Appointed to sit there had left their charge, Of reblic scorn; he wonder'd, but not long His visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare, His arms clung to his ribs; his legs intwining Of Lucifer, so by allusion callid, 425 Each other, still supplanted, down he fell Of that bright star to Satan paragon'd. A monstrous serpent on his belly prone, There kept their watch the legions, while the grand Reluctant, but in vain; a greater power 515 In council sat, solicitous what chance Now rul'd' him, punish'd in the shape he sinn'd Might intercept their emperor sent; so he, According to his doom. He would have spoke, Departing, gave command, and they observd. 430 But hiss for hiss return'd with forked tongue As when the Tartar from his Russian foe To forked tongue, for now were all transform'd By Astracan over the snowy plains Alike, to serpents all as accessories 520 Retires; or Bactrian Sophi from the horns To his bold riot; dreadful was the din Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste beyond Of hissing through the ball, thick swarming now The realm of Aladule, in his retreat 435 With complicated mor.sters head and tail, To Tauris or Casbeen: so these, the late Scorpion, and esp, and amphisbæna dire, Heaven banish'd host, left desert utmost hell Cerastes horn'd, hydrus, and elops drear, 525 Many a dark league, reduc'd in careful watch And dipsas (not so thick swarm'd once the soil Round their metropolis, and now expecting 439 Bedropp'd with blood of Gorgon, or the isle Each hour their great adventurer from the search Ophiusa ;) but still greatest, he the midst, Of foreign worlds. He through the midst, un- Now dragon grown, larger than whom the sun In show plebeian angel militant (mark'd, Engender'd in the Pythian vale on slime, 530 Of lowest order, pass'd ; and from the door Huge Python, and his power no less he seem'd Of that Plutonian hall, invisible, Above the rest still to retain. They all Ascended his high throne, which under state 445 Him follow'd, issuing forth to th' open field, Of richest texture spread, at th' upper end Where all yet left of that revolted rout, Was plac'd in regal lustre. Down awhile Heaven-fallen, in station stood or just array, 535 He sat, and round about him saw unseen: Sublime with expectation when to see At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head In triumph issuing forth their glorious chief. And shape star-bright appear'd, or brighter | They saw, but other sight instead, a crowd clad, 450 Of ugly serpents: horror on them fell, With what permissive glory since his fall And horrid sympathy; for what they saw 540 Was left him, or false glitter. All amaz'd They felt themselves now changing; down their At that so sudden blaze, the Stygian throng arms, Bent their aspect, and whom they wish'd beheld, Down fell both spear and shield, down they as fast, Their mighty chief return'd: loud was th' acclaim; And the dire hiss renew'd, and the dire form, Forth rush'd in haste the great consulting peers, 456 Catch'd by contagion, like in punishment, Rais'd from their dark divan, and with like joy As in their crime. Thus was th' applause they Congratulant approach'd him, who with hand meant Silence, and with these words, attention won: Turn'd to exploding hiss, triumph to shame, 546 Cast on themselves from their own mouths. There “ Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, stood powers! 460 A grove hard by, sprung up with this their change, For in possession such, not only' of right, His will who reigns above, to aggravate I call ye and declare ye now, return'd, Their penance, laden with fair fruit, like that 550 Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve Triumphant out of this infernal pit Us'd by the tempter: on that prospect strange Abominable, accurs'a, the house of wo, 465 Their earnest eyes they fix'd, imagining And dungeon of our tyrant: now possess, For one forbidden tree a multitude As lords, a spacious world, to' our native heaven Now risen, to work them further wo or shame ; 555 Little inferior, by my adventure hard Yet parch'd with scalding thirst and hunger fierce, With peril great achiev'd. Long were to tell 469 Though to delude them sent, could not abstain, What I have done, what suffer'd, with what pain But on they roll'd in heaps, and up the trees Voyag'd the unreal, vast, unbounded deep Climbing, sat thicker than the snaky locks Of horrible confusion, over which, That curl'd Magæra: grecdily they pluck'd 560 By Sin and Death, a broad way now is pav'd The fruitage fair to sight, like that which grew To expedite your glorious march; but I Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flam'd: Toil'd out my uncouth passage, forc'd to ride 475 This more delusive, not the touch, but taste Th’untractable abyss, plung'd in the womb Deceiv'd; they fondly thinking to allay Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wild, Their appetite with gust, instead of fruit 565 That jealous of their secrets fiercely' oppos'd Chew'd bitter ashes, which th' offended taste My journey strange, with clamorous uproar With spattering noise rejected : oft they' assay'd, Protesting Fate supreme; thence how I found 480 Hunger and thirst constraining, drugg'd as oft, The new-created world, which fame in heaven With hatefullest disrelish writh'd their jaws Long had foretold, a fabric wonderful, With soot and cinders fill'd ; so oft they fell 570 Of absolute perfection! therein man, Into the same illusion, not as man [plagu'd Plac'd in a Paradise, by our exile Whom they triumph'd once laps'd. Thus were they Made happy. Him by fraud I have seduc'd 485 And worn with famine, long and ceaseless hiss, From his Creator, and, the more to increase Till their lost shape, permitted, they resum'd, Your wonder, with an apple! he thereat Yearly enjoin'd, some say, to undergo 575 Offended, worth your laughter, hath given up This annual humbling certain number'd days Both his beloved man, and all his world, To dash their pride, and joy fur man seduc'd. To Sin and Death a prey, and so to us, 490 However some tradition they dispers'd Without our hazard, labour, or alarm, Among the heathen of their purchase got, To range in, and to dwell, and over man And fabled how the serpent, whom they call's 580 To rule, as over all he should have rul'd. Ophion, with Eurynome, the wide True is, me also he hath judg'd, or rather Encroaching Eve perhaps, had first the rule And Ops, ere yet Dictæan Jove was born. Meanwhile in Paradise the hellish pair 585 On his pale horse: to whom sin thus began: 590 So having said, awhile he stood expecting “ Second of Satan sprung, all-conqu’ring Death! Their universal shout and high applause 505 What think'st thou of our empire now, tho earn'd To fill his ear; when, contrary, he hears With travel difficult, not better far (watch, On all sides, from innumerable tongues, Than still at hell's dark threshold to have sak A dianal universal hiss, the sound Unnam'd, undreaded, and thyself half-starv'a pa Whom thus the Sın-born monster answer'd soon: 1 To recompense his distance, in their sight * To me, who with eternal famine pine, Had rounded still th' horizon, and not known Alike is hell, or Paradise, or heaven, Or east or west, which had forbid the snow 665 There best where most with ravine I may meet; From cold Estotiland, and south as far Which here tho' plenteous all too little seems 600 Beneath Magellan. At that tasted fruit To stuff this maw, this vast unhide-bound corpse." The sun, as from Thyestean banquet, turn'd His course intended ; else how had the world To whom th' incestuous mother thus replied : Inhabited, though sinless, more than now, 690 "Thou therefore on these herbs, and fruits, and Avoided pinching cold and scorching heat ? flowers, These changes in the heavens, though slow, proFeed first, on each beast next, and fish, and fowl, Like change on sea and land, sideral blast, (duc'd No homely morsels; and whatever thing 605 Vapour, and mist, and exhalation hot, The scythe of Time mows down, devour unspar'd; Corrupt and pestilent. Now from the north 695 Till I in man residing through the race, Of Norumbega, and the Samoed shore, His thoughts, his looks, words, actions, all infect, Bursting their brazen dungeon, arm'd with ice, And season him thy last and sweetest prey." And snow and hail, and stormy gust and flaw, Boreas and Cæcias, and Argestes loud, 699 This said, they both betook them several ways, And Thrasias, rend the woods and seas upturn; Both to destroy, or unimmortal make 611 With adverse blast upturn them from the south All kinds, and for destruction to mature Notus and Afer, black with thund'rous clouds Sooner or later; which th' Almighty seeing, From Serraliona; thwart of these as fierce From his transcendent seat the saints among, Forth rush the Levant and the Ponent winds, To those bright orders utter'd thus his voice : 615 Eurus and Zephyr, with their lateral noise, 705 Sirocco and Libecchio. Thus began “ See with what heat these dogs of hell advance Outrage from lifeless things; but Discord first, To waste and havoc yonder world, which I Daughter of Sin, among th' irrationa So fair and good created, and had still Death introduc'd through fierce antipathy: 709 Kept in that state, had not the