Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life;
So near grows death to life, whate'er death is, Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowest God has pronounced it death to taste that tree, The only sign of our obedience left
Among so many signs of power and rule Conferred upon us, and dominion given Over all other creatures that possess
Then let us not think hard
One easy prohibition, who enjoy
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice
Unlimited of manifold delights:
But let us ever praise him, and extol
His bounty, following our delightful task,
To prune these growing plants, and tend these flowers, Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet." To whom thus Eve replied: "O thou for whom And from whom I was formed, flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my guide And head! what thou hast said is just and right, For we to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks; I chiefly, who enjoy So far the happier lot, enjoying thee Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst nowhere find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awaked, and found myself reposed Under a shade on flowers, much wondering where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issued from a cave, and spread Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved Pure as the expanse of heaven; I thither went With unexperienced thought, and laid me down On the green bank, to look into the elear Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky. As I bent down to look, just opposite A shape within the watery gleam appeared, Bending to look on me: I started back, It started back; but pleased I soon returned, Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks Of sympathy and love: there I had fixed Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warned me: What thou seest, What there thou seest, fair creature, is thyself;
With thee it came and goes; but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow stays Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he Whose image thou art; him thou shalt enjoy Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called Mother of human race. What could I do,
But follow straight, invisibly thus led? Till I espied thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a plantain, yet methought less fair, Less winning soft, less amiably mild,
Than that smooth watery image: back I turned; Thou following criedst aloud, Return, fair Eve; Whom flyest thou? whom thou flyest, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart, Substantial life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear; Part of my soul, I seek thee, and thee claim My other half. With that thy gentle hand Seized mine: I yielded; and from that time see How beauty is excelled by manly grace, And wisdom, which alone is truly fair."
So spake our general mother, and with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreproved, And meek surrender, half-embracing leaned On our first father; half her swelling breast Naked met his, under the flowing gold Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight Both of her beauty and submissive charms, Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter
On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds
That shed May flowers; and pressed her matron lip With kisses pure: aside the Devil turned
For envy; yet with jealous leer malign
Eyed them askance, and to himself thus 'plained: "Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two, Imparadised in one another's arms,
The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill Of bliss on bliss; while I to hell am thrust, Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire, Among our other torments not the least, Still unfulfilled, with pain of longing pines. Yet let me not forget what I have gained
From their own mouths; all is not theirs, it seems;
One fatal tree there stands, of knowledge called, Forbidden them to taste: knowledge forbidden? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord Envy them that? Can it be sin to know?
Can it be death? And do they only stand By ignorance? Is that their happy state, The proof of their obedience and their faith? O fair foundation laid whereon to build Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds With more desire to know, and to reject Envious commands, invented with design To keep them low, whom knowledge might exalt Equal with gods: aspiring to be such,
They taste and die; what likelier can ensue ! But first with narrow search I must walk round This garden, and no corner leave unspied;
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet Some wandering spirit of heaven by fountain-side, Or in thick shade retired, from him to draw What further would be learned. Live while ye may
Yet happy pair; enjoy, till I return,
Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed."
So saying, his proud step he scornful turned,
But with sly circumspection, and began
Through wood, through waste, o'er hill, o'er dale, his roam.
Meanwhile, in utmost longitude, where heaven
With earth and ocean meets, the setting sun
Slowly descended, and with right aspèct Against the eastern gate of Paradise Levelled his evening rays: it was a rock Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds, Conspicuous far, winding with one ascent Accessible from earth, one entrance high; The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung Still as it rose, impossible to climb. Betwixt these rocky pillars Gabriel sat, Chief of the angelic guards, awaiting night; About him exercised heroic games
The unarmed youth of heaven, but nigh at hand Celestial armoury, shields, helms, and spears, Hung high, with diamond flaming and with gold, Thither came Uriel, gliding through the even On a sunbeam, swift as a shooting star In autumn thwarts the night, when vapours fired Impress the air, and shows the mariner
From what point of his compass to beware Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste:
"Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot hath given Charge and strict watch, that to this happy place No evil thing approach or enter in.
This day at height of noon came to my sphere A spirit, zealous, as he seemed, to know More of the Almighty's works, and chiefly man, God's latest image: I described his way Bent all on speed, and marked his aery gait; But in the mount that lies from Eden north, Where he first lighted, soon discerned his looks Alien from heaven, with passions foul obscured: Mine eye pursued him still, but under shade Lost sight of him: one of the banished crew, I fear, hath ventured from the deep to raise New troubles; him thy care must be to find."
To whom the winged warrior thus returned: "Uriel, no wonder if thy perfect sight, Amid the sun's bright circle where thou sitt'st, See far and wide: in at this gate none pass
The vigilance here placed, but such as come Well known from heaven; and since meridian hour No creature thence: if spirit of other sort,
So minded, have o'erleaped these earthy bounds On purpose, hard thou knowest it to exclude Spiritual substance with corporeal bar. But if within the circuit of these walks,
In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom
Thou tell'st, by morrow dawning I shall know." So promised he; and Uriel to his charge Returned on that bright beam, whose point now raised Bore him slope downward to the sun, now fallen
Beneath the Azores; whether the prime orb,
Incredible how swift, had thither rolled
Diurnal, or this less volúble earth,
By shorter flight to the east, had left him there Arraying with reflected purple and gold The clouds that on his western throne attend. Now came still evening on, and twilight gray Had in her sober livery all things clad; Silence accompanied; for beast and bird, They to their grassy couch, these to their nests, Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale, She all night long her amorous descant sung;
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