and rejoycing was in Heav'n When such was heard declar'd the Almightie's will Glorie they sung to the most High good will To future men and in thir dwellings peace Glorie to him whose just avenging ire Had driven out th' ungodly from his sight And th' habitations of the just to him Glorie and praise whose wisdom had ordain'd Good out of evil to create in stead Of Spirits maligne a better Race to bring Into thir 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 appeer'd Girt with Omnipotence with Radiance crown'd Of Majestie Divine Sapience and Love Immense and all his Father in him shon About his Chariot numberless were pour'd Cherub and Seraph Potentates and Thrones And Vertues winged Spirits and Chariots wing'd From the Armoury of God where stand of old Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodg'd Against a solemn day harnest at hand Celestial Equipage and now came forth Spontaneous for within them Spirit livd Attendant on thir Lord Heav'n op'nd wide Her ever during Gates Harmonious sound On golden Hinges moving to let forth The King of Glorie in his powerful Word And Spirit coming to create new Worlds On heav'nly ground they stood and from the shore They view'd the vast immeasurable Abyss Outrageous as a Sea dark wasteful wilde Up from the bottom turn'd by furious windes And surging waves as Mountains to assault Heav'ns highth and with the Center mix the Pole Silence ye troubl'd waves and thou Deep peace Said then th' Omnific Word your discord end Nor staid but on the Wings of Cherubim Uplifted in Paternal Glorie rode Farr into Chaos and the World unborn For Chaos heard his voice him all his Traine Follow'd in bright procession to behold Creation and the wonders of his might Then staid the fervid Wheeles and in his hand He took the golden Compasses prepar'd In Gods Eternal store to circumscribe This Universe and all created things One foot he center'd and the other turn'd Round through the vast profunditie obscure And said thus farr extend thus farr thy bounds This be thy just Circumference O World Thus God the Heav'n created thus the Earth Matter unform'd and void Darkness profound Cover'd th' Abyss but on the watrie calme His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspred And vital vertue infus'd and vital warmth Throughout the fluid Mass but downward purg'd The black tartareous cold Infernal dregs Adverse to life then founded then conglob'd Like things to like the rest to several place Disparted and between spun out the Air And Earth self ballanc't on her Center hung Let ther be Light said God and forthwith Light Ethereal first of things quintessence pure Sprung from the Deep and from her Native East To journie through the airie gloom began Sphear'd in a radiant Cloud for yet the Sun Was not shee in a cloudie Tabernacle So journ'd the while God saw the Light was good And light from darkness by the Hemisphere Divided Light the Day and Darkness Night He nam'd Thus was the first Day Eev'n and Morn Nor past uncelebrated nor unsung By the Celestial Quires when Orient Light Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld Birth-day of Heav'n and Earth with joy and shout The hollow Universal Orb they fill'd And touch't thir Golden Harps and hymning prais'd God and his works Creatour him they sung Both when first Eevning was and when first Morn Again God said let ther 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 diffus'd 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 calme in wide Crystallin Ocean and the loud misrule Of Chaos farr remov'd least fierce extreames Contiguous might distemper the whole frame And Heav'n he nam'd the Firmament So Eev'n And Morning Chorus sung the second Day The Earth was form'd but in the Womb as yet Of Waters Embryon immature involv'd Appeer'd not over all the face of Earth Main Ocean flow'd not idle but with warme Prolific humour soft'ning all her Globe Fermented the great Mother to conceave Satiate with genial moisture when God said Be gather'd now ye Warers under Heav'n Into one place and let dry Land appeer Immediately the Mountain huge appeer Emergent and thir broad bare backs upheave Into the Clouds thir tops ascend the Skie So high as heav'd the tumid Hills so low Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep Capacious bed of Waters thither they Hasted with glad precipitance uprowld As drops on dust conglobing from the drie Part rise in crystal Wall or ridge direct For haste such flight the great command impress'd On the swift flouds as Armies at the call Of Trumpet for of Armies thou hast heard Troop to thir Standard so the watrie throng Wave rowling after Wave where way they found If steep with torrent rapture if through Plaine Soft-ebbing nor withstood them Rock or Hill But they or under ground or circuit wide With Serpent errour wandring found thir way And on the washie Oose deep Channels wore Easie e're God had bid the ground be drie All but within whose banks where Rivers now Stream and perpetual draw thir humid traine The dry Land Earth and the great receptacle Of congregated Waters he call'd Seas And saw that it was good and said Let th' Earth Put forth the verdant Grass Herb yielding Seed And Fruit Tree yielding Fruit after her kind Whose Seed is in her self upon the Earth He scarce had said when the bate Earth till then Desert and bare unsightly unadornd Brought forth the tender Grass whose verdure clad Her Universal Face with pleasant green Then Herbs of every leaf that sudden flour'd Op'ning thir various colours and made gay Her bosom smelling sweet and these scarce blown Forth flourish't thick the clustring Vine forth crept The smelling Gourd up stood the cornie Reed Embattell'd in her field and the humble Shrub And Bush with frizl'd hair implicit last Rose as in Dance the stately Trees and spred Thir branches hung with copious Fruit or gemm'd Thir blossoms with high woods the hills were crownd With tufts the vallies and each fountain side With borders long the Rivers That Earth now Seemd like to Heav'n a seat where Gods might dwell Or wander with delight and love to haunt Her sacred shades though God had yet not rain'd Upon the Earth and man to till the ground None was but from the Earth a dewie Mist Went up and waterd all the ground and each Plant of the field which e're it was in the Earth God made and every Herb before it grew On the green stemm God saw that it was good So Eev'n and Morn recorded the Third Day Again th' Almightie spake Let there be Lights High in th' expanse of Heaven to divide The
had perplext All path of Man or Beast that past that way One Gate there only was and that look'd East On th' other side which when th' arch-fellon saw Due entrance he disdaind and in contempt At one slight bound high over leap'd all bound Of Hill or highest Wall and sheer within Lights on his feet As when a prowling Wolfe Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for pray Watching where Shepherds pen thir Flocks at eve In hurdl'd Cotes amid the field secure Leaps o're the fence with ease into the Fould Or as a Thief bent to unhoord the cash Of some rich Burgher whose substantial dores Cross-barrd and bolted fast fear no assault In at the window climbs or o're the tiles So clomb this first grand Thief into Gods Fould So since into his Church lewd Hirelings climbe 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 regaind but sat devising Death To them who liv'd nor on the vertue thought Of that life-giving Plant but only us'd For prospect what well us'd had bin 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 thir meanest use Beneath him with new wonder now he views To all delight of human sense expos'd In narrow room Natures whole wealth yea more A Heav'n on Earth for blissful Paradise Of God the Garden was by him in the East Of Eden planted Eden stretchd her Line From Auran Eastward to the Royal Towrs Of great Seleucia built by Grecian Kings Or where the Sons of Eden long before Dwelt in Telassar in this pleasant soile His farr more pleasant Garden God ordaind Out of the fertil ground he caus'd 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 chang'd his course but through the shaggie hill Pass'd underneath ingulft for God had thrown That Mountain as his Garden mould high rais'd Upon the rapid current which through veins Of porous Earth with kindly thirst up drawn Rose a fresh Fountain and with many a rill Waterd the Garden thence united fell Down the steep glade and met the neather Flood Which from his darksom passage now appeers And now divided into four main Streams Runs divers wandring many a famous Realme And Country whereof here needs no account But rather to tell how if Art could tell How from that Saphire Fount the crisped Brooks Rowling on Orient Pearl and sands of Gold VVith mazie error under pendant shades Ran Nectar visiting each plant and fed Flours worthy of Paradise which not nice Art In Beds and curious Knots but Nature boon Powrd forth profuse on Hill and Dale and Plaine Both where the morning Sun first warmly smote The open field and where the unpierc't shade Imbround the noontide Bowrs Thus was this place Balme A happy rural seat of various view Groves whose rich Trees wept odorous Gumms and Others whose fruit burnisht with Golden Rinde Hung amiable Hesperian Fables true If true here only and of delicious taste Betwixt