Milton Lines/Sample 1

Milton Lines

The "Lost" books of Paradise Lost: Book 13. Generated with Olipy using Queneau generation.

Book XIII

O Sons, like one of us Man is become
This night the human pair; how he designs
All this dark globe the Fiend found as he passed,
Keep residence; if all I can will serve
Unnamed in Heaven, now plenteous as thou seest
Hard to belief may seem; yet this will prayer
Or solace his defects.  No need that thou
To match with their inventions they presumed
Then when I am thy captive talk of chains,
High in salvation and the climes of bliss,
Of flutes and soft recorders--such as raised
Inexorably, and the torturing hour,
From cold Estotiland, and south as far
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escaped
But, to our power, hostility and hate,
Millions of fierce encountering Angels fought
While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps,
And on, methought, alone I passed through ways
Would thunder in my ears; no fear of worse
Silent yet spake, and breathed immortal love
Horrid to think, how horrible to feel!
All power on him transferred:  Whence to his Son,
Him lord pronounced; and, O indignity!
Eve, easily my faith admit, that all
To speak all tongues, and do all miracles,
The incensed Father, and the incensed Son,
Allured his eye; thither his course he bends
Honour and empire with revenge enlarged,
Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate
Hymen, then first to marriage rites invoked:
A grove hard by, sprung up with this their change,
Ah, wherefore! he deserved no such return
Banded against his throne, but to remain
Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old
Warriors, the Flower of Heaven--once yours; now lost,
By which all causes else, according still
Who knows? or more than this, that we are dust,
Would never from my heart: no, no! I feel
On me, as on their natural center, light
All justice:  Nor delayed the winged Saint
On either side a formidable Shape.
Like things to like; the rest to several place
Infernal thunder, and, for lightning, see
Not then mistrust, but tender love, enjoins,
The enemies of truth?  Who then shall guide
Be open, and his heart to pity incline,
Spring both, the face of brightest Heaven had changed
He called so loud that all the hollow deep
Lose no reward; though here thou see him die,
Than scorned thou didst depart; and to subdue
Assembled Angels, and ye Powers returned
False fugitive; and to thy speed add wings,
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
On the other side Adam, soon as he heard
Charmed with Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed
But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.
Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand
Outrageous to devour, immures us round
Divided empire with Heaven's King I hold,
To sow a jangling noise of words unknown:
In Heaven God ever blest, and his divine
Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume,
Their frail original, and faded bliss--
Thy folly; or with solitary hand
Fomented by his virtual power and warmed:
Of stunning sounds, and voices all confused,
As meet is, after such delicious fare;
Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb:
Or palmy hillock; or the flowery lap
Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend.
Man's voice commanding, "Sun, in Gibeon stand,
Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
Or save the sun his labour, and that swift
Appeared, and serried shields in thick array
The vassals of his anger, when the scourge
Of all these garden-trees ye shall not eat,
Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance,
O Parent, these are thy magnifick deeds,
Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared
Deigns none to ease thy load, and taste thy sweet,
Help to disburden Nature of her birth.
Not so on Man:  Him through their malice fallen,
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad,
Of them the highest; for such of shape may seem
With travel difficult, not better far
In Gibeah, when the hospitable door
Prove chaff.  On the other side, Satan, alarmed,
Refrained his tongue blasphemous; but anon
Placed in a Paradise, by our exile
Attempting, or to sit in darkness here
Far otherwise the inviolable Saints,
Wonderous in length and corpulence, involved
That, not to know at large of things remote
Father of mercy and grace, thou didst not doom
Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain,
Fluctuates disturbed, yet comely and in act
Shall all be Paradise, far happier place
The garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat
I yield it just, said Adam, and submit.
Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
To shame obnoxious, and unseemliest seen;
I rose as at thy call, but found thee not;
Obedient to his will, that he vouchsafes
Provoking God to raise them enemies;
His sluces, as the Heaven his windows shut.
Far other operation first displayed,
Of pleasure; but all pleasure to destroy,
Each shoulder broad, came mantling o'er his breast
The luminous inferiour orbs, enclosed
With some regard to what is just and right
Then first with fear surprised, and sense of pain,
Shall be the execration: so, besides
Disband; and, wandering, each his several way
Which I as freely give:  Hell shall unfold,
When thou, attended gloriously from Heaven,
To vital spirits aspire, to animal,
Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now
Or east or west; which had forbid the snow
Through God's high sufferance for the trial of man,
Perceive thee purposed not to doom frail Man
Folly to me; so doth the Prince of Hell
Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid,
And on the east side of the garden place,
And in herself complete, so well to know
Gave elocution to the mute, and taught
With victory, triumphing through the air
Of him who rules above; so was his will
No sooner did thy dear and only Son
Since higher I fall short, on him who next
Will covet more! With this advantage, then,
To whom the Son with calm aspect and clear,
To brute denied, and are of love the food;
Half sunk with all his pines.  Amazement seised
The only two of mankind, but in them
While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps,
Who first seduced them to that foul revolt?
To save appearances; how gird the sphere
His arrows, from the fourfold-visaged Four
I led her blushing like the morn: All Heaven,
For Man to tell how human life began
Her watery labyrinth, whereof who drinks
With thee conversing I forget all time;
By sufferance, and thy wonted favour, deigned.
