Happy, but for so happy ill secured
Long to continue, and this high seat, your heaven, Ill fenced for Heaven to keep out such a foe As now is entered; yet no purposed foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I unpitied: league with you I seek, And mutual amity so straight, 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 such Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be room Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me loth to this revenge On you who wrong me not for him who wronged. And should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,
Honour and empire, with revenge enlarged, By conquering this new world, compels me now To do what else, though damned, I should abhor." So spake the fiend, and with necessity, The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish deeds. Then from his lofty stand on that high tree Down he alights among the sportful herd Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one, Now other, as their shape served best his end Nearer to view his prey, and unespied
To mark what of their state he more might learn By word or action marked: about them round A lion now he stalks with fiery glare; Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight couches close, then rising, changes oft His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground, Whence rushing he might surest seize them both, Griped in each paw: when Adam, first of men, To first of women, Eve, thus moving speech,
Turned him, all ear to hear new utterance flow: "Sole partner, and sole part of all these joys, Dearer thyself than all; needs must the Power That made us, and for us this ample world, Be infinitely good, and of his good
As liberal, and free as infinite;
That raised us from the dust, and placed us here In all this happiness, who at his hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Aught whereof he hath need, he who requires From us no other service than to keep This one, this easy charge, of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit
So various, not to taste that only tree
Of knowledge, planted by the tree of life;
So near grows death to life, what'er death is,
Some dreadful thing, no doubt; for well thou knowest God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree,
The only sign of our obedience left
Among so many signs of power and rule
Conferr'd upon us, and dominion given Over all other creatures that possess
Earth, air, and sea. 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 the Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thyself canst no where 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 clear 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 fliest thou? whom thou fliest, 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 eye 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 aud 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 forbiden? 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 tast 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 aspéct 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 spirt, 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 airy gait; But in the mount that lies from Eden north,
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