine, +Fair to the eye, inviting to the taste, +Of virtue to make wise: What hinders then +To reach, and feed at once both body and mind? +So saying, her rash hand in evil hour +Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she eat! +Earth felt the wound; and Nature from her seat, +Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe, +That all was lost. Back to the thicket slunk +The guilty Serpent; and well might;for Eve, +Intent now wholly on her taste, nought else +Regarded; such delight till then, as seemed, +In fruit she never tasted, whether true +Or fancied so, through expectation high +Of knowledge; not was Godhead from her thought. +Greedily she ingorged without restraint, +And knew not eating death: Satiate at length, +And hightened as with wine, jocund and boon, +Thus to herself she pleasingly began. +O sovran, virtuous, precious of all trees +In Paradise! of operation blest +To sapience, hitherto obscured, infamed. +And thy fair fruit let hang, as to no end +Created; but henceforth my early care, +Not without song, each morning, and due praise, +Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden ease +Of thy full branches offered free to all; +Till, dieted by thee, I grow mature +In knowledge, as the Gods, who all things know; +Though others envy what they cannot give: +For, had the gift been theirs, it had not here +Thus grown. Experience, next, to thee I owe, +Best guide; not following thee, I had remained +In ignorance; thou openest wisdom's way, +And givest access, though secret she retire. +And I perhaps am secret: Heaven is high, +High, and remote to see from thence distinct +Each thing on Earth; and other care perhaps +May have diverted from continual watch +Our great Forbidder, safe with all his spies +About him. But to Adam in what sort +Shall I appear? shall I to him make known +As yet my change, and give him to partake +Full happiness with me, or rather not, +But keeps the odds of knowledge in my power +Without copartner? so to add what wants +In female sex, the more to draw his love, +And render me more equal; and perhaps, +A thing not undesirable, sometime +Superiour; for, inferiour, who is free +This may be well: But what if God have seen, +And death ensue? then I shall be no more! +And Adam, wedded to another Eve, +Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct; +A death to think! Confirmed then I resolve, +Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe: +So dear I love him, that with him all deaths +I could endure, without him live no life. +So saying, from the tree her step she turned; +But first low reverence done, as to the Power +That dwelt within, whose presence had infused +Into the plant sciential sap, derived +From nectar, drink of Gods. Adam the while, +Waiting desirous her return, had wove +Of choicest flowers a garland, to adorn +Her tresses, and her rural labours crown; +As reapers oft are wont their harvest-queen. +Great joy he promised to his thoughts, and new +Solace in her return, so long delayed: +Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill, +Misgave him; he the faltering measure felt; +And forth to meet her went, the way she took +That morn when first they parted: by the tree +Of knowledge he must pass; there he her met, +Scarce from the tree returning; in her hand +A bough of fairest fruit, that downy smiled, +New gathered, and ambrosial smell diffused. +To him she hasted; in her face excuse +Came prologue, and apology too prompt; +Which, with bland words at will, she thus addressed. +Hast thou not wondered, Adam, at my stay? +Thee I have missed, and thought it long, deprived +Thy presence; agony of love till now +Not felt, nor shall be twice; for never more +Mean I to try, what rash untried I sought, +The pain of absence from thy sight. But strange +Hath been the cause, and wonderful to hear: +This tree is not, as we are told, a tree +Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown +Opening the way, but of divine effect +To open eyes, and make them Gods who taste; +And hath been tasted such: The serpent wise, +Or not restrained as we, or not obeying, +Hath eaten of the fruit; and is become, +Not dead, as we are threatened, but thenceforth +Endued with human voice and human sense, +Reasoning to admiration; and with me +Persuasively hath so prevailed, that I +Have also tasted, and have also found +The effects to correspond; opener mine eyes, +Dim erst, dilated spirits, ampler heart, +And growing up to Godhead; which for thee +Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise. +For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss; +Tedious, unshared with thee, and odious soon. +Thou therefore also taste, that equal lot +May join us, equal joy, as equal love; +Lest, thou not tasting, different degree +Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce +Deity for thee, when Fate will not permit. +Thus Eve with countenance blithe her story told; +But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed. +On the other side Adam, soon as he heard +The fatal trespass done by Eve, amazed, +Astonied stood and blank, while horrour chill +Ran through his veins, and all his joints relaxed; +From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve +Down dropt, and all the faded roses shed: +Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length +First to himself he inward silence broke. +O fairest of Creation, last and best +Of all God's works, Creature in whom excelled +Whatever can to sight or thought be formed, +Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet! +How art thou lost! how on a sudden lost, +Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote! +Rather, how hast thou yielded to transgress +The strict forbiddance, how to violate +The sacred fruit forbidden! Some cursed fraud +Of enemy hath beguiled thee, yet unknown, +And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee +Certain my resolution is to die: +How can I live without thee! how forego +Thy sweet converse, and love so dearly joined, +To live again in these wild woods forlorn! +Should God create another Eve, and I +Another rib afford, yet loss of thee +Would never from my heart: no, no!I feel +The link of Nature draw me: flesh of flesh, +Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state +Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe. +So having said, as one from sad dismay +Recomforted, and after thoughts disturbed +Submitting to what seemed remediless, +Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turned. +Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve, +And peril great provoked, who thus hast dared, +Had it been only coveting to eye +That sacred fruit, sacred to abstinence, +Much more to taste it under ban to touch. +But past who can recall, or done undo? +Not God Omnipotent, nor Fate; yet so +Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact +Is not so heinous now, foretasted fruit, +Profaned first by the serpent, by him first +Made common, and unhallowed, ere our taste; +Nor yet on him found deadly; yet he lives; +Lives, as thou saidst, and gains to live, as Man, +Higher degree of life; inducement strong +To us, as likely tasting to attain +Proportional ascent; which cannot be +But to be Gods, or Angels, demi-Gods. +Nor can I think that God, Creator wise, +Though threatening, will in earnest so destroy +Us his prime creatures, dignified so high, +Set over all his works; which in our fall, +For us created, needs with us must fail, +Dependant made; so God shall uncreate, +Be frustrate, do, undo, and labour lose; +Not well conceived of God, who, though his power +Creation could repeat, yet would be loth +Us to abolish, lest the Adversary +Triumph, and say; "Fickle their state whom God +"Most favours; who can please him long? Me first +"He ruined, now Mankind; whom will he next?" +Matter of scorn, not to be given the Foe. +However I with thee have fixed my lot, +Certain to undergo like doom: If death +Consort with thee, death is to me as life; +So forcible within my heart I feel +The bond of Nature draw me to my own; +My own in thee, for what thou art is mine; +Our state cannot be severed; we are one, +One flesh; to lose thee were to lose myself. +So Adam; and thus Eve to him replied. +O glorious trial of exceeding love, +Illustrious evidence, example high! +Engaging me to emulate; but, short +Of thy perfection, how shall I attain, +Adam, from whose dear side I boast me sprung, +And gladly of our union hear thee speak, +One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof +This day affords, declaring thee resolved, +Rather than death, or aught than death more dread, +Shall separate us, linked in love so dear, +To undergo with me one guilt, one crime, +If any be, of tasting this fair fruit; +Whose virtue for of good still good proceeds, +Direct, or by occasion, hath presented +This happy trial of thy love, which else +So eminently never had been known? +Were it I thought death menaced would ensue +This my attempt, I would sustain alone +The worst, and not persuade thee, rather die +Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact +Pernicious to thy peace; chiefly assured +Remarkably so late of thy so true, +So faithful, love unequalled: but I feel +Far otherwise the event; not death, but life +Augmented, opened eyes, new hopes, new joys, +Taste so divine, that what of sweet before +Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh. +On my experience, Adam, freely taste, +And fear of death deliver to the winds. +So saying, she embraced him, and for joy +Tenderly wept; much won, that he his love +Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur +Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. +In recompence for such compliance bad +Such recompence best merits from the bough +She gave him of that fair enticing fruit +With liberal hand: he scrupled not to eat, +Against his better knowledge; not deceived, +But fondly overcome with female charm. +Earth trembled from her entrails, as again +In pangs; and Nature gave a second groan; +Sky loured; and, muttering thunder, some sad drops +Wept at completing of the mortal sin +Original: while Adam took no thought, +Eating his fill; nor Eve to iterate +Her former trespass feared, the more to sooth +Him with her loved society; that now, +As with new wine intoxicated both, +They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel +Divinity within them breeding wings, +Wherewith to scorn the earth: But that false fruit +Far other operation first displayed, +Carnal desire inflaming; he on Eve +Began to cast lascivious eyes; she him +As wantonly repaid; in lust they burn: +Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move. +Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste, +And elegant, of sapience no small part; +Since to each meaning savour we apply, +And palate call judicious; I the praise +Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purveyed. +Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstained +From this delightful fruit, nor known till now +True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be +In things to us forbidden, it might be wished, +For this one tree had been forbidden ten. +But come, so well refreshed, now let us play, +As meet is, after such delicious fare; +For never did thy beauty, since the day +I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorned +With all perfections, so inflame my sense +With ardour to enjoy thee, fairer now +Than ever; bounty of this virtuous tree! +So said he, and forbore not glance or toy +Of amorous intent; well understood +Of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire. +Her hand he seised; and to a shady bank, +Thick over-head with verdant roof imbowered, +He led her nothing loth; flowers were the couch, +Pansies, and violets, and asphodel, +And hyacinth; Earth's freshest softest lap. +There they their fill of love and love's disport +Took largely, of their mutual guilt the seal, +The solace of their sin; till dewy sleep +Oppressed them, wearied with their amorous play, +Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit, +That with exhilarating vapour bland +About their spirits had played, and inmost powers +Made err, was now exhaled; and grosser sleep, +Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious dreams +Incumbered, now had left them; up they rose +As from unrest; and, each the other viewing, +Soon found their eyes how opened, and their minds +How darkened; innocence, that as a veil +Had shadowed them from knowing ill, was gone; +Just confidence, and native righteousness, +And honour, from about them, naked left +To guilty Shame; he covered, but his robe +Uncovered more. So rose the Danite strong, +Herculean Samson, from the harlot-lap +Of Philistean Dalilah, and waked +Shorn of his strength. They destitute and bare +Of all their virtue: Silent, and in face +Confounded, long they sat, as strucken mute: +Till Adam, though not less than Eve abashed, +At length gave utterance to these words constrained. +O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear +To that false worm, of whomsoever taught +To counterfeit Man's voice; true in our fall, +False in our promised rising; since our eyes +Opened we find indeed, and find we know +Both good and evil; good lost, and evil got; +Bad fruit of knowledge, if this be to know; +Which leaves us naked thus, of honour void, +Of innocence, of faith, of purity, +Our wonted ornaments now soiled and stained, +And in our faces evident the signs +Of foul concupiscence; whence evil store; +Even shame, the last of evils; of the first +Be sure then.--How shall I behold the face +Henceforth of God or Angel, erst with joy +And rapture so oft beheld? Those heavenly shapes +Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze +Insufferably bright. O! might I here +In solitude live savage; in some glade +Obscured, where highest woods, impenetrable +To star or sun-light, spread their umbrage broad +And brown as evening: Cover me, ye Pines! +Ye Cedars, with innumerable boughs +Hide me, where I may never see them more!-- +But let us now, as in bad plight, devise +What best may for the present serve to hide +The parts of each from other, that seem most +To shame obnoxious, and unseemliest seen; +Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sewed, +And girded on our loins, may cover round +Those middle parts; that this new comer, Shame, +There sit not, and reproach us as unclean. +So counselled he, and both together went +Into the thickest wood; there soon they chose +The fig-tree; not that kind for fruit renowned, +But such as at this day, to Indians known, +In Malabar or Decan spreads her arms +Branching so broad and long, that in the ground +The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow +About the mother tree, a pillared shade +High over-arched, and echoing walks between: +There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, +Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds +At loop-holes cut through thickest shade: Those leaves +They gathered, broad as Amazonian targe; +And, with what skill they had, together sewed, +To gird their waist; vain covering, if to hide +Their guilt and dreaded shame! O, how unlike +To that first naked glory! Such of late +Columbus found the American, so girt +With feathered cincture; naked else, and wild +Among the trees on isles and woody shores. +Thus fenced, and, as they thought, their shame in part +Covered, but not at rest or ease of mind, +They sat them down to weep; nor only tears +Rained at their eyes, but high winds worse within +Began to rise, high passions, anger, hate, +Mistrust, suspicion, discord; and shook sore +Their inward state of mind, calm region once +And full of peace, now tost and turbulent: +For Understanding ruled not, and the Will +Heard not her lore; both in subjection now +To sensual Appetite, who from beneath +Usurping over sovran Reason claimed +Superiour sway: From thus distempered breast, +Adam, estranged in look and altered style, +Speech intermitted thus to Eve renewed. +Would thou hadst hearkened to my words, and staid +With me, as I besought thee, when that strange +Desire of wandering, this unhappy morn, +I know not whence possessed thee; we had then +Remained still happy; not, as now, despoiled +Of all our good; shamed, naked, miserable! +Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve +The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek +Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail. +To whom, soon moved with touch of blame, thus Eve. +What words have passed thy lips, Adam severe! +Imputest thou that to my default, or will +Of wandering, as thou callest it, which who knows +But might as ill have happened thou being by, +Or to thyself perhaps? Hadst thou been there, +Or here the attempt, thou couldst not have discerned +Fraud in the Serpent, speaking as he spake; +No ground of enmity between us known, +Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm. +Was I to have never parted from thy side? +As good have grown there still a lifeless rib. +Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head, +Command me absolutely not to go, +Going into such danger, as thou saidst? +Too facile then, thou didst not much