Quem DEUS ante alios, cui tot miracula foli
Exegit Pater Omnipotens. Dic, fanete Seraphum,
Dic age, Quis rutilos inter quos cernimus Orbes
Certa datur fedes Homini; nifi fortè per Orbes
Hos rutilos, ubicunque velit, vagus incola tendat.
Hunc acie aut tacitâ libet explorare, palamve
Luminibus mirari avidis, cui Conditor ingens
Tot facilis dona indulfit, tot tradidit Orbes.
Ut Pater Hunc propter, monumentaque cætera dextræ
Accipiat laudes meritas; qui jure rebelles
Pulfavit profugas ufque ima in Tartara turmas;
Inque vicem hanc ftatuit gentem, quæ numen adoret
Sanctiùs obfervans. O Confilii Vis
Omnipotens, variifque eadem Sapientia cœptis!
Hæc fatus fraudum Inventor, linguâque fefellit Mendaci. Sic fæpe Hominum, fic lumina Divûm Deludit falfà fpecie Pietatis Imago.
Unum hoc ire Malum obductum caligine cæcâ
Hath brought me from the Choirs of Cherubim
Alone thus wandring. Brighteft Seraph, tell
In which of all these fhining Orbs hath Man
His fixed feat, or fixed feat hath none,
But all these fhining Orbs his choice to dwell:
'That I
may find him, and with fecret gaze,
Of open admiration, Him behold
On whom the great Creator hath bestow'di
Worlds, and on whom hath all thefe graces pour'd:
That both in him, and all things, as is meet,
The Universal Maker we may praise;
Who juftly hath driven out His Rebel Foes
To deepest Hell; and, to repair their loss,
Created this new happy Race of Men,
To serve Him better. Wife are all his ways.
So fpake the falfe Diffembler unperceiv'd;
For neither Man, nor Angel, can discern
Hypocrify; the only Evil that walks
Per cœlum ac terras patitur DEUS; unus opertam
Ipse videt fraudem, & denfâ fub nocte tuetur.
Sæpius, excubias quamvis Prudentia fervet,
Sufpicio ante fores dormit, fungique relicto
Munere Simplicitas finitur; quæ crimine pura
Nil putat effe Mali, nudâ nifi fronte patefcat.
Sic Veri specie vanâ semel Urial ipse
Illufus, (folis claro licet imperet orbi,
Nec cuiquam in Superis acies fubtilior oris)
Integer hæc fcelerum Artifici refponfa remifit:
O præftans formæ Juvenis, laudanda Cupido eft,
Quâ flagras Opera alta DEI difquirere, magnum
Autorem ut melius celebres; quóque acrius ardet,
Hoc laudanda magis; ftimulis quæ accendit honeftis,
Ut templis cœli exires flammantibus unus
Ardua vifurus miracula, credita fando
Forte aliis, aurâque levis modo cognita famæ.
O Opera haud ulli fatis admiranda!
Invifible, except to God alone,
Hy His permiffive will, through Heav'n and Earth.
And oft though Wisdom wake, fufpicion fleeps
At wifdom's gate; and to Simplicity
Refigns her charge, while Goodness thinks no ill
Where no ill feems. Which now for once be-
guil'd
Uriel, though Regent of the Sun, and held
The fharpeft-fighted Spirit of all Heav'n:
Who to the fraudulent Impoftor foul
Pulchra adeò, memorique animo tam digna recondi
Quanta per attonitos fenfus ruit inde Voluptas!
Ingentem at numerum Cui fas comprendere mente
Finita? Cui fas fcrutari immenfa Parentis
Confilia, & rerum arcanas cognofcere Caufas?
Vidi Ego, cum Moles Mundi indigesta coiret
In cumulum mandante Deo, tremeretque minaci
Voce Chaos: pofuit rabidos Discordia Motus,
Seque ferum metis compefcuit Infinitum.
Ut rurfum intendit Vocem, fugere Tenebræ,
Emicuit cita Lux, Informique exiit Ordo.
Quin rudia appetiere ultro Primordia rerum
Partes quæque fuas, Tellus, Unda, Aeris auræ,
Flammaque; tum cæli furfum liquidiffimus Æther
Vi rapidâ levis afcendit, gyrifque rotatus
Aftrorum innumeros fefe convolvit in ignes;
Quæ tibi fas vario concordia cernere motu,
Ut fua cuique datur Statio, fua Semita cuique:
Pleasant to know, and worthieft to be all
Had in remembrance always with delight.
But what created Mind can comprehend
Their number; or the Wisdom infinite
That brought them forth, but hid their caufes deep?
I faw when at His Word the formlefs Mafs,
This world's material Mould, came to a heap:
Confufion heard His voice, and wild Uproar
Stood rul'd, ftood vast Infinitude confin'd:
Till at his fecond bidding Darkness fled,
Light fhone, and Order from Disorder sprung.
Swift to their several Quarters hafted then
The cumbrous Elements, Earth, Flood, Air, Fire,
And the Ethereal Quinteffence of Heav'n
Flew upward, fpirited with various forms,
That roll'd orbicular, and turn'd to Stars
Numberless, as thou feeft, and how they move;
Each had his place appointed, each his course;
Quod fupereft, magni componit mœnia Mundi.
En Sphæram, Cujus nobis pars proxima fulget
Luce repercuffâ: Sedem hæc Homini loca, dat lux
Ifta diem: Hæc denfâ, velut altera, nocte lateret
Abdita pars Sphæræ, radiis ni Luna propinquis
(Quod micat oppofitum, fignes hoc nomine Sidus)
Ferret opem, claudenfque agili renovansque rotatu
Menftruum iter: triplici medium fuper æthera vultu
Illa vices varians alieno lumine terras
Luftrat, & imperio tenebras pallente coercet.
Hæc tibi quam monftro fedem, Paradifus, Adami
Hofpitium; iftæ illi texunt umbracula Silvæ :
Carpe age, prona via est; alia hinc me Semita poscit.
Dixerat, avertitque gradum: Quem poplite adorans
Curvato Satanas (hunc cœlo femper honorem
Ordinibus Superûm primis mos ferre Minores)
Disceffit, terrarum ardens contingere fines.
The reft in circuit wall this Universe.
Look downward on that Globe, whofe hither fide
With light from hence, tho' but reflected, shines :
That place is Earth, the feat of Man; that Light
His Day; which else, as th' other hemisphere,
Night would invade : but there the neighb'ring
(So call that oppofite fair Star) her aid Timely interposes; and her monthly round
Still ending, ftill renewing through mid Heav'n,
With borrow'd light her countenance triform
Hence fills and empties to enlighten th' Earth,
And in her pale dominion checks the night.
That Spot to which I point is Paradise,
Adam's abode; those lofty fhades his bow'r;
Thy way thou can't not mifs, me mine re-
quires.
Thus faid, he turn'd; and Satan bowing low
(As to fuperior Spirits is wont in Heav'n,
Where honour due, and reverence, none
Ocius & curvo delapfus tramite Solis,
Spe celerante fugam, multo fe volvit in Orbe
Præcipitans, fummique tenet juga celfa Niphatis.
Took leave, and tow'rd the coaft of Earth beneath
Down from th' Ecliptic, fped with hop'd fuccefs,
Throws his fteep flight in many an Aery wheel;
Nor ftaid, till on Niphates' top he lights.
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