The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice Betwixt Astrea and the scorpion sign, Wherein all things created first he weighed, The pendulous round earth with balanced air In counterpoise, now ponders all events, Battles and realins: in these he put two weights, The sequel each of parting and of fight; The latter quick up flew, and kicked the beam; Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the fiend. "Satan, I know thy strength, and thou knowest mine,
Neither our own, but given; what folly then
To boast what arms can do! since thine no more Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, And read thy lot in yon celestial sign,
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, Her hand soft touching, whispered thus. "Awake, My fairest, my espoused, my latest found, Heaven's last best gift, my ever new delight! Awake: the morning shines, and the fresh field Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how spring Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove, What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed How nature paints her colours, how the bee Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet."
Such whispering waked her, but with startled eye On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake. "O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, My glory, my perfection! glad I see
Thy face, and morn returned; for I this night (Such night till this I never passed) have dreamed,
Where thou art weighed, and shown how light, If dreamed, not, as I oft am wont, of thee,
If thou resist." The fiend looked up, and knew His mounted scale aloft; nor more; but fled Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night.
Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her; they come forth to their day labours; their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his ene
Works of day past, or morrow's next design, But of offence and trouble, which my mind Knew never till this irksome night: methought Close at mine ear one called me forth to walk With gentle voice; I thought it thine: it said, 'Why sleepest thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time, The cool, the silent, save where silence yields To the night-warbling bird, that now awake Tunes sweetest his love-laboured song: now reigns Full orbed the moon, and with more pleasing light Shadowy sets off the face of things; in vain, If none regard; Heaven wakes with all his eyes, Whom to behold but thee, Nature's desire?
my near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and what. In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment ever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze. Paradise; his appearance described; his coming discerned by I rose as at thy call, but found thee not; Adam afar off sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to To find thee I directed then my walk; neet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the And on, methought, alone I passed through ways That brought me on a sudden to the tree of interdicted knowledge: fair it seemed, Much fairer to my fancy than by day: And, as I wondering looked, beside it stood One shaped and winged like one of those from Heaven
choicest .ruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table, Kapha performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then for sakes him.
Now morn, her rosy steps in the eastern clime Advancing, sowed the earth with orient pearl, When Adam waked, so customed; for his sleep Was airy light, from pure digestion bred, And temperate vapours bland, which the only sound Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan, Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song Of birds on every bough; so much the more His wonder was to find unwakened Eve With treases discomposed, and glowing cheek As through unquiet rest; he on his side Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial love Hung over her enamoured, and beheld
By us oft seen; his dewy locks distilled Ambrosia; on that tree he also gazed; And 'O fair plant,' said he, 'with fruit surcharged, Deigns none to ease thy load and taste thy sweet, Nor God, nor man? is knowledge so despised? Or envy, or what reserve forbids us taste? Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold Longer thy offered good; why else set here?' This said, he paused not, but with venturous arm He plucked, he tasted; me damp horror chilled At such bold words, vouched with a deed so bold· But he thus, overjoyed. 'O fruit divine, Sweet of thyself, but mu more sweet thus crot, Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit
For gods, yet able to make gods of men! And why not gods of men, since good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impaired, but honoured more! Here happy creature, fair angelic Eve, Partake thus also; happy though thou art, Happier thou mayest be, worthier canst not be: Taste this, and be henceforth among the gods Thyself a goddess, not to earth confined, But sometimes in the air, as we, sometimes Ascend to Heaven, by merit thine, and see What life the gods live there, and such live thou.' So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held, Even to my mouth of that same fruit held part Which he had plucked; the pleasant savoury smell
So quickened appetite, that I, methought, Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the clouds With him I flew, and underneath beheld The earth outstretched immense, a prospect wide And various: wondering at my flight and change To this high exaltation; suddenly
My guide was gone, and I, methought sunk down, And fell asleep; but O how glad I waked To find this but a dream!" Thus Eve her night Related, and thus Adam answered sad.
