Appointed to sit there had left their charge, Of Eublic scorn; he wonder'd, but not long His visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare, His arms clung to his ribs; his legs intwining Of Lucifer, so by allusion callid, 425 Each other, still supplanted, down he fell Of that bright star to Satan paragon'd. A monstrous serpent on his belly prone, Now rul'd him, punish'd in the shape he sinn'd To forked tongue, for now were all transformn'd Alike, to serpents all as accessories 520 Retires; or Bactrian Sophi from the horns To his bold riot; dreadful was the din 435 With complicated mor.sters head and tail, To Tauris or Casbeen : so these, the late Scorpion, and esp, and amphisbæna dire, 439 Bedropp'd with blood of Gorgon, or the isle Huge Python, and his power no less he seem'd Above the rest still to retain. They all Ascended his high throne, which under state 445 Him follow'd, issuing forth to th' open field, Of richest texture spread, at th' upper end Where all yet left of that revolted rout, Was plac'd in regal lustre. Down awhile Heaven-fallen, in station stood or just array, 535 He sat, and round about him saw unseen: Sublime with expectation when to see At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head In triumph issuing forth their glorious chief. And shape star-bright appear'd, or brighter | They saw, but other sight instead, a crowd clad, 450 Of ugly serpents: horror on them fell, With what permissive glory since his fall And horrid sympathy; for what they saw 540 Was left him, or false glitter. All amaz'd They felt themselves now changing; down their arms, meant Cast on themselves from their own mouths. There “ Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, stood powers! 460 A grove hard by, sprung up with this their change, For in possession such, not only' of right, His will who reigns above, to aggravate I call ye and declare ye now, return'd, Their penance, laden with fair fruit, like that 550 Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve Triumphant out of this infernal pit Us'd by the tempter: on that prospect strange Abominable, accurs'd, the house of wo, 465 Their earnest eyes they fix'd, imagining For one forbidden tree a multitude Yet parch'd with scalding thirst and hunger fierce, Climbing, sat thicker than the snaky locks of horrible confusion, over which, That curl'd Magara: greedily they pluck'd 560 Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flam'd: Deceiv'd; they fondly thinking to allay Their appetite with gust, instead of fruit 565 With soot and cinders fill'd; so oft they fell 570 Into the same illusion, not as man [plagu'd Plac'd in a Paradise, by our exile Whom they triumph'd once laps'd. Thus were they Made happy. Him by fraud I have seduc'd 485 And worn with famine, long and ceaseless hiss, From his Creator, and, the more to increase Till their lost shape, permitted, they resum'd, Your wonder, with an apple! he thereat Yearly enjoin'd, some say, to undergo 575 Offended, worth your laughter, hath given up This annual humbling certain number'd days Both his beloved man, and all his world, To dash their pride, and joy fur man seduc'd. To Sin and Death a prey, and 490 However some tradition they dispers'd Without our hazard, labour, or alarm, Among the heathen of their purchase got, To range in, and to dwell, and over man And fabled how the serpent, whom they call's 580 To rule, as over all he should have rul'd. Ophion, with Eurynome, the wide True is, me also he hath judg'd, or rather Encroaching Eve perhaps, had first the rule And Ops, ere yet Dictæan Jove was born. Meanwhile in Paradise the hellish pair 585 On his pale horse: to whom sin thus began: 590 With travel difficult, not better far [watch, On all sides, from innumerable tongues, Than still at hell's dark threshold to have sal A dignal universal hiss, the sound Unnam'd, undreaded, and thyself half-starv'a po to us, 720 Whom thus the Sin-born monster answer'd soon: 1 To recompense his distance, in their sight * To me, who with eternal famine pine, Had rounded still th' horizon, and not known Alike is hell, pr Paradise, or heaven Or east or west, which had forbid the snow 685 There best where most with ravine I may meet; From cold Estotiland, and south as far Which here tho' plenteous all too little seems 600 Beneath Magellan. At that tasted fruit To stuff this maw, this vast unhide-bound corpse." The sun, as from Thyestean banquet, turn'd His course intended ; else how had the world To whom th' incestuous mother thus replied: Inhabited, though sinless, more than now, 690 "Thou therefore on these herbs, and fruits, and Avoided pinching cold and scorching heat? flowers, These changes in the heavens, though slow, proFeed first, on each beast next, and fish, and fowl, Like change on sea and land, sideral blast, (duc'd No homely morsels; and whatever thing 605 Vapour, and mist, and exhalation hot, The scythe of Time mows down, devour unspar'd; Corrupt and pestilent. Now from the north 695 Till I in man residing through the race, Of Norumbega, and the Samoed shore, His thoughts, his looks, words, actions, all infect, Bursting their brazen dungeon, arm'd with ice, And season him thy last and sweetest prey." And snow and hail, and stormy gust and flaw, Boreas and Cæcias, and Argestes loud, 699 This said, they both betook them several ways, And Thrasias, rend the woods and seas upturn; Both