True is, me also he hath judged, or rather
Social communication; yet, so pleased,
Alas! both for the deed, and for the cause!
Freely our part: ye, who appointed stand
Pendent by subtle magic, many a row
Michael, this my behest have thou in charge;
Than that smooth watery image:  Back I turned;
Myself, and all the angelick host, that stand
And Powers that erst in Heaven sat on thrones,
Among so many signs of power and rule
Whom thus the Angel interrupted mild.
The invention all admired, and each, how he
So sudden to behold the grisly king;
I, therefore, I alone first undertook
A bevy of fair women, richly gay
Ere sabbath-evening: so we had in charge.
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Vice for itself.  To him no temple stood
Both all things vain, and all who in vain things
Rained at their eyes, but high winds worse within
And limited their might; though numbered such
Which he will show him; and from him will raise
Wide open and unguarded, Satan passed,
Best with the best, the sender, not the sent,
Were better, and most likely if from me
Can perish: for the mind and spirit remains
Equal in days and nights, except to those
And brief related whom they brought, where found,
Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply
First, Moloch, horrid king, besmeared with blood
Immoveable, till peace obtained from fault
More dreadful and deform.  On th' other side,
Abortive, to torment me ere their being,
I might relate of thousands, and their names
Death's ministers, not men? who thus deal death
Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm.
But whom thou hatest, I hate, and can put on
With cruel tournament the squadrons join;
Awaits the good; the rest what punishment;
While with perfidious hatred they pursued
Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon;
Of vegetable gold; and next to life,
That I was heard with favour; peace returned
The incensed Father, and the incensed Son,
Deserted:  Others to a city strong
Or wet the thirsty earth with falling showers,
Satisfied never?  That were to extend
As how with peccant Angels late they saw,
And what before thy memory was done
Till night; then in the east her turn she shines,
Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk
Only to shine, yet scarce to contribute
My pleaded reason.  To the nuptial bower
If rightly thou art called, whose voice divine
Wonderous in length and corpulence, involved
Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mast
Within these hallowed limits thou appear,
Though heaviest by just measure on thyself,
To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll
Rapt in a balmy cloud with winged steeds
Than at Circean call the herd disguised.
Which now the sky, with various face, begins
I charged thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat thereof:
Upon confusion rose:  And now all Heaven
Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me
Now came still Evening on, and Twilight gray
Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame
Of God Most High: so God with Man unites!
Of highest agents, deemed however wise.
Nathless he so endured, till on the beach
Spiritual laws by carnal power shall force
Magnanimous to correspond with Heaven,
Or from Heaven, claiming second sovranty;
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes winged.
To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east
Moved on in silence to soft pipes that charmed
The second time returning, in his bill
Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud.
The Devil entered; and his brutal sense,
God shall be all in all.  But, all ye Gods,
Throughout the fluid mass; but downward purged
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.
For each seemed either--black it stood as Night,
Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown
  "I should be much for open war, O Peers,
War terrify them inexpert, and fear
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse;
To them by faith imputed, they may find
Both of her beauty, and submissive charms,
Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell
Was gathered, which cost Ceres all that pain
Thus fenced, and, as they thought, their shame in part
Pitched about Sechem, and the neighbouring plain
And saw that it was good, and blessed them, saying.
Hath been the cause, and wonderful to hear:
Of cedar, overlaid with gold; therein
Superiour sway: From thus distempered breast,
Why sat'st thou like an enemy in wait,
Of painful superstition and blind zeal,
Ethereal temper, massy, large, and round,
So many laws argue so many sins
Thus fenced, and, as they thought, their shame in part
With Gods to sit the highest, am now constrained
But long ere our approaching heard within
O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanick host
In this delicious garden?  As my will
Waged in the troubled sky, and armies rush
Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joined,
Perpetual fountain of domestick sweets,
(What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?)
Sad Acheron of sorrow, black and deep;
Suspected to a sequent king, who seeks
Or when Ulysses on the larboard shunned
Fulfilled, which to fulfil is all my bliss.
To visit all thy creatures, and to all
Adam, by dire example, to beware
Yet soon he healed; for Spirits that live throughout
Still tend from bad to worse; till God at last,
Under him Regent; tells, as he was taught,
I fled; but he pursued (though more, it seems,
And all temptation to transgress repel.
After his charge received; but from among
Ethereal, as we; or may, at choice,
By tincture or reflection they augment
To visit oft this new creation round;
Thy terrours, as I put thy mildness on,
And on their naked limbs the flowery roof
With secret amity, things of like kind,
A military vest of purple flowed,
Down to the plain descended; by their guise
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice
With tufts the valleys, and each fountain side;
And in whose hand what by decree I do,
Knew not; to speak I tried, and forthwith spake;
Under a platane; yet methought less fair,
I know not whence possessed thee; we had then
Relate thee!  Greater now in thy return
Touched lightly; for no falshood can endure
Celestial rosy red, Love's proper hue,
Would thunder in my ears; no fear of worse
Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy
Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both;
Or in some other dismal place, who knows
That I may find him, and with secret gaze
Too much to one! but double how endured,
Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone
Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.
Returned from Babylon by leave of kings
Have finished, happy in our mutual help
Envying our happiness, and of his own
Against thy father's head? And know'st for whom?
