With me how can they then acquitted stand In sight of God Him after all Disputes Forc't I absolve all my evasions vain And reasonings though through Mazes lead me still But to my own conviction first and last On mee mee onely as the fourse and spring Of all corruption all the blame lights due So might the wrauth Fond wish couldst thou support That burden heavier then the Earth to bear Then all the World much heavier though divided With that bad Woman Thus what thou desir'st And what thou fearst alike destroyes all hope Of refuge and concludes thee miserable Beyond all past example and future To Satan only like both crime and doom O Conscience into what Abyss of fears And horrors hast thou driv'n me out of which I find no way from deep to deeper plung'd Thus Adam to himself lamented loud Through the still Night not now as ere man fell Wholsom and cool and mild but with black Air Accompanied with damps and dreadful gloom Which to his evil Conscience represented All things with double terror On the Ground Outstretcht he lay on the cold ground and oft Curs'd his Creation Death as oft accus'd Of tardie execution since denounc't The day of his offence Why comes not Death Said hee with one thrice acceptable stroke To end me Shall Truth fail to keep her word Justice Divine not hast'n to be just But Death comes not at call Justice Divine Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries O Woods O Fountains Hillocks Dales and Bowrs With other echo late I taught your Shades To answer and resound farr other Song Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld Desolate where she sate approaching nigh Soft words to his fierce passion she assay'd But her with stern regard he thus repell'd Out of my sight thou Serpent that name best Befits thee with him leagu'd thy self as false And hateful nothing wants but that thy shape Like his and colour Serpentine may shew Thy inward fraud to warn all Creatures from thee Henceforth least that too heav'nly form pretended To hellish falshood snare them But for thee I had persisted happie had not thy pride And wandring vanitie when lest was safe Rejected my forewarning and disdain'd Not to be trusted longing to be seen Though by the Devil himself him overweening To over-reach but with the Serpent meeting Fool'd and beguil'd by him thou I by thee To trust thee from my side imagin'd wise Constant mature proof against all assaults And understood not all was but a shew Rather then solid vertu all but a Rib Crooked by nature bent as now appears More to the part sinister from me drawn Well if thrown out as supernumerarie To my just number found O why did God Creator wise that peopl'd highest Heav'n With Spirits Masculine create at last This noveltie on Earth this fair defect Of Nature and not fill the World at once With Men as Angels without Feminine Or find some other way to generate Mankind this mischief had not then befall'n And more that shall befall innumerable Disturbances on Earth through Femal snares And straight conjunction with this Sex for either He never shall find out fit Mate but such As some misfortune brings him or mistake Or whom he wishes mod shall seldom gain Through her perversness but shall see her gaind By a farr worse or if she love withheld By Parents or his happiest choice too late Shall meet alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound To a fell Adversarie his hate or shame Which infinite calamine shall cause To Humane life and houshold peace confound He added not and from her turn'd but Eve Not so repulst with Tears that ceas'd not flowing And tresses all disorderd at his feet Fell humble and imbracing them besaught His peace and thus proceeded in her plaint Forsake me not thus Adam witness Heav'n What love sincere and reverence in my heart I beare thee and unweeting have offended Unhappilie deceav'd thy suppliant I beg and clasp thy knees bereave me not Whereon I live thy gentle looks thy aid Thy counsel in this uttermost distress My onely strength and stay forlorn of thee Whither shall I betake me where subsist While yet we live scarse one short hour perhaps Between us two let there be peace both joyning As joyn'd in injuries one enmitie Against a Foe by doom express assign'd us That cruel Serpent On me exercise not Thy hatred for this miserie befall'n On me alreadie lost mee then thy self More miserable both have sin'd but thou Against God onely I against God and thee And to the place of judgment will return There with my cries importune Heaven that all The sentence from thy head remov'd may ligh On me sole cause to thee of all this woe Mee mee onely just object of his ire She ended weeping and her lowlie plight Immoveable till peace obtain'd from fault Acknowledg'd and deplor'd in Adam wraught Commiseration soon his heart relented Towards her his life so late and sole delight Now at his feet submissive in distress Creature so faire his reconcilement seeking His counsel whom she had displeas'd his aide As one disarm'd his anger all he lost And thus with peaceful words uprais'd her soon Unwarie and too desirous as before So now of what thou knowst not who desir'st The punishment all on thy self alas Beare thine own first ill able to sustaine His full wrauth whose thou feelst as yet lest part And my displeasure bearst so ill If Prayers Could alter high Decrees I to that place Would speed before thee and be louder heard That on my head all might be visited Thy frailtie and infirmer Sex forgiv'n To me committed and by me expos'd But rise let us no more contend nor blame Each other blam'd enough elsewhere but strive In offices of Love how we may light'n Each others burden in our share of woe Since this days Death denounc't if ought I see Will prove no sudden but a slow pac't evill A long days dying to augment our paine And to our Seed O hapless Seed deriv'd To whom thus Eve recovering heart repli'd Adam by sad experiment I know How little weight my words with thee can finde Found so erroneous thence by just event Found so unfortunate nevertheless Restor'd by thee vile as I am to place Of new acceptance hopeful to regaine Thy Love the sole contentment of my heart Living or dying from thee I will not hide What thoughts in my unquiet brest are ris'n Tending to some relief of our extremes Or end though sharp and sad yet tolerable As in our evils and of easier choice If care of our descent perplex us most Which must be born to certain woe devourd By Death at last and miserable it is To be to others cause of misery Our own begotten and of our Loines to bring Into this cursed World a woful Race That after wretched Life must be at last Food for so foule a Monster in thy power It lies yet ere Conception to prevent The Race unblest to being yet
