On each hand parting, to his speed gave way
Through all the empyreal road; till, at the gate
Of Heaven arriv'd, the gate self-open'd wide
On golden hinges turning, as, by work
Divine, the Sovran Architect had fram'd.
From hence no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight,
Star interpos'd, however small, he sees,

Not unconform'd to other shining globes,

252

Earth, and the garden of God, with cedars crown'd 260
Above all hills. As when by night the glass

Of Galileo, less assur'd, observes
Imagin❜d lands and regions in the moon:
Or pilot, from amidst the Cyclades
Delos or Samos first appearing, kens

A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight
He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky
Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady wing
Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan
Winnows the buxom air; till, within soar
Of towering eagles, to all the fowls he seems
A phoenix,1 gazed by all, as that sole bird,
When, to enshrine his relics in the Sun's
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
At once on the eastern cliff of Paradise
He lights, and to his proper shape 2 returns,
A Seraph wing'd: Six wings he wore to shade
His lineaments divine; the pair that clad

Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast,
With regal ornament; the middle pair

Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round
Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold
And colours dipp'd in Heaven; the third his feet

270

280

Phoenix. It is not meant that he assumed the form, but only that he appeared a phoenix.—2 ' Proper shape:' i. e., was seen in his true form.

Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's son he stood,
And shook his plumes, that heavenly fragrance fill'd
The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the bands
Of Angels under watch; and to his state,
And to his message high, in honour rise;
For on some message high they guess'd him bound.
Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is come
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,
And flowering odours, cassia, nard, and balm ;
A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here
Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will
Her virgin fancies pouring forth more sweet,
Wild above rule or art, enormous bliss.
Him through the spicy forest onward come
Adam discern'd, as in the door he sat

Of his cool bower, while now the mounted sun
Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm

284

290

800

Earth's inmost womb, more warmth than Adam needs :
And Eve within, due at her hour, prepar'd

For dinner savoury fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not disrelish thirst

Of nectarous draughts between, from milky stream,
Berry or grape to whom thus Adam call'd.

Haste hither, Eve, and, worth thy sight behold
Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape
Comes this way moving; seems another morn
Risen on mid-noon; some great behest from Heaven
To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe
This day to be our guest. But go with speed,
And, what thy stores contain, bring forth, and
Abundance, fit to honour and receive
Our heavenly stranger: Well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow

pour

310

From large bestow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertile growth, and by disburdening grows
More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare.

318

To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mould, Of God inspir'd! small store will serve, where store, All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;

Save what by frugal storing firmness gains
To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes:

But I will haste, and from each bough and brake,
Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such choice
To entertain our Angel-guest, as he,

Beholding, shall confess, that here on Earth
God hath dispens'd his bounties as in Heaven.
So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste
She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent
What choice to choose for delicacy best,
What order, so contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes not well join'd, inelegant, but bring
Taste after taste, upheld with kindliest change;
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields
In India East or West, or middle shore
In Pontus1 or the Punick2 coast, or where
Alcinous reign'd,3 fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board
Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink, the grape
She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths4
From many a berry, and from sweet kernels press'd
She tempers dulcet creams; nor these to hold
Wants her fit vessels pure; then strows the ground
With rose and odours from the shrub unfum'd.

-

330

340

1 'Pontus' part of Asia.-2 Punick coast:.' part of Africa. 3 Where Alcinous reign'd:' an island in the Ionian Sea, now called Corfu.-* ' Meaths: ' sweet drinks like mead.

Meanwhile our primitive greatsire, to meet
His Godlike guest, walks forth without more train
Accompanied than with his own complete
Perfections; in himself was all his state,

More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits
On princes, when their rich retínue long
Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold,
Dazzles the croud, and sets them all agape.
Nearer his presence Adam, though not aw'd,
Yet with submiss approach, and reverence meek,
As to a superiour nature, bowing low,
Thus said. Native of heaven, for other place
None can than Heaven such glorious shape contain ;
Since, by descending from the thrones above,
Those happy places thou hast deign'd a while
To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us
Two only, who yet by sovran gift possess
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower
To rest; and what the garden choicest bears
To sit and taste, till this meridian heat

Be over, and the sun more cool decline.

Whom thus the Angelick Virtue answer'd mild.
Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such
Created, or such place hast here to dwell,

As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heaven,
To visit thee; lead on, then, where thy bower
O'ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise,
I have at will. So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's1 arbour smil'd,
With flowerets deck'd, and fragrant smells; but Eve,
Undeck'd save with herself, more lovely fair

Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest goddess feign'd

350

860

370

380

5

Of three1 that in mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to entertain her guest from Heaven; no veil
She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the angel, Hail
Bestow'd, the holy salutation us'd

Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.

turf

Hail, Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb
Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons,
Than with these various fruits the trees of God
Have heap'd this table! Rais'd of
grassy
Their table was, and mossy seats had round,
And on her ample square from side to side,
All autumn pil'd, though spring and autumn here
Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold;
Nor fear lest dinner cool; when thus began
Our author. Heavenly stranger, please to taste
These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom
All perfect good, unmeasur'd out, descends,
To us for food and for delight hath caus'd
The earth to yield; unsavoury food, perhaps,
To spiritual natures: only this I know,
That one Celestial Father gives to all.

To whom the Angel. Therefore what He gives (Whose praise be ever sung) to Man in part Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found

No ingrateful food: And food alike those pure
Intelligential substances require,

As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them every lower faculty

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,
Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

382

3.90

400

410

Three: Venus, Juno, and Minerva, for the golden apple, given by Paris

to Venus.