And, with retorted scorn, his back he turned
By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find
About the great reception of their King,
Foundst either sweet repast, or sound repose;
All taste of living wight, as once it fled
Or not restrained as we, or not obeying,
Which he will show him; and from him will raise
Elaborate, of inward less exact.
The Filial Power arrived, and sat him down
From Eden over Pontus and the pool
By Satan, and in part proposed: for whence,
With purpose to resign them, in full time,
But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed.
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed;
Reluctant, but in vain; a greater power
His bounty, following our delightful task,
Came towering, armed in adamant and gold;
A faithful leader, not to hazard all
By Fontarabbia.  Thus far these beyond
Of ewe or goat dropping with milk at even,
Knew never till this irksome night:  Methought,
On the rough edge of battle ere it joined,
And eaten of the tree, concerning which
To their prepared ill mansion driven down,
Of watchful Cherubim: four faces each
Seised on by force, judged, and to death condemned
They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews:--
Say, Woman, what is this which thou hast done?
Though I, uncircumscribed myself, retire,
Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle
Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain
The portal shone, inimitable on earth
A fairer person lost not Heaven; he seemed
Centring, receivest from all those orbs: in thee,
Henceforth an individual solace dear;
Touched only; that our trial, when least sought,
Immediately inordinate desires,
Frogs, lice, and flies, must all his palace fill
Bent their aspect, and whom they wished beheld,
Roused from the slumber on that fiery couch,
Account me Man; I for his sake will leave
His single imperfection, and beget
Of Michael from the armoury of God
To entertain our Angel-guest, as he
Bereaving sense, but endless misery
From all Heaven's bounds into the utter deep:
Or captive dragged in chains, with hostile frown
The serpent, subtlest beast of all the field,
And knew not eating death:  Satiate at length,
Showered roses, which the morn repaired.  Sleep on,
That better might with far less compass move,
From Auran eastward to the royal towers
If stone, carbuncle most or chrysolite,
  She spake, and at her words the hellish Pest
Incapable of mortal injury,
Set over all his works; which in our fall,
About her, as a guard angelick placed.
Thy disobedience.  Well thou didst advise;
At the sad sentence rigorously urged,
Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now
His odious offerings, and adore the gods
But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;
Of instrumental harmony, that breathed
But, longer in that Paradise to dwell,
Our heavenly stranger:  Well we may afford
His living temples, built by faith to stand,
And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive
Regenerate grow instead; that sighs now breathed
Which ofttimes may succeed so as perhaps
With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms.
Till at his second bidding Darkness fled,
The Serpent, by what means he shall achieve
Drawn round about thee like a radiant shrine,
Go, whither Fate, and inclination strong,
The Woman's Seed; obscurely then foretold,
Two potent Thrones, that to be less than Gods
Returned not lost.  On to the sacred hill
Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top
By present, past, and future,) on such day
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
The gracious Judge without revile replied.
I know not whence possessed thee; we had then
Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired
But infinite in pardon was my Judge,
And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun
That name, unless an age too late, or cold
Their seats, long after, next the seat of God,
None shall partake with me." Thus saying, rose
Cannot appease; nor Man the mortal part
They fastened, and the mole immense wrought on
Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love
The day thou eatest thereof, my sole command
Yet virgin of Proserpina from Jove.
So various, not to taste that only tree
And thence in Heaven called Satan, with bold words
In gems and wanton dress; to the harp they sung
To chains of darkness, and the undying worm;
Suspicious, reasonless.  Why should their Lord
Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.
Well pleased, but answered not:  For now, too nigh
And heavenly quires the hymenaean sung,
So snatched, will not exempt us from the pain
Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire,
Kissed, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse
Thy merits; under thee, as head supreme,
Irradiance, virtual or immediate touch?
Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the Earth;
In Heaven God ever blest, and his divine
Or wonders move the obdurate to relent?
Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purveyed.
Obscure some glimpse of joy to have found their Chief
Not all parts like, but all alike informed
Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appear,
Of immortality.  So little knows
Close at mine ear one called me forth to walk
Long after; now unpeopled, and untrod.
Too numerous; whence of guests he makes them slaves
  Nine times the space that measures day and night
Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides
Of ancient pile; all else deep snow and ice,
The infernal Powers, in one day to have marred
But say, what mean those coloured streaks in Heaven
Though late repenting him of Man depraved;
Mine ear shall not be slow, mine eye not shut.
On to their blissful bower: it was a place
Servility with freedom to contend,
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign,
Which I must keep till my appointed day
Cherubick waving fires:  On the other part,
Drew audience and attention still as night
Before the Father's throne: them the glad Son
Met such embodied force as, named with these,
A grove hard by, sprung up with this their change,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
Of creatures wanting voice; that done, partake
About the great reception of their King,
Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surprised,
With trumpet's regal sound the great result:
All these with ceaseless praise his works behold
Shall meet, already linked and wedlock-bound
The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill
Of Ramiel scorched and blasted, overthrew.
He plucked, he tasted; me damp horrour chilled
Subjection to his empire tyrannous:
But say, what mean those coloured streaks in Heaven
O prophet of glad tidings, finisher
Me though just right, and the fixed laws of Heaven,
Their ruin! hence I will excite their minds
The fall of others from like state of bliss;
Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove
Jacob in Mahanaim, where he saw
(Incurred what could they less?) the penalty;
Hither, as to their fountain, other stars
Of Gabriel out of Eden, now improv'd
With low subjection; understand the same
With secret amity, things of like kind,
Cursed is the ground for thy sake; thou in sorrow
And to our seed (O hapless seed!) derived.