folly' of man Beast now with beast 'gan war, and fowl with fowl, Let in these wasteful furies, who impute 620 And fish with fish; to graze the herb all leaving, Folly to me, so doth the prince of hell Devour'd each other: nor stood much in awe And his adherents, that with so much ease Of man, but fled him, or with count'nance grim I suffer them to enter and possess Glar'd on him passing. These were from without. A place so heavenly, and conniving seem The growing miseries, which Adam saw 715 To gratify my scornful enemies, 625 Already' in part, though hid in gloomiest shade, That laugh, as if transported with some fit To sorrow' abandon'd, but worse felt within, Of passion, I to them had quitted all, And in a troubled sea of passion toss'd, At random yielded up to their misrule ; Thus to disburden sought with sad complaint And know not that I call'd and drew them thither, My hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth 630 “O miserable of happy!! is this the end 720 Which man's polluting sin with taint hath shed Of this new glorious world, and me so late On what was pure, till cramm'd and gorg'd, nigh The glory of that glory, who now become With suck'd and glutted offal, at one sling (burst Accurs'd of blessed, hide me from the face Of thy victorious arm, well-pleasing Son, 634 Of God, whom to behold was then my height Both sin and death, and yawning grave, at last, Of happiness ! yet well, if here would end 725 Through Chaos hurl'd obstruct the mouth of hell The misery; I deserv'd it, and would bear For ever, and seal up his ravenous jaws. My own deservings: but this will not serve; Then heaven and earth renew'd shall be made pure Al that I eat or drink, or shall beget, To sanctity that shall receive no stain: 639 Is propagated curse. O voice once heard Till then the curse pronounc'd on both precedes." Delightfully, Increase and multiply,' 730 Now death to hear! for what can I increase Who of all ages to succeed, but feeling Shall be the execration; so besides On me, as on their natural centre, light 740 Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay As might affect the earth with cold and heat To meu me man? Did I solicit thee Scarce tolerable, and from the north to call From darkness to promote me, or here place 745 Decrepit winter, from the south to bring 655 In this delicious garden? As my will Solstitial summer's heat. To the blank moon Concurr'd not to my being, it were but right Her office they prescrib'd, to th' other five And equal to reduce me to my dust, Their planetary motions and aspects Desirous to resign and render back In sextile, square, and trine, and opposite All I receiv'd, unable to perform 750 Of noxious efficacy, and when to join 660 Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold In synod unbenign; and taught the fix'd The good I sought not. To the loss of that, Their influence malignant when to shower, Sufficient penalty, why hast thou added Which of them rising with the sun, or falling, The sense of endless woes ? Inexplicable Should prove tempestuous: to the winds they set Thy justice seems: yet to say truth, too late, 755 Their corners, when with bluster to confound 665 I thus contest; then should have been refus'd Sea, air, and shore, the thunder when to roll Those terms whatever, when they were proposid: With terror through the dark aerial hall. Thou didst accept them; wilt thou enjoy the good, Some say he did his angels turn askance Then cavil the conditions? And though God The poles of earth twice ten degrees and more Made thee without thy leave, what if thy son 760 From the sun's axle; they with labour push'd 670 Prove disobedient, and reprov'd, retort, Oblique the centric globe: some say the sun Wherefore didst thou beget me? I sought it not: Was bid turn reins from th' equinoctial road Wouldst thou admit for his contempt of thee Like distant breadth to Taurus with the seven That proud excuse ? Yet him not thy election, Atlantic Sisters, and the Spartan Twins But natural necessity begot, 765 Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amain 675 God made thee of choice his own, and of his own By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales, To serve him; thy reward was of his grace, As deep as Capricorn, to bring in change Thy punishment then justly' is at his will. Of seasons to each clíme; else had the spring Be' it so, for I subrnit; his doom is fair, Perpetual smild on earth with verdant flowers, That dust I am, and shall to dust return: 770 Equal in days and nights, except to those 680 O welcome hour whenever! Why delays Beyond the polar circles; to them day His hand to execute what his decree Had unbenighted shone, with the low sun, Fix'd on this day? Why do I overlive? 