And thy faire Eve; Heav'n is for thee too high To know what passes there; be lowlie wise: Think onely what concernes thee and thy being; Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there

THE Angel ended, and in Adams Eare So Charming left his voice, that he a while Thought him still speaking, still stood fixt to hear; Then as new wak't thus gratefully repli'd. What thanks sufficient, or what recompence [ 5 ] Equal have I to render thee, Divine Hystorian, who thus largely hast allayd The thirst I had of knowledge, and voutsaf't

Let ther be Light, said God, and forthwith Light

r staid, but on the Wings of Cherubim Uplifted, in Paternal Glorie rode Farr into Chaos, and the World unborn; [ 220 ] For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Traine Follow'd in bright procession to behold Creation, and the wonders of his might. Then staid the fervid Wheeles, and in his hand

Mean while the Son On his great Expedition now appeer'd, Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance crown'd Of Majestie Divine, Sapience and Love

Say Goddess, what ensu'd when Raphael, [ 40 ] The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarn'd Adam by dire example to beware Apostasie, by what befell in Heaven To those Apostates, least the like befall In Paradise to Adam or his Race,

Sword of Michael smote,

Abdiel

High in the midst exalted as a God Th' Apostate in his Sun-bright Chariot sate [ 100 ] Idol of Majesty Divine, enclos'd

Coverd with thick embatteld Squadrons bright, Chariots and flaming Armes, and fierie Steeds Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: Warr he perceav'd, warr in procinct, and found Already known what he for news had thought [ 20 ] To have reported: gladly then he mixt Among those friendly Powers who him receav'd With joy and acclamations loud, that one That of so many Myriads fall'n, yet one Returnd not lost: On to the sacred hill [ 25 ] They led him high applauded, and present Before the seat supream; from whence a voice From midst a Golden Cloud thus milde was hea

Affects me equally;

Best Image of my self and dearer half, [

O Sole in whom my thoughts find all repose, My Glorie, my Perfection

Yet happie pair; enjoy, till I return, Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed. [ 535 ]

Mother of human Race: what could I doe, [ 475 ] But follow strait, invisibly thus led? Till I espi'd thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a Platan, yet methought less faire, Less winning soft, less amiablie milde, Then that smooth watry image; back I turnd, [ 480 ] Thou following cryd'st aloud, Return faire Eve, Whom fli'st thou? whom thou fli'st, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, neerest my heart Substantial Life, to have thee by my side [ 485 ] Henceforth an individual solace dear; Part of my Soul I seek thee, and thee claim My other half: with that thy gentle hand Seisd mine, I yielded, and from that time see How beauty is excelld by manly grace [

That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awak't, and found my self repos'd [ 450 ] Under a shade of flours, much wondring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

His fair large Front and Eye sublime declar'd [ 300 ] Absolute rule; and Hyacinthin Locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustring, but not beneath his shoulders broad: Shee as a vail down to the slender waste Her unadorned golden tresses wore [ 305 ] Disheveld, but in wanton ringlets wav'd As the Vine curles her tendrils, which impli'd Subjection,

For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace, Hee for God only, shee for God in him:

The image of thir glorious Maker shon, Truth, wisdome, Sanctitude severe and pure,

Southward through Eden went a River large, Nor chang'd his course, but through the shaggie hill Pass'd underneath ingulft, for God had thrown [ 225 ] That Mountain as his Garden mould high rais'd Upon the rapid current, which through veins Of porous Earth with kindly thirst up drawn, Rose a fresh Fountain, and with many a rill Waterd the Garden; thence united fell [ 230 ] Down the steep glade, and met the neather Flood, Which from his darksom passage now appeers, And now divided into four main Streams, Runs divers, wandring many a famous Realme And Country whereof here needs no account, [ 235 ] But rather to tell how, if Art could tell, How from that Saphire Fount the crisped Brooks, Rowling on Orient Pearl and sands of Gold, With mazie error under pendant shades Ran Nectar, visiting each plant, and fed [ 240 ] Flours worthy of Paradise which not nice Art In Beds and curious Knots, but Nature boon Powrd forth profuse on Hill and Dale and Plaine, Both where the morning Sun first warmly smote The open field, and where the unpierc't shade [ 245 ] Imbround the noontide Bowrs: Thus was this place, A happy rural seat of various view; Groves whose rich Trees wept odorous Gumms and Balme, Others whose fruit burnisht with Golden Rinde Hung amiable, Hesperian Fables true, [ 250 ] If true, here only, and of delicious taste: Betwixt them Lawns, or level Downs, and Flocks Grasing the tender herb, were interpos'd, Or palmie hilloc, or the flourie lap Of som irriguous Valley spred her store, [ 255 ] Flours of all hue, and without Thorn the Rose: Another side, umbrageous Grots and Caves Of coole recess, o're which the mantling vine Layes forth her purple Grape, and gently creeps Luxuriant; mean while murmuring waters fall [ 260 ] Down the slope hills, disperst, or in a Lake, That to the fringed Bank with Myrtle crownd, Her chrystal mirror holds, unite thir streams. The Birds thir quire apply; aires, vernal aires, Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune [ 265 ] The trembling leaves, while Universal Pan