awakens all his Legions who lay till then in the same manner confounded They rise thir Numbers array of Battel thir chief Leaders nam'd according to the Idols known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoyning To these Satan directs his Speech comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven but tells them lastly of a new World and new kind of Creature to be created according to an ancient Prophesie or report in Heaven for that Angels were long before this visible Creation was the opinion of many ancient Fathers To find out the truth of this Prophesie and what to determin thereon he refers to a full Councel What his Associates thence attempt Pandemonium the Place of Satan rises suddenly built out of the Deep The infernal Peers there sit in Councel OF Mans First Disobedience and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree whose mortal tast Brought Death into the World and all our woe With loss of Eden till one greater Man Restore us and regain the blissful Seat Sing Heav'nly Muse that on the secret top Of Oreb or of Sinai didst inspire That Shepherd who first taught the chosen Seed In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth Rose out of Chaos Or if Sion Hill Delight thee more and Siloa's Brook that flow'd Fast by the Oracle of God I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song That with no middle flight intends to soar Above th' Aonian Mount while it pursues Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime And chiefly Thou O Spirit that dost prefer Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure Instruct me for Thou know'st Thou from the first Wast present and with mighty wings outspread Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss And mad'st it pregnant What in me is dark Illumin what is low raise and support That to the highth of this great-Argument I may assert Eternal Providence And justifie the wayes of God to men Say first for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view Nor the deep Tract of Hell say first what cause Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State Favour'd of Heav'n so highly to fall off From thir Creator and transgress his Will For one restraint Lords of the World besides Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt Th' infernal Serpent he it was whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge deceiv'd The Mother of Mankind what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n with all his Host Of Rebel Angels by whose aid aspiring To set himself in Glory above his Peers He trusted to have equal'd the most High If he oppos'd and with ambitious aim Against the Throne and Monarchy of God Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud With vain attempt Him the Almighty Power Hurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie With hideous ruine and combustion down To bottomless perdition there to dwell In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms. Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night To mortal men he with his horrid crew Lay vanquisht rowling in the fiery Gulfe Confounded though immortal But his doom Reserv'd him to more wrath for now the thought Both of lost happiness and lasting pain Torments him round he throws his baleful eyes That witness'd huge affliction and dismay Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate At once as far as Angels kenn he views The dismal Situation waste and wilde A Dungeon horrible on all sides round As one great Furnace flam'd yet from those flames No light but rather darkness visible Serv'd onely to discover sights of woe Regions of sorrow doleful shades where peace And rest can never dwell hope never comes That comes to all but torture without end Still urges and a fiery Deluge fed With ever-burning Sulphur unconsum'd Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd For those rebellious here their Prison ordain'd In utter darkness and thir portion set As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Pole O how unlike the place from whence they fell There the companions of his fall o'rewhelm'd With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire He soon discerns and weltring by his side One next himself in power and next in crime Long after known in Palestine and nam'd Beelzebub To whom th' Arch-Enemy And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan with bold words Breaking the horrid silence thus began If thou beest he But O how fall'n how chang'd From him who in the happy Realms of Light Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst out-shine Myriads though bright If he whom mutual league United thoughts and counsels equal hope And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize Joynd with me once now misery hath joynd In equal ruin into what Pit thou seest From what highth fall'n so much the stronger prov'd He with his Thunder and till then who knew The force of those dire Arms yet not for those Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage Can else inflict do I repent or change Though chang'd in outward lustre that fixt mind And high disdain from