900 Why am I mock'd with death, and lengthen'd out Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld, Soft words to his fierce passion she assay'd : 865 Insensible! How glad would lay me down But her with stern regard he thus repellid : “Out of my sight, thou serpent; that name best Like his, and colour serpentine, may show 870 Pursues me still, lest all I cannot die, Thy inward fraud, to warn all creatures from Lest that pure breath of life, the spirit of man thee Which God inspir'd, cannot together perish 785 Henceforth; lest that too heavenly form pretended With this corporeal clod; then in the grave, To hellish falsehood, snare them. But for thee Br in some other dismal place, who knows 1 I had persisted happy', had not thy pride But I shall die a living death? O thought And wand'ring vanity, when least was safe, 875 Horrid, if true! Yet why? It was but breath Rejected my forewarning, and disdain'd Of life that sinn'd: what dies but what had life 790 Not to be trusted, longing to be seen, And sin? The body properly hath neither. Though by the Devil himself, him overweening All of me then shall die : let this appease To over-reach, but with the serpent meeting The doubt, since human reach no further knows. Fool'd and beguil'd, by him thou, I by thee, 880 For though the Lord of all be infinite, To trust thee from my side, imagin'd wise, Is his wrath also ? Be it, man is not so, 795 Constant, mature, proof against all assaults, But mortal doom'd. How can he exercise And understood not all was but a show Wrath without end on man whom death must end? Rather than solid virtue', all but a rib Can he make deathless death? that were to Crook'd by nature, bent, as now appears, 885 make More to the part sinister, from me drawn, Strange contradiction, which to God himself Well if thrown out as supernumerary. Impossible is held, as argument 800 To my just number found. O why did God, Of weakness, not of power. Will he draw out, Creator wise, that peopled highest heaven For anger's sake, finite to infinite With spirits masculine, create at last 890 In punish'd man, to satisfy his rigour This novelty on earth, this fair defect Satisfied never? that were to extend Of nature, and not fill the world at once His sentence beyond dust and Nature's law, 805 With men as angels without feminine, By which all causes else according still Or find some other way to generate To the reception of their matter act, Mankind? This mischief had not then befallen, 895 Not to th' extent of their own sphere. But say And more that shall befall, innumerable That death be not one stroke, as I suppos'd, Disturbances on earth through female snares, Bereaving sense, but endless misery 810 And strait conjunction with this sex: for either From this day onward, which I feel begun He never shall find out fit mate, but such Both in me, and without me, and so last As some misfortune brings him, or mistake; To perpetuity; ay me, that fear Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain Comes thund'ring back with dreadful revolution Through her perverseness, but shall see her gain'd On my defenceless head; both Death and I 815 By a far worse, or if she love, withheld Am found eternal, and incorporate both; By parents; or his happiest choice too late Nor I on my part single, in me all Shall meet, already link'd and wedlock-bound 905 Posterity stands curs' : fair patrimony To a fell adversary', his late or shame: That I must leave ye, sons; O were I'able Which infinite calamity shall cause To waste it all myself, and leave ye none ! 820 To human life, and household peace confound." So disinherited how would ye bless Me, now your curse! Ah! why should all mankind He added not, and from her turn'd: but Eve, For one man's fault thus guiltless be condemn'd, Not so repuls'd, with tears that ceasd not flowing, 1f guiltless ? But from me what can proceed, And tresses all disorder'd, at his feet yil But all corrupt, both mind and will deprav'á, 825 Fell humble, and embracing them, besought Not to do only, but to will the same His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint: “ Forsake me not thus, Adam; witness heaven Forc'd I absolve: all my evasions vain, [still What love sincere, and reverence in my heart 913 And reasonings, though through mazes, lead me I bear thee, and unweeting have offended, I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not, Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid, So might the wrath. Fond wish! couldst thou Thy counsel in this uttermost