time With joy And tidings fraught to Hell he now return'd And at the brink of Chaos neer the foot Of this new wondrous Pontifice unhop't Met who to meet him came his Ofspring dear Great joy was at thir meeting and at sight Of that stupendious Bridge his joy encreas'd Long hee admiring stood till Sin his faire Inchanting Daughter thus the silence broke O Parent these are thy magnific deeds Thy Trophies which thou view'st as not thine own Thou art thir Author and prime Architect For I no sooner in my Heart divin'd My Heart which by a secret harmonie Still moves with thine join'd in connexion sweet That thou on Earth hadst prosper'd which thy looks Now also evidence but straight I felt Though distant from thee Worlds between yet felt That I must after thee with this thy Son Such fatal consequence unites us three Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds Nor this unvoyageable Gulf obscure Detain from following thy illustrious track Thou hast atchiev'd our libertie confin'd Within Hell Gates till now thou us impow'rd To fortifie thus farr and overlay With this portentous Bridge the dark Abyss Thine now is an this World thy vertue hath won What thy hands builded not thy Wisdom gain'd With odds what Warr hath lost and fully aveng'd Our foile in Heav'n here thou shalt Monarch reign There didst not there let him still Victor sway As Battel hath adjudg'd from this new World Retiring by his own doom alienated And henceforth Monarchie with thee divide Of all things parted by th' Empyreal bounds His Quadrature from thy Orbicular World Or trie thee now more dang'rous to his Throne Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad Fair Daughter and thou Son and Grandchild both High proof ye now have giv'n to be the Race Of Satan for I glorie in the name Antagonist of Heav'ns Almightie King Amply have merited of me of all Th' infernal Empire that so neer Heav'ns dore Triumphal with triumphal act have met Mine with this glorious Work and made one Realm Hell and this World one Realm one Continent Of easie thorough-fare Therefore while I Descend through Darkness on your Rode with ease To my associate Powers them to acquaint With these successes and with them rejoyce You two this way among these numerous Orbs All yours right down to Paradise descend There dwell and Reign in bliss thence on the Earth Dominion exercise and in the Aire Chiefly on Man sole Lord of all declar'd Him first make sure your thrall and lastly kill My Substitutes I send ye and Create Plenipotent on Earth of matchless might Issuing from mee on your joynt vigor now My hold of this new Kingdom all depends Through Sin to Death expos'd by my exploit If your joynt power prevailes th' affaires of Hell No detriment need feare goe and be strong So saying he dismiss'd them they with speed Thir course through thickest Constellations held Spreading thir bane the blasted Starrs lookt wan And Planets Planet-strook real Eclips Then sufferd Th' other way Satan went down The Causey to Hell Gate on either side Disparted Chaos over built exclaimd And with rebounding surge the barrs assaild That scorn'd his indignation through the Gate Wide open and unguarded Satan pass'd And all about found desolate for those Appointed to sit there had left thir charge Flown to the upper World the rest were all Farr to the inland retir'd about the walls Of Pandaemonium Citie and proud seate Of Lucifer so by allusion calld Of that bright Starr to Satan paragond There kept thir Watch the Legions while the Grand In Council sate sollicitous what chance Might intercept thir Emperour sent so hee Departing gave command and they observ'd As when the Tartar from his Russian Foe By Astracan over the Snowie Plaines Retires or Bactriâ—â— Sophi from the hornes Of Turkish Crescent leaves all waste beyond The Realm of Aladule in his retreate To Tauris or Casbeen So these the late Heav'n-banisht Host left desert utmost Hell Many a dark League reduc't in careful Watch Round thir Metropolis and now expecting Each hour their great adventurer from the search Of Forrein Worlds he through the midst unmarkt In shew Plebeian Angel militant Of lowest order past and from the dore Of that Plutonian Hall invisible Ascended his high Throne which under state Of richest texture spred at th' upper end Was plac't in regal lustre Down a while He sate and round about him saw unseen At last as from a Cloud his fulgent head And shape Starr bright appeer'd or brighter clad With what permissive glory since his fall Was left him or false glitter All amaz'd At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng Bent thir aspect and whom they wish'd beheld Thir mighty Chief returnd loud was th' acclaime Forth rush'd in haste the great consulting Peers Rais'd from thir Dark Divan and with like joy Congratulant approach'd him who with hand Silence and with these words attention