them Lawns or level Downs and Flocks Grasing the tender herb were interpos'd Or palmie hilloc or the flourie lap Of som irriguous Valley spred her store Flours of all hue and without Thorn the Rose Another side umbrageous Grots and Caves Of coole recess o're which the mantling vine Layes forth her purple Grape and gently creeps Luxuriant mean while murmuring waters fall Down the slope hills disperst or in a Lake That to the fringed Bank with Myrtle crownd Her chrystal mirror holds unite thir streams The Birds thir quire apply aires vernal aires 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 th' Eternal Spring Not that faire field Of Enna where Proserpin gathering flours Her self a fairer Floure by gloomie Dis Was gatherd which cost Ceres all that pain To seek her through the world nor that sweet Grove Of Daphne by Orontes and th' inspir'd Castalian Spring might with this Paradise Of Eden strive nor that Nyscian I le Girt with the River Triton where old Cham Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Lybian Jove Hid Amalthea and her Florid Son Young Bacchus from his Stepdame Rhea's eye Nor where Abassin Kings thir issue Guard Mount Amara though this by som suppos'd True Paradise under the Ethiop Line By Nilus head enclosd with shining Rock A whole days journy 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 Majestie seemd Lords of all And worthie seemd for in thir looks Divine The image of thir glorious Maker shon Truth wisdome Sanctitude severe and pure Severe but in true filial freedom plac't Whence true autoritie in men though both Not equal as thir sex not equal seemd For contemplation hee and valour formd For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace Hee for God only shee for God in him His fair large Front and Eye sublime dedar'd Absolute rule and Hyacinthin Locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustring but not beneath his shoulders broad Shee as a vail down to the slender waste Her unadorned golden tresses wore Dissheveld but in wanton ringlets wav'd As the Vine curles her tendrils which impli'd Subjection but requir'd with gentle sway And by her yielded by him best receivd Yielded with coy submission modest pride And sweet reluctant amorous delay Nor those mysterious parts were then conceald Then was not guiltie shame dishonest shame Of natures works honor dishonorable Sin-bred how have ye troubl'd all mankind With shews instead meer shews of seeming pure And banisht from mans life his happiest life Simplicitie and spotless innocence So passd they naked on nor shund the sight Of God or Angel for they thought no ill So hand in hand they passd the lovliest pair That ever since in loves imbraces met Adam the goodliest man of men since borne 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 thir sweet Gardning labour then suffic'd To recommend coole Zephyr and made ease More easie wholsom thirst and appetite More grateful to thir Supper Fruits they fell Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes Yielded them side-long as they sat recline On the soft downie Bank damaskt with flours The favourie pulp they chew and in the rinde Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream Nor gentle
Day from Night and let them be for Signes For Seasons and for Dayes and circling Years And let them be for Lights as I ordaine Thir Office in the Firmament of Heav'n To give Light on the Earth and it was so And God made two great Lights great for thir use To Man the greater to have rule by Day The less by Night alterne and made the Starrs And set them in the Firmament of Heav'n To illuminate the Earth and rule the Day In thir 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 mightie Spheare he fram'd unlightsom first Though of Ethereal Mould then form'd the Moon Globose and every magnitude of Starrs And sowd with Starrs the Heav'n thick as a field Of Light by farr the greater part he took Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine and plac'd In the Suns Orb made porous to receive And drink the liquid Light firm to retaine Her gather'd beams great Palace now of Light Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs Repairing in thir gold'n Urns draw Light And hence the Morning Planet guilds her horns By tincture or reflection they augment Thir small peculiar though from human sight So farr remote with diminution seen First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen Regent of Day and all th' Horizon round Invested with bright Rayes jocond to run His Longitude through Heav'ns high rode the gray Dawn and the Pleiades before him danc'd Shedding sweet influence less bright the Moon But opposite in leveld West was set His mirror with full face borrowing her Light From him for other light she needed none In that aspect and still that distance keepes Till night then in the East her turn she shines Revolvd on Heav'ns great Axle and her Reign With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds With thousand thousand Starres that then appeer'd Spangling the Hemisphere then first adornd With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose Glad Eevning and glad Morn crownd the fourth day And God said let the Waters generate Reptil with Spawn abundant living Soule And let Fowle flie above the Earth with wings Displayd on the op'n Firmament of Heav'n And God created the great Whales and each Soul living each that crept which plenteously The waters generated by thir kindes And every Bird of wing after his kinde And saw that it was good and bless'd them saying Be fruitful multiply and in the Seas And Lakes and running Streams the waters fill And let the Fowle be multiply'd on the Earth Forthwith the Sounds and Seas each Creek and Bay With Frie innumerable swarme and Shoales Of Fish that with thir Finns and shining Scales Glide under the green Wave in Sculles that oft Bank the mid Sea part single or with mate Graze the Sea weed thir pasture and through Groves Of Coral stray or sporting with quick glance Show to the Sun thir wav'd coats dropt with Gold Or in thir Pearlie shells at ease attend Moist nutriment or under Rocks thir food In jointed Armour watch on smooth the Seale And bended Dolphins play part huge of bulk Wallowing unweildie enormous in thir Gate Tempest the Ocean there Leviathan Hugest of living Creatures on the Deep Stretcht like a Promontorie sleeps or swimmes And seems a moving Land and at his Gilles Draws in and at his Trunck spouts our a Sea Mean while the tepid Caves and Fens and shoares Thir Brood as numerous hatch from the Egg that soon Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclos'd Thir callow young but featherd soon and fledge They summ'd thir Penns and soaring th' air sublime With clang despis'd the ground under a cloud In prospect there the Eagle and the Stork On Cliffs and Cedar tops thir Eyries build Part loosly wing the Region part more wise In common rang'd in figure wedge thir way Intelligent of seasons and set forth Thir Aierie Caravan high over Sea's Flying and over Lands with mutual wing Easing thir flight so stears the prudent Craneâ— Her annual Voiage born on Windes the Aire Floats as they pass fann'd with unnumber'd plumes From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song Solac'd the Woods and spred thir painted wings Till Ev'n nor then the solemn Nightingal Ceas'd warbling but all night tun'd her soft layes Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bath'd Thir downie Brest the Swan with Arched neck Between her white wings mantling proudly Rowes Her state with Oarie feet yet oft they quit The Dank and rising on stiff Pennons towre The mid Aereal Skie Others on ground Walk'd firm the crested Cock whose clarion sounds The silent hours and th' other whose gay Traine Adorns him colour'd with the Florid hue Of Rainbows and Starrie Eyes The Waters thus With Fish replenisht and the Aire with Fowle Ev'ning and Morn solemniz'd the Fift day The Sixt and of Creation last arose With Eevning Harps and Martin when God said Let th' Earth bring forth Foul living in her kinde Cattel and Creeping things and Beast of the Earth Each in their kinde The Earth obey'd and strait Op'ning her fertil Woomb teem'd at a Birth Innumerous living Creatures perfet formes Limb'd and full grown out of the ground up rose As from his Laire the wilde Beast where he wonns In Forrest wilde in Thicket Brake or Den Among the Trees in Pairs they rose they walk'd The Cattel in the Fields and Meddowes green Those rare and solitarie these in flocks Pasturing at once and in broad Herds upsprung The grassie Clods now Calv'd now half appeer'd The Tawnie Lion pawing to get free His hinder parts then springs as broke from Bonds And Rampant shakes his Brinded main the Ounce The Libbard and the Tyger as the Moale Rising the crumbl'd Earth above them threw In Hillocks the swift Stag from under ground Bore up his branching head scarse from his mould Behemoth biggest born of Earth upheav'd His vastness Fleec't the Flocks and bleating rose As Plants ambiguous between Sea and Land The River Horse and scalie Crocodile At once came forth whatever creeps the ground Insect or Worme those wav'd thir limber fans For wings and smallest Lineaments exact In all the Liveries dect of Summers pride With spots of Gold and Purple azure and green These as a line thir long dimension drew Streaking the ground with sinuous trace not all Minims of Nature some of Serpent kinde Wondrous in length and corpulence involv'd Thir Snakie foulds and added wings First crept The Parsimonious Emmet provident Of future in small room large heart enclos'd Pattern of just equalitie perhaps Hereafter join'd in her popular Tribes Of Commonaltie swarming next appeer'd The Female Bee that feeds her Husband Drone Deliciously and builds her waxen Cells With Honey stor'd the rest are numberless And thou thir Natures know'st gav'st them Names Needlest to thee repeated nor unknown The Serpent suttl'st Beast of all the field Of huge extent somtimes with brazen Eyes And hairie Main terrific though