"Best image of myself, and dearer half, The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep Affects me equally; nor can I like This uncouth dream, of evil sprung, I fear; Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, Created pure. But know, that in the soul Are many lesser faculties, that serve Reason as chief; among these fancy next Her office holds; of all external things, Which the five watchful senses represent, She forms imaginations, airy shapes, Which reason, joining or disjoining, frames All what we affirm or what deny, and call Our knowledge or opinion; then retires Into her private cell when nature rests. Oft in her absence mimic fancy wakes To imitate her; but, misjoining shapes, Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams, Il matching words and deeds long past or late. Same such resemblances, methinks, I find Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream, But with addition strange; yet be not sad. Evil into the mind of God or man
May come and go, so unapproved, and leave No spot or blame behind: which gives me hope, That what in sleep thou didst abhor to dream, Waking thou never wilt consent to do. Be not disheartened then, nor cloud those looks, That wont to be more cheerful and serene, Than when fair morning first smiles on the world; And let us to our fresh employments rise Amon the groves, the fountains, and the flowers, That open now their choicest bosomed smells, Reserved from night, and kept for thee in store."
So cheered he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd;
But silently a gentle tear let fall
From either eye, and wiped them with her hair; Two other precious drops that ready stood, Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell Kissed, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse And pious awe, that feared to have offended.
So all was cleared, and to the field they hasto, But first, from under shady arborous roof, Soon as they forth were come to open sight Of dayspring, and the sun, who scarce uprisen, With wheels yet hovering o'er the ocean brim, Shot parallel to the earth his dewy ray, Discovering in wide landscape all the east Of Paradise and Eden's happy plains, Lowly they bowed adoring, and began Their orisons, each morning duly paid In various style; for neither various style Nor holy rapture wanted they to praise Their Maker, in fit strains pronounced, Unmeditated; such prompt eloquence Flowed from their lips, in prose or numerous verse More tuneable than needed lute or harp To add more sweetness; and they thus began. "These are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almighty! thine this universal frame, Thus wondrous fair: thyself how wondrous then! Unspeakable, who sitst above these Heavens, To us invisible, or dimly seen
In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, and power divine. Speak, ye who best can tell, ye sons of light, Angels; for ye behold him, and with songs And choral symphonies, day without night. Circle his throne rejoicing; ye in Heaven, On earth join all ye creatures to extol Him first, him last, him midst, and without end. Fairest of stars, last in the train of night, If better thou belong not to the dawn, Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere, While day arises, that sweet hour of prime. Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and soul, Acknowledge him thy greater, sound his praise In thy eternal course, both when thou climbest. And when high noon has gained, and when thou fallest.
Moon, that now meetest the orient sun, now fliest With the fixed stars, fixed in their orb that flies. And ye five other wandering fires, that move In mystic dance, not without song, resound His praise, who out of darkness called up light. Air, and ye elements, the eldest birth Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual circle, multiform; and mix And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change - Vary to our great Maker still new praise.
Ye mists and exha"ations, that now rise From hill or steaming lake, dusky or gray Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold, In honour to the world's great Author rise; Whether to deck with clouds the uncoloured sky, Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers, Rising or falling, still advance his praise. His praise, ye winds, that from four quarters blow, Breathe soft or loud; and wave your tops, ye pines,
With every plant in sign of worship wave. Fountains, and ye that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise. Join voices all ye living souls: ye birds, That singing up to Heaven gate ascend, Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise. Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep, Witness if I be silent, morn or even, To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise. Hail! universal Lord, be bounteous still To give us only good; and if the night Have gathered aught of evil, or concealed, Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark."