won Thrones Dominations Princedoms Vertues Powers For in possession such not onely of right I call ye and declare ye now returnd Successful beyond hope to lead ye forth Triumphant out of this infernal Pit Abominable accurst the house of woe And Dungeon of our Tyrant Now possess As Lords a spacious World to our native Heaven Little inferiour by my adventure hard With peril great atchiev'd Long were to tell What I have don what sufferd with what paine Voyag'd th' unreal vast unbounded deep Of horrible confusion over which By Sin and Death a broad way now is pav'd To expedite your glorious march but I Toild out my uncouth passage forc't to ride Th' untraceable Abysse plung'd in the womb Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wilde That jealous of thir secrets fiercely oppos'd My journey strange with clamorous uproare Protesting Fate supreame thence how I found The new created World which same in Heav'n Long had foretold a Fabrick wonderful Of absolute perfection therein Man Plac't in a Paradise by our exile Made happie Him by fraud I have seduc'd From his Creator and the more to increase Your wonder with an Apple he thereat Offended worth your laughter hath giv'n up Both his beloved Man and all his World To Sin and Death a prey and so to us Without our hazard labour or allarme To range in and to dwell and over Man To rule as over all he should have rul'd True is mee also he hath judg'd or rather Mee not but the brute Serpent in whose shape Man I deceav'd that which to mee belongs Is enmity which he will put between Mee and Mankinde I am to bruise his heel His Seed when is not set shall bruise my head A World who would not purchase with a bruise Or much more grievous pain Ye have th' account Of my performance What remains ye Gods But up and enter now into full bliss So having said a while he stood expecting Thir universal shout and high applause To fill his eare when contrary he hears On all sides from
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
all unawares Fluttring his pennons vain plumb down he drops Ten thousand fadom deep and to this hour Down had been falling had not by ill chance The strong rebuff of som tumultuous cloud Instinct with Fire and Nitre hurried him As many miles aloft that furie stay'd Quencht in a Boggie Syrtis neither Sea Nor good dry Land nigh founderd on he fares Treading the crude consistence half on foot Half flying behoves him now both Oare and Saile As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale Pursues the Arimaspian who by stelth Had from his wakeful custody purloind The guarded Gold So eagerly the fiend Ore bog or steep through strait rough dense or rare With head hands wings or feet pursues his way And swims or sinks or wades or creeps or flyes At length a universal hubbub wilde Of stunning sounds and voices all confus'd Born through the hollow dark assaults his eare With loudest vehemence thither he plyes Undaunted to meet there what ever power Or Spirit of the nethermost Abyss Might in that noise reside of whom to ask Which way the nearest coast of darkness lyes Bordering on light when strait behold the Throne Of Chaos and his dark Pavilion spread Wide on the wasteful Deep with him Enthron'd Sat Sable-vested Night eldest of things The Consort of his Reign and by them stood Orcus and Ades and the dreaded name Of Demogorgon Rumor next and Chance And Tumult and Confusion all imbroild And Discord with a thousand various mouths T' whom Satan turning boldly thus Ye Powers And Spirits of this nethermost Abyss Chaos and ancient Night I come no Spy With purpose to explore or to disturb The secrets of your Realm but by constraint Wandring this darksome Desart as my way Lies through your spacious Empire up to light Alone and without guide half lost I seek What readiest path leads where your gloomie bounds Confine with Heav'n or if som other place From your Dominion won th' Ethereal King Possesses lately thither to arrive I travel this profound direct my course Directed no mean recompence it brings To your behoof if I that Region lost All usurpation thence expell'd reduce To her original darkness and your sway Which is my present journey and once more Erect the Standard there of ancient Night Yours be th' advantage all mine the revenge Thus Satan and him thus the Anarch old With faultring speech and visage incompos'd Answer'd I know thee stranger who thou art That mighty leading Angel who of late Made head against Heav'ns King though overthrown I saw and heard for such a numerous Host Fled not in silence through the frighted deep VVith ruin upon ruin rout on rout Confusion worse confounded and Heav'n Gates Pourd out by millions her victorious Bands Pursuing I upon my Frontieres here Keep residence if all I can will serve That little which is left so to defend Encroacht on still through our intestine broiles