Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

by John Milton

  So saying, through each Thicket Danck or Drie,

  180

  Like a black mist low creeping, he held on

  His midnight search, where soonest he might find

  The Serpent: him fast sleeping soon he found

  In Labyrinth of many a round self-rowl’d,

  His head the midst, well stor’d with suttle wiles:

  185

  Not yet in horrid Shade or dismal Den,

  Nor nocent19 yet, but on the grassie Herb

  Fearless unfeard he slept: in at his Mouth

  The Devil enterd, and his brutal sense,

  In heart or head, possessing soon inspir’d

  190

  With act intelligential; but his sleep

  Disturb’d not, waiting close20 th’ approach of Morn.

  Now when as sacred Light began to dawn

  In Eden on the humid Flowrs, that breath’d

  Thir morning incense, when all things that breath,

  195

  From th’ Earths great Altar send up silent praise

  To the Creator, and his Nostrils fill

  With grateful Smell, forth came the human pair

  And joynd thir vocal Worship to the Quire

  Of Creatures wanting voice, that done, partake

  200

  The season, prime for sweetest Scents and Aires:

  Then commune how that day they best may ply

  Thir growing work: for much thir work outgrew

  The hands dispatch of two Gardning so wide.

  And Eve first to her Husband thus began.

  205

  Adam, well may we labour still to dress

  This Garden, still to tend Plant, Herb and Flowr,

  Our pleasant task enjoyn’d, but till more hands

  Aid us, the work under our labour grows,

  Luxurious by restraint; what we by day

  210

  Lop overgrown, or prune, or prop, or bind,

  One night or two with wanton growth derides

  Tending to wild. Thou therefore now advise

  Or hear what to my mind first thoughts present,

  Let us divide our labours, thou where choice

  215

  Leads thee, or where most needs, whether to wind

  The Woodbine round this Arbour, or direct

  The clasping Ivie where to climb, while I

  In yonder Spring of Roses21 intermixt

  With Myrtle, find what to redress till Noon:

  220

  For while so near each other thus all day

  Our task we choose, what wonder if so near

  Looks intervene and smiles, or object new

  Casual discourse draw on, which intermits

  Our dayes work brought to little, though begun

  225

  Early, and th’ hour of Supper comes unearn’d.

  To whom mild answer Adam thus return’d.

  Sole Eve, Associate sole, to me beyond

  Compare above all living Creatures dear,

  Well hast thou motion’d, well thy thoughts imployd

  230

  How we might best fulfill the work which here

  God hath assign’d us, nor of me shalt pass

  Unprais’d: for nothing lovelier can be found

  In Woman, then to studie houshold good,

  And good works in her Husband to promote.

  235

  Yet not so strictly hath our Lord impos’d

  Labour, as to debarr us when we need

  Refreshment, whether food, or talk between,

  Food of the mind, or this sweet intercourse

  Of looks and smiles, for smiles from Reason flow,

  240

  To brute deni’d, and are of Love the food,

  Love not the lowest end of human life.

  For not to irksom toil, but to delight

  He made us, and delight to Reason joyn’d.

  These paths and Bowers doubt not but our joynt hands

  245

  Will keep from Wilderness with ease, as wide

  As we need walk, till younger hands ere long

  Assist us: But if much converse perhaps

  Thee satiate, to short absence I could yeild.

  For solitude somtimes is best societie,

  250

  And short retirement urges sweet return.

  But other doubt possesses me, least harm

  Befall thee sever’d from me; for thou knowst

  What hath bin warn’d us, what malicious Foe

  Envying our happiness, and of his own

  255

  Despairing, seeks to work us woe and shame

  By sly assault; and somwhere nigh at hand

  Watches, no doubt, with greedy hope to find

  His wish and best advantage, us asunder,

  Hopeless to circumvent us joynd, where each

  260

  To other speedie aid might lend at need;

  Whether his first design be to withdraw

  Our fealtie from God, or to disturb

  Conjugal Love, then which perhaps no bliss

  Enjoy’d by us excites his envie more;

  265

  Or this, or worse, leave not the faithful side

  That gave thee being, still shades thee and protects.