sence of injur'd merit That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd That durst dislike his reign and me preferring His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n And shook his throne What though the field be lost All is not lost the unconquerable Will And study of revenge immortal hate And courage never to submit or yield And what is else not to be overcome That Glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me To bow and sue for grace With suppliant knee and deifie his power Who from the terrour of this Arm so late Doubted his Empire that were low indeed That were an ignominy and shame beneath This downfall since by Fate the strength of Gods And this Empyreal substance cannot fall Since through experience of this great event In Arms not worse in foresight much advanc't We may with more successful hope resolve To wage by force or guile eternal Warr Irreconcileable to our grand Foe Who now triumphs and in th' excess of joy Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n So spake th' Apostate Angel though in pain Vaunting aloud but rackt with deep despare And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer O Prince O Chief of many Throned Powers That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr Under thy conduct and in dreadful deeds Fearless endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King And put to proof his high Supremacy Whether upheld by strength or Chance or Fate Too well I see and rue the dire event That with sad overthrow and soul defeat Hath lost us Heav'n and all this mighty Host In horrible destruction laid thus low As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences Can perish for the mind and spirit remains Invincible and vigour soon returns Though all our Glory extinct and happy state Here swallow'd up in endless misery But what if he our Conquerour whom I now Of
and in the general fall I also at which time this powerful Key Into my hand was giv'n with charge to keep These Gates for ever shut which none can pass Without my op'ning Pensive here I sat Alone but long I sat not till my womb Pregnant by thee and now excessive grown Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes At last this odious offspring whom thou seest Thine own begotten breaking violent way Tore through my entrails that with fear and pain Distorted all my nether shape thus grew Transform'd but he my inbred enemie Forth issu'd brandishing his fatal Dart Made to destroy I fled and cry'd out Death Hell trembl'd at the hideous Name and sigh'd From all her Caves and back resounded Death I fled but he pursu'd though more it seems Inflam'd with lust then rage and swifter far Mee overtook his mother all dismaid And in embraces forcible and foule Ingendring with me of that rape begot These yelling Monsters that with ceasless cry Surround me as thou sawst hourly conceiv'd And hourly born with sorrow infinite To me for when they list into the womb That bred them they return and howle and gnaw My Bowels thir repast then bursting forth A fresh with conscious terrours vex me round That rest or intermission none I find Before mine eyes in opposition sits Grim Death my Son and foe who sets them on And me his Parent would full soon devour For want of other prey but that he knows His end with mine involvd and knows that I Should prove a bitter Morsel and his bane VVhen ever that shall be so Fate pronounc'd But thou O Father I forewarn thee shun His deadly arrow neither vainly hope To be invulnerable in those bright Arms Though temper'd heav'nly for that mortal dint Save he who reigns above none can resist She finish'd and the suttle Fiend his lore Soon learnd now milder and thus answerd smooth Dear Daughter since thou claim'st me for thy Sire And my fair Son here showst me the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n and joys Then sweet now sad to mention through dire change Befalln us unforeseen unthought of know I come no enemie but to set free From out this dark and dismal house of pain Both him and thee and all the heav'nly Host Of Spirits that in our just pretenses arm'd Fell with us from on high from them I go This uncouth errand sole and one for all My self expose with lonely steps to tread Th' unfounded deep and through the void immense To search with wandring quest a place foretold Should be and by concurring signs ere now Created vast and round a place of bliss In the Pourlieues of Heav'n and therein plac't A race of upstart Creatures to supply Perhaps our vacant room though more remov'd Least Heav'n surcharg'd with potent multitude Might hap to move new broiles Be this or aught Then this more secret now design'd I haste To know and this once known shall soon return And bring ye to the place where Thou and Death Shall dwell at ease and up and down unseen VVing silently the buxom Air imbalm'd VVith odours there ye shall be fed and fill'd Immeasurably all things shall be your prey He ceas'd for both seemd highly pleasd and Death Grinnd horrible a gast'y smile to hear His famine should be fill'd and blest his mawe Destin'd to that good hour no less rejoyc'd His mother bad and thus bespake her Sire The key of this infernal Pit by due And by command of Heav'ns all-powerful King I keep by him forbidden to unlock These Adamantine Gates against all force Death ready stands to interpose his dart Fearless to be o'rmatcht by living might But what ow I to his commands above Who hates me and hath hither thrust me down Into this gloom of Tartarus profound To sit in hateful Office here confin'd Inhabitant of Heav'n and heav'n lie-born Here in perpetual agonie and pain With terrors and with clamors compasst round Of mine own brood that on my bowels feed Thou art my Father thou ray Author thou My being gav'st me whom should I obey But thee whom follow thou wilt bring me soon To that new world of light and bliss among The Gods who live at ease where I shall Reign At thy right hand