VVeakning the Scepter of old Night first Hell Your dungeon stretching far and wide beneath Now lately Heaven and Earth another VVorld Hung ore my Realm link'd in a golden Chain To that side Heav'n from whence your Legions fell If that way be your walk you have not farr So much the neerer danger go and speed Havock and spoil and ruin are my gain He ceas'd and Satan staid not to reply But glad that now his Sea should find a shore VVith fresh alacritie and force renew'd Springs upward like a Pyramid of fire Into the wilde expanse and through the shock Of fighting Elements on all sides round Environ'd wins his way harder beset And more endanger'd then when Argo pass'd Through Bosporus betwixt the justling Rocks Or when Vlysses on the Larbord shunnd Charybdis and by th' other whirlpool steard So he with difficulty and labour hard Mov'd on with difficulty and labour hee But hee once past soon after when man fell Strange alteration Sin and Death amain Following his track such was the will of Heav'n Pav'd alter him a broad and beat'n way Over the dark Abyss whose boiling Gulf Tamely endur'd a Bridge of wondrous length From Hell continu'd reaching th' utmost Orbe Of this frail VVorld by which the Spirits perverse VVith easie intercourse pass to and fro To tempt or punish mortals except whom God and good Angels guard by special grace But now at last the sacred influence Of light appears and from the walls of Heav'n Shoots farr into the bosom of dim Night A glimmering dawn here Nature first begins Her fardest verge and Chaos to retire As from her outmost works a brok'd foe VVith tumult less and with less hostile din That Satan with less toil and now with ease VVafts on the calmer wave by dubious light And like a weather-beaten Vessel holds Gladly the Port though Shrouds and Tackle torn Or in the emptier waste resembling Air VVeighs his spread wings at leasure to behold Farr off th' Empyreal Heav'n extended wide In circuit undetermind square or round VVith Opal Towrs and Battlements adorn'd Of living Saphire once his native Seat And fast by hanging in a golden Chain This pendant world in bigness as a Starr Of smallest Magnitude close by the Moon Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge Accurst and in a cursed hour he hies The End of the Second Book Paradise Lost BOOK III. THE ARGUMENT God sitting on his Throne sees Satan flying towards this world then newly created shews him to the Son who sat at his right hand foretells the success of Satan in perverting mankind clears his own Justice and Wisdom from all imputation having created Man free and able enough to have withstood his Tempter yet declares his purpose of grace towards him in regard he fell not of his own malice as did Satan but by him seduc't The Son of God renders praises to his Father for the manifestation of his gracious purpose towards Man but God again declares that Grace cannot be extended towards Man without the satisfaction of divine Justice Man hath offended the majesty of God by aspiring to God-head and therefore with all his Progeny devoted to death must dye unless some one can be found sufficient to answer for his offence and undergo his Punishment The Son of God freely offers himself a Ransome for Man the Father accepts hint ordains his incarnation pronounces his exaltation above all Names in Heaven and Earth commands all the Angels to adore him they obey and hymning to thir Harps in full Quire celebrate the Father and the Son Mean while Satan alights upon the bare Convex of this Worlds outermost Orb where wandring he first finds a place since call'd The Lymbo of Vanity what persons and things fly up thither thence comes to the Gate of Heaven describ'd ascending by staires and the waters above the Firmament that flow about it His passage thence to the Orb of the Sun he finds there Uriel the Regient of that Orb but first changes himself into the shape of a meaner
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
sit not and reproach us as unclean So counsel'd hee and both together went Into the thickest Wood there soon they chose The Figtree not that kind for Fruit renown'd But such as at this day to Indians known In Malabar or Decan spreds her Armes Braunching so broad and long that in the ground The bended Twigs take root and Daughters grow About the Mother Tree a Pillard shade High overarch't and echoing Walks between There oft the Indian Herdsman shunning heate Shelters in coole and tends his pasturing Herds At Loopholes cut through thiekest shade Those Leaves They gatherd broad as Amazonian Targe And with what skill they had together sowd To gird thir waste vain Covering if to hide Thir guilt and dreaded shame O how unlike To that first naked Glorie Such of late Columbus found th' American so girt With featherd Cincture naked else and wilde Among the Trees on lies and woodie Shores Thus