The Hand that form'd them on their shape hath
Ah, gentle pair, ye little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these deligh's Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more your taste is now of joy! Happy, but for so happy ill secured
Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav'n Ill fenced for Heav'n to keep out such a foe As now is enter'd; yet no purposed foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn Though I unpitied: League with you I seek, And mutual amity so strait, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with me Henceforth. My dwelling haply may not please, Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet such Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be room, Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your num'rous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge On you who wrong me not, for him who wrong'd. And should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just, Honour and empire with revenge enlarged, By conqu'ring this new world, compels me now To do what else, though damn'd, I should abhor So spake the Fiend, and with necessity, The tyrant's plea, excused his dev'lish deeds. Then from his lofty stand on that high tree Down he alights among the sportful herd Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one, Now other, as their shape served best his end Nearer to view his prey, and unespy'd
To mark what of their state he more might learn 400 By word or action mark'd; about them round
A lion now he stalks with fiery glare;
Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spy'd In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight couches close, then rising changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground
Whence rushing he might surest seize them both Griped in each paw: when Adam, first of men To first of women Eve, thus moving speech, Turn'd him all ear to hear new utt'rance flow: 410 Sole partner, and sole part, of all these joys, Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Pow'r That made us, and for us this ample world, Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite;
That raised us from the dust, and placed us here In all this happiness, who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform
Aught whereof he hath need; he who requires From us no other service than to keep
This one, this easy charge, of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit
So various, not to taste that only tree
Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life;
So near grows death to life, whate'er death is,
Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know'st
God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree,
The only sign of our obedience left
Among so many signs of pow'r and rule Conferr'd upon us, and dominion giv'n Over all other creatures that possess
Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard One easy prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praise him, and extol
His bounty, following our delightful task
Το prune these growing plants, and tend these flow'rs; Which, were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.
To whom thus Eve reply'd: 0 thou for whom 440 And from whom I was form'd flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head, what thou hast said is just and right. For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks; I chiefly who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst no where find.
421. Gen. ii. 16. also Gen. i. 28.
That day I oft remember, when from sleep
I first awaked, and found myself reposed Under a shade on flow'rs, much wond'ring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not distant far from thence a murm'ring sound Of waters issued from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved Pure as th' expanse of Heav'n. I thither went With unexperienced thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the clear Smooth lake, that to me seem'd another sky. As I bent down to look, just opposite
A shape within the wat'ry gleam appear'd, Bending to look on me. I started back; It started back: but pleased I soon return'd; Pleased it return'd as soon with answ'ring looks Of sympathy and love: there I had fix'd Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warn'd me. What thou seest, What there thou seest, fair Creature, is thyself; With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy Inseparably thine: to him shalt bear Multitudes like thyself, and thence be call'd Mother of Human Race. What could I do But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espy'd thee, fair indeed and tall,
Under a platan; yet methought less fair,
Less winning soft, less amiably mild,
Than that smooth wat'ry image. Back I turn'd: 480 Thou following cry'dst aloud, Return, fair Eve; Whom fly'st thou? whom thou fly'st, of him thou art;
His flesh, his bone: to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart Substantial life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear; Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim My other half: with that thy gentle hand
451. Milton's first edition read thus; the second, Under a shade of flow'rs, but they reposed not under, but on flowers
Seized mine; I yielded, and from that time see How beauty is excell'd by manly grace And wisdcm, which aione is truly fair.
So spake our gen'ral mother, and with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreproved, And meek surrender, half embracing lean'd On our first father; half her swelling breast Naked met his under the flowing gold Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight, Both of her beauty and submissive charms, Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter
On Juno smiles when he impregns the clouds
That shed May flow'rs; and press'd her matron lip
With kisses pure. Aside the Devil turn'd
For envy, yet with jealous leer malign
Eyed them askance, and to himself thus 'plain'd:
Sight hateful! sight tormenting! thus these two, Imparadised in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill
Of bliss on bliss; while I to Hell am thrust,
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,
Among our other torments not the least, Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing, pines. Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd
From their own mouths: all is not theirs, it seems; One fatal tree there stands, of Knowledge call'd, Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidden? 515 Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Euvy them that? Can it be sin to know? Can it be death? And do they only stand By ignorance? Is that their happy state, The proof of their obedience and heir faith?
O fair foundation laid whereon to build Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds
With more desire to know, and to reject Envious commands, invented with design
To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt 525 Equal with Gods: aspiring to be such,
They taste and die. What likelier can ensue? But first with narrow search I must walk round
499. Jupiter is here figurative of the Heaven, and Juno of the a 503. Imparadised this word had been used before, t Sir Philip Sidney in the Arcadia.
This garden, and no corner leave unspy'd:
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet 530 Some wand'ring Spirit of Heav'n by fountain side, Or in thick shade retired, from him to draw What further would be learn'd. Live while ye may, Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return, Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed.
So saying, his proud step he scornful turn'd, But with sly circumspection, and began
Thro' wood, thro' waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam. Meanwhile in utmost longitude, where Heav'n With earth and ocean meets, the setting Sun Slowly descended, and with right aspect
Against the eastern gate of Paradise Levell'd his ev'ning rays: it was a rock Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds, Conspicuous far, winding with one ascent Accessible from earth, one entrance high; The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung Still as it rose, impossible to climb. Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat, Chief of th' angelic guards, awaiting night; About him exercised heroic games
Th' unarmed youth of Heav'n, but nigh at hand Celestial armoury, shields, helms, and spears, Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold. Thither came Uriel, gliding through th' even On a sun-beam, swift as a shooting star In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fired Impress the air, and shews the mariner From what point of his compass to beware Impetuous winds. He thus began in haste : Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot hath giv'n Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place No evil thing approach or enter in.
This day at highth of noon came to my sphere A Spirit, zealous, as he seem'd, to know More of th' Almighty's works, and chiefly Man,
549. For mention of Gabriel, see Daniel vii. and ix. also Luke i. his name signifies the man or the power of God.
555. Through th' even, or that part of the heavens now becoming dark with the approaching evening.
561. This is in allusion to the courses of the priests in the temple service: see 1 Chron. xxiv. and Luke i. 8, 9.
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