voluptuous as beseems Thy daughter and thy darling without end Thus saying from her side the fatal Key Sad instrument of all our woe she took And towards the Gate rouling her bestial train Forthwith the huge Porcullis high up drew Which but her self not all the Stygian powers Could once have mov'd then in the key-hole turns Th' intricate wards and every Bolt and Bar Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease Unfast'ns on a sudden op'n flie With impetuous recoile and jarring sound Th' infernal dores and on thir hinges grate Harsh Thunder that the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus She op'nd but to shut Excel'd her power the Gates wide op'n stood That with extended wings a Bannerd Host Under spread Ensigns marching might pass through With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array So wide they stood and like a Furnace mouth Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame Before thir eyes in sudden view appear The secrets of the hoarie deep a dark Illimitable Ocean without bound Without dimension where length breadth highth And time and place are lost where eldest Night And Chaos Ancestors of Nature hold Eternal Anarchie amidst the noise Of endless Warrs and by confusion stand For hot cold moist and dry four Champions fierce Strive here for Maistrie and to Battel bring Thir embryon Atoms they around the flag Of each his Faction in thir several Clanns Light-arm'd or heavy sharp smooth swift or slow Swarm populous unnumber'd as the Sands Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil Levied to side with warring Winds and poise Thir lighter wings To whom these most adhere Hee rules a moment Chaos Umpire sits And by decision more imbroiles the fray By which he Reigns next him high Arbiter Chance governs all Into this wilde Abyss The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave Of neither Sea nor Shore nor Air nor Fire But all these in thir pregnant causes mixt Confus'dly and which thus must ever fight Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain His dark materials to create more Worlds Into this wild Abyss the warie fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and look'd a while Pondering his Voyage for no narrow frith He had to cross Nor was his eare less peal'd With noises loud and ruinous to compare Great things with small then when Bellona storms With all her battering Engines bent to rase Som Capital City or less then if this frame Of Heav'n were falling and these Elements In mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth At last his Sail-broad Vannes He spreads for flight and in the surging smoak Uplifted spurns the ground thence many a League As in a cloudy Chair ascending rides Audacious but that seat soon failing meets A vast vacuitie
Coronet his flowing haire In curles on either cheek plaid wings he wore Of many a colourd plume sprinkl'd with Gold His habit fit for speed succinct and held Before his decent steps a Silver wand He drew not nigh unheard the Angel bright Ere he drew nigh his radiant visage turnd Admonisht by his ear and strait was known Th' Arch-Angel Vriel one of the seav'n Who in Gods presence neerest to his Throne Stand ready at command and are his Eyes That run through all the Heav'ns or down to th' Earth Bear his swift errands over moist and dry O're Sea and Land him Satan thus accostes Vriel for thou of those seav'n Spirits that stand In sight of God's high Throne gloriously bright The first art wont his great authentic will Interpreter through highest Heav'n to bring Where all his Sons thy Embassie attend And here art likeliest by supream decree Like honour to obtain and as his Eye To visit oft this new Creation round Unspeakable desire to see and know All these his wondrous works but chiefly Man His chief delight and favour him for whom All these his works so wondrous he ordaind Hath brought me from the Quires of Cherubim Alone thus wandring Brightest Seraph tell In which of all these shining Orbes hath Man His fixed seat or fixed seat hath none But all these shining Orbes his choice to dwell That I may find him and with secret gaze Or open admiration him behold On whom the great Creator hath bestowd Worlds and on whom hath all these graces powrd That both in him and all things as is meet The Universal Maker we may praise Who justly hath drivn out his Rebell Foes To deepest Hell and to repair that loss Created this new happie Race of Men To serve him better wise are all his wayes So spake the false dissembler unperceivd For neither Man nor Angel can discern Hypocrisie the onely evil that walks Invisible except to God alone By his permissive will through Heav'n and Earth And oft though wisdom wake suspicion sleeps At wisdoms Gate and to simplicitie Resigns her charge while goodness thinks no ill Where no ill seems Which now for once beguil'd Vriel though Regent of the Sun and held The sharpest sighted Spirit of all in Heav'n Who to the fraudulent Impostor foule In his uprightness answer thus returnd Fair Angel thy desire which tends to know The works of God thereby to gforifie The great Work-Maister leads to no excess That reaches blame but rather merits praise The more it seems excess that led thee hither From thy Empyreal Mansion thus alone To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps Contented with report hear onely in heav'n For wonderful indeed are all his works Pleasant to know and worthiest to be all Had in remembrance alwayes with delight But what created mind can comprehend Thir number or the wisdom infinite That brought them forth but hid thir causes deep I saw when at his Word the formless Mass This worlds material mould came to a heap Confusion heard his voice and wilde uproar Stood rul'd stood vast infinitude confin'd Till at his second bidding darkness fled Light shon and order from disorder sprung Swift to thir several Quarters hasted then The cumbrous Elements Earth