fenc't and as they thought thir shame in part Coverd but not at rest or ease of Mind They sate them down to weep nor onely Teares Raind at thir Eyes but high Winds worse within Began to rise high Passions Anger Hate Mistrust Suspicion Discord and shook sore Thir inward State of Mind calm Region once And full of Peace now tost and turbulent For Understanding rul'd not and the Will Heard not her lore both in subjection now To sensual Appetite who from beneathe Usurping over sovran Reason claimd Superior sway from thus distemperd brest Adam estrang'd in look and alterd stile Speech intermitted thus to Eve renewd Would thou hadst heark'nd to my words and stai'd With me as I besought thee when that strange Desire of wandring this unhappie Morn I know not whence possessd thee we had then Remaind still happie not as now despoild Of all our good sham'd naked miserable Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve The Faith they owe when earnestly they seek Such proof conclude they then begin to faile To whom soon mov'd with touch of blame thus Eve What words have past thy Lips Adam severe Imput'st thou that to my default or will Of wandring as thou call'st it which who knows But might as ill have happ'nd thou being by Or to thy self perhaps hadst thou been there Or here th' attempt thou couldst not have discernd Fraud in the Serpent speaking as he spake No ground of enmitie between us known Why hee should mean me ill or seek to harme Was I to have never parted from thy side As good have grown there still a liveless Rib. Being as I am why didst not thou the Head Command me absolutely not to go Going into such danger as thou saidst Too facil then thou didst not much gainsay Nay didst permit approve and fair dismiss Hadst thou bin firm and fixt in thy dissent Neither had I transgress'd nor thou with mee To whom then first incenst Adam repli'd Is this the Love is this the recompence Of mine to thee ingrateful Eve exprest Immutable when thou wert lost not I Who might have liv'd and joyd immortal bliss Yet willingly chose rather Death with thee And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgressing not enough severe It seems in thy restraint what could I more I warn'd thee I admonish'd thee foretold The danger and the lurking Enemie That lay in wait beyond this had bin force And force upon free will bath here no place But confidence then bore thee on secure Either to meet no danger or to finde Matter of glorious trial and perhaps I also err'd in overmuch admiring What seemd in thee so perfet that I thought No evil durst attempt thee but I rue That errour now which is become my crime And thou th' accuser Thus it shall befall Him who to worth in Women overtrusting Lets her will rule restraint she will not brook And left to her self if evil thence ensue Shee first his weak indulgence will accuse Thus they in mutual accusation spent The fruitless hours but neither self-condemning And of thir vain contest appeer'd no end The End of the Ninth Book Paradise Lost BOOK X. THE ARGUMENT Mans transgression known the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise and return up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance and are approv'd God declaring that The entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented He sends his Son to judge the Transgressors who descends and gives Sentence accordingly then in pity cloaths them both and reascends Sin and Death sitting till then at the Gates of Hell by wondrous sympathie feeling the success of Satan in this new World and the sin by Man there committed resolve to sit no longer confin'd in Hell but to follow Satan thir Sire up to the place of Man To make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro they pave a broad High-way or Bridge over Chaos according to the Track that Satan first made then preparing for Earth they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell thir mutual gratulation Satan arrives at Pandemonium in full of assembly relates with boasting his success against Man instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience transform'd with himself also suddenly into Serpents according to his doom giv'n in Paradise then deluded with a shew of the forbidden Tree springing up before them they greedily reaching to take of the Fruit chew dust and bitter ashes The proceedings of Sin and Death God foretels the final Victory of his Son over them and the renewing of all things but for the present commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements Adam more and more perceiving his fall'n condition heavily bewailes rejects the condolement of Eve she persists and at length appeases him then to evade the Curse likely to fall on thir Ofspring proposes to Adam violent wayes which he approves not but conceiving better hope puts her in mind of the late Promise made them