and in the general fall I also at which time this powerful Key Into my hand was giv'n with charge to keep These Gates for ever shut which none can pass Without my op'ning 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 Transform'd but he my inbred enemie Forth issu'd brandishing his fatal Dart Made to destroy I fled and cry'd out Death Hell trembl'd at the hideous Name and sigh'd From all her Caves and back resounded Death I fled but he pursu'd though more it seems Inflam'd with lust then rage and swifter far Mee overtook his mother all dismaid And in embraces forcible and foule Ingendring with me of that rape begot These yelling Monsters that with ceasless cry Surround me as thou sawst hourly conceiv'd And hourly born with sorrow infinite To me for when they list into the womb That bred them they return and howle and gnaw My Bowels thir repast then bursting forth A fresh with conscious terrours vex me round That rest or intermission none I find Before mine eyes in opposition sits Grim Death my Son and foe who sets them on And me his Parent would full soon devour For want of other prey but that he knows His end with mine involvd and knows that I Should prove a bitter Morsel and his bane VVhen ever that shall be so Fate pronounc'd But thou O Father I forewarn thee shun His deadly arrow neither vainly hope To be invulnerable in those bright Arms Though temper'd heav'nly for that mortal dint Save he who reigns above none can resist She finish'd and the suttle Fiend his lore Soon learnd now milder and thus answerd smooth Dear Daughter since thou claim'st me for thy Sire And my fair Son here showst me the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n and joys Then sweet now sad to mention through dire change Befalln us unforeseen unthought of know I come no enemie but to set free From out this dark and dismal house of pain Both him and thee and all the heav'nly Host Of Spirits that in our just pretenses arm'd Fell with us from on high from them I go This uncouth errand sole and one for all My self expose with lonely steps to tread Th' unfounded deep and through the void immense To search with wandring quest a place foretold Should be and by concurring signs ere now Created vast and round a place of bliss In the Pourlieues of Heav'n and therein plac't A race of upstart Creatures to supply Perhaps our vacant room though more remov'd Least Heav'n surcharg'd with potent multitude Might hap to move new broiles Be this or aught Then this more secret now design'd 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 VVing silently the buxom Air imbalm'd VVith odours there ye shall be fed and fill'd Immeasurably all things shall be your prey He ceas'd for both seemd highly pleasd and Death Grinnd horrible a gast'y smile to hear His famine should be fill'd and blest his mawe Destin'd to that good hour no less rejoyc'd His mother bad and thus bespake her Sire The key of this infernal Pit by due And by command of Heav'ns 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'rmatcht by living might But what ow 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 confin'd Inhabitant of Heav'n and heav'n lie-born Here in perpetual agonie and pain With terrors and with clamors compasst round Of mine own brood that on my bowels feed Thou art my Father thou ray 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 rouling her bestial train Forthwith the huge Porcullis high up drew Which but her self not all the Stygian powers Could once have mov'd then in the key-hole turns Th' intricate wards and every Bolt and Bar Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease Unfast'ns on a sudden op'n flie With impetuous recoile and jarring sound Th' infernal dores and on thir hinges grate Harsh Thunder that the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus She op'nd but to shut Excel'd her power the Gates wide op'n stood That with extended wings a Bannerd Host Under spread Ensigns marching might pass through With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array So wide they stood and like a Furnace mouth Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame Before thir eyes in sudden view appear The secrets of the hoarie deep a dark Illimitable Ocean without bound Without dimension where length breadth highth And time and place are lost where eldest Night And Chaos Ancestors of Nature hold Eternal Anarchie amidst the noise Of endless Warrs and by confusion stand For hot cold moist and dry four Champions fierce Strive here for Maistrie and to Battel bring Thir embryon Atoms they around the flag Of each his Faction in thir several Clanns Light-arm'd or heavy sharp smooth swift or slow Swarm populous unnumber'd as the Sands Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil Levied to side with warring Winds and poise Thir lighter wings To whom these most adhere Hee rules a moment Chaos Umpire sits And by decision more imbroiles the fray By which he Reigns next him high Arbiter Chance governs all Into this wilde Abyss The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave Of neither Sea nor Shore nor Air nor Fire But all these in thir pregnant causes mixt Confus'dly and which thus must ever fight Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain His dark materials to create more Worlds Into this wild Abyss the warie fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while Pondering his Voyage for no narrow frith He had to cross Nor was his eare less peal'd With noises loud and ruinous to compare Great things with small then when Bellona storms With all her battering Engines bent to rase Som Capital City or less then if this frame Of Heav'n were falling and these Elements In mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth At last his Sail-broad Vannes He spreads for flight and in the surging smoak Uplifted spurns the ground thence many a League As in a cloudy Chair ascending rides Audacious but that seat soon failing meets A vast vacuitie
Man Anointed universal King all Power I give thee reign for ever and assume Thy Merits under thee as Head Supream 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 Heav'n Shalt in the Sky appeer and from thee send The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaime Thy dread Tribunal forthwith from all Windes The living and forthwith the cited dead Of all past Ages to the general Doom Shall hast'n such a peal shall rouse thir sleep Then all thy Saints assembl'd thou shalt judge Bad men and Angels they arraignd 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 Heav'n and Earth wherein the just shall dwell And after all thir tribulations long See golden days fruitful of golden deeds With Joy and Love 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 mee No sooner had th' Almighty ceas't but all The multitude of Angels with a shout Loud as from numbers without number sweet As from blest voices uttering joy Heav'n rung With Jubilee and loud Hosanna's filld Th' eternal Regions lowly reverent Towards either Throne they bow and to the ground With solemn adoration down they cast Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold Immortal Amarant a Flour which once In Paradise fast by the Tree of Life Began to bloom but soon for mans offence To Heav'n remov'd where first it grew there grows And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn Rowls o're Elisian Flours her Amber stream With these that never fade the Spirits elect Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off the bright Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon Impurpl'd with Celestial Roses smil'd Then Crown'd again thir gold'n Harps they took Harps ever tun'd that glittering by thir side Like Quivers hung and with Praeamble sweet Of charming symphonie they introduce Thir sacred Song and waken raptures high No voice exempt no voice but well could joine Melodious part such concord is in Heav'n Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent Immutable Immortal Infinite Eternal King thee Author of all being Fountain of Light thy self invisible Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit'st Thron'd inaccessible but when thou shad'st The full blaze of thy beams and through a cloud Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer Yet dazle Heav'n that brightest Seraphim Approach not but with both wings veil thir eyes Thee next they sang of all Creation first Begotten Son Divine Similitude In whose conspicuous count'nance without cloud Made visible th' Almighty Father shines Whom else no Creature can behold on thee Impresst the effulgence of his Glorie abides Transfus'd on