PARADIS UM A MISSA M
SUMMI POETÆ
JOHANNIS MILTON I.
Q
UI legis AMISSAM PARADISUM, grandia Magni
Carmina MILTONI, quid nifi cuncta legis?
Res cunctas, & cunctarum primordia rerum,
Et fata, & fines, continet ifte liber.
Intima panduntur magni penetralia mundi;
Scribitur & toto quicquid in orbe latet:
Terræque, tractufque maris, cœlumque profundum,
Sulphureumque Erebi, flammivomumque fpecus.
Quæque colunt terras, pontumque, & Tartara cæca;
Quæque colunt fummi lucida regna poli.
Et quodcunque ullis conclufum eft finibus ufquam;
Et fine fine Chaos, & fine fine DEUS:
Et fine fine magis, (fi quid magis eft fine fine)
In CHRISTO erga homines conciliatus amor.
Hæc qui fperaret, quis crederet effe futura ?
Et tamen hæc hodiè terra Britanna legit.
O quantos in bella Duces, quæ protulit arma !
Quæ canit, & quantâ prælia dira tubâ !
Cœleftes acies, atque in certamine cœlum,
Et quæ
cœleftes pugna
deceret agros!
Quantus in æthereis tollit se Lucifer armis!
Atque ipfo graditur vix Michaele minor!
Quantis, & quàm funeftis concurritur iris,
Dum ferus hic ftellas protegit, ille rapit!
Dum vulfos montes, ceu tela reciproca, torquent;
Et non mortali defuper igne pluunt;
Stat dubius cui fe parti concedat Olympus ;
Et metuit pugnæ non fupereffe fuæ.
At fimul in cœlis MESSIÆ infignia fulgent,
Et currus animes, armaque digna DEO;
Horrendúmque rotæ ftrident, & fæva rotarum
Erumpunt torvis fulgura luminibus;
Et flammæ vibrant, & vera tonitrua rauco
Admiftis flammis infonuere polo:
Excidit attonitis mens omnis, & impetus omnis,
Et caffis dextris irrita tela cadunt.
Ad pœnas fugiunt, & (ceu foret Orcus afylum!)
Infernis certant condere fe tenebris.
Cedite Romani Scriptores, cedite Graii,
Et quos Fama recens, vel celebravit anus: Hæc quicunque leget, tantùm cecinisse putabit Mæonidem Ranas, Virgilium Culices.
P
RIMAM Hominis Noxam, vetitâque ex Arbore fœtus
Avulfos, morfu quæ deguftata nefando
Humanæ genti mortem & genus omne malorum
Intulit, & miferos Edeni fedibus egit,
Donec Progenies Humano ab femine Major
Reftituat lapfos, lætifque reponat in arvis,
Diva canas: Tu, fecreto quæ vertice quondam
Orebi, Sina-ve jugis, præcordia fancto
Paftori afflabas, quem lecta ab origine Proles
Audiit ingentis primordia dicere mundi,
Emerfafque Chao terras cœlumque profundum.
Seu tibi fit Sion cordi magis, & Siloe fons
Celfa DEI tacito lambens Oracula rivo,
PARADISE LOST.
O
F Man's first Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that forbidden Tree, whofe mortal Tafte
Brought Death into the world and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Reftore Us, and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing Heav'nly Mufe; that on the fecret top
Of Horeb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chofen Seed,
In the beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rofe out of Chaos: Or if Sion Hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's Brook that flow'd
Faft by the Oracle of GOD, I thence
A
Ritè
Ritè tuam pofcentis opem præfentior audi
Inde preces, non vulgari qui carminis alâ
Aonium fpernit montem, impavidoque volatu
Ardua molitur, nulli fermone foluto
Dicta priùs, nulli veterum celebrata camœnæ.
Tuque adeò, qui, templorum penetralibus altis
Posthabitis, purum pectus fanctofque receffus
Cafti animi colis; O fari da, SPIRITUS alme,
Scis etenim & memorare potes; Tu femina mundi
Prima fovens, alifque, parentis more columbæ,
Expanfis fuper incumbens, immane Profundum
Vi fœcundabas genitali: Tu mihi lustra
Corda bonus; lucem cæco, invalidoque vigorem
Suffice, ut ingenti non impar Argumento
Confurgam; legefque DEI venerandaque jura
Defendens, pandam dictis quàm numine justo
Torquet res Hominum, atque æquis moderatur habenis.
Fare age, namque patent fuperas tibi cuncta per oras
Perque altos Erebi tractus, quæ Caufa Parentes
Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to foar
Above th' Aonian Mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in Profe or Rhime.
And chiefly Thou, O SPIRIT, that doft prefer
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Inftruct me, for Thou know'ist: Thou from the first
Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outspread
Dove-like fat'ft brooding on the vaft Abyss,
And mad'st it pregnant: What in Me is dark,
Illumine; what is low, raife and fupport;
That to the height of this great Argument
I may affert Eternal Providence,
And justifie the ways of GoD to Men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view,
Nor the deep Tract of Hell; fay firft what Caufe
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