My sole complacence! well thou know'st how dear, To me are all my works, nor Man the least Though last created, that for him I spare Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save, By loosing thee a while, the whole Race lost. [ 280 ] Thou therefore whom thou only canst redeem, Thir Nature also to thy Nature joyn; And be thy self Man among men on Earth, Made flesh, when time shall be, of Virgin seed, By wondrous birth: Be thou in Adams room [ 285 ] The Head of all mankind, though Adams Son. As in him perish all men, so in thee As from a second root shall be restor'd, As many as are restor'd, without thee none. His crime makes guiltie all his Sons, thy

The first sort by thir own suggestion fell, Self-tempted, self-deprav'd: Man falls deceiv'd [ 130 ] By the other first: Man therefore shall find grace, The other none: in Mercy and Justice both,

Thir freedom, they themselves ordain'd thir fall.

Freely they stood who stood, and fell who fell. Not free, what proof could they have givn sincere Of true allegiance, constant Faith or Love, Where onely what they needs must do, appeard, [ 105 ] Not what they would? what praise could they receive? What pleasure I from such obedience paid,

And Man there plac't, with purpose to assay [ 90 ] If him by force he can destroy, or worse, By some false guile pervert; and shall pervert For man will heark'n to his glozing lyes, And easily transgress the sole Command, Sole pledge of his obedience: So will fall, [ 95 ] Hee and his faithless Progenie: whose fault? Whose but his own? ingrate, he had of mee All he could have; I made him just and right, Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall.

Satan exalted sat, by merit rais'd [ 5 ] To that bad eminence; and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue Vain Warr with Heav'n, and by success untaught His proud imaginations thus displaid. [ 10 ]

Of Thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend With awful reverence prone; and as a God Extoll him equal to the highest in Heav'n:

Deliverance for us all: this enterprize [ 465 ] None shall partake with me.

World, the happy seat Of some new Race call'd Man, about this time To be created like to us, though less In power and excellence, but favour'd more [ 350 ] Of him who rules above; so was his will Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an Oath, That shook Heav'ns whol circumference, confirm'd. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mould, [ 355 ] Or substance, how endu'd, and what thir Power, And where thir weakness, how attempted best, By force or suttlety: Though Heav'n be shut, And Heav'ns high Arbitrator sit secure In his own strength, this place may lye expos'd [ 360 ] The utmost border of his Kingdom, left To their defence who hold it: here perhaps Som advantagious act may be achiev'd By sudden onset, either with Hell fire To waste his whole Creation, or possess [ 365 ] All as our own, and drive as we were driven, The punie habitants, or if not drive, Seduce them to our Party, that thir God May prove thir foe, and with repenting hand Abolish his own works. This would surpass [ 370 ] Common revenge, and interrupt his joy In our Confusion, and our Joy upraise In his disturbance; when his darling Sons Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse Thir frail Original, and faded bliss, [ 375 ] Faded so soon

In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisom Eternity so spent in worship paid To whom we hate. Let us not then pursue By force impossible, by leave obtain'd [ 250 ] Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state Of splendid vassalage, but rather seek Our own good from our selves, and from our own Live to our selves, though in this vast recess, Free, and to none accountable, preferring [ 255 ] Hard liberty before the easie yoke Of servile Pomp. Our greatness will appeer

exasperate

As not behind in hate; if what was urg'd [ 120 ] Main reason to persuade immediate Warr, Did not disswade me most, and seem to cast Ominous conjecture on the whole success: When he who most excels in fact of Arms, In what he counsels and in what excels [ 125 ] Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair And utter dissolution, as the scope Of all his aim, after some dire revenge. First, what Revenge? the Towrs of Heav'n are fill'd With Armed watch, that render all access [ 130 ] Impregnable; oft on the bordering Deep Encamp thir Legions, or with obscure wing Scout farr and wide into the Realm of night, Scorning surprize. Or could we break our way By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise [ 135 ] With blackest Insurrection, to confound Heav'ns purest Light, yet our great Enemy All incorruptible would on his Throne Sit unpolluted, and th' Ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel [ 140 ] Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire Victorious.

Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n, For since no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigor, though opprest and fall'n,

Bullion

Phalanx

wanton

Vale.

O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers,That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to WarrUnder thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds [ 130 ]Fearless, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King;And put to proof his high Supremacy,

eternal Warr

ignominy

If thou beest he; But O how fall'n! how chang'dFrom him, who in the happy Realms of Light [ 85 ]Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst out-shineMyriads though bright: