BOOK V. Can comprehend, incapable of more. To whom the patriarch of mankind reply'd: O favourable Spirit, propitious guest, Well hast thou taught the way that might direct 129 505 Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set 510 In contemplation of created things, By steps we may ascend to God. But say, What meant that caution join'd, If ye be found To him, or possibly his love desert, 515 Who form'd us from the dust, and placed us here To whom the Angel: Son of Heav'n and Earth, 520 525 He left it in thy pow'r; ordain'd thy will By nature free, not over-ruled by fate Our voluntary service he requires, Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how Willing or no, who will but what they must By destiny, and can no other choose? 530 Myself and all th' angelic host, that stand 535 540 512. Every part of the vast system of the universe, is not only connected with the rest by a kind of natural necessity, but the connexion is apparent to the contemplative eye of reason, and hence having become acquainted with the lowest circumstance in it, the mind is carried gradually and easily on till it looks down from the highest point on the whole grand creation of the Almighty God. G 2 130 PARADISE LOST. And so from Heav'n to deepest Hell. O fall, To whom our great progenitor: Thy words 545 550 555 To be both will and deed created free ; After short pause, assenting, thus began: 560 High matter thou enjoin'st me', O prime of men, Sad task and hard; for how shall I relate To human sense th' invisible exploits 565 Of warring Spirits? How without remorse And perfect while they stood? How last unfold 570 This is dispensed; and what surmounts the reach now rests Upon her centre poised; when on a day (For time, though in eternity, apply'd To motion, measures all things durable 580 551. In allusion to the command not to eat of the tree of know. ledge. By present, past, and future, on such day 585 590 As Heav'n's great year brings forth, th' empyreal host 595 600 Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top 605 At my right hand; your Head I him appoint; All knees in Heav'n, and shall confess him Lord: 610 For ever happy. Him who disobeys, Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day Cast out from God, and blessed vision, falls Into' utter darkness, deep ingulph'd, his place 615 So spake th' Omnipotent: and with his words All seem'd well pleased; all seem'd, but were not all. That day, as other solemn days, they spent 583. Milton is believed to have had Plato's idea in this expression, the latter making the great year to be the revolution of all the spheres. See also Job i. 6. 1 Kings xxii. 19. 589. A gonfalon, a streamer or banner. 598. Exodus xix. 600. This, as the former speech, is mostly derived from Scrip ture. See Ps. ii. 6, 7. Gen. xxii. 16. Phil. ii. 10, 11. In song and dance about the sacred hill; 620 Then most, when most irregular they seem; Listens delighted. Ev'ning now approach'd 625 So smooths her charming tones, that God's own ear (For we have also' our ev'ning and our morn, We ours for change delectable, not need) Forth with from dance to sweet repast they turn 630 With angels' food, and rubied nectar flows In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold, Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heav'n. 635 On flow'rs reposed, and with fresh flow'rets crown'd, They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet Quaff immortality and joy, secure 641 Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds Than all this globous earth in plain outspread 645 (Such are the courts of God) th' angelic throng, 650 Fann'd with cool winds; save those who in their course 656 625. It was the opinion of the Pythagorean philosophers, that a most exquisite music was produced by the motion of the spheres, some allusion to it is made in Job xxxviii. 37. 633. Rubied nectar; borrowed from Homer. 637. And with refection sweel, in the first edition. 647. Ps. cxxI. 4. 842. Ambrosial, an Homeric epithet. 660 Alternate all night long: but not so waked Deep malice thence conceiving, and disdain, 665 670 [close 675 Sleep'st thou, companion dear? What sleep can Thy eye-lids? and remember'st what decree Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips Of Heav'n's Almighty! Thou to me thy thoughts Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to' impart; Both waking we were one; how then can now Thy sleep dissent? New laws thou seest imposed; New laws from him who reigns, new minds may raise In us who serve, new counsels to debate 681 What doubtful may ensue: more in this place Of all those myriads which we lead the chief; 657. Alternate is a verb. 671. Beelzebub is here meant, who is always represented 690 689. Sannazarius, de partu Virginis, iii. 40. Isaiah xiv. 12, 13. Jer. i. 14. vi. 1. |