distress, 920 support My only strength and stay : forlorn of thee, That burden, heavier than the earth to bear, 835 Whither shall I betake nie, where subsist? Than all the world much heavier, though divided While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps, With that bad woman? Thus what thou desir'st, Between us two let there be peace, both joining, And what thou fear'st, alike destroys all hope As join'd in injuries, one enmity 925 Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable Against a foe by doom express assign'd us, Beyond all past example and future, 840 That cruel serpent. On me exercise not To Satan only like both crime and doom. Thy hatred for this misery befallen, O conscience, into what abyss of fears On me already lost, me than thyself And horrors hast thou driven me; out of which More miserable; both have sinn'd, but thou, 930 I find no way, from deep to deeper plung'd!" Against God only', I against God and thee, And to the place of judgment will return, Thus Adam to himself lamented loud 845 There with my cries importune heaven, that all Through the still night, not now, as ere man fell, The sentence from thy head remov'd may light Wholesome and cool, and inild, but with black air On me, sole cause to thee of all this wo, Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom, Me, me only, just object of his ire." Which to his evil conscience represented All things with double terror: on the ground 850 She ended weeping, and her lowly plight Outstretch'd he lay, on the cold ground, and oft Immoveable till peace obtain'd from fault Curs'd his creation, death as oft accus'd Acknowledg'd and deplor'd, in Adam wrought Of tardy execution, since denounc'd Commiseration; soon his heart relented 940 The day of his offence. “ Why comes not death," Tow'rds her, his life so late and sole delight Said he, “ with one thrice-acceptable stroke 855 Now at his feet submissive in distress, To end me? Shall truth fail to keep her word, Creature so fair his reconcilement seeking, Justice divine not hasten to be just His counsel whom she had displeas'd, his aid But death comes not at all, justice divine As one disarm'd, his anger all he lost, 945 Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries. And thus with peaceful words uprais'd her soon : O woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers, With other echo late I taught your shades 861 “Unwary', and too desirous, as before, To answer, and resound far other song." So now of what thou know'st not, who desir'st 935 The punishment all on thyself; alas! Of contumacy' will provoke the Highest Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain 9.50 To make death in us live. Then let us seek His full wrath, whose thou feel'st as yet least part, Some safer resolution, which methinks And my displeasure bear'st so ill. If prayers I have in view, calling to mind with heed 1030 Could alter high decrees, I to that place Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise Would speed before thee, and be louder heard, The serpent's head ; piteous amends, unless That on my head all might be visited, 955 Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand foe Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiven, Satan, who in the serpent hath contriv'd To me committed and by me expos'd. Against us this deceit: to crush his head 1035 But rise, let us no more contend, nor blame Would be revenge indeed; which will be lost Each other, blam'd enough elsewhere, but strive, By death brought on ourselves, or childless days In offices of love, how we may lighten 960 Resolv'd as thou proposest ; so our foe Each other's burden, in our share of wo; Shall scape his punishment ordain'd, and we Since this day's death denounc'd, if ought I see Instead shall double ours upon our heads. 1040 Will prove no sudden, but a slow-pac'd evil, No more be mention'd then of violence A long day's dying to augment our pain, Against ourselves, and wilful barrenness, And to our seed ( hapless seed!) deriv'd.” 965 That cuts us off from hope, and savours only Rancour and pride, impatience and despite, To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied: Reluctance against God and his just yoke 1045 " Adam, by sad experiment I know Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild How little weight my words with thee can find, And gracious temper he both heard and judg’d, Found so erroneous, thence by just event Without wrath or reviling; we expected Found so unfortunate; nevertheless, 970 Immediate dissolution, which we thought Restor'd by thee, vile as I am, to place Was meant by death