that her Seed should be reveng'd on the Serpent and exhorts her with him to seek Peace of the offended Deity by repentance and supplication MEanwhile the hainous and despightfull act Of Satan done in Paradise and how Hee in the Serpent had perverted Eve Her Husband shee to taste the fatall fruit Was known in Heav'n for what can scape the Eye Of God All-seeing or deceave his Heart Omniscient who in all things wise and just Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the minde Of Man with strength entire and free will arm'd Complete to have discover'd and repulst Whatever wiles of Foe or seeming Friend For still they knew and ought to have still remember'd The high Injunction not to taste that Fruit Whoever tempted which they not obeying Incurr'd what could they less the penaltie And manifold in sin deserv'd to fall Up into Heav'n from Paradise in haste Th' Angelic Guards ascended mute and sad For Man for of his state by this they knew Much wondring how the suttle Fiend had stoln Entrance unseen Soon as th' unwelcome news From
like Lightning down from Heav'n Prince of the Aire then rising from his Grave Spoild Principalities and Powers triumpht In open shew and with ascention bright Captivity led captive through the Aire The Realm it self of Satan long usurpt Whom he shall tread at last under our feet Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruise And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn'd Thy sorrow I will greatly multiplie By thy Conception Children thou shalt bring In sorrow forth and to thy Husbands will Thine shall submit hee over thee shall rule On Adam last thus judgement he pronounc'd Because thou hast heark'nd to the voice of thy Wife And eaten of the Tree concerning which I charg'd thee saying Thou shalt not eate thereof Curs'd is the ground for thy sake thou in sorrow Shalt eate thereof all the days of thy Life Thorns also and Thistles it shall bring thee forth Unbid and thou shalt eate th' Herb of th' Field In the sweat of thy Face shalt thou eat Bread Till thou return unto the ground for thou Out of the ground wast taken know thy Birth For dust thou art and shalt to dust returne So judg'd he Man both Judge and Saviour sent And thâ— instant stroke of Death denounc't that day Remov'd farr off then pittying how they stood Before him naked to the aire that now Must suffer change disdain'd not to begin Thenceforth the form of servant to assume As when he wash'd his servants feet so now As Father of his Familie he clad Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts or slain Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid And thought not much to cloath his Enemies Nor hee thir outward onely with the Skins Of Beasts but inward nakedness much more Opprobrious with his Robe of righteousness Araying cover'd from his Fathers sight To him with swift ascent he up returnd Into his blissful bosom reassum'd In glory as of old to him appeas'd All though all-knowing what had past with Man Recounted mixing intercession sweet Meanwhile ere thus was sin'd and judg'd on Earth Within the Gates of Hell sate Sin and Death In counterview within the Gates that now Stood open wide belching outrageous flame Farr into Chaos since the Fiend pass'd through Sin opening who thus now to Death began O Son why sit we here each other viewing Idlely while Satan our great Author thrives In other Worlds and happier Seat provides For us his ofspring deare It cannot be But that success attends him if mishap Ere this he had return'd with fury driv'n By his Avengers since no place like this Can fit his punishment or their revenge Methinks I feel new strength within me rise Wings growing and Dominion giv'n me large Beyond this Deep whatever drawes me on Or sympathie or som connatural force Powerful at greatest distance to unite With secret amiry things of like kinde By secretest conveyance Thou my Shade Inseparable must with mee along For Death from Sin no power can separate But least the difficultie of passing back Stay his return perhaps over this Gulfe Impassable Impervious let us try Adventrous work yet to thy power and mine Not unagreeable to found a path Over this Maine from Hell to that new World Where Satan now prevailes a Monument Of merit high to all th' infernal Host Easing thir passage hence for intercourse Or transmigration as thir lot shall lead Nor can I miss the way so strongly drawn By this new felt attraction and instinct Whom thus the meager Shadow answerd soon Goe whither Fate and inclination strong Leads thee I shall not lag behinde nor erre The way thou leading suth a sent I draw Of carnage prey innumerable and taste The savour of Death from all things there that live Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest Be wanting but afford thee equal aid So saying with delight he snuff'd the smell Of mortal change on Earth As