to destroy, or unimmortal make 611 With adverse blast upturn them from the south All kinds, and for destruction to mature Notus and Afer, black with thund'rous clouds Sooner or later; which th' Almighty seeing, From Serraliona; thwart of these as fierce From his transcendent seat the saints among, Forth rush the Levant and the Ponent winds, To those bright orders utter'd thus his voice: 615 Eurus and Zephyr, with their lateral noise, 705 Sirocco and Libecchio. Thus began “ See with what heat these dogs of hell advance Outrage from lifeless things; but Discord first, To waste and havoc yonder world, which I Daughter of Sin, among th' irrationa So fair and good created, and had still Death introduc'd through fierce antipathy: 709 Kept in that state, had not the folly' of man Beast now with beast 'gan war, and fowl with fowl, Let in these wasteful furies, who impute 620 And fish with fish; to graze the herb all leaving, Folly to me, so doth the prince of hell Devour'd each other: nor stood much in awe And his adherents, that with so much ease Of man, but fled him, or with count'nance grim I suffer them to enter and possess Glar'd on him passing. These were from without. A place so heavenly, and conniving seem The growing miseries, which Adam saw 715 To gratify my scornful enemies, 625 Already' in part, though hid in gloomiest shade, That laugh, as if transported with some fit To sorrow' abandon'd, but worse felt within, Of passion, I to them had quitted all, And in a troubled sea of passion toss'd, At random yielded up to their misrule ; Thus to disburden sought with sad complaint And know not that I call'd and drew them thither, My hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth 630 “O miserable of happy'! is this the end Which man's polluting sin with taint hath shed Of this new glorious world, and me so late On what was pure, till cramm'd and gorg'd, nigh The glory of that glory, who now become With suck'd and glutted offal, at one sling burst Accurs'd of blessed, hide me from the face Of thy victorious arm, well-pleasing Son, 634 Of God, whom to behold was then my height Both sin and death, and yawning grave, at last, Of happiness! yet well, if here would end 725 Through Chaos hurl'd obstruct the mouth of hell The misery; I deserv'd it, and would bear For ever, and seal up his ravenous jaws. My own deservings: but this will not serve; Now death to hear! for what can I increase Who of all ages to succeed, but feeling Shall be the execration; so besides On me, as on their natural centre, light 710 Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay As might affect the earth with cold and heat To mu me man? Did I solicit thee Scarce tolerable, and from the north to call From darkness to promote me, or here place 745 Decrepit winter, from the south to bring 655 In this delicious garden? As my will Solstitial summer's heat. To the blank moon Concurr'd not to my being, it were but right Her office they prescrib'd, to th' other five And equal to reduce me to my dust, Their planetary motions and aspects Desirous to resign and render back In sextile, square, and trine, and opposite All I receiv'd, unable to perform 750 Of noxious efficacy, and when to join 660 Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold In synod unbenign; and taught the fix'd The good I sought not. To the loss of that, Their influence malignant when to shower, Sufficient penalty, why hast thou added Which of them rising with the sun, or falling, The sense of endless woes? Inexplicable Should prove tempestuous: to the winds they set Thy justice seems: yet to say truth, too late, 755 Their corners, when with bluster to confound 665 I thus contest; then should have been refus'd Sea, air, and shore, the thunder when to roll Those terms whatever, when they were propos'd : With terror through the dark aerial hall. Thou didst accept them; wilt thou enjoy the good, Some say he bid his angels turn askance Then cavil the conditions? And though God The poles of earth twice ten degrees and more Made thee without thy leave, what if thy son 760 From the sun's axle; they with labour push'd 670 Prove disobedient, and reprov'd, retort, Oblique the centric globe: some say the sun Wherefore didst thou beget me? I sought it not : Was bid turn reins from th' equinoctial road Wouldst thou admit for his contempt of thee Like distant breadth to Taurus with the seven That proud excuse ? Yet him not thy election, Atlantic Sisters, and the Spartan Twins But natural necessity begot, 765 Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amain 675 God made thee' of choice his own, and of his own By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales, To serve him; thy reward was of his grace, As deep as Capricorn, to bring in change Thy punishment then justly' is at his will. Of seasons to each clime; else had the spring Be' it so, for I submit; his doom is fair, Perpetual smil'd on earth with verdant flowers, That dust I am, and shall to dust return: 770 Equal in days and nights, except to those 680 o welcome hour whenever! Why delays Beyond the polar circles; to them day His hand to execute what his decree Had unbenighted shone, with the low sun, Fix'd on this day? Why do I overlive? Why am I mock'd with death, and lengthen'd out Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld, Soft words to his fierce passion she assay'd : 865 Insensible! How