thee his ample Spirit rests Hee Heav'n of Heavens and all the Powers therein By thee created and by thee threw down Th' aspiring Dominations thou that day Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare Nor stop thy flaming Chariot wheels that shook Heav'ns everlasting Frame while o're the necks Thou drov'st of warring Angels disarraid Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaime Thee only extoll'd Son of thy Fathers might To execute fierce vengeance on his foes Not so on Man him through their malice fall'n Father of Mercie and Grace thou didst not doome So strictly but much more to pitie encline No sooner did thy dear and onely Son Perceive thee purpos'd not to doom frail Man So strictly but much more to pitie enclin'd He to appease thy wrauth and end the strife Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern'd Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee sat Second to thee offerd himself to die For mans offence O unexampl'd love Love no where to be found less then Divine Hail Son of God Saviour of Men thy Name Shall be the copious matter of my Song Henceforth and never shall my Harp thy praise Forget nor from thy Fathers praise disjoine Thus they in Heav'n above the starry Sphear Thir happie hours in joy and hymning spent Mean while upon the firm opacous Globe Of this round World whose first convex divides The luminous inferior Orbs enclos'd From Chaos and th' inroad of Darkness old Satan alighted walks a Globe farr off It seem'd now seems a boundless Continent Dark waste and wild under the frown of Night Starless expos'd and ever-threatning storms Of Chaos blustring round inclement skie Save on that side which from the wall of Heav'n Though distant farr som small reflection gaines Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud Here walk'd the Fiend at large in spacious field As when a Vultur on Imaus bred Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey To gorge the flesh of Lambs or yeanling Kids Oâ— Hills where Flocks are fed flies toward the Springs Of Ganges or Hydaspes Indian streams But in his way lights on the barren Plaines Of Sericana where Chineses drive With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light So on this windie Sea of Land the Fiend Walk'd up and down alone bent on his prey Alone for other Creature in this place Living or liveless to be found was none None yet but store hereafter from the earth Up hither like Aereal vapours flew Of all things transitorie and vain when Sin With vanity had filld the works of men Both all things vain and all who in vain things Built thir fond hopes of Glorie or lasting fame Or happiness in this or th' other life All who have thir reward on Earth the fruits Of painful Superstition and blind Zeal Naught seeking but the praise of men here find Fit retribution emptie as thir deeds All th' unaccompisht works of Natures hand Abortive monstrous or unkindly mixt Dissolvd on Earth fleet hither and in vain Till final dissolution wander here Not in the neighbouring Moon as some have dreamd Those argent Fields more likely habitants Translated Saints or middle Spirits hold Betwixt th' Angelical and Human kinde Hither of ill-joynd Sons and Daughters born First from the ancient World those Giants came With many a vain exploit though then renownd The builders next of Babel on the Plain Of Sennaar and still with vain designe New Babels had they wherewithall would build Others came single he who to be deemd A God leap'd fondly into Aetna flames Empedocles and hee who to enjoy Plito's Elysium leap'd into the Sea Cleombrotus and many more too long Embryo's and Idiots Eremits and Friers White Black and Grey with all thir trumperie Here Pilgrims roam that stray'd so farr to seek In Golgotha him dead who lives in Heav'n And they who to be sure
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 Incens't and thus securely him defi'd Proud art thou met thy hope was to have reacht The highth of thy aspiring unoppos'd The Throne of God unguarded and his side Abandond at the terror of thy Power Or potent tongue fool not to think how vain Against th' Omnipotent to rise in Arms Who out of smallest things could without end Have rais'd incessant Armies to defeat Thy folly or with solitarie hand Reaching beyond all limit at one blow Unaided could have finisht thee and whelmd Thy Legions under darkness but thou seest All are not of thy Train there be who Faith Prefer and Pietie to God though then To thee not visible when I alone Seemd in thy World erroneous to dissent From all my Sect thou seest now learn too late How few somtimes may know when thousands err Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance Thus answerd Ill for thee but in wisht houre Of my revenge first sought for thou returnst From flight seditious Angel to receave Thy merited reward the first assay Of this right hand provok't since first that tongue Inspir'd with contradiction durst oppose A third part of the Gods in Synod met Thir Deities ro assert who while they feel Vigour Divine within them can allow Omnipotence to none But well thou comst Before thy fellows ambitious to win From me som Plume that thy success may show Destruction to the rest this pause between Unanswerd least thou boast to let thee know At first I thought that Libertie and Heav'n To heav'nly Soules had bin all one but now I see that most through sloth had rather serve Ministring Spirits traind up in Feast and Song Such hast thou arm'd the Minstrelfie of Heav'n Servilitie with freedom to contend As both thir deeds compar'd this day shall prove To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern repli'd Apostat still thou errst nor end wilt find Of erring from the path of truth remote Unjustly thou deprav'st 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 excells Them whom he governs This is servitude To serve th' unwise or him who hath rebelld Against his worthier as thine now serve thee Thy self not free but to thy self enthrall'd Yet leudly dar'st our ministring upbraid Reign thou in Hell thy Kingdom let mee serve In Heav'n God ever blest and his Divine Behests obey worthiest to be obey'd Yet Chains in Hell not Realms expect mean while From mee returnd 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 recoild the tenth on bended knee His massie Spear upstaid as if on Earth Winds under ground or waters forcing way Sidelong had push't a Mountain from his feat Half sunk with all his Pines Amazement seis'd The Rebel Thrones but greater rage to see Thus foil'd thir mightiest ours joy filld and shout Presage of Victorie and fierce desire Of Battel whereat Michael bid sound Th' 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 Lęgions nor less hideous joyn'd The horrid shock now storming furie rose And clamour such as heard in Heav'n till now Was never Arms on Armour clashing bray'd Horrible discord and the madding Wheeles Of brazen Chariots rag'd dire was the noise Of conflict over head the dismal hiss Of fiery Darts in flaming volies flew And flying vaulted either Host with fire So under fierie Cope together rush'd Both Battels maine with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage all Heav'n Resounded and had Earth bin then all Earth Had to her Center shook What wonder when Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought On either side the least of whom could weild These Elements and arm him with the force Of all thir Regions how much more of Power Armie against Armie number less to raise Dreadful combustion warring and disturb Though not destroy thir happie Native seat Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent From his strong hold of Heav'n high over-rul'd And limited thir might though numberd such As each divided Legion might have seemd A numerous Host in strength each armed hand A Legion led in fight yet Leader seemd Each Warriour single as in Chief expert When to advance or stand or turn the sway Of Battel open when and when to close The ridges of grim Warr no thought of flight None of retreat no unbecoming deed That argu'd fear each on himself reli'd As onely in his arm the moment lay Of victorie deeds of eternal fame Were don but infinite for wide was spred That Warr and various somtimes on firm ground A standing fight then soaring on main wing Tormented all the Air all Air seemd then Conflicting Fire long time in eeven scale The Battel hung till Satan who that day Prodigious power had shewn and met in Armes No equal raunging through the dire attack Of fighting Seraphim confus'd at length Saw where the Sword of Michael smote and fell'd Squadrons at once with huge two-handed sway Brandisht aloft the horrid edge came down Wide wasting such destruction to withstand He hasted and oppos'd the rockie Orb Of tenfold Adamant his ample Shield A vast circumference At his approach The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toile Surceas'd and glad as hoping here to end Intestine War in Heav'n the arch foe subdu'd Or Captive drag'd in Chains with hostile frown And visage all enflam'd first thus began Author of evil unknown till thy revolt Unnam'd in Heav'n now plenteous as thou seest These Acts of hateful strife hateful to all Though heaviest by just measure on thy self And thy adherents how hast thou disturb'd Heav'ns blessed peace and into Nature brought Miserie uncreated till the crime Of thy Rebellion how hast thou instill'd Thy malice into thousands once upright And faithful now prov'd false But think not here To trouble Holy Rest Heav'n casts thee out From all her Confines Heav'n the seat of bliss Brooks not the works of violence and Warr. Hence then and evil go with thee along Thy ofspring to the place of evil Hell Thou and thy wicked crew there mingle broiles Ere this avenging Sword begin thy doome Or som more sudden vengeance wing'd from God Precipitate thee with augmented paine So spake the Prince of Angels to whom thus The Adversarie Nor think thou with wind Of airie threats to aw whom yet with deeds Thou canst not Hast thou turnd the least of these To flight or if to fall but that they rise Unvanquisht easier to transact with mee That thou shouldst hope imperious and with threats