Late fallen himself from Heaven, is plotting now The fall of others from like state of bliss; By violence? no, for that shall he withstood; But by deceit and lies: this let him know, Lest wilfully trangressing he pretend Surprisal, unadmonished, unforewarned." So spake the eternal Father and fulfilled All justice: nor delayed the winged saint After his charge received; but from among Thousand celestial ardours, where he stood Veiled with his gorgeous winds, up springing light,
Flew through the midst of Heaven; th' angelic choirs,
On each hand parting, to his speed gave way Through all the empyreal road; till at the gate Of Heaven arrived, the gate self-opened wide, On golden hinges turning, as by work Divine the sovereign architect had framed. From hence, no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight, Star interposed, however small he sees, Not unconform to other shining globes, Earth, and the garden of God, with cedars crowned Above all hills. As when by night the glass Of Galileo, less assured, observes Imagined lands and regions in the moon; Or pilot, from amidst the Cyclades Delos or Samos first appearing, kens
So prayed they innocent, and to their thoughts Firm peace recovered soon and wonted calm. On to their morning's rural work they haste, Among sweet dews and flowers, where any row A cloudy spot. Down thither prone in flight Of fruit trees over-woody reached too far He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky Their pampered boughs, and needed hands to Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady
Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine
To wed her elm; she, spoused about him twines Her marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dower, the adopted clusters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus employed beheld With pity Heaven's high King, and to him called Raphael, the sociable spirit, that deigned To travel with Tobias, and secured
His marriage with the seven-times wedded maid. 'Raphael," said he, "thou hearest what stir on earth
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, gazed by all as that sole bird, When, to enshrine his reliques 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 returns A seraph winged: six wings he wore, to shade His lineaments divine; the pair that clad Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breas
Satan from hell escaped through the darksome With regal ornament; the middle pair
Hath raised in Paradise, and how disturbed This night the human pair; how he designs In them at once to ruin all mankind. Go, therefore, half this day as friend with friend Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade Thou findest him from the heat of noon retired, To respite his day labour with repast, Or with repose; and such discourse bring on, As may advise him of his happy state, Happiness in his power left free to will, Left to his own free will, his will though free, Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware He swerve not, too secure; tell him withal His danger and from whom; what enemy,
Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold And colours dipt in Heaven; the third his feet Shadowed from either heel with feathered mail, Sky-tinctured grain. Like Maia's son he stood, And shook his plumes, that Heavenly fragrance filled
The circuit wide. Straight knew him all he bands
Of angels under watch; and to his state, And to his message high, in honour rise; For on some message they guessed him bound. Their glittering tents he passed, 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 Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet Wild above rule or art; enormous bliss. Ilim, through the spicy forest onward come, Adam discerned, as in the door he sat
Of his cool bower, while now the mounted sun 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 savoury fruits, of taste to please True appetite, and not disrelish thirst
Of nectarous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape: to whoin thus Adam called. "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 pour Abundance, fit to honour and receive Our heavenly stranger: well we may afford Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow From large bestowed, where nature multiplies Her fertile growth, and by disburdening grows More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare." To whom thus Eve. 66 Adam, earth's hallowed
mould, Of God inspired, small store will serve, where store, All seasons, ripe for us 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
To entertain our angel guest, as he Beholding shall confess, that here on earth God hath dispensed his bounties as in Heaven." So saying, with despatchful looks in haste She turns on hospitable thoughts intent What choice to choose for delicacy best, What order so contrived as not to mix Testes, not well joined, inelegant, but bring Tate after taste upheld with kindliest change; Prstirs her then, and from each tender stalk Whatever earth, all bearing mother, yields India East or West, or middle shore In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where Akians reigned, fruit of all kinds, in coat Agar smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell,
ther tribute large, and on the board
- with unsparing hand; for drink the grape Phe crushes inoffensive must, and meaths fmony a berry; and from sweet kernels press'd tera duleet creams; nor these to hold Watts ber fit vessels pure; then strews the ground Wine and odours from the shrub unfuned.