glad would lay me down But her with stern regard he thus repelld : “Out of my sight, thou serpent; that name best Like his, and colour serpentine, may show 870 Pursues me still, lest all I cannot die, Thy inward fraud, to warn all creatures from Lest that pure breath of life, the spirit of man thee Which God inspir'd, cannot together perish 785 Henceforth; lest that too heavenly form pretended With this corporeal clod; then in the grave, To hellish falsehood, snare them. But for thee Or in some other dismal place, who knows I had persisted happy', had not thy pride But I shall die a living death? O thought And wand'ring vanity, when least was safe, 875 Horrid, if true! Yet why? It was but breath Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd Of life that sinn'd: what dies but what had life 790 Not to be trusted, longing to be seen, And sin? The body properly hath neither. Though by the Devil himself, him overweening All of me then shall die : let this appease To over-reach, but with the serpent meeting The doubt, since human reach no further knows. Fool'd and beguild, by him thou, I by thee, 880 For though the Lord of all be infinite, To trust thee from my side, imagin'd wise, Is his wrath also ? Be it, man is not so, 795 Constant, mature, proof against all assaults, But mortal doom'd. How can he exercise And understood not all was but a show Wrath without end on man whom death must end? Rather than solid virtue', all but a rib Can he make deathless death? that were to Crook'd by nature, bent, as now appears, 885 make More to the part sinister, from me drawn, Strange contradiction, which to God himself Well if thrown out supernumerary Impossible is held, as argument 800 To my just number found. O why did God, Of weakness, not of power. Will he draw out, Creator wise, that peopled highest heaven For anger's sake, finite to infinite With spirits masculine, create at last 890 In punish d man, to satisfy his rigour This novelty on earth, this fair defect Satisfied never? that were to extend Of nature, and not fill the world at once His sentence beyond dust and Nature's law, 805 With men as angels without feminine, By which all causes else according still Or find some other way to generate To the reception of their matter act, Mankind ? This mischief had not then befallen, 895 Not to th' extent of their own sphere. But say And more that shall befall, innumerable That death be not one stroke, as I suppos'd, Disturbances on earth through female snares, Bereaving sense, but endless misery 810 and strait conjunction with this sex: for either From this day onward, which I feel begun He never shall find out fit mate, but such Both in me, and without me, and so last As some misfortune brings him, or mistake; 900 To perpetuity; ay me, that fear Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain Comes thund'ring back with dreadful revolution Through her perverseness, but shall see her gain'd On my defenceless head; both Death and I 815 By a far worse, or if she love, withheld Am found eternal, and incorporate both; By parents; or his happiest choice too late Nor I on my part single, in me all Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound 905 Posterity stands cursd : fair patrimony To a fell adversary', his liate or shame: That I must leave ye, sons; 0) were I able Which infinite calamity shall cause His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint: “ Forsake me not thus, Adam ; witness heaven I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not, Of all corruption, all the blame lights due; Whereon' I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid, So might the wrath. Fond wish! couldst thou Thy counsel in this uttermost distress, 920 support My only strength and stay : forlorn of thee, That burden, heavier than the earth to bear, 835 Whither shall I betake nie, where subsist? Than all the world much heavier, though divided While yet we live, scarce one short hour perlaps, With that bad woman? Thus what thou desir'st, Between us two let there be peace, both joining, And what thou fear'st, alike destroys all hope As join'd in injuries, one enmity 925 Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable Against a foe by doom express assign'd us, Beyond all past example and future, 840 That cruel serpent. On me exercise not To Satan only like both crime and doom. Thy hatred for this misery befallen, O conscience, into what abyss of fears On me already lost, me than thyself And horrors hast thou driven me; out of which More miserable; both have sinn'd, but thou, 930 I find no way, from deep to deeper plung'd!" Against God only', I against God and thee, And to the place of judgment will return, Thus Adam to himself lamented loud 845 There with my cries importune heaven, that all Through the still night, not now, as ere man fell, The sentence from thy head remov'd may light Wholesome and cool, and inild, but with black air On me, sole cause to thee of all this wo, 935 Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom, Me, me only, just object of his ire." Which to his evil conscience represented All things with double terror on the ground 850 She ended weeping, and her lowly plight Outstretch'd he lay, on the cold ground, and oft Immoveable till peace obtain'd from fault Curs'd his creation, death as oft accus'd Acknowledg'd and deplor'd, in Adam wrought Of tardy execution, since