to thee Not noxious but obedient at thy call Now Heav'n in all her Glorie shon and rowld Her motions as the great first-Movers hand First wheeld thir course Earth in her rich attire Consummate lovly smil'd Aire Water Earth By Fowl Fish Beast was flown was swum was walkt Frequent and of the Sixt day yet remain'd There wanted yet the Master work the end Of all yet don a Creature who not prone And Brute as other Creatures but endu'd With Sanctitie of Reason might erect His Stature and upright with Front serene Govern the rest self-knowing and from thence Magnanimous to correspond with Heav'n But grateful to acknowledge whence his good Descends thither with heart and voice and eyes Directed in Devotion to adore And worship God Supream who made him chief Of all his works therefore the Omnipotent Eternal Father For where is not hee 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 Fowle of Sea and Aire Beast of the Field and over all the Earth And every creeping thing that creeps the ground This said he formd thee Adam thee O Man Dust of the ground and in thy nostrils breath'd The breath of Life in his own Image hee Created thee in the Image of God Express and thou becam'st a living Soul Male he created thee but thy consort Female for Race then bless'd Mankinde and said Be fruitful multiplie and fill the Earth Subdue it and throughout Dominion hold Over Fish of the Sea and Fowle of the Aire And every living thing that moves on the Earth Wherever thus created for no place Is yet distinct by name thence as thou know'st He brought thee into this delicious Grove This Garden planted with the Trees of God Delectable both to behold and taste And freely all thir pleasant fruit for food Gave thee all sorts are here that all th' Earth yields Varietie without end but of the Tree Which tasted works knowledge of Good and Evil Thou mai'st not in the day thou eat'st thou di'st Death is the penaltie impos'd beware And govern well thy appetite least sin Surprise thee and her black attendant Death Here finish'd hee and all that he had made View'd and behold all was entirely good So Ev'n and Morn accomplish'd the Sixt day Yet not till the Creator from his work Desisting though unwearied up returnd Up to the Heav'n of Heav'ns his high abode Thence to behold this new created World Th' addition of his Empire how it shew'd In prospect from his Throne how good how faire Answering his great Idea Up he rode Followd with acclamation and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand Harpes that tun'd Angelic harmonies the Earth the Aire Resounded thou remember'st for thou heardst The Heav'ns and all the Constellations rung The Planets in thir station list'-ning stood While the bright Pomp ascended jubilant Open ye everlasting Gates they sung Open ye Heav'ns your living dores let in The great Creator from his work returnd Magnificent his Six days work a World Open and henceforth oft for God will deigne 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 Heav'n That open'd wide her blazing Portals led To Gods Eternal house direct the way A broad and ample rode whose dust is Gold And pavement Starrs as Starrs to thee appeer Seen in the Galaxie that Milkie way Which nightly as a circling Zone thou seest Pouderd with Starrs And now on Earth the Seventh Eev'ning arose in Eden for the Sun Was set and twilight from the East came on Forerunning Night when at the holy mount Of Heav'ns high-seated top th' Impereal Throne Of Godhead fixt for ever firm and sure The Filial Power arriv'd and sate him down With his great Father for be also went Invisible yet staid such priviledge Hath Omnipresence and the work ordain'd Author and end of all things and from work Now resting bless'd and hallowd the Seav'nth 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 Temper'd soft Tunings intermixt with Voice Choral or Unison of incense Clouds Fuming from Golden Censers hid the Mount Creation and the Six dayes 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 Then from the Giant Angels thee that day Thy Thunders magnifi'd but to create Is greater then created to destroy Who can impair thee mighty King or bound Thy Empire easily the proud attempt Of Spirits apostat and thir Counsels vaine Thou hast repeld while impiously they thought Thee to diminish and from thee withdraw The number of thy worshippers Who seekes To lessen thee against his purpose serves To manifest the more thy might his evil Thou usest and from thence creat'st more good Witness this new-made World another Heav'n From Heaven Gate not farr founded in view On the cleer Hyaline the Glassie Sea Of amplitude almost immense with Starr's Numerous and every Starr perhaps a World Of destind habitation but thou know'st Thir seasons among these the seat of men Earth with her nether Ocean circumfus'd Thir pleasant dwelling place Thrice happie men And sons of men whom God hath thus advanc't 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 happie if they know Thir happiness and persevere upright So sung they and the Empyrean rung With Halleluiahs Thus was Sabbath kept And thy request think now fulfill'd that ask'd How first this World and face of things began And what before thy memorie was don From the beginning that posteritie Informd by thee might know if else thou seekst Aught not surpassing human measure say The End of the Seventh Book Paradise Lost BOOK VIII THE ARGUMENT Adam inquires concerning celestial Motions is doubtfully answer'd and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledg Adam assents and still desirous to detain Raphael relates to him what he remember'd since his own Creation his placing in Paradise his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society his first meeting and Nuptials with Eve his discourse with the Angel thereupon who after admonitions repeated departs THE Angel ended and in Adams Eare So Charming left his voice that he a while Thought him still speaking still stood fixt to hear Then as new wak't thus gratefully repli'd What thanks sufficient or what recompence Equal have I to render thee Divine Hystorian who thus largely hast allayd The thirst I had of knowledge and voutsaf't This friendly condescention to relate Things else by me unsearchable now heard With
to thir labours which Eve proposes to divide in several places each labouring apart Adam consents not alledging the danger lest that Enemy of whom they were forewarn'd should attempt her found alone Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough urges her going apart the rather desirous to make tryal of her strength Adam at last yields The Serpent finds her alone his subtle approach first gazing then speaking with much flattery extolling Eve above all other Creatures Eve wondring to hear the Serpent speaks asks how he attain'd to human speech and such understanding not till now the Serpent answers that by tasting of a certain Tree in the Garden he attain'd both to Speech and Reason till then void of both Eve requires him to bring her to that Tree and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden The Serpent now grown bolder with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat she pleas'd with the taste deliberates a while whether to impart thereof to Adam or not at last brings him of the Fruit relates what perswaded her to eat thereof Adam at first amaz'd but perceiving her lost resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her and extenuating the trespass cats also of the Fruit The Effects thereof in them both they seek to cover thir nakedness then fall to variance and accusation of one anotther 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 Tragic foul distrust and breach Disloyal on the part of Man revolt And disobedience On the part of Heav'n Now alienated distance and distaste Anger and just rebuke and judgement giv'n That brought into this World a world of woe Sinne and her shadow Death and Miserie Deaths Harbinger Sad task yet argument Not less but more Heroic then the wrauth Of stern Achilles on his Foe pursu'd Thrice Fugitive about Troy Wall or rage Of Turnus for Lavinia disespous'd Or Neptun's ire or Juno's that so long Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's Son If answerable style I can obtaine Of my Celestial Patroness who deignes Her nightly visitation unimplor'd And dictates to me slumbring or inspires Easie my unpremeditated Verse Since first this Subject for Heroic Song Pleas'd me long choosing and beginning late Not sedulous by