With reason, to her seeming, and with truth:
Earth trembled from her entrails, as again
Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest
Conducted by his Angel, to the land
Among the bestial herds to range; by thee
Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last
A long day's dying, to augment our pain;
And limited their might; though numbered such
And sowed with stars the Heaven, thick as a field:
Within unseen.  Far less abhorred than these
I call ye, and declare ye now; returned
These painful passages, how we may come
Not tried or manacled with joint or limb,
Happier thou mayest be, worthier canst not be:
All thy request for Man, accepted Son,
Thou drovest of warring Angels disarrayed.
Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim
Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew;
Of glimmering air less vexed with tempest loud:
Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts
Thus God the Heaven created, thus the Earth,
Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,
Who for my wilful crime art banished hence.
Transfused on thee his ample Spirit rests.
Of this round world, whose first convex divides
Invested with bright rays, jocund to run
Under yon boiling ocean, wrapt in chains,
Light shone, and order from disorder sprung:
First thy obedience; the other who can know,
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
Let us seek Death;--or, he not found, supply
With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere,
In the wide wilderness; there they shall found
And by her yielded, by him best received,
Pleased highly those infernal States, and joy
She disappeared, and left me dark; I waked
Took leave, and toward the coast of earth beneath,
Of pleasure situate in hill and dale,)
This uncouth errand sole, and one for all
That Adam, now enforced to close his eyes,
But wherefore all night long shine these? for whom
Pure as the expanse of Heaven; I thither went
Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim
High on a throne of royal state, which far
Since first this subject for heroick song
Where only what they needs must do appear'd,
Suspicious, reasonless.  Why should their Lord
Yet far the greater part have kept, I see,
Here grows the cure of all, this fruit divine,
Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count,
Not what they would?  what praise could they receive?
With man therein or beast; but, when he brings
Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.
But what if better counsels might erect
I also erred, in overmuch admiring
Draws in, and at his trunk spouts out, a sea.
Their magnitudes; this Earth, a spot, a grain,
Each perturbation smoothed with outward calm,
And mortal food; as may dispose him best
Permits not: to remove thee I am come,
Now, when as sacred light began to dawn
Illaudable, nought merits but dispraise
Our foil in Heaven; here thou shalt monarch reign,
Whose fountain who shall tell?  before the sun,
Measured this transient world, the race of time,
To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir
Of happiness!--Yet well, if here would end
To fill the earth, who shall with us extol
(For what could else?) to our Almighty Foe
The Apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat,
Michael and his Angels prevalent
Nor nocent yet; but, on the grassy herb,
But that implies not violence or harm.
On me derived; yet I shall temper so
Of Deity supreme, us dispossessed,
At least distempered, discontented thoughts,
Aspirer; but their thoughts proved fond and vain
Or of the Eternal coeternal beam
Thus Adam made request; and Raphael,
Stood like a tower.  His form had yet not lost
To beasts; whom God, on their creation-day,
Heroick built, though of terrestrial mould;
Where universally admired; but here
All things to Man's delightful use; the roof
Had wasted woods on mountain or in vale,
For never did thy beauty, since the day
Their tendance, or plantation for delight;
O sovran, virtuous, precious of all trees
And utter odious truth, that God would come
The spirit of love and amorous delight.
(And pure thou wert created) we enjoy
Demoniack phrenzy, moaping melancholy,
All power on him transferred:  Whence to his Son,
Laid on our necks.  Remember with what mild
Impetuous winds:  He thus began in haste.
And hear the din:  Thus was the building left
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal;
As that more willingly thou couldst not seem
So spake our father penitent; nor Eve
Their booty; scarce with life the shepherds fly,
That ye shall be as Gods, since I as Man,
Chained on the burning lake? That sure was worse.
Afresh, with conscious terrors vex me round,
Though without number still, amidst the hall
Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire,
Obscure some glimpse of joy to have found their Chief
Sticks no dishonour on our front, but turns
Of arts that polish life, inventers rare;
Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law,
Into thy mother's lap; or be with ease
The guilty Serpent; and well might; for Eve,
Eyed them askance, and to himself thus plained.
Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;
Turned him, all ear to hear new utterance flow.
No where so clear, sharpened his visual ray
That death be not one stroke, as I supposed,
Their state-affairs: so thick the airy crowd
Now had night measured with her shadowy cone
For such vast room in Nature unpossessed
Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole
And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee
Affects me equally; nor can I like
But with such gardening tools as Art yet rude,
This one, this easy charge, of all the trees
Love no where to be found less than Divine!
Of Sennaar, and still with vain design,
To human sense the invisible exploits
Explores his solitary flight: sometimes
What thing thou art, thus double-formed, and why,
Pensive I sat me down:  There gentle sleep
Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven,
Such wondrous power God to his saint will lend,
Built like a temple, where pilasters round
Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife,
Winnows the buxom air; till, within soar
The last; for of his reign shall be no end.