denounc'd Commiseration; soon his heart relented 940 The day of his offence. “Why comes not death," Tow'rds her, his life so late and sole delight Said he,“ with one thrice-acceptable stroke 855 Now at his feet submissive in distress, To end me? Shall truth fail to keep her word, Creature so fair his reconcilement seeking, Justice divine not hasten to be just? His counsel whom she had displeas'd, his aid But death comes not at all, justice divine As one disarm'd, his anger all he lost, 945 Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries. And thus with peaceful words uprais'd her soon : O woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers, With other echo late I taught your shades 861 “ Unwary', and too desirous, as before, To answer, and resound far other song." So now of what thou know'st not, who desir'st The punishment all on thyself; alas! Of contumacy' will provoke the Highest Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain 9.50 To make death in us live. Then let us seek His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least part, Some safer resolution, which methinks And my displeasure bear'st so ill. If prayers I have in view, calling to mind with heed 1030 Could alter high decrees, I to that place Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise Would speed before thee, and be louder heard, The serpent's head; piteous amends, unless That on my head all might be visited, 955 Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiven, Satan, who in the serpent hath contriv'd To me committed and by me expos'd. Against us this deceit: to crush his head 1035 But rise, let us no more contend, nor blame Would be revenge indeed; which will be lost Each other, blam'd enough elsewhere, but strive, By death brought on ourselves, or childless days In offices of love, how we may lighten 960 Resolv'd as thou proposest ; so our foe Each other's burden, in our share of wo; Shall scape his punishment ordain'd, and we Since this day's death denounc'd, if ought I see Instead shall double ours upon our heads. 1010 Will prove no sudden, but a slow-pac'd evil, No more be mention'd then of violence A long day's dying to augment our pain, Against ourselves, and wilful barrenness, And to our seed (0 hapless seed!) deriv'd." 965 That cuts us off from hope, and savours only Rancour and pride, impatience and despite, To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied: Reluctance against God and his just yoke 1045 “ Adam, by sad experiment I know Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild How little weight my words with thee can find, And gracious temper he both heard and judgid, Found so erroneous, thence by just event Without wrath or reviling; we expected Found so unfortunate; nevertheless, 970 Immediate dissolution, which we thought Restor'd by thee, vile as I am, to place Was meant by death that day, when lo, to thee Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain Pains only in child-bearing were foretold, 1051 Thy love, the sole contentment of my heart, And bringing forth, soon recompens'd with joy, Living or dying, from thee I will not hide Fruit of thy wornb: on me the curse aslope What thoughts in my unquiet breast are risen, 975 Glanc'd on the ground; with labour I must earn Tending to some relief of our extremes, My bread; what harm ? Idleness had been worse; Or end, though sharp and sad, yet tolerable, My labour will sustain me; and lest cold 1056 As in our evils, and of easier choice. Or heat should injure us, his timely care If care of our descent perplex us most, Hath unbesought provided, and his hands Which must be born to certain wo, devour'd 980 Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd; By death at last; and miserable it is How much more, if we pray him, will his ear 1060 To be to others cause of misery. Be open, and his heart to pity' incline, Th' inclement seasons, rain, ice, hail, and snow? That after wretched life must be at last 985 Which now the sky with various face begins Food for so foul a monster; in thy power To show us in this mountain, while the winds 1065 It lies, yet ere conception to prevent Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful The race unbless'd, to being yet unbegot. locks Childless thou art, childless remain : so Death Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek 990 Some better shroud, some better warmth to cherish Be forc'd to satisfy his ravenous maw. Our limbs benumb'd, ere this diurnal star But if thou judge it hard and difficult, Leave cold the night, how we, his gather'd beams Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain Reflected, may with matter sere foment, 1071 From love's due rites, nuptial embraces sweet, Or by collision of two bodies grind And with desire to languish without hope, 995 The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds Before the present object languishing With like desire, which would be misery Justling or push'd with winds rude in their shock Tine the slant lightning, whose thwart flame, And torment less than none of what we dread; driven down, 1075 Then, both ourselves and seed at once to free Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine, From what we fear for both, let us make short, And sends a comfortable heat from far, Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply 1001 Which might supply the sun: such fire to