Those tents thou saw'st so pleasant, were the tents
Of wickedness, wherein shall dwell his race
Who slew his brother; studious they appear
Of arts that polish life, inventors rare,
Unmindful of their Maker, though his spirit
Taught them, but they his gifts acknowledg'd none;
Yet they a beauteous offspring shall beget;
For that fair female troop thou saws't, that seem'd
Of goddesses, so blithe, so smooth, so gay,
Yet empty of all good wherein consists
Woman's domestic honour and chief praise;
Bred only and completed to the taste
Of lustful appetence, to sing, to dance,
To dress, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye
To these that sober race of men, whose lives
Religious titled them the sons of God,
Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame
Ignobly, to the trains and to the smiles

Of these fair atheists, and now swim in joy,
Ere long to swim at large; and laugh, for which
The world ere long a world of tears must weep.
To whom thus Adam of short joy bereft :
O pity and shame, that they who to live well
Enter'd so fair should turn aside to tread,
Paths indirect, or in the mid way faint!
But still I see the tenor of man's wo
Holds on the same, from woman to begin.
From man's effeminate slackness it begins,
Said the angel, who should better hold his place
By wisdom, and superior gifts receiv'd.
But now prepare thee for another scene.

He look'd, and saw wide territory spread
Before him, towns, and rural works between,
Cities of men with lofty gates and tow'rs,
Concourse in arms, fierce faces threat'ning war,
Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise:
Part weild their arms, part curb the foaming steed
Single, or in array of battle rang'd

Both horse and foot, nor idly must'ring stood

One way a band select from forage drives
A herd of beeves, fair oxen and sair kine
From a fat meadow ground; or fleecy flock,
Ewes and their bleating lambs over the plain,
Their booty; scarce with life the shepherds fly.
But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray:
With cruel tournament the squadrons join;
Where cattle pastur'd late, now scatter'd lies
With carcasses and arms th' ensanguin'd field
Deserted: others to a city strong

Lay siege, encamp'd; by battery, scale, and mine
Assaulting; others from the wall defend

With dart and javelin, stones and sulphurous fire;
On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.
In other part the sceptred heralds call
To council in the city gates: anon
Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd
Assemble, and harangues are heard, but soon
In factious opposition, till at last

Of middle age one rising, eminent

In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong,
Of justice, of religion, truth and peace,

And judgment from above him old and young
Exploded and had seiz'd with violent hands,
Had not a cloud descending snatch'd him thence
Unseen amid the throng: so violence
Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law
Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.
Adam was all in tears, and to his guide

Lamenting turn'd full sad: O what are these,
Death's ministers, not men, who thus deal death
Inhumanly to men, and multiply

Ten thousand fold the sin of him who slew
His brother; for of whom such massacre
Make they but of their brethren, men of men?
But who was that just man, whom had not heav'n
Rescued, had in his righteousness been lost?

To whom thus Michael: These are the product Of those ill-mated marriages thou saw'st:

Where good with bad were match'd, who ci them

selves

Abhor to join; and by imprudence mix'd,
Produce prodigious births of body or mind.
Such were these giants, men of high renowit ;
For in those days might only shall be admir'd,
And valour and heroic virtue call'd;

To overcome in battle, and subdue

Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite
Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory, and for glory done

Of triumph, to be stil'd great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, gods, and sons of gods,
Destroyers rightlier call'd and plagues of men.
Thus fame shall be achiev'd, renown on earth,
And what most merits fame in silence hid.
But he the sev'nth from thee, whom thou beheldst
The only righteous in a world perverse,

And therefore hated, therefore so beset
With foes for daring single to be just,

And utter odious truth, that God would come
To judge them with his saints: him the most
Rapt in a balmy cloud with winged steeds
Did, as thou saw'st, receive, to walk with God
High in salvation and the climes of bliss,
Exempt from death; to show thee what reward
Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;
Which now direct thine eyes and soon behold.
He look'd, and saw the face of things quite chang'd
The brazen throat of war had ceas'd to roar.
All now was turn'd to jollity and game,
To luxury and riot, feast and dance,
Marrying or prostituting, as befel,
Rape or adultry, where passing fair

Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil brons.
At length a reverend sire among them came,
And of their doings great dislike.declar'd,
And testify'd against their ways; he oft
Frequented their assemblies, whereso met,

Triumphs or festivals, and to them preach'd
Conversion and repentance, as to souls
In prison under judgments imminent :

But all in vain: which when he saw, he ceas'd
Contending, and remov'd his tents far off;
Then from the mountain hewing timber tall,
Began to build a vesse! of huge bulk,

Measur'd by cubit, length, and breadth, and height,
Smear'd round with pitch, and in the side a door
Contriv'd, and of provisions laid in, large
For man and beast: when lo a wonder strange!
Of every beast, and bird, and insect small
Came sev'ns, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught
Their order: last the sire, and his three sons
With their four wives; and God made fast the door.
Meanwhile the south wind rose, and with black wings
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove
From under heav'n; the hills to their supply
Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist,
Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky
Like a dark ceiling stood; down rush'd the rain
Impetuous, and continued till the earth

No more was seen; the floating vessel swum
Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow
Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings else
Flood overwhelm'd, and them with all their pomp
Deep under water roll'd; sea cover'd sea,
Sea without shore; and in their palaces
Where luxury late reign'd, sea monsters whelp'd
And stabled; of mankind, so numerous late,
All left, in one small bottom swum embark'd.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
The end of all thy offspring, and so sad
Depopulation! thee another flood,

Of tears and sorrow a flood thee also drown'd,
And sunk thee as thy sons; till gently rear'd
By th' angel, on thy feet thou stood'st at last,
Though comfortless, as when a father mourns

His children, all in view destroy d at once:
And scarce to th' angel utter'dst thus thy plaint:

O visions ill foreseen! better had I

Liv'd ignorant of future, so had borne
My part of evil only, each day's lot

Enough to bear; those now, that were dispens'd
The burden of many ages, on me light

At once, by my foreknowledge gaining lirth
Abortive, to torment me ere their being,
With thought that they must be. Let no man seek
Henceforth to be foretold what shall befal
Him or his children; evil he may be sure,
Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,
And he the future evil shall no less
In apprehension than in substance feel
Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,
Man is not whom to warn those few escap'd
Famine and anguish will at last consume
Wand'ring that wat'ry desert: I had hope
When violence was ceas'd, and war on earth,
All would have then gone well, peace would have
crown'd

With length of happy days the race of man :
But I was far deceiv'd; for now I see

Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste.
How comes it thus ? unfold, celestial guide,
And whether here the race of man will end.
To whom thus Michael: Those whom last ‘hou
saw'st

In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they
First seen in acts of prowess eminent

And great exploits, but of true virtue void;

Who having spilt much blood, and done much waste Subduing nations, and achieved thereby

Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey,

Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth,
Surfeit, and lust, till wantonness and pride

Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace.
The conquered also, and enslav'd by war