And full of peace, now tost and turbulent:
In arms not worse, in foresight much advanced,
That they may stumble on, and deeper fall;
Against a foe by doom express assigned us,
Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled
To Satan first in sin his doom applied,
Seem I to thee sufficiently possessed
Though not of woman born; compassion quelled
And from about her shot darts of desire
Tore through my entrails, that, with fear and pain
Be infinitely good, and of his good
And what thou fearest, alike destroys all hope
Smooth, easy, inoffensive, down to Hell.
But as in gaze admiring: oft he bowed
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned
Or aught by me immutably foreseen,
Created pure.  But know that in the soul
Not seeing thee attempted, who attest?
So willingly doth God remit his ire,
Impurpled with celestial roses smiled.
Is to stay here; without thee here to stay,
Delightfully, Encrease and multiply;
Of conjugal attraction unreproved,
Where pain of unextinguishable fire
But Man by number is to manifest
Against God only; I against God and thee;
Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state
In vision beatific.  By him first
Their seats, long after, next the seat of God,
With monstrous shapes and sorceries abused
He lights--if it were land that ever burned
Not like these narrow limits, to receive
Was death invented? or to us denied
So saying, on he led his radiant files,
When first this tempter crossed the gulf from Hell.
To whom thus Michael.  Death thou hast seen
Such happy interview, and fair event
Of happiness!--Yet well, if here would end
Ineffably into his face received;
Could merit more than that small infantry
Portending good, and all her spirits composed
Desperate revenge, and battle dangerous
Raphael, said he, thou hearest what stir on Earth
As tribute, such a sumless journey brought
Partake thou also; happy though thou art,
Of hideous length:  Before the cloudy van,
Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze
Fomented by his virtual power and warmed:
Clear spring, or shady grove, or sunny hill,
Reason in man obscured, or not obeyed,
Nor can I think that God, Creator wise,
Of subterranean wind transports a hill
What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy reed,
Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds
His heart, not else dismayed.  Now drew they nigh
And thou their natures knowest, and gavest them names,
Their universal shout, and high applause,
None yet, but store hereafter from the earth
Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom
Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.
In naked majesty seemed lords of all:
By death brought on ourselves, or childless days
Ingendered in the Pythian vale or slime,
The Spirit of God, promised alike and given
Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he
And of this World; and, on the left hand, Hell
Of grove or garden-plot more pleasant lay,
In Gibeah, when the hospitable door
Now lately Heaven and Earth, another world
She scarce had said, though brief, when now more bold
Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire.
Gray-headed men and grave, with warriours mixed,
Bases and tinsel trappings, gorgeous knights
And craze their chariot-wheels: when by command
Such grace shall one just man find in his sight,
In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved.
With dangerous expedition to invade
He recked not, and these words thereafter spake:--
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
Which God likes best, into their inmost bower
Acceptance of large grace; from servile fear
And, re-assembling our afflicted powers,
Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold.
Like a dark ceiling stood; down rushed the rain
  "O myriads of immortal Spirits! O Powers
Belike through impotence or unaware,
To second, or oppose, or undertake
Had entertained, as dyed her cheeks with pale.
And stumbled many:  Who receives them right,
Her office they prescribed; to the other five
Of Ramiel scorched and blasted, overthrew.
Him through the spicy forest onward come
From him who, in the happy realms of light
Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden ease
Will covet more! With this advantage, then,
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness,
Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war,
Of guardians bright, when he from Esau fled
Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake.
Of thy transgressing?  Not enough severe,
Immense I have transfused, that all may know
Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm.
From Heaven acceptance; but the bloody fact
This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower
With the fixed Stars, fixed in their orb that flies;
Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves
Vapours not yet into her substance turned.
Bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure,
To noble and ignoble is more sweet
Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered sad.
By falsities and lies the greatest part
Immense, and all his Father in him shone.
While they keep watch, or nightly rounding walk,
Reserving, human left from human free.
And famish him of breath, if not of bread?
Now to the ascent of that steep savage hill
With what permissive glory since his fall
With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy.
The inwards and their fat, with incense strowed,
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
And yet unknown, is as not had at all.
Then happy; no unbounded hope had raised
Earth, and the garden of God, with cedars crowned
Infernal thunder, and, for lightning, see
But wherefore let we then our faithful friends,
Of passion, I to them had quitted all,
Out of my sight, thou Serpent!  That name best
So spake the Universal Lord, and seemed
As from the mine.  Mean while at table Eve
All of me then shall die: let this appease
Both when first evening was, and when first morn.
Retreated in a silent valley, sing
Of human sense, I shall delineate so,
So saying, from the tree her step she turned;
And in our faces evident the signs
Into a Limbo large and broad, since called
Gliding meteorous, as evening-mist
His holy eyes; resolving from thenceforth
Against ourselves; and wilful barrenness,
Or in Valdarno, to descry new lands,
That reaches blame, but rather merits praise
And thought not much to clothe his enemies;
The strong rebuff of some tumultuous cloud,
Of every beast, and bird, and insect small,
The doubt, since human reach no further knows.
And banished from man's life his happiest life,
A dove sent forth once and again to spy
(Such night till this I never passed) have dreamed,
The field pavilioned with his guardians bright;
What readiest path leads where your gloomy bounds
Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired
To offend; discountenanced both, and discomposed;
Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the spear.
Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth,
Gladly the port, though shrouds and tackle torn;
On their impenitence; and shall return
Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy
That mock our scant manuring, and require
And over them triumphant Death his dart
This greeting on thy impious crest receive.