Nature to indite Warrs hitherto the onely Argument Heroic deem'd chief maistrie to dissect With long and tedious havoc fabl'd Knights In Battels feign'd the better fortitude Of Patience and Heroic Martyrdom Unsung or to describe Races and Games Or tilting Furniture emblazon'd Shields Impreses quaint Caparisons and Steeds Bases and tinsel Trappings gorgious Knights At Joust and Torneament then marshal'd Feast Serv'd up in Hall with Sewers and Seneshals The skill of Artifice or Office mean Not that which justly gives Heroic name To Person or to Poem Mee of these Nor skilld nor studious higher Argument Remaines sufficient of it self to raise That name unless an age too late or cold Climat or Years damp my intended wing Deprest 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 Starr Of Hesperus whose Office is to bring Twilight upon the Earth short Arbiter Twixt Day and Night and now from end to end Nights Hemisphere had veild 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 mans destruction maugre what might hap Of heavier on himself fearless return'd By Night he fled and at Midnight return'd From compassing the Earth cautious of day Since Vriel Regent of the Sun descri'd His entrance and forewarnd the Cherubim That kept thir watch thence full of anguish driv'n The space of seven continu'd Nights he rode With darkness thrice the Equinoctial Line He circl'd four times cross'd the Carr of Night From Pole to Pole traversing each Colure On the eighth return'd and on the Coast averse From entrance or Cherubic Watch by stealth Found unsuspected way There was a place Now not though Sin not Time first wraught 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 involv'd in rising Mist then sought Where to lie hid Sea he had searcht and Land From Eden over Pontus and the Poole Maeotis up beyond the River Ob Downward as farr Antartic and in length West from Orontes to the Ocean barr'd At Darien thence to the Land where flowes Ganges and Indus thus the Orb he roam'd With narrow search and with inspection deep Consider'd every Creature which of all Most opportune might serve his Wiles and found The Serpent suttlest Beast of all the Field Him after long debate irresolute Of thoughts revolv'd 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 wilie Snake Whatever sleights none would suspicious mark As from his wit and native suttletie Proceeding which in other Beasts observ'd Doubt might beget of Diabolic pow'r Active within beyond the sense of brute Thus he resolv'd but first from inward griefe His bursting passion into plaints thus pour'd O Earth how like to Heav'n if not preferr'd More justly Seat worthier of Gods as built With second thoughts reforming what was old For what God after better worse would build Terrestrial Heav'n danc't round by other Heav'ns That shine yet bear thir bright officious Lamps Light above Light for thee alone as seems In thee concentring all thir precious beams Of sacred influence As God in Heav'n Is Center yet extends to all so thou Centring receav'st from all those Orbs in thee Not in themselves all thir known vertue appeers Productive in Herb Plant and nobler birth Of Creatures animate with gradual life Of Growth Sense Reason all summ'd up in Man With what delight could I have walkt thee round If I could joy in aught sweet interchange Of Hill and Vallie Rivers Woods and Plaines Now Land now Sea and Shores with Forrest crownd 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 Heav'n much worse would be my state But neither here seek I no nor in Heav'n To dwell unless by maistring Heav'ns Supreame Nor hope to be my self less miserable By what I seek but others to make such As I though thereby worse to me redound For onely in destroying I find ease To my relentless thoughts and him destroyd Or won to what may work his utter loss For whom all this was made all this will soon Follow as to him linkt in weal
This Flourie Plat the sweet recess of Eve Thus earlie thus alone her Heav'nly forme Angelic but more soft and Feminine Her graceful Innocence her every Aire Of gesture or lest action overawd His Malice and with rapine sweet bereav'd His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought That space the Evil one abstracted stood From his own evil and for the time remaind Stupidly good of enmitie disarm'd Of guile of hate of envie of revenge But the hot Hell that alwayes in him burnes Though in mid Heav'n soon ended his delight And tortures him now more the more he sees Of pleasure not for him ordain'd 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 hautie and of limb Heroic built though of terrestrial mould Foe not informidable exempt from wound I not so much hath Hell debas'd and paine Infeebl'd me to what I was in Heav'n Shee fair divinely fair fit Love for Gods Not terrible though terrour be in Love And beautie not approacht by stronger hate Hate stronger under shew of Love well feign'd The way which to her ruin now I tend So spake the Enemie of Mankind enclos'd In Serpent Inmate bad and toward Eve Address'd his way not with indented wave Prone on the ground as since but on his reare Circular base of rising foulds that tour'd Fould above fould a surging Maze his Head Crested aloft and Carbuncle his Eyes With burnisht Neck of verdant Gold erect Amidst his circling Spires that on the grass Floted redundant pleasing was his shape And lovely never since of Serpent kind Lovelier not those that in Illyria chang'd Hermione and Cadmus or the God In Epidaurus nor to which transformd Ammonian Jove or Capitoline was seen Hee with Olympias this with her who bore Scipio the highth of Rome With tract oblique At first as one who sought access but feard To interrupt side-long he works his way As when a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought Nigh Rivers mouth or Foreland where the Wind Veres oft as oft so steers and shifts her Saile So varied hee and of his tortuous Traine Curld many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve To lure her Eye shee busied heard the sound Of rusling Leaves but minded not as us'd To such disport before her through the Field From every Beast more duteous at her call Then at Circean call the Herd disguis'd Hee boulder now uncall'd before her stood But as in gaze admiring Oft he bowd His turret Crest and sleek enamel'd Neck Fawning and lick'd the ground whereon she trod His gentle dumb expression turnd at length The Eye of Eve to mark his play he glad Of her attention gaind with Serpent Tongue Organic 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 Heav'n of mildness with disdain Displeas'd that I approach thee thus and gaze Infatiate I thus single nor have feard Thy awful brow more awful thus retir'd Fairest resemblance of thy Maker faire Thee all things living gaze on all things thine By gift and thy Celestial Beautie adore With ravishment beheld there best beheld Where universally admir'd but here In this enclosure wild these Beasts among Beholders rude and shallow to discerne Half what in thee is fair one man except Who sees thee and what is one who shouldst be seen A Goddess among Gods ador'd and serv'd By Angels numberless thy daily Train So gloz'd the Tempter and his Proem tun'd Into the Heart of Eve his words made way Though at the voice much marveling at length Not unamaz'd she thus in answer spake What may this mean Language of Man pronounc't By Tongue of Brute and human sense exprest The first at lest of these I thought deniâ—d To Beasts whom God on thir Creation-Day Created mute to all articulat sound The latter I demurre for in thir looks Much reason and in thir actions oft appeers Thee Serpent suttlest beast of all the field I knew but not with human voice endu'd Redouble then this miracle and say How cam'st 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 reply'd Empress of this fair World resplendent Eve Easie to mee it is to tell thee all What thou commandst and right thou shouldst be obeyd 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 discern'd Or Sex and apprehended nothing high Till on a day roaving the field I chanc'd A goodly Tree farr distant to behold Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixt Ruddie and Gold I nearer drew to gaze When from the boughes a savorie odour blow'n Grateful to appetite more pleas'd my sense Then smell of sweetest Fenel or the Teats Of Ewe or Goat dropping with Milk at Eevn Unsuckt of Lamb or Kid that tend thir play To satisfie the sharp desire I had Of tasting those fair Apples I resolv'd Not to deferr hunger and thirst at once Powerful perswaders quick'nd at the scent Of that alluring fruit urg'd me so keene About the mossie Trunk I wound me soon For high from ground the branches would require Thy utmost reach or Adams 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 spar'd not for such pleasure till that hour At Feed or Fountain never had I found Sated at length ere long I might perceave Strange alteration in me to degree Of Reason in my inward Powers and Speech Wanted not long though to this shape retain'd Thenceforth to Speculations high or deep I turnd my thoughts and with capacious mind Considerd all things visible in Heav'n Or Earth or Middle all things fair and good But all that fair and good in thy Divine Semblance and in thy Beauties heav'nly Ray United I beheld no Fair to thine Equivalent or second which compel'd Mee thus though importune perhaps to come And gaze and worship thee of right declar'd Sovran of Creatures universal Dame So talk'd the spirited sly Snake and Eve Yet more amaz'd unwarie thus reply'd Serpent thy overpraising leaves in doubt The vertue of that Fruit in thee first prov'd But say where grows the Tree from hence how far For