when a flock Of ravenous Fowl though many a League remote Against the day of Battel to a Field Where Armies lie encampt come flying lur'd With sent of living Carcasses design'd For death the following day in bloodie fight So sented the grim Feature and upturn'd His Nostril wide into the murkie Air Sagacious of his Quarry from so farr Then Both from out Hell Gates into the waste Wide Anarchie of Chaos damp and dark Flew divers and with Power thir Power was great Hovering upon the Waters what they met Solid or slimie as in raging Sea Tost up and down together crowded drove From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse Upon the Cronian Sea together drive Mountains of Ice that stop th' imagin'd way Beyond Petsora Eastward to the rich Cathaian Coast The aggregated Soyle Death with his Mace petrific cold and dry As with a Trident smote and fix't as firm As Delos floating once the rest his look bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move And with Asphaltic slime broad as the Gate Deep to the Roots of Hell the gather'd beach They fasten'd and the Mole immense wraught on Over the foaming deep high Archt a Bridge Of length prodigious joying to the Wall Immovable of this now fenceless world Forfeit to Death from hence a passage broad Smooth easie inoffensive down to Hell So if great thing to small may be compar'd Xerxes the Libertie of Greece to yoke From Susa his Momronian Palace high Came to the Sea and over Hellespont Bridging his way Europe with Asia joyn'd And scourg'd with many a stroak th' indignant waves Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art Pontifical a ridge of pendent Rock Over the vext Abyss following the track Of Satan to the self same place where hee First lighted from his Wing and landed safe From out of Chaos to the out side bare Of this round World with Pinns of Adamant And Chains they made all fast too fast they made And durable and now in little space The confines met of Empyrean Heav'n And of this World and on the left hand Hell With long reach interpos'd three sev'ral wayes In sight to each of these three places led And now thir way to Earth they had descri'd To Paradise first tending when behold Satan in likeness of an Angel bright Betwixt the Centaure and the Scorpion stearing His Zenith while the Sun in Aries rose Disguis'd he came but those his Children dear Thir Parent soon discern'd though in disguise Hee after Eve seduc't unminded slunk Into the Wood fast by and changing shape To observe the sequel saw his guileful act By Eve though all unweeting seconded Upon her Husband saw thir shame that sought Vain covertures but when he saw descend The Son of God to judge them terrifi'd Hee fled not hoping to escape but shun The present fearing guiltie what his wrauth Might suddenly inflict that past return'd By Night and listening where the hapless Paire Sate in thir sad discourse and various plaint Thence gatherd his own doom which understood Not instant but of future
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
nor so is overcome Satan whose fall from Heav'n a deadlier bruise Disabl'd not to give thee thy deaths wound Which hee who comes thy Saviour shall recure Not by destroying Satan but his works In thee and in thy Seed nor can this be But by fulfilling that which thou didst want Obedience to the Law of God impos'd On penaltie of death and suffering death The penaltie to thy transgression due And due to theirs which out of thine will grow So onely can high Justice rest appaid The Law of God exact he shall fulfill Both by obedience and by love though love Alone fulfill the Law thy punishment He shall endure by coming in the Flesh To a reproachful life and cursed death Proclaiming Life to all who shall believe In his redemption and that his obedience Imputed becomes theirs by Faith his merits To save them not thir own though legal works For this he shall live hated be blasphem'd Seis'd on by force judg'd and to death condemnd A shameful and accurst naild to the Cross By his own Nation slaine for bringing Life Bur to the Cross he nailes thy Enemies The Law that is against thee and the sins Of all mankinde with him there crucifi'd Never to hurt them more who rightly trust In this his satisfaction so he dies But soon revives Death over him no power Shall long usurp ere the third dawning light Returne the Starres of Morn shall see him rise Out of his grave fresh as the dawning light Thy ransom paid which Man from death redeems His death for Man as many as offerd Life Neglect not and the benefit imbrace By Faith not void of workes this God-like act Annuls thy doom the death thou shouldst have dy'd In sin for ever lost from life this act Shall bruise the head of Satan crush his strength Defeating Sin and Death his two maine armes And fix farr deeper in his head thir stings Then temporal death shall bruise the