Lies through your spacious empire up to light,
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Had lively shadowed:  Here had new begun
Have left us this our spirit and strength entire,
Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,
As mocked they storm: great laughter was in Heaven,
Vapour, and mist, and exhalation hot,
As liberal and free as infinite;
Him followed, issuing forth to the open field,
From Aroar to Nebo and the wild
Half flying; behoves him now both oar and sail.
When this creation was? rememberest thou
And the clear sun on his wide watery glass
Woe to the inhabitants on earth! that now,
In secret, riding through the air she comes,
Banded against his throne, but to remain
Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the mast
The hollow universal orb they filled,
That Moses might report to them his will,
Of Phlegra with th' heroic race were joined
Replete with joy and wonder, thus replied.
Human imagination to such highth
But self-destruction therefore sought, refutes
Haply so 'scaped his mortal snare:  For now
The sacred fruit forbidden!  Some cursed fraud
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;
Shall lead their lives, and multiply apace;
Put forth at full, but still his strength concealed--
In the wide womb of uncreated Night,
And not molest us; unless we ourselves
Repairing where he judged us, prostrate fall
Against thee are gone forth without recall;
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
A city and tower, whose top may reach to Heaven;
Till the sun paint your fleecy skirts with gold,
And venturous, if that fail them, shrink, and fear
Therefore so abject is their punishment,
Decrepit winter; from the south to bring
All path of man or beast that passed that way.
What happiness, who can enjoy alone,
Cattle, and creeping things, and beast of the Earth,
Moses and Aaron) sent from God to claim
The secrets of the hoary Deep--a dark
Present, or past, as saints and patriarchs used.
Their branches hung with copious fruit, or gemmed
Came summoned over Eden to receive
The offence, that Man should thus attain to know?
Might tempt alone; and in her ears the sound
To fortify thus far, and overlay,
Hear my decree, which unrevoked shall stand.
Will deem in outward rites and specious forms
At length gave utterance to these words constrained.
Where he first lighted, soon discerned his looks
Straight couches close, then, rising, changes oft
Wide anarchy of Chaos, damp and dark,
Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth,
To me shall be the glory sole among
  The Stygian council thus dissolved; and forth
In some to spring from thee; who never touched
Henceforth I learn, that to obey is best,
And all temptation to transgress repel.
Unless th' Almighty Maker them ordain
Thee, Sion, and the flowery brooks beneath,
His only son; on earth he first beheld
O, by what name, for thou above all these,
This second source of Men, while yet but few,
And hightened as with wine, jocund and boon,
And, re-assembling our afflicted powers,
Of this fair fruit, our doom is, we shall die!
Pasturing at once, and in broad herds upsprung.
In Paradise that bear delicious fruit
Of brutal kind, that daily are in sight?
Serv'd up in hall with sewers and seneshals;
According to his doom: he would have spoke,
And judged of public moment in the shape
So, if great things to small may be compared,
Nothing imperfect or deficient left
But let us now, as in bad plight, devise
In search of whom they sought:  Him there they found
Presence Divine.  Rejoicing, but with awe,
Of hill, and valley, rivers, woods, and plains,
Of that bright star to Satan paragoned;
Forthwith his former state and being forgets--
Till I provided death: so death becomes
Less than Archangel ruined, and th' excess
Empedocles; and he, who, to enjoy
The dismal gates, and barricadoed strong;
For swift descent; with him the cohort bright
Hear, all ye Angels, progeny of light,
The addition of his empire, how it showed
His brother: for of whom such massacre
With tumult less and with less hostile din;
Too well I see and rue the dire event
If not, what resolution from despair."
Ten thousand fathom deep, and to this hour
With more desire to know, and to reject
Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casius old,
Yet with revenge accomplish'd, and to Hell
Above the clouds will pine his entrails gross,
And understood not that a grateful mind
To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife.
From this Assyrian garden, where the Fiend
Yet not enough had practised to deceive
To offend; discountenanced both, and discomposed;
The sixth, and of creation last, arose
But all sun-shine, as when his beams at noon
Though comfortless; as when a father mourns
I form'd them free: and free they must remain,
Oft he to her his charge of quick return
Easy to me it is to tell thee all
Inflamed with lust than rage), and, swifter far,
All that I eat or drink, or shall beget,
To Adam what shall come in future days,
The hands' dispatch of two gardening so wide,
And thence in Heaven called Satan, with bold words
Will prove no sudden, but a slow-paced evil;
Happiness in his power left free to will,
Yet scarce allayed still eyes the current stream,
Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice,
All intellect, all sense; and, as they please,
Triumphs or festivals; and to them preached
With dangerous expedition to invade
Mother of human race."  What could I do,
Th' assembly as when hollow rocks retain

Driven headlong from the pitch of Heaven, down
The field pavilioned with his guardians bright;
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan;
The latter; for what place can be for us
To withered, weak, and gray; thy senses then,
The good before him, but perverts best things
Beneath the Azores; whether the prime orb,
To sound at general doom.  The angelick blast
When angry most he seemed and most severe,
And hazard in the glorious enterprise
Or potent tongue:  Fool! not to think how vain
Of goodliest trees, loaden with fairest fruit,
And with the majesty of darkness round
High, and remote to see from thence distinct
What may suffice, and soften stony hearts
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied.

