Hid Amalthea and her Florid Son
Young Bacchus from his Stepdame Rhea's eye;
Nor where Abaffin Kings thir issue Guard,
Mount Amara, though this by som suppos'd
True Paradife under the Ethiop Line
By Nilus head, enclos'd with fhining Rock,
A whole dayes journey high, but wide remote
From this Affyrian Garden, where the Fiend
Saw undelighted all delight, all kind
Of living Creatures new to fight and strange :
Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,
Godlike erect, with native Honour clad
In naked Majestie feemd Lords of all,
And worthie feemd, for in thir looks Divine
The image of thir glorious Maker shon,
Truth, Wifdome, Sanctitude fevere and pure,
Severe, but in true filial freedom plac't;
Whence true autoritie in men; though both
Not equal, as thir fex not equal seemd;
For contemplation hee and valour formd,
For foftnefs thee and fweet attractive Grace,
Hee for God only, fhee for God in him:
His fair large Front and Eye fublime declar'd 300
Abfolute rule; and Hyacinthin Locks
Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Cluftring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
Shee as a vail down to the flender wafte
Her unadorned golden treffes wore
Diffheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav'd
As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli'd
Subjection, but requir'd with gentle fway,
And by her yeilded, by him best receivd,
Yeilded with coy fubmiffion, modeft pride,
And sweet reluctant amorous delay.
Nor those mysterious parts were then conceald,
Then was not guiltie shame, dishonest shame
Of natures works, honor dishonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubl'd all mankind
With fhews instead, meer fhews of feeming pure,
And banisht from mans life his happiest life,
Simplicitie and spotless innocence.
So paffd they naked on, nor fhund the fight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill :
So hand in hand they paffd, the lovliest pair
That ever fince in loves imbraces met,
Adam the goodliest man of men fince borne
His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters Eve.
Under a tuft of fhade that on a green
Stood whispering foft, by a fresh Fountain fide
They fat them down, and after no more toil
Of thir fweet Gardning Labour then fuffic'd
To recommend coole Zephyr, and made ease
More eafie, wholfom thirst and appetite
More grateful, to thir Supper Fruits they fell,
Nectarine Fruits which the compliant boughes
Yeilded them, fide-long as they fat recline
On the foft downie Bank damaskt with flours:
The favourie pulp they chew, and in the rinde
Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;
Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles
Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems
Fair couple, linkt in happie nuptial League,
Alone as they. About them frisking playd
All Beasts of th' Earth, fince wilde, and of all chafe
In Wood or Wilderness, Forrest or Den;
Sporting the Lion rampd, and in his paw
Dandl'd the Kid; Bears, Tygers, Ounces, Pards
Gambold before them, th' unwieldy Elephant
To make them mirth us'd all his might, & wreathd
His Lithe Probofcis; close the Serpent fly
Infinuating, wove with Gordian twine
His breaded train, and of his fatal guile
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass
Coucht, and now fild with pasture gazing sat,
Or Bedward ruminating; for the Sun
Declin'd was hafting now with prone carreer
To th' Ocean Iles, and in th' afcending Scale
Of Heav'n the Starrs that usher Evening rofe:
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
Scarce thus at length faild speech recoverd fad.
O Hell! what doe mine eyes with grief behold,
Into our room of blifs thus high advanc't
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, 360
Not Spirits, yet to heav'nly Spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue
With wonder, and could love, fo lively shines
In them Divine resemblance, and fuch grace
The hand that formd them on thir fhape hath pourd.
Ah gentle pair, yee little think how nigh
Your change approaches, when all these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more you taste is now of joy;
Happie, but for fso happie ill secur'd
Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav'n
Ill fenc't for Heav'n to keep out fuch a foe
As now is enterd; yet no purpos'd foe
To you whom I could pittie thus forlorne
Though I unpittied: League with
And mutual amitie fo ftreight, 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 fuch
Accept your Makers work; he gave it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell shall unfould,
To entertain you two, her widest Gates,
And fend forth all her Kings; there will be room,
Not like these narrow limits, to receive
Your numerous ofspring; if no better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge
On you who wrong me not for him who wrongd.
And should I at your harmless innocence
Melt, as I doe, yet public reason just,
Honour and Empire with revenge enlarg'd,
By conquering this new World, compels me now
To do what else though damnd I should abhorre.
So fpake the Fiend, and with neceffitie,
The Tyrants plea, excus'd his devilish deeds.
Then from his loftie stand on that high Tree
Down he alights among the sportful Herd
Of thofe fourfooted kindes, himself now one,
Now other, as thir fhape fervd beft his end
Neerer to view his prey, and unefpi'd
To mark what of thir ftate he more might learn
By word or action markt: about them round
A Lion now he stalkes with fierie glare,
Then as a Tiger, who by chance hath spi'd
In fome Purlieu two gentle Fawnes at play,
Strait couches clofe, then rifing changes oft
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground
Whence rushing he might surest seise them both
Grip't in each paw: when Adam first of men
To first of women Eve thus moving speech,
Turnd him all eare to heare new utterance flow.
Sole partner and fole part of all these joyes,
Dearer thy felf then all; needs must the Power
That made us, and for us this ample World
Be infinitly good, and of his good
As liberal and free as infinite,
That rais'd us from the duft and plac't us here
In all this happiness, who at his hand
Have nothing merited, nor can performe
Aught whereof hee hath need, hee who requires
From us no other fervice then to keep
This one, this eafie charge, of all the Trees
In Paradife that beare delicious fruit
So various, not to taste that onely Tree
Of knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life,
So neer grows Death to Life, what ere Death is,
Som dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowst
God hath pronounc't it death to taste that Tree,
The only fign of our obedience left
many fignes of power and rule
Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv'n
Over all other Creatures that poffeffe
Earth, Aire, and Sea. Then let us not think hard
One eafie prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave fo large to all things elfe, and choice
Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praise him, and extoll
His bountie, following our delightful task
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