sit not and reproach us as unclean So counsel'd hee and both together went Into the thickest Wood there soon they chose The Figtree not that kind for Fruit renown'd But such as at this day to Indians known In Malabar or Decan spreds her Armes Braunching so broad and long that in the ground The bended Twigs take root and Daughters grow About the Mother Tree a Pillard shade High overarch't and echoing Walks between There oft the Indian Herdsman shunning heate Shelters in coole and tends his pasturing Herds At Loopholes cut through thiekest shade Those Leaves They gatherd broad as Amazonian Targe And with what skill they had together sowd To gird thir waste vain Covering if to hide Thir guilt and dreaded shame O how unlike To that first naked Glorie Such of late Columbus found th' American so girt With featherd Cincture naked else and wilde Among the Trees on lies and woodie Shores Thus fenc't and as they thought thir shame in part Coverd but not at rest or ease of Mind They sate them down to weep nor onely Teares Raind at thir Eyes but high Winds worse within Began to rise high Passions Anger Hate Mistrust Suspicion Discord and shook sore Thir inward State of Mind calm Region once And full of Peace now tost and turbulent For Understanding rul'd not and the Will Heard not her lore both in subjection now To sensual Appetite who from beneathe Usurping over sovran Reason claimd Superior sway from thus distemperd brest Adam estrang'd in look and alterd stile Speech intermitted thus to Eve renewd Would thou hadst heark'nd to my words and stai'd With me as I besought thee when that strange Desire of wandring this unhappie Morn I know not whence possessd thee we had then Remaind still happie not as now despoild Of all our good sham'd 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 faile To whom soon mov'd with touch of blame thus Eve What words have past thy Lips Adam severe Imput'st thou that to my default or will Of wandring as thou call'st it which who knows But might as ill have happ'nd thou being by Or to thy self perhaps hadst thou been there Or here th' attempt thou couldst not have discernd Fraud in the Serpent speaking as he spake No ground of enmitie between us known Why hee should mean me ill or seek to harme Was I to have never parted from thy side As good have grown there still a liveless 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 facil then thou didst not much gainsay Nay didst permit approve and fair dismiss Hadst thou bin firm and fixt in thy dissent Neither had I transgress'd nor thou with mee To whom then first incenst Adam repli'd Is this the Love is this the recompence Of mine to thee ingrateful Eve exprest Immutable when thou wert lost not I Who might have liv'd and joyd 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 warn'd thee I admonish'd thee foretold The danger and the lurking Enemie That lay in wait beyond this had bin force And force upon free will bath here no place But confidence then bore thee on secure Either to meet no danger or to finde Matter of glorious trial and perhaps I also err'd in overmuch admiring What seemd in thee so perfet that I thought No evil durst attempt thee but I rue That errour now which is become my crime And thou th' accuser Thus it shall befall Him who to worth in Women overtrusting Lets her will rule restraint she will not brook And left to her self if evil thence ensue Shee first his weak indulgence will accuse Thus they in mutual accusation spent The fruitless hours but neither self-condemning And of thir vain contest appeer'd no end The End of the Ninth Book Paradise Lost BOOK X. THE ARGUMENT Mans transgression known the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise and return up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance and are approv'd God declaring that The entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented He sends his Son to judge the Transgressors who descends and gives Sentence accordingly then in pity cloaths them both and reascends Sin and Death sitting till then at the Gates of Hell by wondrous sympathie feeling the success of Satan in this new World and the sin by Man there committed resolve to sit no longer confin'd in Hell but to follow Satan thir Sire up to the place of Man To make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro they pave a broad High-way or Bridge over Chaos according to the Track that Satan first made then preparing for Earth they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell thir mutual gratulation Satan arrives at Pandemonium in full of assembly relates with boasting his success against Man instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience transform'd with himself also suddenly into Serpents according to his doom giv'n in Paradise then deluded with a shew of the forbidden Tree springing up before them they greedily reaching to take of the Fruit chew dust and bitter ashes The proceedings of Sin and Death God foretels the final Victory of his Son over them and the renewing of all things but for the present commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements Adam more and more perceiving his fall'n condition heavily bewailes rejects the condolement of Eve she persists and at length appeases him then to evade the Curse likely to fall on thir Ofspring proposes to Adam violent wayes which he approves not but conceiving better hope puts her in mind of the late Promise made them that her Seed should be reveng'd on the Serpent and exhorts her with him to seek Peace of the offended Deity by repentance and supplication MEanwhile the hainous and despightfull act Of Satan done in Paradise and how Hee in the Serpent had perverted Eve Her Husband shee to taste the fatall fruit Was known in Heav'n for what can scape the Eye Of God All-seeing or deceave his Heart Omniscient who in all things wise and just Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the minde Of Man with strength entire and free will arm'd Complete to have discover'd and repulst Whatever wiles of Foe or seeming Friend For still they knew and ought to have still remember'd The high Injunction not to taste that Fruit Whoever tempted which they not obeying Incurr'd what could they less the penaltie And manifold in sin deserv'd to fall Up into Heav'n from Paradise in haste Th' Angelic Guards ascended mute and sad For Man for of his state by this they knew Much wondring how the suttle Fiend had stoln Entrance unseen Soon as th' unwelcome news From
to th' Eastern Gate was bent thir flight Adam observ'd and with his Eye the chase Pursuing not unmov'd to Eve thus spake O Eve some furder change awaits us nigh Which Heav'n by these mute signs in Nature shews Forerunners of his purpose or to warn Us haply too secure of our discharge From penaltie because from death releast Some days how long and what till then our life Who knows or more then this that we are dust And thither must return and be no more Why else this double object in our sight Of flight pursu'd in th' Air and ore the ground One way the self-same hour why in the East Darkness ere Dayes mid course and Morning light More orient in yon Western Cloud that draws O're the blew Firmament a radiant white And slow descends with somthing heav'nly fraught He err'd not for by this the heav'nly Bands Down from a Skie of Jasper lighted now In Paradise and on a Hill made alt A glorious Apparition had not doubt And carnal fear that day dimm'd Adams eye Not that more glorious when the Angels met Jacob in Mahanaim where he saw The field Pavilion'd with his Guardians bright Nor that which on the flaming Mount appeerd In Dothan cover'd with a Camp of Fire Against the Syrian King who to surprize One man Assassin-like had levied Warr Warr unproclam'd The Princely Hierarch In thir bright stand there left his Powers to seise Possession of the Garden hee alone To find where Adam shelterd took his way Not unperceav'd of Adam who to Eve While the great Visitant approachd thus spake Eve now expect great tidings which perhaps Of us will soon determin or impose New Laws to be observ'd for I descrie From yonder blazing Cloud that veils the Hill One of the heav'nly Host and by his Gate None of the meanest some great Potentate Or of the Thrones above such Majestie 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 th' Arch-Angel soon drew nigh Not in his shape Celestial but as Man Clad to meet Man over his lucid Armes A militarie Vest of purple flowd Livelier then Meliboean or the graine Of Sarra worn by Kings and Hero's old In time of Truce Iris had dipt the wooff His starrie Helme unbuckl'd shew'd him prime In Manhood where Youth ended by his side As in a glistering Zodiac hung the Sword Satans dire dread and in his hand the Spear Adam bowd low hee Kingly from his State Inclin'd not but his coming thus declar'd Adam Heav'ns 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 dayes Giv'n thee of Grace wherein thou may'st repent And