Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd, Collecting all his might, dilated stood, Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremov'd: His stature reached the sky, and on his crest Sat Horrour plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp What seem❜d both spear and shield: Now dreadful deeds Might have ensued, nor only Paradise, In this commotion, but the starry cope Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements At least had gone to wrack, disturb'd and torn The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray, Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales,2 yet seen Wherein all things created first he weigh'd, The pendulous round earth with balanc'd air In counterpoise, now ponders all events, Battles and realms: In these he put two weights, The sequel each of parting and of fight: The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam ; Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine; 'Ported:' a military term-borne, pointed.—2 Golden scales:' the constellation Libra, or the Balance. Neither our own, but given: To boast what arms can do? What folly then 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; Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light, how weak, 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 Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, Such whispering wak'd her, but with startled eye On Adam, whom embracing, thus she spake. O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, My glory, my perfection! glad I see Thy face, and morn return'd: for I this night (Such night till this I never pass'd) have dream'd, If dream'd, not, as I oft am wont, of thee, Works of day past, or morrow's next design, But of offence and trouble, which my mind Knew never till this irksome night: Methought Close at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk With gentle voice; I thought it thine: it said, 66 Why sleep'st thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time, The cool, the silent, save where silence yields To the night-warbling bird, that now awake And on, methought, alone I pass'd through ways And, as I wondering look'd, beside it stood One shap'd and wing'd like one of those from Heaven By us oft seen; his dewy locks distill'd Ambrosia; on that tree he also gaz'd; 66 And "O fair plant," said he, "with fruit surcharg'd, Deigns none to ease thy load, and taste thy sweet, “Nor god, nor man? Is knowledge so despis'd? "Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste? "Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold 'Longer thy offer'd good: why else set here?" 66 "Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus cropt, "Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit "For gods, yet able to make gods of men : "And why not gods of men? since good, the more Communicated, more abundant grows, "The author not impair'd, but honour'd more? Here, happy creature, fair angelick Eve! "Partake thou also; happy though thou art, 66 Happier thou may'st be, worthier can'st not be: "Taste this, and be henceforth among the gods Thyself a goddess, not to earth confin'd, "But sometimes in the air, as we, sometimes "Ascend to Heaven, by merit thine, and see What life the gods live there, and such live thou!" So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held, Even to my mouth of that same fruit held part |