230

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 dipt in Heav'n; the third bis feet
Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail,
Sky-tinctured grain. Like Maia's son he stood, 285
And shook his plumes, that heav'nly 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 glitt'ring tents he pass'd, and now is come 201
Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh
And flow'ring 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

295

Of his cool bow'r, while now the mounted Sun 300

Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm

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

For dinner sav'ry fruits, of taste to please
True appetite, and not disrelish thirst

305

Of nect'rous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape. To whom thus Adam call'd:

310

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 Heav'n 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 pour

284. A beautiful comparison-feathers lie over one another like he plaits of a coat of nail.

285. Maia's son, Mercury: see Iliad xxiv. 339. Æn. iv. 238. 299. Gen. xviii. 1 where Abraham is described sitting in the door of the tent.

310. Nothing can be conceived more splendid than the idea conveyed in the short description of Raphael's glory. In Marino's Adonis there is a similar one, C. ii. st. 27.

Abundance, fit to honour and receive
Our heav'nly stranger: well we may afford
Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
From large bestow'd, where Nature multiplies
Her fertile growth, and by disburd'ning grows
More fruitful; which instructs us not to spare.

315

320

325

330

335

To whom thus Eve: Adam, earth's hallow'd mould, Of God inspired, 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 bow and brake, Each plant and juciest gourd, will pluck such choice To entertain our Angel guest, as he Beholding shall confess, that here on Earth God hath dispensed his bounties as in Heav'n. So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent What choice to choose for delicacy best, What order, so contrived 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 Pontus or the Punic coast, or where Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough or smooth rined, 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 meaths From many a berry, and from sweet kernels press'd She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold Wants her fit vessels pure, then strews the ground With rose and odours from the shrub unfumed. Mean while our primitive great sire, to meet His god-like guest, walks forth, without more train

340

345

350

333. Choice to choose: an alliteration not uncommon to Milton or the classics.

340. In Pontus, part of Asia; the Punic coast, Africa; the kingdom of Alcinous, Phœacia, an island in the Ionian Sea, near Corfu.

345. Meaths, sweet drinks.

Accompany'd 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 retinue long
Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold,
Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape.
Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed,
Yet with submiss approach and rev'rence meek,
As to' a superior nature, bowing low,
Thus said: Native of Heav'n, for other place
None can than Heav'n 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 sov'reign gift possess
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bow'r
To rest, and what the garden choicest bears
To sit and taste, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the Sun more cool decline.

355

360

365

370

Whom thus th' angelic virtue answer'd mild: Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou such Created, or such place hast here to dwell,

375

380

As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heav'n,
To visit thee. Lead on then where thy bow'r
O'ershades; for these mid hours, till ev'ning rise,
I have at will. So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbour smiled
With flow'rets deck'd and fragrant smells; but Eve
Undeck'd save with herself, more lovely fair
Than Wood-Nymph, or the fairest Goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to' entertain her guest from Heav'n. No veil
She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek, On whom the Angel, Hail 385
Bestow'd; the holy salutation used

Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.

Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more num'rous with thy sons, Than with these various fruits the trees of God

390

352. With should be expunged according to Bentley, as it la superfinous. 378. Pomona, the goddess of fruit-trees. 382. In allusion to the judgment of Paris between Venus, Juno, and Minerva.

387. Luke i. 2. 8.

Have heap'd this table. Raised of grassy turf
Their table was, and mossy seats had round,
And on her ample square, from side to side,
All autumn piled, tho' spring and autumn here
Danced hand in hand. A while discourse they hold;
No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began
Our author: Heav'nly stranger, please to taste
These bounties which our Nourisher, from whom
All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends,

To us for food, and for delight hath caused

396

400

The earth to yield; unsav'ry 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

405

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 ev'ry lower faculty

410

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,

Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be sustain'd and fed: of elements

415

The grosser feeds the purer; earth the sea,

Earth and the sea feed air; the air those fires
Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon;

Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurged
Vapours not yet into her substance turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale

420

From her moist continent to higher orbs.

The Sun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompense

In humid exhalations, and at even

425

Sups with the ocean. Though in Heav'n the trees Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines

Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each moru We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground Cover'd with pearly grain, yet God hath here

430

421. A Latinism.

426. See Ps. cv. 40. Exodus xvi. 14. Matt. xxiv. 29. and Rev.

xxii. 2

Vary'd his bounty so with new delights,
As may compare with Heaven; and to taste
Think not I shall be nice. So down they sat,
And to their viands fell; nor seemingly
The Angel, nor in mist, the common gloss
Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch

435

Of real hunger and concoctive heat

To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires

Through Spirits with ease: nor wonder, if by fire Of sooty coal th' empyric alchemist

440

Can turn, or holds it possible to turn,
Metals of drossiest ore to perfect gold,

As from the mine. Mean while at table Eve

Minister'd naked, and their flowing cups

With pleasant liquors crown'd. O innocence
Deserving Paradise! if ever, then,

445

Then had the sons of God excuse to' have been

Enamour'd at thy sight; but in those hearts

Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealousy

Was understood, the injured lover's Hell.

450

Thus, when with meats and drinks they had sufficed,

Not burden'd nature, sudden mind arose

In Adam, not to let th' occasion pass

Giv'n him by this great conference, to know

Of things above his world, and of their being
Who dwell in Heav'n, whose excellence he saw
Transcend his own so far, whose radiant forms
Divine effulgence, whose high pow'r so far
Exceeded human; and his wary speech
Thus to th' empyreal minister he framed:
Inhabitant with God, now know I well

455

460

Thy favour in this honour done to Man,
Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsafed
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of Angels, yet accepted so,

465

As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

435. It was the opinion of most theologians that the angels did not eat, their opinion being founded on some metaphysical notions, and on a passage in Tobit iii. 19. But Milton seems to be justified by the canonical Scripture. See Gen. xviii. and xix. 438. This is a fine distinction between the processes of diges tion in men and angels.

440. Empyric, making many experiments. 445. To crown the cup, is a classical expression. 447. Gen. vi. 2,

K