use, With our own hands his office on ourselves. And what may else be remedy or cure Why stand we longer shivering under fears, To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, That show no end but death, and have the power, He will instruct us praying, and of grace 1081 of many ways to die the shortest choosing, 1005 Be ceching him, so as we need not fear Destruction with destruction to destroy?" To pass commodiously this life, sustain'd By him with many comforts, till we end She ended here, or vehement despair In dust, our final rest and native home. 1085 Broke off the rest; so much of death her thoughts What better can we do, than to the place Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale. Repairing where he judg'd us prostrate fall But Adam, with such counsel nothing sway'd, 1010 Before him reverent, and there confess To better hopes his more attentive mind Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears Lab'ring had rais'd, and thus to Eve replied : Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign “Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems Of sorrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek? 1092 To argue in thee something more sublime Undoubtedly he will relent and turn And excellent than what thy mind contemns: 1015 From his displeasure; in whose look serene, But self-destruction therefore sought, refutes When angry most he seem'd and most severe, 1095 That excellence thought in thee, and implies, What else but favour, grace, and mercy shone?" Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret For loss of life and pleasure overlov'd. So spake our father penitent, nor Eve Or if thou covet death, as utmost end 1020 Felt less remorse: they forth with to the place Of misery, so thinking to evade Repairing where he judg'd them, prostrate fell The penalty pronounc'd, doubt not but God Before him reverent, and both confess'd 1100 Hath wiselier arm'd his vengeful ire than so Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd with tears To be forestallid: much more I fear lest death Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air So snatch'd will not exempt us from the pain 1025 Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign We are by doom to pay; rather such acts Of sorrow unfeign'd, and humiliation meek. END OF BOOK TENTH. The Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our first parents now repenting, and intercedes for them, God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradise : sends Michael with a band of Cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adam future things. Michael's coming down. Adam shows to Eve certain ominous signs; he discerns Michael's approach, goes out to meet him; the Angel denounces their departure. Eve's lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits. The Angel leads him up to a high hill, sets before him in vision what shall happen tiủ the flood. THUS they in lowliest plight repentant stood Eject him tainted now and purge him off As a distemper, gross to air as gross, And mortal food, as may dispose him best 6 Corrupted. I at first, with two fair gifts, Inspird, and wing'd for heaven with speedier flight Created him endow'd, with happiness Than loudest oratory: yet their port And immortality: that fondly lost, Not of mean suitors, nor important less This other serv'd but to eternize wo; 60 Seem'd their petition, than when th' ancient pair Till I provided death; so death becomes In fables old, less ancient yet than these, 11 His final remedy, and after life Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore Tried in sharp tribulation, and refin'd The race of mankind drown'd, before the shrine By faith and faithful works, to second life, Of Themis stood devout. To heaven their prayers Wak'd in the renovation of the just, 65 Flew up, nor miss'd the way by envious winds 15 Resigns him up with heaven and earth renew'd. Blown vagabond or frustrate: in they pass'd But let us call to synod all the bless'd Dimensionless through heavenly doors; then clad Through heaven's wide bounds; from them I will With incense, where the golden altar fum'd, not hide By their great intercessor, came in sight My judgments, how with mankind I proceed, Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son 20 As how with peccant angels late they saw, 70 Presenting, thus to intercede began: And in their state, though firm, stood more con firm'd." “ See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung He ended, and the Son gave signal high before thee bring, 25 When God descended, and perhaps once more 75 By the waters of life, where'er they sat 80 To supplication, hear his sighs though mute ; 31 Hasted, resorting to the summons high, Unskilful with what words to pray, let me And took their seats; till from his throne supreme Th' Almighty thus pronounc'd his sov'reign will: Of that defended fruit; but let him boast Happier had it sulfic'd him to have known Self-left. Lest therefore his now bolder hand Reach also of the tree of life, and eat, To whom the Father, without cloud, serene: 45 And live for ever, dream at least to live 95 “ All thy request for man, accepted Son, For ever, to remove him I decree, Obtain; all thy request was my decree: And send him from the garden forth to till The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil. Take to thee from among the cherubim 106 |