And wrought but malice; lifted up so high
On him who had stole Jove's authentick fire.
Things above earthly thought, which yet concerned
And prayers, which in this golden censer mixed
But, to our power, hostility and hate,
Be frustrate, do, undo, and labour lose;
All things with double terrour:  On the ground
Oppressed them, wearied with their amorous play,
Xerxes, the liberty of Greece to yoke,
Their number last he sums.  And now his heart
The guilt on him, who made him instrument
Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms,
Disporting, till the amorous bird of night
And dungeon of our tyrant:  Now possess,
Nor less on either side tempestuous fell
Subtle he needs must be, who could seduce
Him with her loved society; that now,
With more desire to know, and to reject
But what created mind can comprehend
Before his eyes appeared, sad, noisome, dark;
These two are brethren, Adam, and to come
Diurnal,) merely to officiate light
Against his better knowledge; not deceived,
With carcasses and arms the ensanguined field,
On this delightful land; nor herb, fruit, flower,
But thy relation now; for I attend,
Rural repast; permitting him the while
Conscious of highest worth, unmoved thus spake:--
That drove him, though enamoured, from the spouse
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
That gave thee being, still shades thee, and protects.
Fortunate fields, and groves, and flowery vales,
To set the Envier of his state, the proud
What hither brought us! hate, not love; nor hope
This world's material mould, came to a heap:
Both Sin, and Death, and yawning Grave, at last,
But still rejoiced; how is it now become
And the dire hiss renewed, and the dire form
From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league
And, scarce recovering words, his plaint renewed.
Hosanna to the Highest:  Nor stood at gaze
Through Bosporus betwixt the justling rocks,
Contrived; and of provisions laid in large,
For in those days might only shall be admired,
Went up, and watered all the ground, and each
Fair Angel, thy desire, which tends to know
But thy relation now; for I attend,
My Maker, be propitious while I speak.
Chief of the angelick guards, awaiting night;
Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon,
And let us to our fresh employments rise
Sung Halleluiah, as the sound of seas,
For aught appears, and on their orbs impose
Prefer, and piety to God, though then
Growing into a nation, and now grown
Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight,
Which it had long stood under, strained to the highth
Fruitless embraces: or they led the vine
Their wandering course now high, now low, then hid,
Our two first parents, yet the only two
Open or understood, must be resolved."
Our being ordained to govern, not to serve.
Direct to the eastern gate was bent their flight.
Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heaven
To us is adverse.  Who but felt of late,
To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind,
Over the fish and fowl of sea and air,
Subduing nations, and achieved thereby
And starry pole:  Thou also madest the night,
Creation, and the wonders of his might.
From nectar, drink of Gods.  Adam the while,
Nor what the potent Victor in his rage
Under a shade on flowers, much wondering where
Will save us trial what the least can do
Had ended; when to right and left the front
But suddenly with flesh filled up and healed:
Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green,
Lovelier, not those that in Illyria changed,
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Great things by small, if, nature's concord broke,
To whom the Angel, with a smile that glowed
That shake Heaven's basis, bring forth all my war,
Heaped to the popular sum, will so incense
What justly thou hast lost, nor set thy heart,
By thee created; and by thee threw down
With wondrous art founded the massy ore,
Wonder not, sovran Mistress, if perhaps
I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold
Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air
And every living thing that moves on the Earth.
Or if his likeness, by themselves defaced;
To entertain them fair with open front
Adam relating, she sole auditress;
Globose, and every magnitude of stars,
The fig-tree; not that kind for fruit renowned,
Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening-star
Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed
Alone, the dreadful voyage; till, at last,
Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Inhabited, though sinless, more than now,
Would speed before thee, and be louder heard,
Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear,
Variously representing; yet, still free,
In thee, and in thy seed:  Nor can this be,
When suddenly stood at my head a dream,
A long day's dying, to augment our pain;
Where he fell flat and shamed his worshippers:
With thee thy manhood also to this throne:
All night he will pursue; but his approach
A solemn council forthwith to be held
Alone as they.  About them frisking played
Of ending this great war, since none but Thou
Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplexed
Stood to entertain her guest from Heaven; no veil
Secure, and at the brightening orient beam
Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains,
Her doing seemed to justify the deed;
Thus said.  Native of Heaven, for other place
Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze
Assured me, and still assure:  Though what thou tellest
Is now an iron rod to bruise and break
Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.
Chose rather; he, she knew, would intermix
Raphael, the sociable Spirit, that deigned
Such grace shall one just man find in his sight,
Of blowing myrrh and balm: if thou accept
Her virtue, and the conscience of her worth,
In time of truce; Iris had dipt the woof;
His people from enthralment, they return,
From shadowy types to truth; from flesh to spirit;
Armed with thy might, rid Heaven of these rebelled;
Their fainting courage, and dispelled their fears.
Grateful to appetite, more pleased my sense
Betwixt the angelical and human kind.
Nor staid; but, on the wings of Cherubim
Torn from Pelorus, or the shattered side
Ere while they fierce were coming; and when we,
The Woman's Seed; obscurely then foretold,
Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
Soon closing, and by native vigour healed.