gainsay; +Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss. +Hadst thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent, +Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me. +To whom, then first incensed, Adam replied. +Is this the love, is this the recompence +Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve! expressed +Immutable, when thou wert lost, not I; +Who might have lived, and joyed immortal bliss, +Yet willingly chose rather death with thee? +And am I now upbraided as the cause +Of thy transgressing? Not enough severe, +It seems, in thy restraint: What could I more +I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold +The danger, and the lurking enemy +That lay in wait; beyond this, had been force; +And force upon free will hath here no place. +But confidence then bore thee on; secure +Either to meet no danger, or to find +Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps +I also erred, in overmuch admiring +What seemed in thee so perfect, that I thought +No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue +The errour now, which is become my crime, +And thou the accuser. Thus it shall befall +Him, who, to worth in women overtrusting, +Lets her will rule: restraint she will not brook; +And, left to herself, if evil thence ensue, +She first his weak indulgence will accuse. +Thus they in mutual accusation spent +The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning; +And of their vain contest appeared no end. + + + +Book X + + +Mean while the heinous and despiteful act +Of Satan, done in Paradise; and how +He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve, +Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit, +Was known in Heaven; for what can 'scape the eye +Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart +Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just, +Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind +Of Man, with strength entire and free will armed, +Complete to have discovered and repulsed +Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend. +For still they knew, and ought to have still remembered, +The high injunction, not to taste that fruit, +Whoever tempted; which they not obeying, +(Incurred what could they less?) the penalty; +And, manifold in sin, deserved to fall. +Up into Heaven from Paradise in haste +The angelick guards ascended, mute, and sad, +For Man; for of his state by this they knew, +Much wondering how the subtle Fiend had stolen +Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news +From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased +All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare +That time celestial visages, yet, mixed +With pity, violated not their bliss. +About the new-arrived, in multitudes +The ethereal people ran, to hear and know +How all befel: They towards the throne supreme, +Accountable, made haste, to make appear, +With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance +And easily approved; when the Most High +Eternal Father, from his secret cloud, +Amidst in thunder uttered thus his voice. +Assembled Angels, and ye Powers returned +From unsuccessful charge; be not dismayed, +Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth, +Which your sincerest care could not prevent; +Foretold so lately what would come to pass, +When first this tempter crossed the gulf from Hell. +I told ye then he should prevail, and speed +On his bad errand; Man should be seduced, +And flattered out of all, believing lies +Against his Maker; no decree of mine +Concurring to necessitate his fall, +Or touch with lightest moment of impulse +His free will, to her own inclining left +In even scale. But fallen he is; and now +What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass +On his transgression,--death denounced that day? +Which he presumes already vain and void, +Because not yet inflicted, as he feared, +By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find +Forbearance no acquittance, ere day end. +Justice shall not return as bounty scorned. +But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee, +Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferred +All judgement, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell. +Easy it may be seen that I intend +Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee +Man's friend, his Mediator, his designed +Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary, +And destined Man himself to judge Man fallen. +So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright +Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son +Blazed forth unclouded Deity: He full +Resplendent all his Father manifest +Expressed, and thus divinely answered mild. +Father Eternal, thine is to decree; +Mine, both in Heaven and Earth, to do thy will +Supreme; that thou in me, thy Son beloved, +Mayest ever rest well pleased. I go to judge +On earth these thy transgressours; but thou knowest, +Whoever judged, the worst on me must light, +When time shall be; for so I undertook +Before thee; and, not repenting, this obtain +Of right, that I may mitigate their doom +On me derived; yet I shall temper so +Justice with mercy, as may illustrate most +Them fully satisfied, and thee appease. +Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none +Are to behold the judgement, but the judged, +Those two; the third best absent is condemned, +Convict by flight, and rebel to all law: +Conviction to the serpent none belongs. +Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose +Of high collateral glory: Him Thrones, and Powers, +Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant, +Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence +Eden, and all the coast, in prospect lay. +Down he descended straight; the speed of Gods +Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes winged. +Now was the sun in western cadence low +From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour, +To fan the earth now waked, and usher in +The evening cool; when he, from wrath more cool, +Came the mild Judge, and Intercessour both, +To sentence Man: The voice of God they heard +Now walking in the garden, by soft winds +Brought to their ears, while day declined; they heard, +And from his presence hid themselves among +The thickest trees, both man and wife; till God, +Approaching, thus to Adam called aloud. +Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet +My coming seen far off? I miss thee here, +Not pleased, thus entertained with solitude, +Where obvious duty ere while appeared unsought: +Or come I less conspicuous, or what change +Absents thee, or what chance detains?--Come forth! +He came; and with him Eve, more loth, though first +To offend; discountenanced both, and discomposed; +Love was not in their looks, either to God, +Or to each other; but apparent guilt, +And shame, and perturbation, and despair, +Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile. +Whence Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief. +I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice +Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom +The gracious Judge without revile replied. +My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not feared, +But still rejoiced; how is it now become +So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who +Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree, +Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat? +To whom thus Adam sore beset replied. +O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand +Before my Judge; either to undergo +Myself the total crime, or to accuse +My other self, the partner of my life; +Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, +I should conceal, and not expose to blame +By my complaint: but strict necessity +Subdues me, and calamitous constraint; +Lest on my head both sin and punishment, +However insupportable, be all +Devolved; though should I hold my peace, yet thou +Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.-- +This Woman, whom thou madest to be my help, +And gavest me as thy perfect gift, so good, +So fit, so acceptable, so divine, +That from her hand I could suspect no ill, +And what she did, whatever in itself, +Her doing seemed to justify the deed; +She gave me of the tree, and I did eat. +To whom the Sovran Presence thus replied. +Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey +Before his voice? or was she made thy guide, +Superiour, or but equal, that to her +Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place +Wherein God set thee above her made of thee, +And for thee, whose perfection far excelled +Hers in all real dignity? Adorned +She was indeed, and lovely, to attract +Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts +Were such, as under government well seemed; +Unseemly to bear rule; which was thy part +And person, hadst thou known thyself aright. +So having said, he thus to Eve in few. +Say, Woman, what is this which thou hast done? +To whom sad Eve, with shame nigh overwhelmed, +Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge +Bold or loquacious, thus abashed replied. +The Serpent me beguiled, and I did eat. +Which when the Lord God heard, without delay +To judgement he proceeded on the accused +Serpent, though brute; unable to transfer +The guilt on him, who made him instrument +Of mischief, and polluted from the end +Of his creation; justly then accursed, +As vitiated in nature: More to know +Concerned not Man, (since he no further knew) +Nor altered his offence; yet God at last +To Satan first in sin his doom applied, +Though in mysterious terms, judged as then best: +And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall. +Because thou hast done this, thou art accursed +Above all cattle, each beast of the field; +Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go, +And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life. +Between thee and the woman I will put +Enmity, and between thine and her seed; +Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel. +So spake this oracle, then verified +When Jesus, Son of Mary, second Eve, +Saw Satan fall, like lightning, down from Heaven, +Prince of the air; then, rising from his grave +Spoiled Principalities and Powers, triumphed +In open show; and, with ascension bright, +Captivity led captive through the air, +The realm itself of Satan, long usurped; +Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; +Even he, who now foretold his fatal bruise; +And to the Woman thus his sentence turned. +Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply +By thy conception; children thou shalt bring +In sorrow forth; and to thy husband's will +Thine shall submit; he over thee shall rule. +On Adam last thus judgement he pronounced. +Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, +And eaten of the tree, concerning which +I charged thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat thereof: +Cursed is the ground for thy sake; thou in sorrow +Shalt eat thereof, all the days of thy life; +Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth +Unbid; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; +In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, +Till thou return unto the ground; for thou +Out of the ground wast taken, know thy birth, +For dust thou art, and shalt to dust return. +So judged he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent; +And the instant stroke of death, denounced that day, +Removed far off; then, pitying how they stood +Before him naked to the air, that now +Must suffer change, disdained not to begin +Thenceforth the form of servant to assume; +As when he washed his servants feet; so now, +As father of his family, he clad +Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain, +Or as the snake with youthful coat repaid; +And thought not much to clothe his enemies; +Nor he their outward only with the skins +Of beasts, but inward nakedness, much more. +Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness, +Arraying, covered from his Father's sight. +To him with swift ascent he up returned, +Into his blissful bosom reassumed +In glory, as of old; to him appeased +All, though all-knowing, what had passed with Man +Recounted, mixing intercession sweet. +Mean while, ere thus was sinned and judged on Earth, +Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and Death, +In counterview within the gates, that now +Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame +Far into Chaos, since the Fiend passed through, +Sin opening; who thus now to Death began. +O Son, why sit we here each other viewing +Idly, while Satan, our great author, thrives +In other worlds, and happier seat provides +For us, his offspring dear? It cannot be +But that success attends him; if mishap, +Ere this he had returned, with fury driven +By his avengers; since no place like this +Can fit his punishment, or their revenge. +Methinks I feel new strength within me rise, +Wings growing, and dominion given me large +Beyond this deep; whatever draws me on, +Or sympathy, or some connatural force, +Powerful at greatest distance to unite, +With secret amity, things of like kind, +By secretest conveyance. Thou, my shade +Inseparable, must with me along; +For Death from Sin no power can separate. +But, lest the difficulty of passing back +Stay his return perhaps over this gulf +Impassable, impervious; let us try +Adventurous work, yet to thy power and mine +Not unagreeable, to found a path +Over this main from Hell to that new world, +Where Satan now prevails; a monument +Of merit high to all the infernal host, +Easing their passage hence, for intercourse, +Or transmigration, as their lot shall lead. +Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn +By this new-felt attraction and instinct. +Whom thus the meager Shadow answered soon. +Go, whither Fate, and inclination strong, +Leads thee; I shall not lag behind, nor err +The way, thou leading; such a scent I draw +Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste +The savour of death from all things there that live: +Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest +Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid. +So saying, with delight he snuffed the smell +Of mortal change on earth. As when a flock +Of ravenous fowl, though many a league remote, +Against the day of battle, to a field, +Where armies lie encamped, come flying, lured +With scent of living carcasses designed +For death, the following day, in bloody fight: +So scented the grim Feature, and upturned +His nostril wide into the murky air; +Sagacious of his quarry from so far. +Then both from out Hell-gates, into the waste +Wide anarchy of Chaos, damp and dark, +Flew diverse; and with power (their power was great) +Hovering upon the waters, what they met +Solid or slimy, as in raging sea +Tost up and down, together crouded drove, +From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell; +As when two polar winds, blowing adverse +Upon the Cronian sea, together drive +Mountains of ice, that stop the imagined way +Beyond Petsora eastward, to the rich +Cathaian coast. The aggregated soil +Death with his mace petrifick, cold and dry, +As with a trident, smote; and fixed as firm +As Delos, floating once; the rest his look +Bound with Gorgonian rigour not to move; +And with Asphaltick slime, broad as the gate, +Deep to the roots of Hell the gathered beach +They fastened, and the mole immense wrought on +Over the foaming deep high-arched, a bridge +Of length prodigious, joining to the wall +Immoveable of this now fenceless world, +Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad, +Smooth, easy, inoffensive, down to Hell. +So, if great things to small may be compared, +Xerxes, the liberty of Greece to yoke, +From Susa, his Memnonian palace high, +Came to the sea: and, over Hellespont +Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joined, +And scourged with many a stroke the indignant waves. +Now had they brought the work by wonderous art +Pontifical, a ridge of pendant rock, +Over the vexed abyss, following the track +Of Satan to the self-same place where he +First lighted from his wing, and landed safe +From out of Chaos, to the outside bare +Of this round world: With pins of adamant +And chains they made all fast, too fast they made +And durable! And now in little space +The confines met of empyrean Heaven, +And of this World; and, on the left hand, Hell +With long reach interposed; three several ways +In sight, to each of these three places led. +And now their way to Earth they had descried, +To Paradise first tending; when, behold! +Satan, in likeness of an Angel bright, +Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering +His zenith, while the sun in Aries rose: +Disguised he came; but those his children dear +Their parent soon discerned, though in disguise. +He, after Eve seduced, unminded slunk +Into the wood fast by; and, changing shape, +To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act +By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded +Upon her husband; saw their shame that sought +Vain covertures; but when he saw descend +The Son of God to judge them, terrified +He fled; not hoping to escape, but shun +The