Flood Aire Fire And this Ethereal quintessence of Heav'n Hew upward spirited with various forms That rowld orbicular and turnd to Starrs Numberless as thou seest and how they move Each had his place appointed each his course The rest in circuit walles this Universe Look downward on that Globe whose hither side With light from hence though but reflected shines That place is Earth the seat of Man that light His day which else as th' other Hemisphere Night would invade but there the neighbouring Moon So call that opposite fair Starr her aide Timely interposes and her monthly round Still ending still renewing through mid Heav'n With borrowd light her countenance triform Hence fills and empties to enlighten th' Earth And in her pale dominion checks the night That spot to which I point is Paradise Adams abode those loftie shades his Bowre Thy way thou canst not miss me mine requires Thus said he turnd and Satan bowing low As to superior Spirits is wont in Heaven Where honour due and reverence none neglects Took leave and toward the coast of Earth beneath Down from th' Ecliptic sped with hop'd success Throws his steep flight in many an Aerie wheele Nor staid till on Niphates top he lights The End of the Third Book Paradise Lost BOOK IV. THE ARGUMENT Satan now in prospect of Eden and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize which he undertook alone against God and Man falls into many doubts with himself and many passions fear envy and despare but at length confirms himself in evil journeys on to Paradise whose outward prospect and scituation is discribed overleaps the bounds sits in the shape of a Cormorant on the Tree of life as highest in the Garden to look about him The Garden describ'd Satans first sight of Adam and Eve his wonder at thir excellent form and happy state but with resolution to work thir fall overhears thir discourse thence gathers that the Tree of knowledge was forbidden them to eat of under penalty of death and thereon intends to found his Temptation by seducing them to transgress then leaves them a while to know further of thir state by some other means Mean while Uriel descending on a Sun-beam warns Gabriel who had in charge the Gate of Paradise that some evil spirit had escap'd the Deep and past at Noon by his Sphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradise discovered after by his furious gestures in the Mount Gabriel promises to find him ere morning Night coming on Adam and Eve discourse of going to thir rest thir Bower describ'd thir Evening worship Gabriel drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the round of Paradise appoints two strong Angels to Adams Bower least the evill spirit should be there doing some harm to Adam or Eve sleeping there they find him at the ear of Eve tempting her in a dream and bring him though unwilling to Gabriel by whom question'd he scornfully answers prepares resistance but hinder'd by a Sign from Heaven flies out of Paradise O For that warning voice which he who saw Th' Apocalyps heard cry in Heaven aloud Then when the Dragon put to second rout Came furious down to be reveng'd on men Wo to the inhabitants on Earth that now While time was our first-Parents had bin warnd The coming of thir secret foe and scap'd Haply so scap'd his mortal snare for now Satan now first inflam'd with rage came down The Tempter ere th' Accuser of man-kind To wreck on innocent frail man his loss Of that first Battel and his flight to Hell Yet not rejoycing in his speed though bold Far off and fearless nor with cause to boast Begins his dire attempt which nigh the birth Now rowling
Then who created thee lamenting learne When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know So spake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found Among the faithless faithful only hee Among innumerable false unmov'd Unshak'n unseduc'd unterrifi'd His Loyaltie he kept his Love his Zeale Nor number nor example with him wrought To swerve from truth or change his constant mind Though single From amidst them forth he passd Long way through hostile scorn which he susteind Superior nor of violence fear'd aught And with retorted scorn his back he turn'd On those proud Towrs to swift destruction doom'd The End of the Fifth Book Paradise Lost BOOK VI. THE ARGUMENT Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battel against Satan and his Angels The first Fight describ'd Satan and his Powers retire under Night He calls a Councel invents devilish Engines which in the second dayes Fight put Michael and his Angels to some disorder but they at length pulling up Mountains overwhelm'd both the force and Machins of Satan Yet the Tumult not so ending God on the third day sends Messiah his Son for whom he had reserv'd the glory of that Victory Hee in the Power of his Father coming to the place and causing all his Legions to stand still on either side with his Chariot and Thunder driving into the midst of his Enemies pursues them unable to resist towards the wall of Heaven which opening they leap down with horrour and confusion into the place of punishment prepar'd for them in the Deep Messiah returns with triumph to his Father ALL night the dreadless Angel unpursu'd Through Heav'ns wide Champain held his way till Morn Wak't by the circling Hours with rosie hand Unbarr'd the gates of Light There is a Cave Within the Mount of God fast by his Throne Where light and darkness in perpetual round Lodge and dislodge by turns which makes through Heav'n Grateful vicissitude like Day and Night Light issues forth and at the other dore Obsequious darkness enters till her houre To veile the Heav'n though darkness there might well Seem twilight here and now went forth the Morn Such as in highest Heav'n arrayd in Gold Empyreal from before her vanisht Night Shot through with orient Beams when all the Plain Coverd with thick embatteld Squadrons bright Chariots and flaming Armes and fierie Steeds