Collecting all his might, dilated stood, Like Teneriff1 or Atlas,1 unremoved: His stature reached the sky, and on his crest Sat horror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp What seemed both spear and shield. Now dreadful deeds Might have ensued; nor only Paradise, 990 In this commotion, but the starry cope3 Of heaven perhaps, or all the elements At least, had gone to wrack, disturbed and torn 995 The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray, Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen Wherein all things created first he weighed, 4 The pendulous round earth, with balanced air 1000 Battles, and realms: in these he put two weights, The sequel each of parting and of fight: The latter quick upflew and kicked the beam; Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the fiend: 1005 "Satan! I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine; "Neither our own, but given: what folly then "To boast what arms can do! since thine no more "Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now "To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, "And read thy lot in yon celestial sign; 1010 1 Like Teneriff,-a lofty peak in the island of that name, 12,182 feet in height. Atlas,--a mountain range in North Africa, rising to the height of 11,400 feet: like these Satan stood lofty, dilated and unremoved,―i. e. firm. 2 Sat Horror plumed,-by a sublime personification, Horror is described as the crest of Satan's helmet. 3 Starry cope,-arch, concave, roof. 4 This sublime imagery of the creation at first, and all events since, being weighed as in balances, gives an exalted idea of Providence, and is founded on Scripture usage; see Isa. xl. 12; 1 Sam. ii. 3; Job xxviii. 25; xxxvii. 16; Prov. xvi. 2; Daniel v. 27. Milton poetically justifies this idea, by referring to the constellation "Libra" or the scales, one of the twelve signs of the Zodiac, situated between Astroa, or the Virgin, and the Scorpion---two other of these signs. "Where thou art weighed, and shown how light, how weak, "If thou resist." The fiend looked up, and knew His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night. 1015 BOOK V. THE ARGUMENT. MORNING approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: they come forth to their day-labours: their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise; his appearance described; his coming discerned by Adam afar off, sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes him. Now Morn, her rosy steps in the eastern clime And temperate vapours bland, which the only sound 5 1 Aurora's fan.-Aurora was the divinity supposed to bring in the dawn of day: the gentle breezes, putting the leaves in motion, are compared by Milton to her fan. Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song "3 10 15 20 25 66 My glory, my perfection! glad I see 66 Thy face, and morn returned; for I this night 30 35 1 The unusual discomposure in Eve's locks, is brought out here as the result of Satan's practising on her as she lay asleep, b. iv. 1. 800, &c. 2 Zephyrus, the soft west wind. Flora, the goddess of flowers-or her treasures in their expanded blossoms. 3 Compare Song of Solomon ii. 10, &c., vii. 11, 12. Prime,--the finest, best part of the day. 4 With startled eye on Adam,-On awakening, Adam caught her eye, and the sight of him startled her after her dream. 66 6 “‹ Why sleep'st thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time, “If none regard: Heaven wakes with all his eyes, "I rose, as at thy call, but found thee not; "To find thee I directed then my walk; "And on, methought, alone I passed through ways “And, as I wondering looked, beside it stood 40 45 50 "One shaped and winged like one of those from Heaven 55 By us oft seen; his dewy locks distilled "Ambrosia :2 on that tree he also gazed: “And, ‘O fair plant,' said he, ' with fruit surcharged! "For gods, yet able to make gods of men: 60 65 70 Nature's desire, Desire, put for the object of desire, by a Latin idiom. 2 Ambrosia :-though the imaginary food of the gods, is used poetically to signify anything peculiarly pleasing to smell or taste. 3 Reserve or envy, or what reserve forbids,-Does envy forbid? or what reserve, caution, or restraint forbids to taste. Vouched,-confirmed, backed, supported. "And why not gods of men, since good, the more "Communicated, more abundant grows, "The author not impaired, but honoured more? 75 66 Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not be: "My guide was gone; and I, methought, sunk down, "Best image of myself, and dearer half! "This uncouth dream,-of evil sprung, I fear : K |