present; fearing, guilty, what his wrath +Might suddenly inflict; that past, returned +By night, and listening where the hapless pair +Sat in their sad discourse, and various plaint, +Thence gathered his own doom; which understood +Not instant, but of future time, with joy +And tidings fraught, to Hell he now returned; +And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot +Of this new wonderous pontifice, unhoped +Met, who to meet him came, his offspring dear. +Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight +Of that stupendious bridge his joy encreased. +Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair +Enchanting daughter, thus the silence broke. +O Parent, these are thy magnifick deeds, +Thy trophies! which thou viewest as not thine own; +Thou art their author, and prime architect: +For I no sooner in my heart divined, +My heart, which by a secret harmony +Still moves with thine, joined in connexion sweet, +That thou on earth hadst prospered, which thy looks +Now also evidence, but straight I felt, +Though distant from thee worlds between, yet felt, +That I must after thee, with this thy son; +Such fatal consequence unites us three! +Hell could no longer hold us in our bounds, +Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure +Detain from following thy illustrious track. +Thou hast achieved our liberty, confined +Within Hell-gates till now; thou us impowered +To fortify thus far, and overlay, +With this portentous bridge, the dark abyss. +Thine now is all this world; thy virtue hath won +What thy hands builded not; thy wisdom gained +With odds what war hath lost, and fully avenged +Our foil in Heaven; here thou shalt monarch reign, +There didst not; there let him still victor sway, +As battle hath adjudged; from this new world +Retiring, by his own doom alienated; +And henceforth monarchy with thee divide +Of all things, parted by the empyreal bounds, +His quadrature, from thy orbicular world; +Or try thee now more dangerous to his throne. +Whom thus the Prince of darkness answered glad. +Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both; +High proof ye now have given to be the race +Of Satan (for I glory in the name, +Antagonist of Heaven's Almighty King,) +Amply have merited of me, of all +The infernal empire, that so near Heaven's door +Triumphal with triumphal act have met, +Mine, with this glorious work; and made one realm, +Hell and this world, one realm, one continent +Of easy thorough-fare. Therefore, while I +Descend through darkness, on your road with ease, +To my associate Powers, them to acquaint +With these successes, and with them rejoice; +You two this way, among these numerous orbs, +All yours, right down to Paradise descend; +There dwell, and reign in bliss; thence on the earth +Dominion exercise and in the air, +Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declared; +Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill. +My substitutes I send ye, and create +Plenipotent on earth, of matchless might +Issuing from me: on your joint vigour now +My hold of this new kingdom all depends, +Through Sin to Death exposed by my exploit. +If your joint power prevail, the affairs of Hell +No detriment need fear; go, and be strong! +So saying he dismissed them; they with speed +Their course through thickest constellations held, +Spreading their bane; the blasted stars looked wan, +And planets, planet-struck, real eclipse +Then suffered. The other way Satan went down +The causey to Hell-gate: On either side +Disparted Chaos overbuilt exclaimed, +And with rebounding surge the bars assailed, +That scorned his indignation: Through the gate, +Wide open and unguarded, Satan passed, +And all about found desolate; for those, +Appointed to sit there, had left their charge, +Flown to the upper world; the rest were all +Far to the inland retired, about the walls +Of Pandemonium; city and proud seat +Of Lucifer, so by allusion called +Of that bright star to Satan paragoned; +There kept their watch the legions, while the Grand +In council sat, solicitous what chance +Might intercept their emperour sent; so he +Departing gave command, and they observed. +As when the Tartar from his Russian foe, +By Astracan, over the snowy plains, +Retires; or Bactrin Sophi, from the horns +Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste beyond +The realm of Aladule, in his retreat +To Tauris or Casbeen: So these, the late +Heaven-banished host, left desart utmost Hell +Many a dark league, reduced in careful watch +Round their metropolis; and now expecting +Each hour their great adventurer, from the search +Of foreign worlds: He through the midst unmarked, +In show plebeian Angel militant +Of lowest order, passed; and from the door +Of that Plutonian hall, invisible +Ascended his high throne; which, under state +Of richest texture spread, at the upper end +Was placed in regal lustre. Down a while +He sat, and round about him saw unseen: +At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head +And shape star-bright appeared, or brighter; clad +With what permissive glory since his fall +Was left him, or false glitter: All amazed +At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng +Bent their aspect, and whom they wished beheld, +Their mighty Chief returned: loud was the acclaim: +Forth rushed in haste the great consulting peers, +Raised from their dark Divan, and with like joy +Congratulant approached him; who with hand +Silence, and with these words attention, won. +Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers; +For in possession such, not only of right, +I call ye, and declare ye now; returned +Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth +Triumphant out of this infernal pit +Abominable, accursed, the house of woe, +And dungeon of our tyrant: Now possess, +As Lords, a spacious world, to our native Heaven +Little inferiour, by my adventure hard +With peril great achieved. Long were to tell +What I have done; what suffered;with what pain +Voyaged th' unreal, vast, unbounded deep +Of horrible confusion; over which +By Sin and Death a broad way now is paved, +To expedite your glorious march; but I +Toiled out my uncouth passage, forced to ride +The untractable abyss, plunged in the womb +Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wild; +That, jealous of their secrets, fiercely opposed +My journey strange, with clamorous uproar +Protesting Fate supreme; thence how I found +The new created world, which fame in Heaven +Long had foretold, a fabrick wonderful +Of absolute perfection! therein Man +Placed in a Paradise, by our exile +Made happy: Him by fraud I have seduced +From his Creator; and, the more to encrease +Your wonder, with an apple; he, thereat +Offended, worth your laughter! hath given up +Both his beloved Man, and all his world, +To Sin and Death a prey, and so to us, +Without our hazard, labour, or alarm; +To range in, and to dwell, and over Man +To rule, as over all he should have ruled. +True is, me also he hath judged, or rather +Me not, but the brute serpent in whose shape +Man I deceived: that which to me belongs, +Is enmity which he will put between +Me and mankind; I am to bruise his heel; +His seed, when is not set, shall bruise my head: +A world who would not purchase with a bruise, +Or much more grievous pain?--Ye have the account +Of my performance: What remains, ye Gods, +But up, and enter now into full bliss? +So having said, a while he stood, expecting +Their universal shout, and high applause, +To fill his ear; when, contrary, he hears +On all sides, from innumerable tongues, +A dismal universal hiss, the sound +Of publick scorn; he wondered, but not long +Had leisure, wondering at himself now more, +His visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare; +His arms clung to his ribs; his legs entwining +Each other, till supplanted down he fell +A monstrous serpent on his belly prone, +Reluctant, but in vain; a greater power +Now ruled him, punished in the shape he sinned, +According to his doom: he would have spoke, +But hiss for hiss returned with forked tongue +To forked tongue; for now were all transformed +Alike, to serpents all, as accessories +To his bold riot: Dreadful was the din +Of hissing through the hall, thick swarming now +With complicated monsters head and tail, +Scorpion, and Asp, and Amphisbaena dire, +Cerastes horned, Hydrus, and Elops drear, +And Dipsas; (not so thick swarmed once the soil +Bedropt with blood of Gorgon, or the isle +Ophiusa,) but still greatest he the midst, +Now Dragon grown, larger than whom the sun +Ingendered in the Pythian vale or slime, +Huge Python, and his power no less he seemed +Above the rest still to retain; they all +Him followed, issuing forth to the open field, +Where all yet left of that revolted rout, +Heaven-fallen, in station stood or just array; +Sublime with expectation when to see +In triumph issuing forth their glorious Chief; +They saw, but other sight instead! a croud +Of ugly serpents; horrour on them fell, +And horrid sympathy; for, what they saw, +They felt themselves, now changing; down their arms, +Down fell both spear and shield; down they as fast; +And the dire hiss renewed, and the dire form +Catched, by contagion; like in punishment, +As in their crime. Thus was the applause they meant, +Turned to exploding hiss, triumph to shame +Cast on themselves from their own mouths. There stood +A grove hard by, sprung up with this their change, +His will who reigns above, to aggravate +Their penance, laden with fair fruit, like that +Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve +Used by the Tempter: on that prospect strange +Their earnest eyes they fixed, imagining +For one forbidden tree a multitude +Now risen, to work them further woe or shame; +Yet, parched with scalding thirst and hunger fierce, +Though to delude them sent, could not abstain; +But on they rolled in heaps, and, up the trees +Climbing, sat thicker than the snaky locks +That curled Megaera: greedily they plucked +The fruitage fair to sight, like that which grew +Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed; +This more delusive, not the touch, but taste +Deceived; they, fondly thinking to allay +Their appetite with gust, instead of fruit +Chewed bitter ashes, which the offended taste +With spattering noise rejected: oft they assayed, +Hunger and thirst constraining; drugged as oft, +With hatefullest disrelish writhed their jaws, +With soot and cinders filled; so oft they fell +Into the same illusion, not as Man +Whom they triumphed once lapsed. Thus were they plagued +And worn with famine, long and ceaseless hiss, +Till their lost shape, permitted, they resumed; +Yearly enjoined, some say, to undergo, +This annual humbling certain numbered days, +To dash their pride, and joy, for Man seduced. +However, some tradition they dispersed +Among the Heathen, of their purchase got, +And fabled how the Serpent, whom they called +Ophion, with Eurynome, the wide-- +Encroaching Eve perhaps, had first the rule +Of high Olympus; thence by Saturn driven +And Ops, ere yet Dictaean Jove was born. +Mean while in Paradise the hellish pair +Too soon arrived; Sin, there in power before, +Once actual; now in body, and to dwell +Habitual habitant; behind her Death, +Close following pace for pace, not mounted yet +On his pale horse: to whom Sin thus began. +Second of Satan sprung, all-conquering Death! +What thinkest thou of our empire now, though earned +With travel difficult, not better far +Than still at Hell's dark threshold to have sat watch, +Unnamed, undreaded, and thyself half starved? +Whom thus the Sin-born monster answered soon. +To me, who with eternal famine pine, +Alike is Hell, or Paradise, or Heaven; +There best, where most with ravine I may meet; +Which here, though plenteous, all too little seems +To stuff this maw, this vast unhide-bound corps. +To whom the incestuous mother thus replied. +Thou therefore on these herbs, and fruits, and flowers, +Feed first; on each beast next, and fish, and fowl; +No homely morsels! and, whatever thing +The sithe of Time mows down, devour unspared; +Till I, in Man residing, through the race, +His thoughts, his looks, words, actions, all infect; +And season him thy last and sweetest prey. +This said, they both betook them several ways, +Both to destroy, or unimmortal make +All kinds, and for destruction to mature +Sooner or later; which the Almighty seeing, +From his transcendent seat the Saints among, +To those bright Orders uttered thus his voice. +See, with what heat these dogs of Hell advance +To waste and havock yonder world, which I +So fair and good created; and had still +Kept in that state, had not the folly of Man +Let in these wasteful furies, who impute +Folly to me; so doth the Prince of Hell +And his adherents, that with so much ease +I suffer them to enter and possess +A place so heavenly; and, conniving, seem +To gratify my scornful enemies, +That laugh, as if, transported with some fit +Of passion, I to them had quitted all, +At random yielded up to their misrule; +And know not that I called, and drew them thither, +My Hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth +Which Man's polluting sin with taint hath shed +On what was pure; til, crammed and gorged, nigh burst +With sucked and glutted offal, at one sling +Of thy victorious arm, well-pleasing Son, +Both Sin, and Death, and yawning Grave, at last, +Through Chaos hurled, obstruct the mouth of Hell +For ever, and seal up his ravenous jaws. +Then Heaven and Earth renewed shall be made pure +To sanctity, that shall receive no stain: +Till then, the curse pronounced on both precedes. +He ended, and the heavenly audience loud +Sung Halleluiah, as the sound of seas, +Through multitude that sung: Just are thy ways, +Righteous are thy decrees on all thy works; +Who can extenuate thee? Next, to the Son, +Destined Restorer of mankind, by whom +New Heaven and Earth shall to the ages rise, +Or down from Heaven descend.--Such was their song; +While the Creator, calling forth by name +His mighty Angels, gave them several charge, +As sorted best with present things. The sun +Had first his precept so to move, so shine, +As might affect the earth with cold and heat +Scarce tolerable; and from the north to call +Decrepit winter; from the south to bring +Solstitial summer's heat. To the blanc moon +Her office they prescribed; to the other five +Their planetary motions, and aspects, +In sextile, square, and trine, and opposite, +Of noxious efficacy, and when to join +In synod unbenign; and taught the fixed +Their influence malignant when to shower, +Which of them rising with the sun, or falling, +Should prove tempestuous: To the winds they set +Their corners, when with bluster to confound +Sea, air, and shore; the thunder when to roll +With terrour through the dark aereal hall. +Some say, he bid his Angels turn ascanse +The poles of earth, twice ten degrees and more, +From the sun's axle; they with labour pushed +Oblique the centrick globe: Some say, the sun +Was bid turn reins from the equinoctial road +Like distant breadth to Taurus with the seven +Atlantick Sisters, and the Spartan Twins, +Up to the Tropick Crab: thence down amain +By Leo, and the Virgin, and the Scales, +As deep as Capricorn; to bring in change +Of seasons to each clime; else had the spring +Perpetual smiled on earth with vernant flowers, +Equal in days and nights, except to those +Beyond the polar circles; to them day +Had unbenighted shone, while the low sun, +To recompense his distance, in their sight +Had rounded still the horizon, and not known +Or east or west; which had forbid the snow +From cold Estotiland, and south as far +Beneath Magellan. At that tasted fruit +The sun, as from Thyestean banquet, turned +His course intended; else, how had the world +Inhabited, though sinless, more than now, +Avoided pinching cold and scorching heat? +These changes in the Heavens, though slow, produced +Like change on sea and land; sideral blast, +Vapour, and mist, and exhalation hot, +Corrupt and pestilent: Now from the north +Of Norumbega, and the Samoed shore, +Bursting their brazen dungeon, armed with ice, +And snow, and hail, and stormy gust and flaw, +Boreas, and Caecias, and Argestes loud, +And Thrascias, rend the woods, and seas upturn; +With adverse blast upturns them from the south +Notus, and Afer black with thunderous clouds +From Serraliona; thwart of these, as fierce, +Forth rush the Levant and the Ponent winds, +Eurus and Zephyr, with their lateral noise, +Sirocco and Libecchio. Thus began +Outrage from lifeless things; but Discord first, +Daughter of Sin, among the irrational +Death introduced, through fierce antipathy: +Beast now with beast 'gan war, and fowl with fowl, +And fish with fish; to graze the herb all leaving, +Devoured each other; nor stood much in awe +Of Man, but fled him; or, with countenance grim, +Glared on him passing. These were from without +The growing miseries, which Adam saw +Already in part, though hid in gloomiest shade, +To sorrow abandoned, but worse felt within; +And, in a troubled sea of passion tost, +Thus to disburden sought with sad complaint. +O miserable of happy! Is this the end +Of this new glorious world, and me so late +The glory of that glory, who now become +Accursed, of blessed? hide me from the face +Of God, whom to behold was then my highth +Of happiness!