Meanwhile our primitive great sire, 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 retinue long Of horses led, and grooms besmeared with gold, Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape. Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed, Yet with submiss approach and reverence meck, As to a superior 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 deigned a while To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us Two only, who yet by sovereign 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 angelic virtue answered 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's arbour smiled, With flowerets decked, and fragrant smells; but Eve,
Undecked, save with herself, more lovely fair Than wood nymph, or the fairest goddess, feigned Of three that in mount Ida naked strove, Stood to entertain her guest from heaven: no veil She needed, virtue proof; no thought infirm Altered her check. On whom the angel "Hail" Bestowed, the holy salutation used
Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.
"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 heaped 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, though spring and autumn here Danced hand in hand. Awhile discourse they hold: No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began Our Author. "Heavenly stranger, please to taste These bounties, which our Nourisher, from wnom All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends, To us for food, and for delight hath caused 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 given (Whose praise be ever sung) to man, in part Spiritual, may of purest spirits be found No ingrateful food: and food alike those pure
Within them every lower faculty
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste, Food not of angels, yet accepted so,
As that more willingly thou couldst not seem
Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, At Heaven's high feasts to have fed: yet what
Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn.
For know, whatever was created, needs To be sustained and fed; of elements 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 turned. Nor doth the moon to nourishment exhale 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
To whom the winged hierarch replied:
"O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return; if not depraved from good, created all Such to perfection, one first matter all, Endued with various forms, various degrees Of substance, and, in things that live, of life; But more refined, more spirituous, and pure, As nearer to him placed, or nearer tending Each in their several active spheres assigned, Till body up to spirit work, in bounds Proportioned to each kind. So from the root Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the
Sups with the ocean. Though in Heaven the trees More airy, last the bright consummate flower Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines
Spirits odorous breathes: flowers and their fruit,
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublimed,
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground Covered with pearly grain: yet God hath here Varied 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 despatch Of real hunger, and concoctive heat
To transubstantiate: what redounds, transpires Through spirits with ease; nor wonder, if by fire Of sooty coal, th' empiric alchymist Can turn, or holds it possible to turn, Metals of drossiest ore to perfect gold, As from the mine. Meanwhile at table Eve Ministered naked, and their flowing cups With pleasant liquors crowned: O innocence Deserving Paradise! if ever, then,
Then had the sons of God excuse to have been Enamoured at that sight; but in those hearts Love unlibidinous reigned, nor jealousy
Was understood, the injured lover's hell.
To vital spirits aspire, to animal,
To intellectual; give both life and sense, Fancy and understanding; whence the soul Reason receives, and reason is her being, Discursive, or intuitive; discourse
Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours, Differing but in degree, of kind the same. Wonder not then, what God for you saw good If I refuse not, but convert, as you,
To proper substance: time may come, when men With angels may participate, and find No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare; And from these corporal nutriments perhaps Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit, Improved by tract of time, and winged ascend Ethereal, as we, or may at choice Here or in heavenly Paradises dwell; If ye be found obedient, and retain Unalterably firm his love entire, Whose progeny you are. Your fill what happiness this happy state Can comprehend, incapable of more."
To whom the patriarch of mankind replied.
Thus when with meats and drinks they had "O favourable spirit, propitious guest,
Not burdened nature, sudden mind arose
In Adam, not to let th' occasion pass, Given him by this great conference, to know Of things above this world, and of their being Who dwell in Heaven, whose excellence he saw Transcend his own so far, whose radiant forms, Divine effulgence, whose high power so far Exceeded human, and his wary speech Thus to th' empyreal minister he framed. "Inhabitant with God, now know I well Thy favour, in this honour done to man, Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsafed
Well hast thou taught the way that might direct Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set From centre to circumference, whereon,
In contemplation of created things,
By steps we might ascend to God. But say, What meant that caution joined, 'If ye be found Obedient?' can we want obedience then To him, or possibly his love desert,
Who formed us from the dust, and placed us here, Full to the utmost measure of what bliss Human desires can seek or apprehend?"
To whom the angel. "Son of Heaven arl earth,
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