that day, when lo, to thee Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain Pains only in child-bearing were foretold, 1051 Thy love, the sole contentment of my heart, And bringing forth, soon recompens'd with joy, Living or dying, from thee I will not hide Fruit of thy womb; on me the curse aslope What thoughts in my unquiet breast are risen, 975 Glanc'd on the ground; with labour I must earn Tending to some relief of our extremes, My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse; Or end, though sharp and sad, yet tolerable, My labour will sustain me; and lest cold 1056 As in our evils, and of easier choice. Or heat should injure us, his timely care If care of our descent perplex us most, Hath unbesought provided, and his hands Which must be born to certain wo, devour'd 980 Cloth'd us unworthy, pitying while he judg'd; By death at last; and miserable it is How much more, if we pray him, will his ear 1060 To be to others cause of misery. Be open, and his heart to pity' incline, Our own begotten, and of our loins to bring And teach us further by what means to shun Into this cursed world a woful race, Th’inclement seasons, rain, ice, hail, and snow? That after wretched life must be at last 985 Which now the sky with various face begins Food for so foul a monster; in thy power To show us in this mountain, while the winds 1065 It lies, yet ere conception to prevent Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful The race unbless'd, to being yet unbegot. locks Childless thou art, childless remain : so Death Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek Shall be deceiv'd his glut, and with us two 990 Some better shroud, some better warmth to cherish Be forc'd to satisfy his ravenous maw. Our limbs benumb'd, ere this diurnal star But if thou judge it hard and difficult, Leave cold the nighi, how we, his gather'd beams Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain Reflected, may with matter sere foment, Justling or push'd with winds rude in their shock With like desire, which would be misery Tine the slant lightning, whose thwart flame, And torment less than none of what we dread; driven down, 1075 Then, both ourselves and seed at once to free Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine, From what we fear for both, let us make short, And sends a comfortable heat from far, Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply 1001 Which might supply the sun: such fire to use, With our own hands his office on ourselves. And what may else be remedy or cure Why stand we longer shivering under fears, To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, That show no end but death, and have the power, He will instruct us praying, and of grace 1081 Of many ways to die the shortest choosing, 1005 Be ceching him, so as we need not fear Destruction with destruction to destroy ? To pass commodiously this life, sustain'd By him with many comforts, till we end She ended here, or vehement despair In dust, our final rest and native home. 1085 Broke off the rest; so much of death her thoughts What better can we do, than to the place Had entertain'd, as dy'd her cheeks with pale. Repairing where he judg'd us prostrate fall But Adam, with such counsel nothing sway'd, 1010 Before him reverent, and there confess To better hopes his more attentive mind Humhly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears Lab'ring had rais'd, and thus to Eve replied: Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign “Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems Of sorrow' unfeign'd, and humiliation meek? 1092 To argue in thee something more sublime Undoubtedly he will relent and turn And excellent than what thy mind contemns: 1015 From his displeasure; in whose look serene, But self-destruction therefore sought, refutes When angry most he seem'd and most severe, 1095 That excellence thought in thee, and implies, What else but favour, grace, and mercy shone?" Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret For loss of life and pleasure overlov'd. So spake our father penitent, nor Eve Or if thou covet death, as utmost end 1020 Felt less remorse: they forth with to the place Of misery, so thinking to evade Repairing where he judg'd them, prostrate fell The penalty pronounc'd, doubt not but God Before him reverent, and both confess'd 1100 Hath wiselier arm'd his vengeful ire than so Humbly their faults, and pardon begg'd with tears To be forestall'd: much more I fear lest death Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air So snatch'd will not exempt us from the pain 1025 Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign We are by doom to pay; rather acts Of sorrow unfeign'd, and humiliation meet. 1071 END OF BOOK TENTH. The Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our first parents now repenting, and intercedes for them. God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradise : sends Michael with a band of Cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adam future things. Michael's coming down. Adam shows to Eve certain ominous signs: he discerns Michael's approach, goes out to meet him: the Angel denounces their departure. Eve's lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits. The Angel leads him up to a high hill, sets before him in vision what shall happen till the flood. firm'd. THUS they in lowliest plight repentant stood Eject him tainted now and purge him off As a distemper, gross to air as gross, And mortal food, as may dispose him best The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh For dissolution wrought by sin, that first 55 Regenerate grow instead, that sighs now breath'd Distemper'd all things, and of incorrupt Unutterable, which the spirit of prayer 6 Corrupted. I at first, with two fair gifts, Inspir'd, and wing'd for heaven with speedier flight Created him endow'd, with happiness Than loudest oratory: get their port And immortality: that fondly lost, Not of mean suitors, nor important less This other serv'd but to eternize wo; 60 Seem'd their petition, than when th' ancient pair Till I provided death; so death becomes In fables old, less ancient yet than these, 11 His final remedy, and after life Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha, to restore Tried in sharp tribulation, and refin'd The race of mankind drown'd, before the shrine By faith and faithful works, to second life, Of Themis stood devout. To heaven their prayers Wak'd in the renovation of the just, 65 Flew up, nor miss'd the way by envious winds 15 Resigns him up with heaven and earth renew'd. Blown vagabond or frustrate in they pass'd But let us call to synod all the bless'd Dimensionless through heavenly doors; then clad Through heaven's wide bounds; from them I will With incense, where the golden altar fum'd, not hide By their great intercessor, came in sight My judgments, how with mankind I proceed, Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son 20 As how with peccant angels late they saw, 70 Presenting, thus to intercede began: And in their state, though firm, stood more con “ See, Father, what first fruits on earth are sprung He ended, and the Son gave signal high From thy implanted grace in man, these sighs To the bright minister that watch'd; he blew And prayers, which in this golden censer, mix'd His trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps With incense, I, thy priest, before thee bring, 25 When God descended, and perhaps once more 75 Fruits of more pleasing savour from thy seed To sound at general doom." Th' angelic blast Sown with contrition in his heart, than those Fill'd all the regions; from their blissful bowers Which, his own hand manuring, all the trees Of amaranthine shade, fountain or spring, Of Paradise could have produc'd, ere fallen By the waters of life, where'er they sat From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear In fellowships of joy, the sons of light 80 To supplication, hear his sighs though mute ; 31 Hasted, resorting to the summons high, Unskilful with what words to pray, let me And took their seats; till from his throne supreme Interpret for him, me his advocate Th' Almighty thus pronounc'd his sov'reign will: And propitiation; all his works on me, Good or not good, ingraft, my merit those 35 *“sons, like one of us man is become Shall perfect, and for these my death shall pay. To know both good and evil, since his taste 85 Accept me, and in me from these receive Of that defended fruit; but let him boast Happier had it suffic'd him to have known 41 He sorrows now, repents, and prays contrite, 90 Reach also of the tree of life, and eat, To whom the Father, without cloud, serene: 45 And live for ever, dream at least to live 95 “ All thy request for man, accepted Son, For ever, to remove him I decree, Obtain; all thy request was my decree: And send him from the garden forth to till But longer in that Paradise to dwell, The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil. The law I gave to nature him forbids: Those pure immortal elements that know 50 “ Michael, this my behest have thou in charge ; No gross, no unharmonious mixture foul, Take to thee from among the cherubim 100 |
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