Reflecting blaze on blaze first met his view Warr he perceav'd warr in procinct and found Already known what he for news had thought To have reported gladly then he mixt Among those friendly Powers who him receav'd With joy and acclamations loud that one That of so many Myriads fall'n yet one Returnd not lost On to the sacred hill They led him high applauded and present Before the seat supream from whence a voice From midst a Golden Cloud thus milde was heard Servant of God well done well hast thou fought The better sight who single hast maintaind Against revolted multitudes the Cause Of Truth in word mightier then they in Armes And for the testimonie of Truth hast born Universal reproach far worse to beare Then violence for this was all thy care To stand approv'd in sight of God though Worlds Judg'd thee perverse the easier conquest now Remains thee alded by this host of friends Back on thy foes more glorious to return Then scornd thou didst depart and to subdue By force who reason for thir Law refuse Right reason for thir Law and for thir King Messiah who by right of merit Reigns Go Michael of Celestial Armies Prince And thou in Military prowess next Gabriel lead forth to Battel these my Sons Invincible lead forth my armed Saints By Thousands and by Millions rang'd for fight Equal in number to that Godless crew Rebellious them with Fire and hostile Arms Fearless assault and to the brow of Heav'n Pursuing drive them out from God and bliss Into thir place of punishment the Gulf Of Tartarus which ready opens wide His fiery Chaos to receave thir fall So spake the Sovran voice and Clouds began To darken all the Hill and smoak to rowl In duskie wreathes reluctant flames the signe Of wrauth awak't nor with less dread the loud Ethereal Trumpet from on high gan blow At which command the Powers Militant That stood for Heav'n in mighty Quadrate joyn'd Of Union irresistible mov'd on In silence thir bright Legions to the sound Of instrumental Harmonie that breath'd Heroic Ardor to advent'rous deeds Under thir God-like Leaders in the Cause Of God and his Messiah On they move Indissolubly firm nor obvious Hill Nor streit'ning Vale nor Wood nor Stream divides Thir perfet ranks for high above the ground Thir march was and the passive Air upbore Thir nimble tread as when the total kind Of Birds in orderly array on wing Came summond over Eden to receive Thir names of thee so over many a tract Of Heav'n they march'd and many a Province wide Tenfold the length of this terrene at last Farr in th' Horizon to the North appeer'd From skirt to skirt a fierie Region stretcht In battailous aspect and neerer view Bristl'd with upright beams innumerable Of rigid Spears and Helmets throng'd and Shields Various with boastful Argument portraid The banded Powers of Satan hasting on With furious expedition for they weend That self same day by fight or by surprize To win the Mount of God and on his Throne To set the envier of his State the proud Aspirer but thir thoughts prov'd fond and vain In the mid way though strange to us it seemd At first that Angel should with Angel warr And in fierce hosting meet who wont to meet So oft in Festivals of joy and love Unanimous as sons of one great Sire Hymning th' Eternal Father but the shout Of Battel now began and rushing sound Of onset ended soon each milder thought High in the midst exalted as a God Th' Apostat in his Sun-bright Chariot sate Idol of Majestie Divine enclos'd With Flaming Cherubim and golden Shields Then lighted from his gorgeous Throne for now 'Twixt Host and Host but narrow space was left A dreadful intervall and Front to Front Presented stood in terrible array Of hideous length before the cloudie Van On the rough edge of battel ere it joyn'd Satan with vast and haughtie strides advanc't Came towring armd in Adamant and Gold Abdiel that sight endur'd not where he stood Among the mightiest bent on highest deeds And thus his own undaunted heart explores ' O Heav'n that such resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain where faith and realtie Remain not wherfore shou'd not strength and might There fail where Vertue fails or weakest prove Where boldest though to sight unconquerable His puissance trusting in th' Almightie's aide I mean to try whose Reason I have tri'd Unsound and false nor is it aught but just That he who in debate of Truth hath won Should win in Arms in both disputes alike Victor though brutish that contest and foule When Reason hath to deal with force yet so
safetie guided down Return me to my Native Element Least from this flying Steed unrein'd as once Bellerophon though from a lower Clime Dismounted on th' Aleian Field I fall Erroneous there to wander and forlorne Half yet remaines unsung but narrower bound Within the visible Diurnal Spheare Standing on Earth not rapt above the Pole More safe I Sing with mortal voice unchang'd To hoarce or mute though fall'n on evil dayes On evil dayes though fall'n and evil tongues In darkness and with dangers compast round And solitude yet not alone while thou Visit'st my slumbers Nightly or when Morn Purples the East still govern thou my Song Vrania and fit audience find though few But drive farr off the barbarous dissonance Of Bacchus and his revellers the Race Of that wilde Rout that tore the Thracian Bard In Rhodope where Woods and Rocks had Eares To rapture till the savage clamor dround Both Harp and Voice nor could the Muse defend Her Son So fail not thou who thee implores For thou art Heav'nlie shee an empty dreame Say Goddess what ensu'd when Raphael The affable Arch-Angel had forewarn'd Adam by dire example to beware Apostasie by what befell in Heaven To those Apostates least the like befall In Paradise to Adam or his Race Charg'd not to touch the interdicted Tree If they transgress and slight that sole command So easily obeyd amid the choice Of all tastes else to please thir appetite Though wandring He with his consorted