--Yet well, if here would end +The misery; I deserved it, and would bear +My own deservings; but this will not serve: +All that I eat or drink, or shall beget, +Is propagated curse. O voice, once heard +Delightfully, Encrease and multiply; +Now death to hear! for what can I encrease, +Or multiply, but curses on my head? +Who of all ages to succeed, but, feeling +The evil on him brought by me, will curse +My head? Ill fare our ancestor impure, +For this we may thank Adam! but his thanks +Shall be the execration: so, besides +Mine own that bide upon me, all from me +Shall with a fierce reflux on me rebound; +On me, as on their natural center, light +Heavy, though in their place. O fleeting joys +Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes! +Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay +To mould me Man? did I solicit thee +From darkness to promote me, or here place +In this delicious garden? As my will +Concurred not to my being, it were but right +And equal to reduce me to my dust; +Desirous to resign and render back +All I received; unable to perform +Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold +The good I sought not. To the loss of that, +Sufficient penalty, why hast thou added +The sense of endless woes? Inexplicable +Why am I mocked with death, and lengthened out +To deathless pain? How gladly would I meet +Mortality my sentence, and be earth +Insensible! How glad would lay me down +As in my mother's lap! There I should rest, +And sleep secure; his dreadful voice no more +Would thunder in my ears; no fear of worse +To me, and to my offspring, would torment me +With cruel expectation. Yet one doubt +Pursues me still, lest all I cannot die; +Lest that pure breath of life, the spirit of Man +Which God inspired, cannot together perish +With this corporeal clod; then, in the grave, +Or in some other dismal place, who knows +But I shall die a living death? O thought +Horrid, if true! Yet why? It was but breath +Of life that sinned; what dies but what had life +And sin? The body properly had neither, +All of me then shall die: let this appease +The doubt, since human reach no further knows. +For though the Lord of all be infinite, +Is his wrath also? Be it, Man is not so, +But mortal doomed. How can he exercise +Wrath without end on Man, whom death must end? +Can he make deathless death? That were to make +Strange contradiction, which to God himself +Impossible is held; as argument +Of weakness, not of power. Will he draw out, +For anger's sake, finite to infinite, +In punished Man, to satisfy his rigour, +Satisfied never? That were to extend +His sentence beyond dust and Nature's law; +By which all causes else, according still +To the reception of their matter, act; +Not to the extent of their own sphere. But say +That death be not one stroke, as I supposed, +Bereaving sense, but endless misery +From this day onward; which I feel begun +Both in me, and without me; and so last +To perpetuity;--Ay me!that fear +Comes thundering back with dreadful revolution +On my defenceless head; both Death and I +Am found eternal, and incorporate both; +Nor I on my part single; in me all +Posterity stands cursed: Fair patrimony +That I must leave ye, Sons! O, were I able +To waste it all myself, and leave ye none! +So disinherited, how would you bless +Me, now your curse! Ah, why should all mankind, +For one man's fault, thus guiltless be condemned, +It guiltless? But from me what can proceed, +But all corrupt; both mind and will depraved +Not to do only, but to will the same +With me? How can they then acquitted stand +In sight of God? Him, after all disputes, +Forced I absolve: all my evasions vain, +And reasonings, though through mazes, lead me still +But to my own conviction: first and last +On me, me only, as the source and spring +Of all corruption, all the blame lights due; +So might the wrath! Fond wish!couldst thou support +That burden, heavier than the earth to bear; +Than all the world much heavier, though divided +With that bad Woman? Thus, what thou desirest, +And what thou fearest, alike destroys all hope +Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable +Beyond all past example and future; +To Satan only like both crime and doom. +O Conscience! into what abyss of fears +And horrours hast thou driven me; out of which +I find no way, from deep to deeper plunged! +Thus Adam to himself lamented loud, +Through the still night; not now, as ere Man fell, +Wholesome, and cool, and mild, but with black air +Accompanied; with damps, and dreadful gloom; +Which to his evil conscience represented +All things with double terrour: On the ground +Outstretched he lay, on the cold ground; and oft +Cursed his creation; Death as oft accused +Of tardy execution, since denounced +The day of his offence. Why comes not Death, +Said he, with one thrice-acceptable stroke +To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word, +Justice Divine not hasten to be just? +But Death comes not at call; Justice Divine +Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries, +O woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers! +With other echo late I taught your shades +To answer, and resound far other song.-- +Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld, +Desolate where she sat, approaching nigh, +Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed: +But her with stern regard he thus repelled. +Out of my sight, thou Serpent! That name best +Befits thee with him leagued, thyself as false +And hateful; nothing wants, but that thy shape, +Like his, and colour serpentine, may show +Thy inward fraud; to warn all creatures from thee +Henceforth; lest that too heavenly form, pretended +To hellish falshood, snare them! But for thee +I had persisted happy; had not thy pride +And wandering vanity, when least was safe, +Rejected my forewarning, and disdained +Not to be trusted; longing to be seen, +Though by the Devil himself; him overweening +To over-reach; but, with the serpent meeting, +Fooled and beguiled; by him thou, I by thee +To trust thee from my side; imagined wise, +Constant, mature, proof against all assaults; +And understood not all was but a show, +Rather than solid virtue; all but a rib +Crooked by nature, bent, as now appears, +More to the part sinister, from me drawn; +Well if thrown out, as supernumerary +To my just number found. O! why did God, +Creator wise, that peopled highest Heaven +With Spirits masculine, create at last +This novelty on earth, this fair defect +Of nature, and not fill the world at once +With Men, as Angels, without feminine; +Or find some other way to generate +Mankind? This mischief had not been befallen, +And more that shall befall; innumerable +Disturbances on earth through female snares, +And strait conjunction with this sex: for either +He never shall find out fit mate, but such +As some misfortune brings him, or mistake; +Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain +Through her perverseness, but shall see her gained +By a far worse; or, if she love, withheld +By parents; or his happiest choice too late +Shall meet, already linked and wedlock-bound +To a fell adversary, his hate or shame: +Which infinite calamity shall cause +To human life, and houshold peace confound. +He added not, and from her turned; but Eve, +Not so repulsed, with tears that ceased not flowing +And tresses all disordered, at his feet +Fell humble; and, embracing them, besought +His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint. +Forsake me not thus, Adam! witness Heaven +What love sincere, and reverence in my heart +I bear thee, and unweeting have offended, +Unhappily deceived! Thy suppliant +I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not, +Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid, +Thy counsel, in this uttermost distress, +My only strength and stay: Forlorn of thee, +Whither shall I betake me, where subsist? +While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps, +Between us two let there be peace; both joining, +As joined in injuries, one enmity +Against a foe by doom express assigned us, +That cruel Serpent: On me exercise not +Thy hatred for this misery befallen; +On me already lost, me than thyself +More miserable! Both have sinned;but thou +Against God only; I against God and thee; +And to the place of judgement will return, +There with my cries importune Heaven; that all +The sentence, from thy head removed, may light +On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe; +Me, me only, just object of his ire! +She ended weeping; and her lowly plight, +Immoveable, till peace obtained from fault +Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wrought +Commiseration: Soon his heart relented +Towards her, his life so late, and sole delight, +Now at his feet submissive in distress; +Creature so fair his reconcilement seeking, +His counsel, whom she had displeased, his aid: +As one disarmed, his anger all he lost, +And thus with peaceful words upraised her soon. +Unwary, and too desirous, as before, +So now of what thou knowest not, who desirest +The punishment all on thyself; alas! +Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain +His full wrath, whose thou feelest as yet least part, +And my displeasure bearest so ill. If prayers +Could alter high decrees, I to that place +Would speed before thee, and be louder heard, +That on my head all might be visited; +Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiven, +To me committed, and by me exposed. +But rise;--let us no more contend, nor blame +Each other, blamed enough elsewhere; but strive +In offices of love, how we may lighten +Each other's burden, in our share of woe; +Since this day's death denounced, if aught I see, +Will prove no sudden, but a slow-paced evil; +A long day's dying, to augment our pain; +And to our seed (O hapless seed!) derived. +To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied. +Adam, by sad experiment I know +How little weight my words with thee can find, +Found so erroneous; thence by just event +Found so unfortunate: Nevertheless, +Restored by thee, vile as I am, to place +Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain +Thy love, the sole contentment of my heart +Living or dying, from thee I will not hide +What thoughts in my unquiet breast are risen, +Tending to some relief of our extremes, +Or end; though sharp and sad, yet tolerable, +As in our evils, and of easier choice. +If care of our descent perplex us most, +Which must be born to certain woe, devoured +By Death at last; and miserable it is +To be to others cause of misery, +Our own begotten, and of our loins to bring +Into this cursed world a woeful race, +That after wretched life must be at last +Food for so foul a monster; in thy power +It lies, yet ere conception to prevent +The race unblest, to being yet unbegot. +Childless thou art, childless remain: so Death +Shall be deceived his glut, and with us two +Be forced to satisfy his ravenous maw. +But if thou judge it hard and difficult, +Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain +From love's due rights, nuptial embraces sweet; +And with desire to languish without hope, +Before the present object languishing +With like desire; which would be misery +And torment less than none of what we dread; +Then, both ourselves and seed at once to free +From what we fear for both, let us make short, -- +Let us seek Death; -- or, he not found, supply +With our own hands his office on ourselves: +Why stand we longer shivering under fears, +That show no end but death, and have the power, +Of many ways to die the shortest choosing, +Destruction with destruction to destroy? -- +She ended here, or vehement despair +Broke off the rest: so much of death her thoughts +Had entertained, as dyed her cheeks with pale. +But Adam, with such counsel nothing swayed, +To better hopes his more attentive mind +Labouring had raised; and thus to Eve replied. +Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems +To argue in thee something more sublime +And excellent, than what thy mind contemns; +But self-destruction therefore sought, refutes +That excellence thought in thee; and implies, +Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret +For loss of life and pleasure overloved. +Or if thou covet death, as utmost end +Of misery, so thinking to evade +The penalty pronounced; doubt not but God +Hath wiselier armed his vengeful ire, than so +To be forestalled; much more I fear lest death, +So snatched, will not exempt us from the pain +We are by doom to pay; rather, such acts +Of contumacy will provoke the Highest +To make death in us live: Then let us seek +Some safer resolution, which methinks +I have in view, calling to mind with heed +Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise +The Serpent's head; piteous amends! unless +Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe, +Satan; who, in the serpent, hath contrived +Against us this deceit: To crush his head +Would be revenge indeed! which will be lost +By death brought on ourselves, or childless days +Resolved, as thou proposest; so our foe +Shal 'scape his punishment ordained, and we +Instead shall double ours upon our heads. +No more be mentioned then of violence +Against ourselves; and wilful barrenness, +That cuts us off from hope; and savours only +Rancour and pride, impatience and despite, +Reluctance against God and his just yoke +Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild +And gracious temper he both heard, and judged, +Without wrath or reviling; we expected +Immediate dissolution, which we thought +Was meant by death that day; when lo!to thee +Pains only in child-bearing were foretold, +And bringing forth; soon recompensed with joy, +Fruit of thy womb: On me the curse aslope +Glanced on the ground; with labour I must earn +My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse; +My labour will sustain me; and, lest cold +Or heat should injure us, his timely care +Hath, unbesought, provided; and his hands +Clothed us unworthy, pitying while he judged; +How much more, if we pray him, will his ear +Be open, and his heart to pity incline, +And teach us further by what means to shun +The inclement seasons, rain, ice, hail, and snow! +Which now the sky, with various face, begins +To show us in this mountain; while the winds +Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful locks +Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek +Some better shroud, some better warmth to cherish +Our limbs benummed, ere this diurnal star +Leave cold the night, how we his gathered beams +Reflected may with matter sere foment; +Or, by collision of two bodies, grind +The air attrite to fire; as late the clouds +Justling, or pushed with winds, rude in their shock, +Tine the slant lightning; whose thwart flame, driven down +Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine; +And sends a comfortable heat from far, +Which might supply the sun: Such fire to use, +And what may else be remedy or cure +To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, +He will instruct us praying, and of grace +Beseeching him; so as we need not fear +To pass commodiously this life, sustained +By him with many comforts, till we end +In dust, our final rest and native home. +What better can we do, than, to the place +Repairing where he judged us, prostrate fall +Before him reverent; and there confess +Humbly our faults, and pardon beg; with tears +Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air +Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign +Of sorrow unfeigned, and humiliation meek + + + +Book XI + + +Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn +From his displeasure; in whose look serene, +When angry most he seemed and most severe, +What else but favour, grace, and mercy, shone? +So spake our father penitent; nor Eve +Felt less remorse: they, forthwith to the place +Repairing where he judged them, prostrate fell +Before him reverent; and both confessed +Humbly their faults, and pardon begged; with tears +Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air +Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign +Of sorrow unfeigned, and humiliation meek. +Thus they, in lowliest plight, repentant stood +Praying; for from the mercy-seat above +Prevenient grace descending had removed +The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh +Regenerate grow instead; that sighs now breathed +Unutterable; which the Spirit of prayer +Inspired, and winged for Heaven with speedier flight +Than loudest oratory: Yet their port +Not of mean suitors; nor important less +Seemed their petition, than when the ancient pair +In fables old, less ancient yet than these, +Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore +The race of mankind drowned, before the shrine +Of Themis stood devout. To Heaven their prayers +Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds +Blown vagabond or frustrate: in they passed +Dimensionless through heavenly doors; then clad +With incense, where the golden altar fumed, +By their great intercessour, came in sight +Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son +Presenting, thus to intercede began. +See$ Father, what first-fruits on earth are sprung +From thy implanted grace in Man; these sighs +And prayers, which in this golden censer mixed +With incense, I thy priest before thee bring; +Fruits of more pleasing savour, from thy seed +Sown with contrition in his heart, than those +Which, his own hand manuring, all the trees +Of Paradise could have produced, ere fallen +From innocence. Now therefore, bend thine ear +To supplication; hear his sighs, though mute; +Unskilful with what words to pray, let me +Interpret for him; me, his advocate +And propitiation; all his works on me, +Good, or not good, ingraft; my merit those +Shall perfect, and for these my death shall pay. +Accept me; and, in me, from these receive +The smell of peace toward mankind: let him live +Before thee reconciled, at least his days +Numbered, though sad; till death, his doom, (which I +To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse,) +To better life shall yield him: where with me +All my redeemed may dwell in joy and bliss; +Made one with me, as I with thee am one. +To whom the Father, without cloud, serene. +All thy request for Man, accepted Son, +Obtain; all thy request was my decree: +But, longer in that Paradise to dwell, +The law I gave to Nature him forbids: +Those pure immortal elements, that know, +No gross, no unharmonious mixture foul, +Eject him, tainted now; and purge him off, +As a distemper, gross, to air as gross, +And mortal food; as may dispose him best +For dissolution wrought by sin, that first +Distempered all things, and of incorrupt +Corrupted. I, at first, with two fair gifts +Created him endowed; with happiness, +And immortality: that fondly lost, +This other served but to eternize woe; +Till I provided death: so death becomes +His final remedy; and, after life, +Tried in sharp tribulation, and refined +By faith and faithful works, to second life, +Waked in the renovation of the just, +Resigns him up with Heaven and Earth renewed. +But let us call to synod all the Blest, +Through Heaven's wide bounds: from them I will not hide +My judgements; how with mankind I proceed, +As how with peccant Angels late they saw, +And in their state, though firm, stood more confirmed. +He ended, and the Son gave signal high +To the bright minister that watched; he blew +His trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps +When God descended, and perhaps once more +To sound at general doom. The angelick blast +Filled all the regions: from their blisful bowers +Of amarantine shade, fountain or spring, +By the waters of life, where'er they sat +In fellowships of joy, the sons of light +Hasted, resorting to the summons high; +And took their seats; till from his throne supreme +The Almighty thus pronounced his sovran will. +O Sons, like one of us Man is become +To know both good and evil, since his taste +Of that defended fruit; but let him boast +His knowledge of good lost, and evil got; +Happier! had it sufficed him to have known +Good by itself, and evil not at all. +He sorrows now, repents, and prays contrite, +My motions in him; longer than they move, +His heart I know, how variable and vain, +Self-left. Lest therefore his now bolder hand +Reach also of the tree of life, and eat, +And live for ever, dream at least to live +For ever, to remove him I decree, +And send him from the garden forth to till +The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil. +Michael, this my behest have thou in charge; +Take to thee from among the Cherubim +Thy choice of flaming warriours, lest the Fiend, +Or in behalf of Man, or to invade +Vacant possession, some new trouble raise: +Haste thee, and from the Paradise of God +Without remorse drive out the sinful pair; +From hallowed ground the unholy; and denounce +To them, and to their progeny, from thence +Perpetual banishment. Yet, lest they faint +At the sad sentence rigorously urged, +(For I behold them softened, and with tears +Bewailing their excess,) all terrour hide. +If patiently thy bidding they obey, +Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveal +To Adam what shall come in future days, +As I shall thee enlighten; intermix +My covenant in the Woman's seed renewed; +So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace: +And on the east side of the garden place, +Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbs, +Cherubick watch; and of a sword the flame +Wide-waving; all approach far off to fright, +And guard all passage to the tree of life: +Lest Paradise a receptacle prove +To Spirits foul, and all my trees their prey; +With whose stolen fruit Man once more to delude. +He ceased; and the arch-angelick Power prepared +For swift descent; with him the cohort bright +Of watchful Cherubim: four faces each +Had, like a double Janus; all their shape +Spangled with eyes more numerous than those +Of Argus, and more wakeful than to drouse, +Charmed with Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed +Of Hermes, or his opiate rod. Mean while, +To re-salute the world with sacred light, +Leucothea waked; and with fresh dews imbalmed +The earth; when Adam and first matron Eve +Had ended now their orisons, and found +Strength added from above; new hope to spring +Out of despair; joy, but with fear yet linked; +Which thus to Eve his welcome words renewed. +Eve, easily my faith admit, that all +The good which we enjoy from Heaven descends; +But, that from us aught should ascend to Heaven +So prevalent as to concern the mind +Of God high-blest, or to incline his will, +Hard to belief may seem; yet this will prayer +Or one short sigh of human breath, upborne +Even to the seat of God. For since I sought +By prayer the offended Deity to appease; +Kneeled, and before him humbled all my heart; +Methought I saw him placable and mild, +Bending his ear; persuasion in me grew +That I was heard with favour; peace returned +Home to my breast, and to my memory +His promise, that thy seed shall bruise our foe; +Which, then not minded in dismay, yet now +Assures me that the bitterness of death +Is past, and we shall live. Whence hail to thee, +Eve rightly called, mother of all mankind, +Mother of all things living, since by thee +Man is to live; and all things live for Man. +To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour meek. +Ill-worthy I such title should belong +To me transgressour; who, for thee ordained +A help, became thy snare; to me reproach +Rather belongs, distrust, and all dispraise: +But infinite in pardon was my Judge, +That I, who first brought death on all, am graced +The source of life; next favourable thou, +Who highly thus to entitle me vouchsaf'st, +Far other name deserving. But the field +To labour calls us, now with sweat imposed, +Though after sleepless night; for see!the morn, +All unconcerned with our unrest, begins +Her rosy progress smiling: let us forth; +I never from thy side henceforth to stray, +Where'er our day's work lies, though now enjoined +Laborious, till day droop; while here we dwell, +What can be toilsome in these pleasant walks? +Here let us live, though in fallen state, content. +So spake, so wished much humbled Eve; but Fate +Subscribed not: Nature first gave signs, impressed +On bird, beast, air; air suddenly eclipsed, +After short blush of morn; nigh in her sight +The bird of Jove, stooped from his aery tour, +Two birds of gayest plume before him drove; +Down from a hill the beast that reigns in woods, +First hunter then, pursued a gentle brace, +Goodliest of all the forest, hart and hind; +Direct to the eastern gate was bent their flight. +Adam observed, and with his eye the chase +Pursuing, not unmoved, to Eve thus spake. +O Eve, some further change awaits us nigh, +Which Heaven, by these mute signs in Nature, shows +Forerunners of his purpose; or to warn +Us, haply too secure, of our discharge +From penalty, because from death released +Some days: how long, and what till then our life, +Who knows? or more than this, that we are dust, +And thither must return, and be no more? +Why else this double object in our sight +Of flight pursued in the air, and o'er the ground, +One way the self-same hour? why in the east +Darkness ere day's mid-course, and morning-light +More orient in yon western cloud, that draws +O'er the blue firmament a radiant white, +And slow descends with something heavenly fraught? +He erred not; for by this the heavenly bands +Down from a sky of jasper lighted now +In Paradise, and on a hill made halt; +A glorious apparition, had not doubt +And carnal fear that day dimmed Adam's eye. +Not that more glorious, when the Angels met +Jacob in Mahanaim, where he saw +The field pavilioned with his guardians bright; +Nor that, which on the flaming mount appeared +In Dothan, covered with a camp of fire, +Against the Syrian king, who to surprise +One man, assassin-like, had levied war, +War unproclaimed. The princely Hierarch +In their bright stand there left his Powers, to seise +Possession of the garden; he alone, +To find where Adam sheltered, took his way, +Not unperceived of Adam; who to Eve, +While the great visitant approached, thus spake. +Eve$ now expect great tidings, which perhaps +Of us will soon determine, or impose +New laws to be observed; for I descry, +From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill, +One of the heavenly host; and, by his gait, +None of the meanest; some great Potentate +Or of the Thrones above; such majesty +Invests him coming! yet not terrible, +That I should fear; nor sociably mild, +As Raphael, that I should much confide; +But solemn and sublime; whom not to offend, +With reverence I must meet, and thou retire. +He ended: and the Arch-Angel soon drew nigh, +Not in his shape celestial, but as man +Clad to meet man; over his lucid arms +A military vest of purple flowed, +Livelier than Meliboean, or the grain +Of Sarra, worn by kings and heroes old +In time of truce; Iris had dipt the woof; +His starry helm unbuckled showed him prime +In manhood where youth ended; by his side, +As in a glistering zodiack, hung the sword, +Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the spear. +Adam bowed low; he, kingly, from his state +Inclined not, but his coming thus declared. +Adam, Heaven's high behest no preface needs: +Sufficient that thy prayers are heard; and Death, +Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress, +Defeated of his seisure many days +Given thee of grace; wherein thou mayest repent, +And one bad act with many deeds well done +Mayest cover: Well may then thy Lord, appeased, +Redeem thee quite from Death's rapacious claim; +But longer in this Paradise to dwell +Permits not: to remove thee I am come, +And send thee from the garden forth to till +The ground whence thou wast taken, fitter soil. +He added not; for Adam at the news +Heart-struck with chilling gripe of sorrow stood, +That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen +Yet all had heard, with audible lament +Discovered soon the place of her retire. +O unexpected stroke, worse than of Death! +Must I thus leave thee$ Paradise? thus leave +Thee, native soil! these happy walks and shades, +Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend, +Quiet though sad, the respite of that day +That must be mortal to us both. O flowers, +That never will in other climate grow, +My early visitation, and my last + ;t even, which I bred up with tender hand +From the first opening bud, and gave ye names! +Who now shall rear ye to the sun, or rank +Your tribes, and water from the ambrosial fount? +Thee lastly, nuptial bower! by me adorned +With what to sight or smell was sweet! from thee +How shall I part, and whither wander down +Into a lower world; to this obscure +And wild? how shall we breathe in other air +Less pure, accustomed to immortal fruits? +Whom thus the Angel interrupted mild. +Lament not, Eve, but patiently resign +What justly thou hast lost, nor set thy heart, +Thus over-fond, on that which is not thine: +Thy going is not lonely; with thee goes +Thy husband; whom to follow thou art bound; +Where he abides, think there thy native soil. +Adam, by this from the cold sudden damp +Recovering, and his scattered spirits returned, +To Michael thus his humble words addressed. +Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or named +Of them the highest; for such of shape may seem +Prince above princes! gently hast thou told +Thy message, which might else in telling wound, +And in performing end us; what besides +Of sorrow, and dejection, and despair, +Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring, +Departure from this happy place, our sweet +Recess, and only consolation left +Familiar to our eyes! all places else +Inhospitable appear, and desolate; +Nor knowing us, nor known: And, if by prayer +Incessant I could hope to change the will +Of Him who all things can, I would not cease +To weary him with my assiduous cries: +But prayer against his absolute decree +No more avails than breath against the wind, +Blown stifling back on him that breathes it forth: +Therefore to his great bidding I submit. +This most afflicts me, that, departing hence, +As from his face I shall be hid, deprived +His blessed countenance: Here I could frequent +With worship place by place where he vouchsafed +Presence Divine; and to my sons relate, +'On this mount he appeared; under this tree +'Stood visible; among these pines his voice +'I heard; here with him at this fountain talked: +So many grateful altars I would rear +Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone +Of lustre from the brook, in memory, +Or monument to ages; and theron +Offer sweet-smelling gums, and fruits, and flowers: +In yonder nether world where shall I seek +His bright appearances, or foot-step trace? +For though I fled him angry, yet recalled +To life prolonged and promised race, I now +Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts +Of glory; and far off his steps adore. +To whom thus Michael with regard benign. +Adam, thou knowest Heaven his, and all the Earth; +Not this rock only; his Omnipresence fills +Land, sea, and air, and every kind that lives, +Fomented by his virtual power and warmed: +All the earth he gave thee to possess and rule, +No despicable gift; surmise not then +His presence to these narrow bounds confined +Of Paradise, or Eden: this had been +Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread +All generations; and had hither come +From all the ends of the earth, to celebrate +And reverence thee, their great progenitor. +But this pre-eminence thou hast lost, brought down +To dwell on even ground now with thy sons: +Yet doubt not but in valley, and in plain, +God is, as here; and will be found alike +Present; and of his presence many a sign +Still following thee, still compassing thee round +With goodness and paternal love, his face +Express, and of his steps the track divine. +Which that thou mayest believe, and be confirmed +Ere thou from hence depart; know, I am sent +To show thee what shall come in future days +To thee, and to thy offspring: good with bad +Expect to hear; supernal grace contending +With sinfulness of men; thereby to learn +True patience, and to temper joy with fear +And pious sorrow; equally inured +By moderation either state to bear, +Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead +Safest thy life, and best prepared endure +Thy mortal passage when it comes.--Ascend +This hill; let Eve (for I have drenched her eyes) +Here sleep below; while thou to foresight wakest; +As once thou sleptst, while she to life was formed. +To whom thus Adam gratefully replied. +Ascend, I follow thee, safe Guide, the path +Thou leadest me; and to the hand of Heaven submit, +However chastening; to the evil turn +My obvious breast; arming to overcome +By suffering, and earn rest from labour won, +If so I may attain. -- So both ascend +In the visions of God. It was a hill, +Of Paradise the highest; from whose top +The hemisphere of earth, in clearest ken, +Stretched out to the amplest reach of prospect lay. +Not higher that hill, nor wider looking round, +Whereon, for different cause, the Tempter set +Our second Adam, in the wilderness; +To show him all Earth's kingdoms, and their glory. +His eye might there command wherever stood +City of old or modern fame, the seat +Of mightiest empire, from the destined walls +Of Cambalu, seat of Cathaian Can, +And Samarchand by Oxus, Temir's throne, +To Paquin of Sinaean kings; and thence +To Agra and Lahor of great Mogul, +Down to the golden Chersonese; or where +The Persian in Ecbatan sat, or since +In Hispahan; or where the Russian Ksar +In Mosco; or the Sultan in Bizance, +Turchestan-born; nor could his eye not ken +The empire of Negus to his utmost port +Ercoco, and the less maritim kings +Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind, +And Sofala, thought Ophir, to the realm +Of Congo, and Angola farthest south; +Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount +The kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus, +Morocco, and Algiers, and Tremisen; +On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway +The world: in spirit perhaps he also saw +Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume, +And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat +Of Atabalipa; and yet unspoiled +Guiana, whose great city Geryon's sons +Call El Dorado. But to nobler sights +Michael from Adam's eyes the film removed, +Which that false fruit that promised clearer sight +Had bred; then purged with euphrasy and rue +The visual nerve, for he had much to see; +And from the well of life three drops instilled. +So deep the power of these ingredients pierced, +Even to the inmost seat of mental sight, +That Adam, now enforced to close his eyes, +Sunk down, and all his spirits became entranced; +But him the gentle Angel by the hand +Soon raised, and his attention thus recalled. +Adam, now ope thine eyes; and first behold +The effects, which thy original crime hath wrought +In some to spring from thee; who never touched +The excepted tree; nor with the snake conspired; +Nor sinned thy sin; yet from that sin derive +Corruption, to bring forth more violent deeds. +His eyes he opened, and beheld a field, +Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves +New reaped; the other part sheep-walks and folds; +I' the midst an altar as the land-mark stood, +Rustick, of grassy sord; thither anon +A sweaty reaper from his tillage brought +First fruits, the green ear, and the yellow sheaf, +Unculled, as came to hand; a shepherd next, +More meek, came with the firstlings of his flock, +Choicest and best; then, sacrificing, laid +The inwards and their fat, with incense strowed, +On the cleft wood, and all due rights performed: +His offering soon propitious fire from Heaven +Consumed with nimble glance, and grateful steam; +The other's not, for his was not sincere; +Whereat he inly raged, and, as they talked, +Smote him into the midriff with a stone +That beat out life; he fell;and, deadly pale, +Groaned out his soul with gushing blood effused. +Much at that sight was Adam in his heart +Dismayed, and thus in haste to the Angel cried. +O Teacher, some great mischief hath befallen +To that meek man, who well had sacrificed; +Is piety thus and pure devotion paid? +To whom Michael thus, he also moved, replied. +These two are brethren, Adam, and to come +Out of thy loins; the unjust the just hath slain, +For envy that his brother's offering found +From Heaven acceptance; but the bloody fact +Will be avenged; and the other's faith, approved, +Lose no reward; though here thou see him die, +Rolling in dust and gore. To which our sire. +Alas! both for the deed, and for the cause! +But have I now seen Death? Is this the way +I must return to native dust? O sight +Of terrour, foul and ugly to behold, +Horrid to think, how horrible to feel! +To whom thus Michael. Death thou hast seen +In his first shape on Man; but many shapes +Of Death, and many are the ways that lead +To his grim cave, all dismal; yet to sense +More terrible at the entrance, than within. +Some, as thou sawest, by violent stroke shall die; +By fire, flood, famine, by intemperance more +In meats and drinks, which on the earth shall bring +Diseases dire, of which a monstrous crew +Before thee shall appear; that thou mayest know +What misery the inabstinence of Eve +Shall bring on Men. Immediately a place +Before his eyes appeared, sad, noisome, dark; +A lazar-house it seemed; wherein were laid +Numbers of all diseased; all maladies +Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms +Of heart-sick agony, all feverous kinds, +Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs, +Intestine stone and ulcer, colick-pangs, +Demoniack phrenzy, moaping melancholy, +And moon-struck madness, pining atrophy, +Marasmus, and wide-wasting pestilence, +Dropsies, and asthmas, and joint-racking rheums. +Dire was the tossing, deep the groans; Despair +Tended the sick busiest from couch to couch; +And over them triumphant Death his dart +Shook, but delayed to strike, though oft invoked +With vows, as their chief good, and final hope. +Sight so deform what heart of rock could long +Dry-eyed behold? Adam could not, but wept, +Though not of woman born; compassion quelled +His best of man, and gave him up to tears +A space, till firmer thoughts restrained excess; +And, scarce recovering words, his plaint renewed. +O miserable mankind, to what fall +Degraded, to what wretched state reserved! +Better end here unborn. Why is life given +To be thus wrested from us? rather, why +Obtruded on us thus? who, if we knew +What we receive, would either no accept +Life offered, or soon beg to lay it down; +Glad to be so dismissed in peace. Can thus +The image of God in Man, created once +So goodly and erect, though faulty since, +To such unsightly sufferings be debased +Under inhuman pains? Why should not Man, +Retaining still divine similitude +In part, from such deformities be free, +And, for his Maker's image sake, exempt? +Their Maker's image, answered Michael, then +Forsook them, when themselves they vilified +To serve ungoverned Appetite; and took +His image whom they served, a brutish vice, +Inductive mainly to the sin of Eve. +Therefore so abject is their punishment, +Disfiguring not God's likeness, but their own; +Or if his likeness, by themselves defaced; +While they pervert pure Nature's healthful rules +To loathsome sickness; worthily, since they +God's image did not reverence in themselves. +I yield it just, said Adam, and submit. +But is there yet no other way, besides +These painful passages, how we may come +To death, and mix with our connatural dust? +There is, said Michael, if thou well observe +The rule of Not too much; by temperance taught, +In what thou eatest and drinkest; seeking from thence +Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight, +Till many years over thy head return: +So mayest thou live; till, like ripe fruit, thou drop +Into thy mother's lap; or be with ease +Gathered, nor harshly plucked; for death mature: +This is Old Age; but then, thou must outlive +Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty; which will change +To withered, weak, and gray; thy senses then, +Obtuse, all taste of pleasure must forego, +To what thou hast; and, for the air of youth, +Hopeful and cheerful, in thy blood will reign +A melancholy damp of cold and dry +To weigh thy spirits down, and last consume +The balm of life. To whom our ancestor. +Henceforth I fly not death, nor would prolong +Life much; bent rather, how I may be quit, +Fairest and easiest, of this cumbrous charge; +Which I must keep till my appointed day +Of rendering up, and patiently attend +My dissolution. Michael replied. +Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou livest +Live well; how long, or short, permit to Heaven: +And now prepare thee for another sight. +He looked, and saw a spacious plain, whereon +Were tents of various hue; by some, were herds +Of cattle grazing; others, whence the sound +Of instruments, that made melodious chime, +Was heard, of harp and organ; and, who moved +Their stops and chords, was seen; his volant touch, +Instinct through all proportions, low and high, +Fled and pursued transverse the resonant fugue. +In other part stood one who, at the forge +Labouring, two massy clods of iron and brass +Had melted, (whether found where casual fire +Had wasted woods on mountain or in vale, +Down to the veins of earth; thence gliding hot +To some cave's mouth; or whether washed by stream +From underground;) the liquid ore he drained +Into fit moulds prepared; from which he formed +First his own tools; then, what might else be wrought +Fusil or graven in metal. After these, +But on the hither side, a different sort +From the high neighbouring hills, which was their seat, +Down to the plain descended; by their guise +Just men they seemed, and all their study bent +To worship God aright, and know his works +Not hid; nor those things last, which might preserve +Freedom and peace to Men; they on the plain +Long had not walked, when from the tents, behold! +A bevy of fair women, richly gay +In gems and wanton dress; to the harp they sung +Soft amorous ditties, and in dance came on: +The men, though grave, eyed them; and let their eyes +Rove without rein; till, in the amorous net +Fast caught, they liked; and each his liking chose; +And now of love they treat, till the evening-star, +Love's harbinger, appeared; then, all in heat +They light the nuptial torch, and bid invoke +Hymen, then first to marriage rites invoked: +With feast and musick all the tents resound. +Such happy interview, and fair event +Of love and youth not lost, songs, garlands, flowers, +And charming symphonies, attached the heart +Of Adam, soon inclined to admit delight, +The bent of nature; which he thus expressed. +True opener of mine eyes, prime Angel blest; +Much better seems this vision, and more hope +Of peaceful days portends, than those two past; +Those were of hate and death, or pain much worse; +Here Nature seems fulfilled in all her ends. +To whom thus Michael. Judge not what is best +By pleasure, though to nature seeming meet; +Created, as thou art, to nobler end +Holy and pure, conformity divine. +Those tents thou sawest so pleasant, were the tents +Of wickedness, wherein shall dwell his race +Who slew his brother; studious they appear +Of arts that polish life, inventers rare; +Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit +Taught them; but they his gifts acknowledged none. +Yet they a beauteous offspring shall beget; +For that fair female troop thou sawest, that seemed +Of Goddesses, so blithe, so smooth, so gay, +Yet empty of all good wherein consists +Woman's domestick honour and chief praise; +Bred only and completed to the taste +Of lustful appetence, to sing, to dance, +To dress, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye: +To these that sober race of men, whose lives +Religious titled them the sons of God, +Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame +Ignobly, to the trains and to the smiles +Of these fair atheists; and now swim in joy, +Erelong to swim at large; and laugh, for which +The world erelong a world of tears must weep. +To whom thus Adam, of short joy bereft. +O pity and shame, that they, who to live well +Entered so fair, should turn aside to tread +Paths indirect, or in the mid way faint! +But still I see the tenour of Man's woe +Holds on the same, from Woman to begin. +From Man's effeminate slackness it begins, +Said the Angel, who should better hold his place +By wisdom, and superiour gifts received. +But now prepare thee for another scene. +He looked, and saw wide territory spread +Before him, towns, and rural works between; +Cities of men with lofty gates and towers, +Concourse in arms, fierce faces threatening war, +Giants of mighty bone and bold emprise; +Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed, +Single or in array of battle ranged +Both horse and foot, nor idly mustering stood; +One way a band select from forage drives +A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine, +From a fat meadow ground; or fleecy flock, +Ewes and their bleating lambs over the plain, +Their booty; scarce with life the shepherds fly, +But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray; +With cruel tournament the squadrons join; +Where cattle pastured late, now scattered lies +With carcasses and arms the ensanguined field, +Deserted: Others to a city strong +Lay siege, encamped; by battery, scale, and mine, +Assaulting; others from the wall defend +With dart and javelin, stones, and sulphurous fire; +On each hand slaughter, and gigantick deeds. +In other part the sceptered heralds call +To council, in the city-gates; anon +Gray-headed men and grave, with warriours mixed, +Assemble, and harangues are heard; but soon, +In factious opposition; till at last, +Of middle age one rising, eminent +In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong, +Of justice, or religion, truth, and peace, +And judgement from above: him old and young +Exploded, and had seized with violent hands, +Had not a cloud descending snatched him thence +Unseen amid the throng: so violence +Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law, +Through all the plain, and refuge none was found. +Adam was all in tears, and to his guide +Lamenting turned full sad; O!what are these, +Death's ministers, not men? who thus deal death +Inhumanly to men, and multiply +Ten thousandfold the sin of him who slew +His brother: for of whom such massacre +Make they, but of their brethren; men of men +But who was that just man, whom had not Heaven +Rescued, had in his righteousness been lost? +To whom thus Michael. These are the product +Of those ill-mated marriages thou sawest; +Where good with bad were matched, who of themselves +Abhor to join; and, by imprudence mixed, +Produce prodigious births of body or mind. +Such were these giants, men of high renown; +For in those days might only shall be admired, +And valour and heroick virtue called; +To overcome in battle, and subdue +Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite +Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch +Of human glory; and for glory done +Of triumph, to be styled great conquerours +Patrons of mankind, Gods, and sons of Gods; +Destroyers rightlier called, and plagues of men. +Thus fame shall be achieved, renown on earth; +And what most merits fame, in silence hid. +But he, the seventh from thee, whom thou beheldst +The only righteous in a world preverse, +And therefore hated, therefore so beset +With foes, for daring single to be just, +And utter odious truth, that God would come +To judge them with his Saints; him the Most High +Rapt in a balmy cloud with winged steeds +Did, as thou sawest, receive, to walk with God +High in salvation and the climes of bliss, +Exempt from death; to show thee what reward +Awaits the good; the rest what punishment; +Which now direct thine eyes and soon behold. +He looked, and saw the face of things quite changed; +The brazen throat of war had ceased to roar; +All now was turned to jollity and game, +To luxury and riot, feast and dance; +Marrying or prostituting, as befel, +Rape or adultery, where passing fair +Allured them; thence from cups to civil broils. +At length a reverend sire among them came, +And of their doings great dislike declared, +And testified against their ways; he oft +Frequented their assemblies, whereso met, +Triumphs or festivals; and to them preached +Conversion and repentance, as to souls +In prison, under judgements imminent: +But all in vain: which when he saw, he ceased +Contending, and removed his tents far off; +Then, from the mountain hewing timber tall, +Began to build a vessel of huge bulk; +Measured by cubit, length, and breadth, and highth; +Smeared round with pitch; and in the side a door +Contrived; and of provisions laid in large, +For man and beast: when lo, a wonder strange! +Of every beast, and bird, and insect small, +Came sevens, and pairs; and entered in as taught +Their order: last the sire and his three sons, +With their four wives; and God made fast the door. +Mean while the south-wind rose, and, with black wings +Wide-hovering, all the clouds together drove +From under Heaven; the hills to their supply +Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist, +Sent up amain; and now the thickened sky +Like a dark cieling stood; down rushed the rain +Impetuous; and continued, till the earth +No more was seen: the floating vessel swum +Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow +Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings else +Flood overwhelmed, and them with all their pomp +Deep under water rolled; sea covered sea, +Sea without shore; and in their palaces, +Where luxury late reigned, sea-monsters whelped +And stabled; of mankind, so numerous late, +All left, in one small bottom swum imbarked. +How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold +The end of all thy offspring, end so sad, +Depopulation! Thee another flood, +Of tears and sorrow a flood, thee also drowned, +And sunk thee as thy sons; till, gently reared +By the Angel, on thy feet thou stoodest at last, +Though comfortless; as when a father mourns +His children, all in view destroyed at once; +And scarce to the Angel utter'dst thus thy plaint. +O visions ill foreseen! Better had I +Lived ignorant of future! so had borne +My part of evil only, each day's lot +Enough to bear; those now, that were dispensed +The burden of many ages, on me light +At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth +Abortive, to torment me ere their being, +With thought that they must be. Let no man seek +Henceforth to be foretold, what shall befall +Him or his children; evil he may be sure, +Which neither his foreknowing can prevent; +And he the future evil shall no less +In apprehension than in substance feel, +Grievous to bear: but that care now is past, +Man is not whom to warn: those few escaped +Famine and anguish will at last consume, +Wandering that watery desart: I had hope, +When violence was ceased, and war on earth, +All would have then gone well; peace would have crowned +With length of happy days the race of Man; +But I was far deceived; for now I see +Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste. +How comes it thus? unfold, celestial Guide, +And whether here the race of Man will end. +To whom thus Michael. Those, whom last thou sawest +In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they +First seen in acts of prowess eminent +And great exploits, but of true virtue void; +Who, having spilt much blood, and done much wast +Subduing nations, and achieved thereby +Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey; +Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth, +Surfeit, and lust; till wantonness and pride +Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace. +The conquered also, and enslaved by war, +Shall, with their freedom lost, all virtue lose +And fear of God; from whom their piety feigned +In sharp contest of battle found no aid +Against invaders; therefore, cooled in zeal, +Thenceforth shall practice how to live secure, +Worldly or dissolute, on what their lords +Shall leave them to enjoy; for the earth shall bear +More than enough, that temperance may be tried: +So all shall turn degenerate, all depraved; +Justice and temperance, truth and faith, forgot; +One man except, the only son of light +In a dark age, against example good, +Against allurement, custom, and a world +Offended: fearless of reproach and scorn, +The grand-child, with twelve sons encreased, departs +From Canaan, to a land hereafter called +Egypt, divided by the river Nile; +See where it flows, disgorging at seven mouths +Into the sea: To sojourn in that land +He comes, invited by a younger son +In time of dearth; a son, whose worthy deeds +Raise him to be the second in that realm +Of Pharaoh: There he dies, and leaves his race +Growing into a nation, and now grown +Suspected to a sequent king, who seeks +To stop their overgrowth, as inmate guests +Or violence, he of their wicked ways +Shall them admonish; and before them set +The paths of righteousness, how much more safe +And full of peace; denouncing wrath to come +On their impenitence; and shall return +Of them derided, but of God observed +The one just man alive; by his command +Shall build a wonderous ark, as thou beheldst, +To save himself, and houshold, from amidst +A world devote to universal wrack. +No sooner he, with them of man and beast +Select for life, shall in the ark be lodged, +And sheltered round; but all the cataracts +Of Heaven set open on the Earth shall pour +Rain, day and night; all fountains of the deep, +Broke up, shall heave the ocean to usurp +Beyond all bounds; till inundation rise +Above the highest hills: Then shall this mount +Of Paradise by might of waves be moved +Out of his place, pushed by the horned flood, +With all his verdure spoiled, and trees adrift, +Down the great river to the opening gulf, +And there take root an island salt and bare, +The haunt of seals, and orcs, and sea-mews' clang: +To teach thee that God attributes to place +No sanctity, if none be thither brought +By men who there frequent, or therein dwell. +And now, what further shall ensue, behold. +He looked, and saw the ark hull on the flood, +Which now abated; for the clouds were fled, +Driven by a keen north-wind, that, blowing dry, +Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed; +And the clear sun on his wide watery glass +Gazed hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew, +As after thirst; which made their flowing shrink +From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole +With soft foot towards the deep; who now had stopt +His sluces, as the Heaven his windows shut. +The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground, +Fast on the top of some high mountain fixed. +And now the tops of hills, as rocks, appear; +With clamour thence the rapid currents drive, +Towards the retreating sea, their furious tide. +Forthwith from out the ark a raven flies, +And after him, the surer messenger, +A dove sent forth once and again to spy +Green tree or ground, whereon his foot may light: +The second time returning, in his bill +An olive-leaf he brings, pacifick sign: +Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark +The ancient sire descends, with all his train; +Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout, +Grateful to Heaven, over his head beholds +A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow +Conspicuous with three lifted colours gay, +Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. +Whereat the heart of Adam, erst so sad, +Greatly rejoiced; and thus his joy broke forth. +O thou, who future things canst represent +As present, heavenly Instructer! I revive +At this last sight; assured that Man shall live, +With all the creatures, and their seed preserve. +Far less I now lament for one whole world +Of wicked sons destroyed, than I rejoice +For one man found so perfect, and so just, +That God vouchsafes to raise another world +From him, and all his anger to forget. +But say, what mean those coloured streaks in Heaven +Distended, as the brow of God appeased? +Or serve they, as a flowery verge, to bind +The fluid skirts of that same watery cloud, +Lest it again dissolve, and shower the earth? +To whom the Arch-Angel. Dextrously thou aimest; +So willingly doth God remit his ire, +Though late repenting him of Man depraved; +Grieved at his heart, when looking down he saw +The whole earth filled with violence, and all flesh +Corrupting each their way; yet, those removed, +Such grace shall one just man find in his sight, +That he relents, not to blot out mankind; +And makes a covenant never to destroy +The earth again by flood; nor let the sea +Surpass his bounds; nor rain to drown the world, +With man therein or beast; but, when he brings +Over the earth a cloud, will therein set +His triple-coloured bow, whereon to look, +And call to mind his covenant: Day and night, +Seed-time and harvest, heat and hoary frost, +Shall hold their course; till fire purge all things new, +Both Heaven and Earth, wherein the just shall dwell. + + + +Book XII + + +As one who in his journey bates at noon, +Though bent on speed; so here the Arch-Angel paused +Betwixt the world destroyed and world restored, +If Adam aught perhaps might interpose; +Then, with transition sweet, new speech resumes. +Thus thou hast seen one world begin, and end; +And Man, as from a second stock, proceed. +Much thou hast yet to see; but I perceive +Thy mortal sight to fail; objects divine +Must needs impair and weary human sense: +Henceforth what is to come I will relate; +Thou therefore give due audience, and attend. +This second source of Men, while yet but few, +And while the dread of judgement past remains +Fresh in their minds, fearing the Deity, +With some regard to what is just and right +Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace; +Labouring the soil, and reaping plenteous crop, +Corn, wine, and oil; and, from the herd or flock, +Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid, +With large wine-offerings poured, and sacred feast, +Shall spend their days in joy unblamed; and dwell +Long time in peace, by families and tribes, +Under paternal rule: till one shall rise +Of proud ambitious heart; who, not content +With fair equality, fraternal state, +Will arrogate dominion undeserved +Over his brethren, and quite dispossess +Concord and law of nature from the earth; +Hunting (and men not beasts shall be his game) +With war, and hostile snare, such as refuse +Subjection to his empire tyrannous: +A mighty hunter thence he shall be styled +Before the Lord; as in despite of Heaven, +Or from Heaven, claiming second sovranty; +And from rebellion shall derive his name, +Though of rebellion others he accuse. +He with a crew, whom like ambition joins +With him or under him to tyrannize, +Marching from Eden towards the west, shall find +The plain, wherein a black bituminous gurge +Boils out from under ground, the mouth of Hell: +Of brick, and of that stuff, they cast to build +A city and tower, whose top may reach to Heaven; +And get themselves a name; lest, far dispersed +In foreign lands, their memory be lost; +Regardless whether good or evil fame. +But God, who oft descends to visit men +Unseen, and through their habitations walks +To mark their doings, them beholding soon, +Comes down to see their city, ere the tower +Obstruct Heaven-towers, and in derision sets +Upon their tongues a various spirit, to rase +Quite out their native language; and, instead, +To sow a jangling noise of words unknown: +Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud, +Among the builders; each to other calls +Not understood; till hoarse, and all in rage, +As mocked they storm: great laughter was in Heaven, +And looking down, to see the hubbub strange, +And hear the din: Thus was the building left +Ridiculous, and the work Confusion named. +Whereto thus Adam, fatherly displeased. +O execrable son! so to aspire +Above his brethren; to himself assuming +Authority usurped, from God not given: +He gave us only over beast, fish, fowl, +Dominion absolute; that right we hold +By his donation; but man over men +He made not lord; such title to himself +Reserving, human left from human free. +But this usurper his encroachment proud +Stays not on Man; to God his tower intends +Siege and defiance: Wretched man!what food +Will he convey up thither, to sustain +Himself and his rash army; where thin air +Above the clouds will pine his entrails gross, +And famish him of breath, if not of bread? +To whom thus Michael. Justly thou abhorrest +That son, who on the quiet state of men +Such trouble brought, affecting to subdue +Rational liberty; yet know withal, +Since thy original lapse, true liberty +Is lost, which always with right reason dwells +Twinned, and from her hath no dividual being: +Reason in man obscured, or not obeyed, +Immediately inordinate desires, +And upstart passions, catch the government +From reason; and to servitude reduce +Man, till then free. Therefore, since he permits +Within himself unworthy powers to reign +Over free reason, God, in judgement just, +Subjects him from without to violent lords; +Who oft as undeservedly enthrall +His outward freedom: Tyranny must be; +Though to the tyrant thereby no excuse. +Yet sometimes nations will decline so low +From virtue, which is reason, that no wrong, +But justice, and some fatal curse annexed, +Deprives them of their outward liberty; +Their inward lost: Witness the irreverent son +Of him who built the ark; who, for the shame +Done to his father, heard this heavy curse, +Servant of servants, on his vicious race. +Thus will this latter, as the former world, +Still tend from bad to worse; till God at last, +Wearied with their iniquities, withdraw +His presence from among them, and avert +His holy eyes; resolving from thenceforth +To leave them to their own polluted ways; +And one peculiar nation to select +From all the rest, of whom to be invoked, +A nation from one faithful man to spring: +Him on this side Euphrates yet residing, +Bred up in idol-worship: O, that men +(Canst thou believe?) should be so stupid grown, +While yet the patriarch lived, who 'scaped the flood, +As to forsake the living God, and fall +To worship their own work in wood and stone +For Gods! Yet him God the Most High vouchsafes +To call by vision, from his father's house, +His kindred, and false Gods, into a land +Which he will show him; and from him will raise +A mighty nation; and upon him shower +His benediction so, that in his seed +All nations shall be blest: he straight obeys; +Not knowing to what land, yet firm believes: +I see him, but thou canst not, with what faith +He leaves his Gods, his friends, and native soil, +Ur of Chaldaea, passing now the ford +To Haran; after him a cumbrous train +Of herds and flocks, and numerous servitude; +Not wandering poor, but trusting all his wealth +With God, who called him, in a land unknown. +Canaan he now attains; I see his tents +Pitched about Sechem, and the neighbouring plain +Of Moreh; there by promise he receives +Gift to his progeny of all that land, +From Hameth northward to the Desart south; +(Things by their names I call, though yet unnamed;) +From Hermon east to the great western Sea; +Mount Hermon, yonder sea; each place behold +In prospect, as I point them; on the shore +Mount Carmel; here, the double-founted stream, +Jordan, true limit eastward; but his sons +Shall dwell to Senir, that long ridge of hills. +This ponder, that all nations of the earth +Shall in his seed be blessed: By that seed +Is meant thy great Deliverer, who shall bruise +The Serpent's head; whereof to thee anon +Plainlier shall be revealed. This patriarch blest, +Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call, +A son, and of his son a grand-child, leaves; +Like him in faith, in wisdom, and renown: +The grandchild, with twelve sons increased, departs +From Canaan to a land hereafter called +Egypt, divided by the river Nile +See where it flows, disgorging at seven mouths +Into the sea. To sojourn in that land +He comes, invited by a younger son +In time of dearth, a son whose worthy deeds +Raise him to be the second in that realm +Of Pharaoh. There he dies, and leaves his race +Growing into a nation, and now grown +Suspected to a sequent king, who seeks +To stop their overgrowth, as inmate guests +Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves +Inhospitably, and kills their infant males: +Till by two brethren (these two brethren call +Moses and Aaron) sent from God to claim +His people from enthralment, they return, +With glory and spoil, back to their promised land. +But first, the lawless tyrant, who denies +To know their God, or message to regard, +Must be compelled by signs and judgements dire; +To blood unshed the rivers must be turned; +Frogs, lice, and flies, must all his palace fill +With loathed intrusion, and fill all the land; +His cattle must of rot and murren die; +Botches and blains must all his flesh emboss, +And all his people; thunder mixed with hail, +Hail mixed with fire, must rend the Egyptians sky, +And wheel on the earth, devouring where it rolls; +What it devours not, herb, or fruit, or grain, +A darksome cloud of locusts swarming down +Must eat, and on the ground leave nothing green; +Darkness must overshadow all his bounds, +Palpable darkness, and blot out three days; +Last, with one midnight stroke, all the first-born +Of Egypt must lie dead. Thus with ten wounds +The river-dragon tamed at length submits +To let his sojourners depart, and oft +Humbles his stubborn heart; but still, as ice +More hardened after thaw; till, in his rage +Pursuing whom he late dismissed, the sea +Swallows him with his host; but them lets pass, +As on dry land, between two crystal walls; +Awed by the rod of Moses so to stand +Divided, till his rescued gain their shore: +Such wondrous power God to his saint will lend, +Though present in his Angel; who shall go +Before them in a cloud, and pillar of fire; +By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire; +To guide them in their journey, and remove +Behind them, while the obdurate king pursues: +All night he will pursue; but his approach +Darkness defends between till morning watch; +Then through the fiery pillar, and the cloud, +God looking forth will trouble all his host, +And craze their chariot-wheels: when by command +Moses once more his potent rod extends +Over the sea; the sea his rod obeys; +On their embattled ranks the waves return, +And overwhelm their war: The race elect +Safe toward Canaan from the shore advance +Through the wild Desart, not the readiest way; +Lest, entering on the Canaanite alarmed, +War terrify them inexpert, and fear +Return them back to Egypt, choosing rather +Inglorious life with servitude; for life +To noble and ignoble is more sweet +Untrained in arms, where rashness leads not on. +This also shall they gain by their delay +In the wide wilderness; there they shall found +Their government, and their great senate choose +Through the twelve tribes, to rule by laws ordained: +God from the mount of Sinai, whose gray top +Shall tremble, he descending, will himself +In thunder, lightning, and loud trumpets' sound, +Ordain them laws; part, such as appertain +To civil justice; part, religious rites +Of sacrifice; informing them, by types +And shadows, of that destined Seed to bruise +The Serpent, by what means he shall achieve +Mankind's deliverance. But the voice of God +To mortal ear is dreadful: They beseech +That Moses might report to them his will, +And terrour cease; he grants what they besought, +Instructed that to God is no access +Without Mediator, whose high office now +Moses in figure bears; to introduce +One greater, of whose day he shall foretel, +And all the Prophets in their age the times +Of great Messiah shall sing. Thus, laws and rites +Established, such delight hath God in Men +Obedient to his will, that he vouchsafes +Among them to set up his tabernacle; +The Holy One with mortal Men to dwell: +By his prescript a sanctuary is framed +Of cedar, overlaid with gold; therein +An ark, and in the ark his testimony, +The records of his covenant; over these +A mercy-seat of gold, between the wings +Of two bright Cherubim; before him burn +Seven lamps as in a zodiack representing +The heavenly fires; over the tent a cloud +Shall rest by day, a fiery gleam by night; +Save when they journey, and at length they come, +Conducted by his Angel, to the land +Promised to Abraham and his seed:--The rest +Were long to tell; how many battles fought +How many kings destroyed; and kingdoms won; +Or how the sun shall in mid Heaven stand still +A day entire, and night's due course adjourn, +Man's voice commanding, 'Sun, in Gibeon stand, +'And thou moon in the vale of Aialon, +'Till Israel overcome! so call the third +From Abraham, son of Isaac; and from him +His whole descent, who thus shall Canaan win. +Here Adam interposed. O sent from Heaven, +Enlightener of my darkness, gracious things +Thou hast revealed; those chiefly, which concern +Just Abraham and his seed: now first I find +Mine eyes true-opening, and my heart much eased; +Erewhile perplexed with thoughts, what would become +Of me and all mankind: But now I see +His day, in whom all nations shall be blest; +Favour unmerited by me, who sought +Forbidden knowledge by forbidden means. +This yet I apprehend not, why to those +Among whom God will deign to dwell on earth +So many and so various laws are given; +So many laws argue so many sins +Among them; how can God with such reside? +To whom thus Michael. Doubt not but that sin +Will reign among them, as of thee begot; +And therefore was law given them, to evince +Their natural pravity, by stirring up +Sin against law to fight: that when they see +Law can discover sin, but not remove, +Save by those shadowy expiations weak, +The blood of bulls and goats, they may conclude +Some blood more precious must be paid for Man; +Just for unjust; that, in such righteousness +To them by faith imputed, they may find +Justification towards God, and peace +Of conscience; which the law by ceremonies +Cannot appease; nor Man the mortal part +Perform; and, not performing, cannot live. +So law appears imperfect; and but given +With purpose to resign them, in full time, +Up to a better covenant; disciplined +From shadowy types to truth; from flesh to spirit; +From imposition of strict laws to free +Acceptance of large grace; from servile fear +To filial; works of law to works of faith. +And therefore shall not Moses, though of God +Highly beloved, being but the minister +Of law, his people into Canaan lead; +But Joshua, whom the Gentiles Jesus call, +His name and office bearing, who shall quell +The adversary-Serpent, and bring back +Through the world's wilderness long-wandered Man +Safe to eternal Paradise of rest. +Mean while they, in their earthly Canaan placed, +Long time shall dwell and prosper, but when sins +National interrupt their publick peace, +Provoking God to raise them enemies; +From whom as oft he saves them penitent +By Judges first, then under Kings; of whom +The second, both for piety renowned +And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive +Irrevocable, that his regal throne +For ever shall endure; the like shall sing +All Prophecy, that of the royal stock +Of David (so I name this king) shall rise +A Son, the Woman's seed to thee foretold, +Foretold to Abraham, as in whom shall trust +All nations; and to kings foretold, of kings +The last; for of his reign shall be no end. +But first, a long succession must ensue; +And his next son, for wealth and wisdom famed, +The clouded ark of God, till then in tents +Wandering, shall in a glorious temple enshrine. +Such follow him, as shall be registered +Part good, part bad; of bad the longer scroll; +Whose foul idolatries, and other faults +Heaped to the popular sum, will so incense +God, as to leave them, and expose their land, +Their city, his temple, and his holy ark, +With all his sacred things, a scorn and prey +To that proud city, whose high walls thou sawest +Left in confusion; Babylon thence called. +There in captivity he lets them dwell +The space of seventy years; then brings them back, +Remembering mercy, and his covenant sworn +To David, stablished as the days of Heaven. +Returned from Babylon by leave of kings +Their lords, whom God disposed, the house of God +They first re-edify; and for a while +In mean estate live moderate; till, grown +In wealth and multitude, factious they grow; +But first among the priests dissention springs, +Men who attend the altar, and should most +Endeavour peace: their strife pollution brings +Upon the temple itself: at last they seise +The scepter, and regard not David's sons; +Then lose it to a stranger, that the true +Anointed King Messiah might be born +Barred of his right; yet at his birth a star, +Unseen before in Heaven, proclaims him come; +And guides the eastern sages, who inquire +His place, to offer incense, myrrh, and gold: +His place of birth a solemn Angel tells +To simple shepherds, keeping watch by night; +They gladly thither haste, and by a quire +Of squadroned Angels hear his carol sung. +A virgin is his mother, but his sire +The power of the Most High: He shall ascend +The throne hereditary, and bound his reign +With Earth's wide bounds, his glory with the Heavens. +He ceased, discerning Adam with such joy +Surcharged, as had like grief been dewed in tears, +Without the vent of words; which these he breathed. +O prophet of glad tidings, finisher +Of utmost hope! now clear I understand +What oft my steadiest thoughts have searched in vain; +Why our great Expectation should be called +The seed of Woman: Virgin Mother, hail, +High in the love of Heaven; yet from my loins +Thou shalt proceed, and from thy womb the Son +Of God Most High: so God with Man unites! +Needs must the Serpent now his capital bruise +Expect with mortal pain: Say where and when +Their fight, what stroke shall bruise the victor's heel. +To whom thus Michael. Dream not of their fight, +As of a duel, or the local wounds +Of head or heel: Not therefore joins the Son +Manhood to Godhead, with more strength to foil +Thy enemy; nor so is overcome +Satan, whose fall from Heaven, a deadlier bruise, +Disabled, not to give thee thy death's wound: +Which he, who comes thy Saviour, shall recure, +Not by destroying Satan, but his works +In thee, and in thy seed: Nor can this be, +But by fulfilling that which thou didst want, +Obedience to the law of God, imposed +On penalty of death, and suffering death; +The penalty to thy transgression due, +And due to theirs which out of thine will grow: +So only can high Justice rest appaid. +The law of God exact he shall fulfil +Both by obedience and by love, though love +Alone fulfil the law; thy punishment +He shall endure, by coming in the flesh +To a reproachful life, and cursed death; +Proclaiming life to all who shall believe +In his redemption; and that his obedience, +Imputed, becomes theirs by faith; his merits +To save them, not their own, though legal, works. +For this he shall live hated, be blasphemed, +Seised on by force, judged, and to death condemned +A shameful and accursed, nailed to the cross +By his own nation; slain for bringing life: +But to the cross he nails thy enemies, +The law that is against thee, and the sins +Of all mankind, with him there crucified, +Never to hurt them more who rightly trust +In this his satisfaction; so he dies, +But soon revives; Death over him no power +Shall long usurp; ere the third dawning light +Return, the stars of morn shall see him rise +Out of his grave, fresh as the dawning light, +Thy ransom paid, which Man from death redeems, +His death for Man, as many as offered life +Neglect not, and the benefit embrace +By faith not void of works: This God-like act +Annuls thy doom, the death thou shouldest have died, +In sin for ever lost from life; this act +Shall bruise the head of Satan, crush his strength, +Defeating Sin and Death, his two main arms; +And fix far deeper in his head their stings +Than temporal death shall bruise the victor's heel, +Or theirs whom he redeems; a death, like sleep, +A gentle wafting to immortal life. +Nor after resurrection shall he stay +Longer on earth, than certain times to appear +To his disciples, men who in his life +Still followed him; to them shall leave in charge +To teach all nations what of him they learned +And his salvation; them who shall believe +Baptizing in the profluent stream, the sign +Of washing them from guilt of sin to life +Pure, and in mind prepared, if so befall, +For death, like that which the Redeemer died. +All nations they shall teach; for, from that day, +Not only to the sons of Abraham's loins +Salvation shall be preached, but to the sons +Of Abraham's faith wherever through the world; +So in his seed all nations shall be blest. +Then to the Heaven of Heavens he shall ascend +With victory, triumphing through the air +Over his foes and thine; there shall surprise +The Serpent, prince of air, and drag in chains +Through all his realm, and there confounded leave; +Then enter into glory, and resume +His seat at God's right hand, exalted high +Above all names in Heaven; and thence shall come, +When this world's dissolution shall be ripe, +With glory and power to judge both quick and dead; +To judge the unfaithful dead, but to reward +His faithful, and receive them into bliss, +Whether in Heaven or Earth; for then the Earth +Shall all be Paradise, far happier place +Than this of Eden, and far happier days. +So spake the Arch-Angel Michael; then paused, +As at the world's great period; and our sire, +Replete with joy and wonder, thus replied. +O Goodness infinite, Goodness immense! +That all this good of evil shall produce, +And evil turn to good; more wonderful +Than that which by creation first brought forth +Light out of darkness! Full of doubt I stand, +Whether I should repent me now of sin +By me done, and occasioned; or rejoice +Much more, that much more good thereof shall spring; +To God more glory, more good-will to Men +From God, and over wrath grace shall abound. +But say, if our Deliverer up to Heaven +Must re-ascend, what will betide the few +His faithful, left among the unfaithful herd, +The enemies of truth? Who then shall guide +His people, who defend? Will they not deal +Worse with his followers than with him they dealt? +Be sure they will, said the Angel; but from Heaven +He to his own a Comforter will send, +The promise of the Father, who shall dwell +His Spirit within them; and the law of faith, +Working through love, upon their hearts shall write, +To guide them in all truth; and also arm +With spiritual armour, able to resist +Satan's assaults, and quench his fiery darts; +What man can do against them, not afraid, +Though to the death; against such cruelties +With inward consolations recompensed, +And oft supported so as shall amaze +Their proudest persecutors: For the Spirit, +Poured first on his Apostles, whom he sends +To evangelize the nations, then on all +Baptized, shall them with wonderous gifts endue +To speak all tongues, and do all miracles, +As did their Lord before them. Thus they win +Great numbers of each nation to receive +With joy the tidings brought from Heaven: At length +Their ministry performed, and race well run, +Their doctrine and their story written left, +They die; but in their room, as they forewarn, +Wolves shall succeed for teachers, grievous wolves, +Who all the sacred mysteries of Heaven +To their own vile advantages shall turn +Of lucre and ambition; and the truth +With superstitions and traditions taint, +Left only in those written records pure, +Though not but by the Spirit understood. +Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names, +Places, and titles, and with these to join +Secular power; though feigning still to act +By spiritual, to themselves appropriating +The Spirit of God, promised alike and given +To all believers; and, from that pretence, +Spiritual laws by carnal power shall force +On every conscience; laws which none shall find +Left them inrolled, or what the Spirit within +Shall on the heart engrave. What will they then +But force the Spirit of Grace itself, and bind +His consort Liberty? what, but unbuild +His living temples, built by faith to stand, +Their own faith, not another's? for, on earth, +Who against faith and conscience can be heard +Infallible? yet many will presume: +Whence heavy persecution shall arise +On all, who in the worship persevere +Of spirit and truth; the rest, far greater part, +Will deem in outward rites and specious forms +Religion satisfied; Truth shall retire +Bestuck with slanderous darts, and works of faith +Rarely be found: So shall the world go on, +To good malignant, to bad men benign; +Under her own weight groaning; till the day +Appear of respiration to the just, +And vengeance to the wicked, at return +Of him so lately promised to thy aid, +The Woman's Seed; obscurely then foretold, +Now ampler known thy Saviour and thy Lord; +Last, in the clouds, from Heaven to be revealed +In glory of the Father, to dissolve +Satan with his perverted world; then raise +From the conflagrant mass, purged and refined, +New Heavens, new Earth, ages of endless date, +Founded in righteousness, and peace, and love; +To bring forth fruits, joy and eternal bliss. +He ended; and thus Adam last replied. +How soon hath thy prediction, Seer blest, +Measured this transient world, the race of time, +Till time stand fixed! Beyond is all abyss, +Eternity, whose end no eye can reach. +Greatly-instructed I shall hence depart; +Greatly in peace of thought; and have my fill +Of knowledge, what this vessel can contain; +Beyond which was my folly to aspire. +Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best, +And love with fear the only God; to walk +As in his presence; ever to observe +His providence; and on him sole depend, +Merciful over all his works, with good +Still overcoming evil, and by small +Accomplishing great things, by things deemed weak +Subverting worldly strong, and worldly wise +By simply meek: that suffering for truth's sake +Is fortitude to highest victory, +And, to the faithful, death the gate of life; +Taught this by his example, whom I now +Acknowledge my Redeemer ever blest. +To whom thus also the Angel last replied. +This having learned, thou hast attained the sum +Of wisdom; hope no higher, though all the stars +Thou knewest by name, and all the ethereal powers, +All secrets of the deep, all Nature's works, +Or works of God in Heaven, air, earth, or sea, +And all the riches of this world enjoyedst, +And all the rule, one empire; only add +Deeds to thy knowledge answerable; add faith, +Add virtue, patience, temperance; add love, +By name to come called charity, the soul +Of all the rest: then wilt thou not be loth +To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess +A Paradise within thee, happier far.-- +Let us descend now therefore from this top +Of speculation; for the hour precise +Exacts our parting hence; and see!the guards, +By me encamped on yonder hill, expect +Their motion; at whose front a flaming sword, +In signal of remove, waves fiercely round: +We may no longer stay: go, waken Eve; +Her also I with gentle dreams have calmed +Portending good, and all her spirits composed +To meek submission: thou, at season fit, +Let her with thee partake what thou hast heard; +Chiefly what may concern her faith to know, +The great deliverance by her seed to come +(For by the Woman's seed) on all mankind: +That ye may live, which will be many days, +Both in one faith unanimous, though sad, +With cause, for evils past; yet much more cheered +With meditation on the happy end. +He ended, and they both descend the hill; +Descended, Adam to the bower, where Eve +Lay sleeping, ran before; but found her waked; +And thus with words not sad she him received. +Whence thou returnest, and whither wentest, I know; +For God is also in sleep; and dreams advise, +Which he hath sent propitious, some great good +Presaging, since with sorrow and heart's distress +Wearied I fell asleep: But now lead on; +In me is no delay; with thee to go, +Is to stay here; without thee here to stay, +Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me +Art all things under $Heaven, all places thou, +Who for my wilful crime art banished hence. +This further consolation yet secure +I carry hence; though all by me is lost, +Such favour I unworthy am vouchsafed, +By me the Promised Seed shall all restore. +So spake our mother Eve; and Adam heard +Well pleased, but answered not: For now, too nigh +The Arch-Angel stood; and, from the other hill +To their fixed station, all in bright array +The Cherubim descended; on the ground +Gliding meteorous, as evening-mist +Risen from a river o'er the marish glides, +And gathers ground fast at the labourer's heel +Homeward returning. High in front advanced, +The brandished sword of God before them blazed, +Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat, +And vapour as the Libyan air adust, +Began to parch that temperate clime; whereat +In either hand the hastening Angel caught +Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate +Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast +To the subjected plain; then disappeared. +They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld +Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, +Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate +With dreadful faces thronged, and fiery arms: +Some natural tears they dropt, but wiped them soon; +The world was all before them, where to choose +Their place of rest, and Providence their guide: +They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, +Through Eden took their solitary way. + +[The End] -- cgit v1.2.3