  The Wife, where danger or dishonour lurks,

  Safest and seemliest by her Husband staies,

  Who guards her, or with her the worst endures.

  270

  To whom the Virgin22 Majestie of Eve,

  As one who loves, and some unkindness meets,

  With sweet austeer composure thus reply’d.

  Ofspring of Heav’n and Earth, and all Earths Lord,

  That such an Enemie we have, who seeks

  275

  Our ruin, both by thee informd I learn,

  And from the parting Angel over-heard

  As in a shadie nook I stood behind,

  Just then returnd at shut of Evening Flowrs.

  But that thou shouldst my firmness therfore doubt

  280

  To God or thee, because we have a foe

  May tempt it, I expected not to hear.

  His violence thou fearst not, being such,

  As wee, not capable of death or pain,

  Can either not receave, or can repell.

  285

  His fraud is then thy fear, which plain inferrs

  Thy equal fear that my firm Faith and Love

  Can by his fraud be shak’n or seduc’t;

  Thoughts, which how found they harbour in thy brest,

  Adam, misthought of her to thee so dear?

  290

  To whom with healing words Adam reply’d.

  Daughter of God and Man, immortal Eve,

  For such thou art, from sin and blame entire:23

  Not diffident of thee do I dissuade

  Thy absence from my sight, but to avoid

  295

  Th’ attempt it self, intended by our Foe.

  For hee who tempts, though in vain, at least asperses

  The tempted with dishonour foul, suppos’d

  Not incorruptible of Faith, not prooff

  Against temptation: thou thy self with scorn

  300

  And anger wouldst resent the offer’d wrong,

  Though ineffectual found: misdeem not then,

  If such affront I labour to avert

  From thee alone, which on us both at once

  The Enemie, though bold, will hardly dare,

  305

  Or daring, first on mee th’ assault shall light.

  Nor thou his malice and false guile contemn;

  Suttle he needs must be, who could seduce

  Angels, nor think superfluous others aid.

  I from the influence of thy looks receave

  310

  Access24 in every Vertue, in thy sight

  More wise, more watchful, stronger, if need were

  Of outward strength;
while shame, thou looking on,

  Shame to be overcome or over-reacht

  Would utmost vigor raise, and rais’d unite.

  315

  Why shouldst not thou like sense within thee feel

  When I am present, and thy trial choose

  With me, best witness of thy Vertue tri’d.

  So spake domestick Adam in his care

  And Matrimonial Love; but Eve, who thought

  320

  Less attributed to her Faith sincere,

  Thus her reply with accent sweet renewd.

  If this be our condition, thus to dwell

  In narrow circuit strait’n’d by a Foe,

  Suttle or violent, we not endu’d

  325

  Single with like defence, wherever met,

  How are we happie, still in fear of harm?

  But harm precedes not sin: onely our Foe

  Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem

  Of our integritie: his foul esteem

  330

  Sticks no dishonor on our Front,25 but turns

  Foul on himself; then wherfore shund or feard

  By us? who rather double honour gain

  From his surmise prov’d false, find peace within,

  Favour from Heav’n, our witness from th’ event.

  335

  And what is Faith, Love, Vertue unassaid

  Alone, without exterior help sustaind?

  Let us not then suspect our happie State

  Left so imperfet by the Maker wise,

  As not secure to single or combin’d.

  340

  Frail is our happiness, if this be so,

  And Eden were no Eden thus expos’d.

  To whom thus Adam fervently repli’d.

  O Woman, best are all things as the will

  Of God ordain’d them, his creating hand

  345

  Nothing imperfet or deficient left

  Of all that he Created, much less Man,

  Or aught that might his happie State secure,

  Secure from outward force; within himself

  The danger lies, yet lies within his power:

  350

  Against his will he can receave no harm.

  But God left free the Will, for what obeys

  Reason, is free, and Reason he made right,

  But bid her well beware, and still erect,26

  Least by some fair appeering good surpris’d

  355

  She dictate false, and misinform the Will

  To do what God expresly hath forbid.

  Not then mistrust, but tender love enjoyns,

  That I should mind27 thee oft, and mind thou me.