Eve The storie heard attentive and was fill'd With admiration and deep Muse to heare Of things so high and strange things to thir thought So unimaginable as hate in Heav'n And Warr so neer the Peace of God in bliss With such confusion but the evil soon Driv'n back redounded as a flood on those From whom it sprung impossible to mix With Blessedness Whence Adam soon repeal'd The doubts that in his heart arose and now Led on yet sinless with desire to know What neerer might concern him how this World Of Heav'n and Earth conspicious first began When and whereof created for what cause What within Eden or without was done Before his memorie as one whose drouth Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current streame Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites Proceeded thus to ask his Heav'nly Guest Great things and full of wonder in our eares Farr differing from this World thou hast reveal'd Divine interpreter by favour sent Down from the Empyrean to forewarne Us timely of what might else have bin our loss Unknown which human knowledg could not reach For which to the infinitly Good we owe Immortal thanks and his admonishment Receave with solemne purpose to observe Immutably his sovran will the end Of what we are But since thou hast voutsaf't Gently for our instruction to impart Things above Earthly thought which yet concernd Our knowing as to highest wisdom seemd Deign to descend now lower and relate What may no less perhaps availe us known How first began this Heav'n which we behold Distant so high with moving Fires adornd Innumerable and this which yeelds or fills All space the ambient Aire wide interfus'd Imbracing round this florid Earth what cause Mov'd the Creator in his holy Rest Through all Eternitie so late to build In Chaos and the work begun how soon Absolv'd if unforbid thou maist unfould What wee not to explore the secrets aske Of his Eternal Empire but the more To magnifie his works the more we know And the great Light of Day yet wants to run Much of his Race though steep suspens in Heav'n Held by thy voice thy potent voice he heares And longer will delay to heare thee tell His Generation and the rising Birth Of Nature from the unapparent Deep Or if the Starr of Eevning and the Moon Haste to thy audience Night with her will bring Silence and Sleep listning to thee will watch Or we can bid his absence till thy Song End and dismiss thee ere the Morning shine Thus Adam his illustrious Guest besought And thus the Godlike Angel answerd milde This also thy request with caution askt Obtaine thought to recount Almightie works What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice Or heart of man suffice to comprehend Yet what thou canst attain which best may serve To glorifie the Maker and inferr Thee also happier shall not be withheld Thy hearing such Commission from above I have receav'd to answer thy desire Of knowledge within bounds beyond abstain To ask nor let thine own inventions hope Things not reveal'd which th' invisible King Onely Omniscient hath supprest in Night To none communicable in Earth or Heaven Anough is left besides to search and know But Knowledge is as food and needs no less Her Temperance over Appetite to know In measure what the mind may well contain Oppresses else with Surfet and soon turns Wisdom to Folly as Nourishment to Winde Know then that after Lucifer from Heav'n So call him brighter once amidst the Host Of Angels then that Starr the Starrs among Fell with his flaming Legions through the Deep Into his place and the great Son returnd Victorious with his Saints th' Omnipotent Eternal Father from his Throne beheld Thir multitude and to his Son thus spake At least our envious Foe hath fail'd who thought All like himself rebellious by whose aid This inaccessible high strength the seat Of Deitie supream us dispossest He trusted to have seis'd and into fraud Drew many whom thir place knows here no more Yet farr the greater part have kept I see Thir station Heav'n yet populous retaines Number sufficient to possess her Realmes Though wide and this high Temple to frequent With Ministeries due and solemn Rites But least his heart exalt him in the harme Already done to have dispeopl'd Heav'n My damage fondly deem'd I can repaire That detriment if such it be to lose Self-lost and in a moment will create Another World out of one man a Race Of men innumerable there to dwell Not here till by degrees of merit rais'd They open to themselves at length the way Up hither under long obedience tri'd And Earth be chang'd to Heav'n Heav'n to Earth One Kingdom Joy and Union without end Mean while inhabit laxe ye Powers of Heav'n And thou my Word begotten Son by thee This I perform speak thou and be it don My overshadowing Spirit and might with thee I send along ride forth and bid the Deep Within appointed bounds be Heav'n and Earth Boundless the Deep because I am who fill Infinitude nor vacuous the space Though I uncircumscrib'd ray self retire And put not forth my goodness which is free To act or not Necessitie and Chance Approach not mee and what I will is Fate So spake th' Almightie and to what he spake His Word the filial Godhead gave effect Immediate are the Acts of God more swift Then time or motion but to human ears Cannot without process of speech be told So told as earthly notion can receave Great triumph
many are the Trees of God that grow In Paradise and various yet unknown To us in such aboundance lies our choice As leaves a greater store of Fruit untoucht Still hanging incorruptible till men Grow up to thir provision and more hands Help to disburden Nature of her Bearth To whom the wilie Adder blithe and glad Empress the way is readie and not long Beyond a row of Myrtles on a Flat Fast by a Fountain one small Thicket past Of blowing Myrrh and Balme if thou accept My conduct I can bring thee thither soon Lead then said Eve Hee leading swiftly rowld In tangles and made intricate seem strait To mischief swift Hope elevates and joy Bright'ns his Crest as when a wandring Fire Compact of unctuous vapor which the Night Condenses and the cold invirons round Kindl'd through agitation to a Flame Which oft they say some evil Spirit attends Hovering and blazing with delusive Light Misleads th' amaz'd Night-wanderer from his way To Boggs and Mires and oft through Pond or Poole There swallow'd up and lost from succour farr So glister'd the dire Snake and into fraud Led Eve our credulous Mother to the Tree Of prohibition root of all our woe Which when she saw thus to her guide she spake Serpent we might have spar'd our coming hither Fruitless to mee though Fruit be here to excess The credit of whose vertue rest with thee Wondrous indeed if cause of such effects But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch God so commanded and left that Command Sole Daughter of his voice the rest we live Law to our selves our Reason is our Law To whom the Tempter guilefully repli'd Indeed hath God then said that of the Fruit Of all these Garden Trees ye shall not eate Yet Lords declar'd of all in Earth or Aire To whom thus Eve yet sinless Of the Fruit Of each Tree in the Garden we may eate But of the Fruit of this fair Tree amidst The Garden God hath said Ye shall not eate Thereof nor shall ye touch it least ye die She scarse had said though brief when now more The Tempter but with shew of Zeale and Love To Man and indignation at his wrong New part puts on and as to passion mov'd Fluctuats disturbd yet comely and in act Rais'd as of som great matter to begin As when of old som Orator renound In Athens or free Rome where Eloquence Flourishd since mute to som great cause addrest Stood in himself collected while each part Motion each act won audience ere the tongue Somtimes in highth began as no delay Of Preface brooking through his Zeal of Right So standing moving or to highth upgrown The Tempter all impassiond thus began O Sacred Wise and Wisdom-giving Plant Mother of Science Now I feel thy Power Within me cleere not onely to discerne Things in thir Causes but to trace the wayes Of highest Agents deemd however wise Queen of this Universe doe not believe Those rigid threats of Death ye shall not Die How should ye by the Fruit it gives you Life To Knowledge By the Threatner look on mee Mee who have touch'd and tasted yet both live And life more perfet have attaind then Fate Meant mee by vending higher then my Lot Shall that be shut to Man which to the Beast Is open or will God incense his ire For such a petty Trespass and not praise Rather your dauntless vertue whom the pain Of Death denounc't whatever thing Death be Deterrd not from atchieving what might leade To happier life knowledge of Good and Evil Of good how just of evil if what is evil Be real why not known since easier shunnd God therefore cannot hurt ye and be just Not just not God not feard then nor obeyd Your feare it self of Death removes the feare Why then was this forbid Why but to awe Why but to keep ye low and ignorant His worshippers he knows that in the day Ye Eate thereof your Eyes that seem so cleere Yet are but dim shall perfetly be then Op'nd and cleerd and ye shall be as Gods Knowing both Good and Evil as they know That ye should be as Gods since I as Man Internal Man is but proportion meet I of brute human yee of human Gods So ye shall die perhaps by putting off Human to put on Gods death to be wisht Though threat'nd which no worse then this can bring And what are Gods that Man may not become As they participating God-like food The Gods are first and that advantage use On our belief that all from them proceeds I question it for this fair Earth I see Warm'd by the Sun producing every kind Them nothing If they all things who enclos'd Knowledge of Good and Evil in this Tree That whoso eats thereof forthwith attains Wisdom without their leave and wherein lies Th' offence that Man should thus attain to know What can your knowledge hurt him or this Tree Impart against his will it all be his Or is it envie and can envie dwell In heav'nly brests these these and many more Causes import your need of this fair Fruit. Goddess humane reach then and freely taste He ended and his words replete with guile Into her heart too easie entrance won Fixt on the Fruit she gaz'd which to behold Might tempt alone and in her cars the sound Yet rung of his perswasive words impregn'd With Reason to her seeming and with Truth Mean while the hour of Noon drew on and wak'd An eager appetite rais'd by the smell So savorie of that Fruit which with desire Inclinable now grown to touch or taste Sollicited her longing eye yet first Pausing a while thus to her self she mus'd Great are thy Vertues doubtless best of Fruits Though kept from Man and worthy to be admir'd Whose taste too long forborn at first assay Gave elocution to the mute and taught The Tongue not made for Speech to speak thy praise Thy praise hee also who forbids thy use Conceales not from us naming thee the Tree Of Knowledge knowledge both of good and evil Forbids us then to taste but his forbidding Commends thee more while it inferrs the good By thee communicated and our want For good unknown sure is not had or had And yet unknown is as not had at all In plain then what forbids he but to know Forbids us good forbids us to be wise Such prohibitions binde not But if Death Bind us with after-bands what profits then Our inward freedom In the day we eate Of this fair Fruit our doom is we shall die How dies the Serpent hee hath eat'n and lives And knows and speaks and reasons and discerns Irrational till then For us alone Was death invented or to us deni'd This intellectual food for beasts reserv'd For Beasts it seems yet that one Beast which first Hath tasted envies not but brings with joy The good befall'n him Author unsuspect Friendly to man farr from deceit or guile What fear I then rather what know to feare Under this