Victors heel Or theirs whom he redeems a death like sleep A gentle wafting to immortal Life Nor after resurrection shall he stay Longer on Earth then certaine times to appeer To his Disciples Men who in his Life Still follow'd him to them shall leave in charge To teach all nations what of him they learn'd And his Salvation them who shall beleeve Baptizing in the profluent stream the signe Of washing them from guilt of sin to Life Pure and in mind prepar'd if so befall For death like that which the redeemer dy'd All Nations they shall teach for from that day Not onely to the Sons of Abrahams Loines Salvation shall be Preacht but to the Sons Of Abrahams Faith wherever through the world So in his seed all Nations shall be blest Then to the Heav'n of Heav'ns he shall ascend With victory triumphing through the aire Over his foes and thine there shall surprise The Serpent Prince of aire and drag in Chaines Through all his Realme and there confounded leave Then enter into glory and resume His Seat at Gods right hand exalted high Above all names in Heav'n and thence shall come When this worlds disolution shall be ripe With glory and power to judge both quick and dead To judge th' unfaithful dead but to reward His faithful and receave them into bliss Whether in Heav'n or Earth for then the Earth Shall all be Paradise far happier place Then this of Eden and far happier daies So spake th' Archangel Michael then paus'd As at the Worlds great period and our Sire Replete with joy and wonder thus repli'd O goodness infinite goodness immense That all this good of evil shall produce And evil turn to good more wonderful Then that which by creation first brought forth Light out of darkness full of doubt I stand Whether I should repent me now of sin By mee done and occasiond or rejoyce Much more that much more good thereof shall spring To God more glory more good will to Men From God and over wrauth grace shall abound Buâ— say if our deliverer up to Heav'n Must reascend what will betide the few His faithful left among th' unfaithful herd The enemies of truth who then shall guide His people who defend will they not deale Wors with his followers then with him they dealt Be sure they will said th' Angel but from Heav'n Hee to his own a Comforter will send The promise of the Father who shall dwell His Spirit within them and the Law of Faith Working through love upon thir hearts shall write To guide them in all truth and also arme With spiritual Armour able to resist Satans assaults and quench his fierie darts What man can do against them not affraid Though to the death against such cruelties With inward consolations recompenc't And oft supported so as shall amaze Thir proudest persecuters for the Spirit Powrd first on his Apostles whom he sends To evangelize the Nations then on all Baptiz'd shall them with wondrous gifts endue To speak all Tongues and do all Miracles As did thir Lord before them Thus they win Great numbers of each Nation to receave With joy the tidings brought from Heav'n at length Thir Ministry perform'd and race well run Thir doctrine and thir story written left They die but in thir room as they forewarne Wolves shall succeed for teachers grievous Wolves Who all the sacred mysteries of Heav'n To thir own vile advantages shall turne Of lucre and ambition and the truth With superstitions and traditions taint Left onely in those written Records pure Though not but by the Spirit understood Then shall they seek to avail themselves of names Places and titles and with these to joine Secular power though feigning still to act By spiritual to themselves appropriating The Spirit of God promisd alike and giv'n To all Beleevers and from that pretense Spiritual Lawes by carnal power shall force On every conscience Laws which none shall finde Left them inrould or what the Spirit within Shall on the heart engrave What will they then But force the Spirit of Grace it self and binde His consort Libertie what but unbuild His living Temples built by Faith to stand Thir own Faith not anothers for on Earth Who against Faith and Conscience can be heard Infallible yet many will presume Whence heavie persecution shall arise On all who in the worship persevere Of Spirit and Truth the rest farr greater part Well deem in outward Rites and specious formes Religion satisfi'd Truth shall retire Bestuck with slandrous darts and works of Faith Rarely be found so shall the World goe on To good malignant to bad men benigne Under her own waight groaning till the day Appeer of respiration to the just And vengeance to the wicked at return Of him so lately promiss'd to thy aid The Womans seed obscurely then foretold Now amplier known thy Saviour and thy Lord Last in the Clouds from Heav'n to be reveald In glory of the Father to dissolve Satan with his perverted World then raise From the conflagrant mass purg'd