one bad act with many deeds well done Mayst cover well may then thy Lord appeas'd Redeem thee quite from Deaths rapacious claime 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 tak'n fitter Soile He added not for Adam at the newes Heart-strook with chilling gripe of sorrow stood That all his senses bound Eve who unseen Yet all had heard with audible lament Discover'd soon the place of her retire O unexpected stroke worse then of Death Must I thus leave thee Paradise thus leave Thee Native Soile these happie Walks and Shades Fit haunt of Gods where I had hope to spend Quiet though sad the respit of that day That must be mortal to us both O flours That never will in other Climate grow My early visitation and my last At Eev'n which I bred up with tender hand From the first op'ning bud and gave ye Names Who now shall reare ye to the Sun or ranke Your Tribes and water from th' ambrosial Fount Thee lastly nuptial Bowre by mee adornd 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 wilde how shall we breath in other Aire Less pure accustomd to immortal Fruits Whom thus the Angel interrupted milde Lament not Eve but patiently resigne 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 him to follow thou art bound Where he abides think there thy native soile Adam by this from the cold sudden damp Recovering and his scatterd spirits returnd To Michael thus his humble words addressd Celestial whether among the Thrones or nam'd Of them the Highest for such of shape may seem Prince above Princes gently hast thou tould Thy message which might else in telling wound And in performing end us what besides Of sorrow and dejection and despair Our frailtie can sustain thy tidings bring Departure from this happy place our sweet Recess and onely consolation left Familiar to our eyes all places else Inhospitable appeer 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 wearie him with my assiduous cries But prayer against his absolute Decree No more availes then breath against the winde Blown stifling back on him that breaths it forth Therefore to his great bidding I submit This most afflicts me that departing hence As from his face I shall be hid deprivd His blessed count'nance here I could frequent With worship place by place where he voutsaf ' d Presence Divine and to my Sons relate On this Mount he appeerd under this Tree Stood visible among these Pines his voice I heard here with him at this Fountain talk'd So many grateful Altars I would reare Of grassie Terfe and pile up every Stone Of lustre from the brook in memorie Or monument to Ages and thereon Offer sweet smelling Gumms and Fruits and Flours In yonder nether World where shall I seek His bright appearances or foot step-trace For though I fled him angrie yet recall'd To life prolongd and promisd Race I now Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts Of glory and farr off his steps adore To whom thus Michael with regard benigne Adam thou know'st Heav'n his and all the Earth Not this Rock onely his Omnipresence fills Land Sea and Aire and every kinde that lives Fomented by his virtual power and warmd All th' Earth he gave thee to possess and rule No despicable gift surmise not then His presence to these narrow bounds confin'd Of Paradise or Eden this had been Perhaps thy Capital Seare from whence had spred All generations and had hither come From all the ends of th' Earth to celebrate And reverence thee thir great Progenitor But this praeeminence thou hast lost brought down To dwell on eeven ground now with thy Sons Yet doubt not but in Vallie and in plaine God
but Man over men He made not Lord such title to himself Reserving human left from human free But this Usurper his encroachment proud Stayes nor 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 Armie where thin Aire Above the Clouds will pine his entrails gross And famish him of Breath if not of Bread To whom thus Michael Justly thou abhorr'st That Son who on the quiet state of men Such trouble brought affecting to subdue Rational Libertie yet know withall Since thy original lapse true Libertie Is lost which alwayes with right Reason dwells Twinn'd and from her hath no dividual being Reason in man obscur'd or not obeyd Immediately inordinate desires And upstart Passions catch the Government From Reason and to servitude reduce Man till then free Therefore since hee permits Within himself unworthie 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 Tyrannie must be Though to the Tyrant thereby no excuse Yet somtimes Nations will decline so low From vertue which is reason that no wrong But Justice and some fatal curse annext Deprives them of thir outward libertie Thir inward lost Witness th' irreverent Son Of him who built the Ark who for the shame Don to his Father heard this heavie curse Servant of Servants on his vitious 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 thir own polluted wayes And one peculiar Nation to select From all the rest of whom to be invok'd 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 Patriark liv'd who scap'd the Flood As to forsake the living God and fall To worship thir own work in Wood and Stone For Gods yet him God the most High voutsafes To call by Vision from his Fathers house His kindred and false Gods into a Land Which he will shew him and from him will raise A mightie Nation and upon him showre 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 Soile Vr of Chaldaea passing now the Ford To Haran after him a cumbrous Train Of Herds and Flocks and numerous servitude Not wandring poor but trusting all his wealth With God who call'd him in a land unknown Canaan he now attains I see his Tents Pitcht about Sechem and the neighbouring Plaine Of Moreh there by promise he receaves Gift to his Progenie of all that Land From Hamath Northward to the Desert South Things by thir names I call though yet unnam'd From Hermon East to the great Western Sea Mount Hermon yonder Sea each place behold In prospect as I point them on the shoare 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 Serpents head whereof to thee anon Plainlier shall be reveald This Patriarch blest Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call A Son and of his Son a Grand-childe leaves Like him in faith in wisdom and renown The Grand childe with twelve Sons increast departs From Canaan to a Land hereafter call'd Egypt divided by the River Nile See where it flows disgorging at seaven mouthes Into the Sea to sojourn in that Land He comes invited by a yonger Son In time of dearth a Son whose worthy deeds Raise him to be the second in that Realme Of Pharao there he dies and leaves his Race Growing into a Nation and now grown Suspected to a sequent King who seeks To stop thir overgrowth as inmate guests Too numerous whence of guests he makes them slaves Inhospitably and kills thir infant Males Till by two brethren those two brethren call Moses and Aaron sent from God to claime His people from enthralment they return With glory and spoile back to thir promis'd Land But first the lawless Tyrant who denies To know thir God or message to regard Must be compelld by Signes and Judgements dire To blood unshed the Rivers must be turnd Frogs Lice and Flies must all his Palace fill With loath'd intrusion and fill all the land His Cattel must of Rot and Murren die Botches and blaines must all his flesh imboss And all his people Thunder mixt with Haile Haile mixt with fire must rend th' Egyptian Skie And wheel on th' Earth devouring where it rouls What it devours not Herb or Fruit or Graine A darksom 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 dayes Last with one midnight stroke all the first-born Of Egypt must lie dead Thus with ten wounds The River-dragon tam'd at length submits To let his sojourners depart and oft Humbles his stubborn heart but still as Ice More hard'nd after thaw till in his rage Pursuing whom he late dismissd the Sea Swallows him with his Host but them le ts pass As on drie land between two christal walls Aw'd by the rod of Moses so to stand Divided till his rescu'd gain thir shoar Such wondrous power God to his Saint will lend Though present in his Angel who shall goe Before them in a Cloud and Pillar of Fire By day a Cloud by night a Pillar of Fire To guide them in thir journey and remove Behinde them while th' obdurat King pursues All night he will pursue but his approach Darkness defends between till morning Watch Then through the Firey Pillar and the Cloud God looking forth will trouble all his Host And craze thir Chariot wheels when by command Moses once more his potent Rod extends Over the Sea the Sea his Rod obeys On thir imbattelld ranks the Waves return And overwhelm thir Warr the Race elect Safe towards Canaan from the shoar advance Through the wilde Desert not the readiest way Least entring on the Canaanite allarmd Warr terrifie them inexpert and feare Return them back to Egypt choosing rather Inglorious life with servitude for life To noble and ignoble is more sweet Untraind in Armes where rashness leads not on This also shall they gain by thir delay In the wide Wilderness there they shall found Thir government and thir great Senate choose Through the twelve Tribes to rule by Laws ordaind God from the Mount of Sinai whose gray top Shall tremble he descending will himself In Thunder Lightning