His thunder in mid volley; for he meant
More of the Almighty's works, and chiefly Man,
Which ofttimes may succeed so as perhaps
Him followed Rimmon, whose delightful seat
His image who made both, and less expressing
Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown,
Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou knowest,
Not of the prime, yet such as in his face
Our purer essence then will overcome
Thou sever not: Trial will come unsought.
This answer from the gracious Voice Divine.
Vanquished Adramelech, and Asmadai,
When he who most excels in fact of arms,
And put not forth my goodness, which is free
As when a ship, by skilful steersmen wrought
That space the Evil-one abstracted stood
The likeness of a kingly crown had on.
Be not disheartened then, nor cloud those looks,
Thy wish exactly to thy heart's desire.
Of all this world at once.  As when a scout,
Of Earth before scarce pleasant seemed.  Each tree,
Of wickedness, wherein shall dwell his race
Deliciously, and builds her waxen cells
That I was heard with favour; peace returned
Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm,
To height of noblest temper heroes old
Apostate! still thou errest, nor end wilt find
In this unhappy mansion, or once more
Built like a temple, where pilasters round
Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors,
From all Heaven's bounds into the utter deep:
Present; and of his presence many a sign
To Man, the greater to have rule by day,
Thenceforth shall practice how to live secure,
Of his adorers: He, to be avenged,
And put not forth my goodness, which is free
(For Eloquence the Soul, Song charms the Sense)
High over-arched embower; or scattered sedge
Severe in youthful beauty, added grace
In song and dance about the sacred hill;
No despicable gift; surmise not then
Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed!
In Mosco; or the Sultan in Bizance,
But all sun-shine, as when his beams at noon
For though I fled him angry, yet recalled
Or glittering star-light, without thee is sweet.
With me, best witness of thy virtue tried?
By spiritual, to themselves appropriating
Justification towards God, and peace
Yet more amazed, unwary thus replied.
Each thing on Earth; and other care perhaps
First in his east the glorious lamp was seen,
To worship God aright, and know his works
To Adam what shall come in future days,
On all, who in the worship persevere
The Deity, and divine commands obeyed,
He with his thunder; and till then who knew
Among the trees in pairs they rose, they walked:
And strength, and art, are easily outdone
Determined, and thy hapless crew involved
Their doctrine and their story written left,
Of fancy, my internal sight; by which,
Circular base of rising folds, that towered
In heart or head, possessing, soon inspired
To Heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows,
Or monument to ages; and theron
By a far worse; or, if she love, withheld
Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore
I send along; ride forth, and bid the Deep
With adverse blast upturns them from the south
His flight precipitant, and winds with ease
Oft sacrificing bullock, lamb, or kid,
Love hath abounded more than glory abounds;
The fluid skirts of that same watery cloud,
Let us make now Man in our image, Man
Of dawning light turned thither-ward in haste
Think not, revolted Spirit, thy shape the same,
And puissant deeds, a promise shall receive
With vanity had filled the works of men:
With thought that they must be.  Let no man seek
With mountains, as with weapons, armed; which makes
Of hope in fears and dangers--heard so oft
O, then, at last relent:  Is there no place
Cannot but by annihilating die;
Round he surveys (and well might, where he stood
A faithful leader, not to hazard all
Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate
Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught
Judged thee perverse:  The easier conquest now
That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
New troubles; him thy care must be to find.
Tending to wild.  Thou therefore now advise,
Of things so high and strange; things, to their thought
To the terrestrial moon be as a star,
I may assert Eternal Providence,
His empire, and with iron sceptre rule
Now shaves with level wing the deep, then soars
Consumed with nimble glance, and grateful steam;
Strange contradiction, which to God himself
Birth-day of Heaven and Earth; with joy and shout
From underground;) the liquid ore he drained
Neither our own, but given:  What folly then
In future days, if malice should abound,
To my relentless thoughts; and, him destroyed,
Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.
Over the sea; the sea his rod obeys;
He sought them both, but wished his hap might find
All thy request for Man, accepted Son,
All things proceed, and up to him return,
And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of Hell,
Made happy:  Him by fraud I have seduced
Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil,
To tempt or punish mortals, except whom
Impendent, raging into sudden flame,
From all the ends of the earth, to celebrate
The Serpent's head; whereof to thee anon
Great joy he promised to his thoughts, and new
Of mischief, and polluted from the end
So were I equall'd with them in renown,
With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
And gavest me as thy perfect gift, so good,
Disloyal on the part of Man, revolt,
His starry helm unbuckled showed him prime
In battailous aspect, and nearer view
His loss; but chiefly to find here observed
Close at mine ear one called me forth to walk
Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce
In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel;
Here, happy creature, fair angelick Eve!
Discursive, or intuitive; discourse
From Serraliona; thwart of these, as fierce,
Transplanted from her cloudy shrine, and placed
But who was that just man, whom had not Heaven
Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek
But let us call to synod all the Blest,
With dreadful shade contiguous, and the orbs
Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve,
Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed sway
From off the tossing of these fiery waves;
Can either sex assume, or both; so soft
Or palmy hillock; or the flowery lap
To death, and mix with our connatural dust?
And here art likeliest by supreme decree
The goodly prospect of some foreign land
Or that, not mystick, where the sapient king
Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while,
The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil.
My conduct, I can bring thee thither soon
Favour unmerited by me, who sought
Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived
With his great Father; for he also went
His loss; but chiefly to find here observed
Accursed, and in a cursed hour, he hies.