MAN's transgression known, the guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve their vigilance, and are : approved; God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the trans- gressors; who descends, and gives sentence accordingly; then, in pity, clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and Death sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new World, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan, their sire, up to the place of Man: to make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad highway 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; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium; in full assembly relates, with boasting, his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed, with himself also, suddenly into Serpents, accord- ing to his doom given in Paradise; then, deluded with a show 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 foretells 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 per- ceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the con- dolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways; which he approves not, but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the Serpent, and exhorts her, with him, to seek peace of the offended Deity by repentance and supplication.
MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act Of Satan done in Paradise, and how
He, in the Serpent, had perverted Eve,
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit,
Was known in Heaven; for what can scape the eye Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart
Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just, Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind
Of Man, with strength entire and free will armed Complete to have discovered and repulsed
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.
For still they knew, and ought to have still remembered, The high injunction not to taste that fruit, Whoever tempted; which they not obeying Incurred (what could they less?) the penalty, And, manifold in sin, deserve to fall. Up into Heaven from Paradise in haste The Angelic guards ascended, mute and sad For Man; for of his state by this they knew, Much wondering how the subtle Fiend had stolen Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare That time celestial visages, yet, mixed With pity, violated not their bliss.
About the new-arrived, in multitudes,
The Ethereal people ran, to hear and know How all befell. They towards the throne supreme, Accountable, made haste, to make appear, With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance, And easily approved; when the Most High, Eternal Father, from his secret cloud Amidst, in thunder uttered thus his voice:—
Assembled Angels, and ye Powers returned From unsuccessful charge, be not dismayed Nor troubled at these tidings from the Earth, Which your sincerest care could not prevent, Foretold so lately what would come to pass, When first this Tempter crossed the gulf from Hell. I told ye then he should prevail, and speed On his bad errand-Man should be seduced, And flattered out of all, believing lies Against his Maker; no decree of mine, Concurring to necessitate his fall,
Or touch with lightest moment of impulse His free will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fallen he is; and now What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass On his transgression, Death denounced that day? Which he presumes already vain and void, Because not yet inflicted, as he feared,
By some immediate stroke, but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance ere day end. Justice shall not return, as bounty, scorned. But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee, Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferred
All judgment, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell. Easy it may be seen that I intend
Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee, Man's friend, his Mediator, his designed Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary,
And destined Man himself to judge Man fallen." So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son Blazed forth unclouded deity. He full Resplendent all his Father manifest Expressed, and thus divinely answered mild:- Father Eternal, thine is to decree;
Mine both in Heaven and Earth to do thy will Supreme, that thou in me, thy Son beloved, May'st ever rest well pleased. I go to judge On Earth these thy transgressors; but thou know'st, Whoever judged, the worst on me must light, When time shall be; for so I undertook Before thee, and, not repenting, this obtain Of right, that I may mitigate their doom On me derived. Yet I shall temper so Justice with mercy as may illustrate most Them fully satisfied, and thee appease.
Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none Are to behold the judgment but the judged, Those two; the third best absent is condemned, Convict by flight, and rebel to all law; Conviction to the Serpent none belongs."
Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose Of high collateral glory. Him Thrones and Powers, Frincedoms, and Dominations ministrant, Accompanied to Heaven-gate, from whence Eden and all the coast in prospect lay.
Down he descended straight; the speed of Gods
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes winged. Now was the Sun in western cadence low
From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour To fan the Earth now waked, and usher in
The evening cool, when he, from wrath more cool, Came, the mild judge and intercessor both, To sentence Man. The voice of God they heard Now walking in the Garden, by soft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declined; they heard, And from his presence hid themselves among The thickest trees, both man and wife, till God, Approaching, thus to Adam called aloud:-
Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming, seen far off? I miss thee here, Not pleased, thus entertained with solitude, Where obvious duty erewhile appeared unsought. Or come I less conspicuous, or what change Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth!" He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though first To offend, discountenanced both, and discomposed. Love was not in their looks, either to God
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,
And shame, and perturbation, and despair, Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief:- "I heard thee in the Garden, and, of thy voice Afraid, being naked, hid myself." To whom
The gracious Judge, without revile, replied:
My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not feared, But still rejoiced; how is it now become
So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?" To whom thus Adam, sore beset, replied:-
O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand Before my Judge-either to undergo Myself the total crime, or to accuse My other self, the partner of my life, Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, I should conceal, and not expose to blame By my complaint. But strict necessity Subdues me, and calamitous constraint, Lest on my head both sin and punishment, However insupportable, be all
Devolved; though, should I hold my peace, yet thou Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.
This Woman, whom thou mad'st to be my help, And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good, So fit, so acceptable, so divine,
That from her hand I could suspect no ill, And what she did, whatever in itself, Her doing seemed to justify the deed- She gave me of the tree, and I did eat." To whom the Sovran Presence thus replied:- Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey Before his voice? or was she made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her
Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place Wherein God set thee above her, made of thee And for thee, whose perfection far excelled Hers in all real dignity? Adorned She was indeed, and lovely, to attract Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts Were such as under government well seemed- Unseemly to bear rule; which was thy part And person, hadst thou known thyself aright."
So having said, he thus to Eve in few:
Say, Woman, what is this which thou hast done?" To whom said Eve, with shame nigh overwhelmed, Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge Bold or loquacious, thus abashed replied:- "The Serpent me beguiled, and I did eat."
Which when the Lord God heard, without delay To judgment he proceeded on the accused Serpent, though brute, unable to transfer The guilt on him who made him instrument Of mischief, and polluted from the end Of his creation-justly then accursed, As vitiated in nature. More to know Concerned not Man (since he no further knew), Nor altered his offence; yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied, Though in mysterious terms, judged as then best; And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall:-
"Because thou hast done this, thou art accursed Above all cattle, each beast of the field; Upon thy belly grovelling thou shalt go, And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life.
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