With heavenly touch of instrumental sounds In full harmonic number join'd, their songs Divide the night, and lift our thoughts to heaven." Thus talking, hand in hand alone they pass'd On to their blissful bower: it was the place Chosen by the sovereign Planter, when he framed All things to man's delightful use: the roof Of thickest covert was inwoven shade, Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew Of firm and fragrant leaf; on either side Acanthus, and each odorous bushy shrub, Fenced up
the verdant wall; each beauteous flower, Iris all hues, roses, and jessamine,
Rear'd high their flourish'd heads between, and wrought
Mosaic; under foot the violet,
Crocus, and hyacinth, with rich inlay
Broider'd the ground, more colour'd than with stone Of costliest emblem: other creature here,
Beast, bird, insect, or worm, durst enter none, Such was their awe of man. In shadier bower More sacred and sequester'd, though but feign'd, Pan or Sylvanus never slept, nor Nymph Nor Faunus haunted. Here, in close recess, With flowers, garlands, and sweet-smelling herbs, Espoused Eve deck'd first her nuptial bed; And heavenly choirs the hymenean sung, What day the genial angel to our sire Brought her, in naked beauty more adorn'd, More lovely than Pandora, whom the gods Endow'd with all their gifts; and, O! too like
In sad event, when to the unwiser son Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged On him who had stole Jove's authentic fire.
Thus, at their shady lodge arrived, both stood, Both turn'd, and under open sky adored
The God that made both sky, air, earth, and heaven, Which they beheld, the moon's resplendent globe, And starry pole: "Thou also madest the night, Maker Omnipotent, and thou the day, Which we, in our appointed work employ'd, Have finish'd, happy in our mutual help And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss Ordain'd by thee; and this delicious place For us too large, where thy abundance wants Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground. But thou hast promised from us two a race To fill the earth, who shall with us extol Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake, And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep." This said unanimous, and other rites Observing none, but adoration pure,
Which God likes best, into their inmost bower Handed they went; and, eased the putting off These troublesome disguises which we wear, Straight side by side were laid; nor turn'd, I ween, Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites Mysterious of connubial love refused: Whatever hypocrites austerely talk Of purity, and place, and innocence; Defaming as impure what God declares
Pure, and commands to some-leaves free to all. Our Maker bids increase; who bids abstain But our destroyer, foe to God and man? Hail, wedded love, mysterious law, true source Of human offspring, sole propriety
In Paradise, in all things common else!
By thee adulterous lust was driven from men Among the bestial herds to range; by thee, Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure, Relations dear, and all the charities
Of father, son, and brother, first were known. Far be it, that I should write thee sin or blame, Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,
Perpetual fountain of domestic sweets,
Whose bed is undefiled, and chaste pronounced, Present, or past, as saint and patriarchs used. Here Love his golden shafts employs, here lights His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings, Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendear'd— Casual fruition; nor in court amours,
Mix'd dance, or wanton mask, or midnight ball, Or serenade, which the starved lover sings To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain. These, lull'd by nightingales, embracing slept, And on their naked limbs the flowery roof Shower'd roses, which the morn repair'd. Sleep on, Blest pair! and, O! yet happiest, if ye No happier state, and know to know no more. Now had night measured, with her shadowy cone, Half way up hill this vast sublunar vault,
And from their ivory port the cherubim,
Forth issuing at the accustom'd hour, stood arm'd To their night-watches in warlike parade; When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake: "Uzziel, half these draw off, and coast the south With strictest watch; these other wheel the north: Our circuit meets full west." As flame they part, Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear. From these, two strong and subtle spirits he call'd That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge: "Ithuriel and Zephon, with wing'd speed
Search through this garden, leave unsearch'd no nook ;
But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge, Now laid, perhaps, asleep secure of harm.
This evening from the sun's decline arrived Who tells of some infernal spirit seen
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escaped The bars of hell, on errand bad, no doubt: Such, where ye find, seize fast, and hither bring." So saying, on he led his radiant files,
Dazzling the moon; these to the bower direct
In search of whom they sought; him there they
Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve,
Assaying by his devilish art to reach
The organs of her fancy, and with them forge Illusions, as he list, phantasms and dreams; Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint
The animal spirits, that from pure blood arise,
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise
At least, distemper'd, discontented thoughts, Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires, Blown up with high conceits engendering pride. Him, thus intent, Ithuriel with his spear Touch'd lightly; for no falsehood can endure Touch of celestial temper, but returns Of force to its own likeness: up he starts, Discover'd and surprised. As when a spark Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid Fit for the tun, some magazine to store Against a rumour'd war, the smutty grain, With sudden blaze diffused, inflames the air; So started up, in his own shape, the fiend. Back stept those two fair angels, half amazed So sudden to behold the grisly king;
Yet thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon:
"Which of those rebel spirits adjudged to hell Comest thou, escaped thy prison? and transform'd, Why satt'st thou like an enemy in wait,
Here watching at the head of these that sleep?"
"Know ye not then," said Satan, fill'd with scorn: "Know ye not me? ye knew me once, no mate For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar: Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, The lowest of your throng; or, if ye know, Why ask ye, and superfluous begin
Your message, like to end as much in vain?"
To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with
"Think not, revolted spirit, thy shape the same, Or undiminish'd brightness to be known,
« ՆախորդըՇարունակել » |