  Firm we subsist, yet possible to swerve,

  360

  Since Reason not impossibly may meet

  Some specious object by the Foe subornd,

  And fall into deception unaware,

  Not keeping strictest watch, as she was warnd.

  Seek not temptation then, which to avoid

  365

  Were better, and most likelie if from mee

  Thou sever not: Trial will come unsought.

  Wouldst thou approve28 thy constancie, approve

  First thy obedience; th’ other who can know,

  Not seeing thee attempted, who attest?

  370

  But if thou think, trial unsought may find

  Us both securer29 then thus warnd thou seemst,

  Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;

  Go in thy native innocence, relie

  On what thou hast of vertue, summon all,

  375

  For God towards thee hath done his part, do thine.

  So spake the Patriarch of Mankind, but Eve

  Persisted, yet submiss, though last, repli’d.

  With thy permission then, and thus forewarnd

  Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words

  380

  Touch’d onely, that our trial, when least sought,

  May find us both perhaps farr less prepar’d,

  The willinger I goe, not much expect

  A Foe so proud will first the weaker seek,

  So bent, the more shall shame him his repulse.

  385

  Thus saying, from her Husbands hand her hand

  Soft she withdrew, and like a Wood-Nymph light

  Oread or Dryad, or of Delia’s30 Train,

  Betook her to the Groves, but Delia’s self

  In gate surpass’d and Goddess-like deport,

  390

  Though not as shee with Bow and Quiver armd,

  But with such Gardning Tools as Art yet rude,

  Guiltless of fire had formd, or Angels brought.

  To Pales, or Pomona31 thus adornd,

  Likest she seemd, Pomona when she fled

  395

  Vertumnus, or to Ceres in her Prime,

  Yet Virgin of Proserpina from Jove.

  Her long with ardent look his Eye pursu’d

  Delighted, but desiring more her stay.

  Oft he to her his charge of quick return

  400

  Repeated, shee to him as oft engag’d

  To be returnd by Noon amid the Bowr,

  And all things in best order to invite

  Noontide repast, or Afternoons repose.

  O much deceav’d, much failing, hapless Eve,

  405

  Of thy presum’d return I event perverse!

  Thou never from that hour in Paradise

  Foundst either sweet repast, or sound repose;

  Such ambush hid among sweet Flowrs and Shades

  Waited with hellish rancour imminent

  410

  To intercept thy way, or send thee back

  Despoild of Innocence, of Faith, of Bliss.

  For now, and since first break of dawn the Fiend,

  Meer Serpent in appearance, forth was come,

  And on his Quest, where likeliest he might find

  415

  The onely two of Mankind, but in them

  The whole included Race, his purpos’d prey.

  In Bowr and Field he sought, where any tuft

  Of Grove or Garden-Plot more pleasant lay,

  Thir tendance or Plantation for delight,

  420

  By Fountain or by shadie Rivulet

  He sought them both, but wish’d his hap might find

  Eve separate, he wish’d, but not with hope

  Of what so seldom chanc’d, when to his wish,

  Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies,

  425

  Veild in a Cloud of Fragrance, where she stood,

  Half spi’d, so thick the Roses bushing round

  About her glowd, oft stooping to support

  Each Flowr of slender stalk, whose head though gay

  Carnation, Purple, Azure, or spect with Gold,

  430

  Hung drooping unsustaind, them she upstaies

  Gently with Mirtle band, mindless the while,

  Her self, though fairest unsupported Flowr,

  From her best prop so farr, and storm so nigh.

  Neerer he drew, and many a walk travers’d

  435

  Of stateliest Covert, Cedar, Pine, or Palm,

  Then voluble32 and bold, now hid, now seen

  Among thick-wov’n Arborets and Flowrs

  Imborderd on each Bank, the hand33 of Eve:

  Spot more delicious then those Gardens feign’d

  440

  Or of reviv’d Adonis, or renownd

  Alcinous, host of old Lærtes Son,34

  Or that, not Mystic,35 where the Sapient King

  Held dalliance with his fair Egyptian Spouse.

  Much hee the Place admir’d, the Person more.

  445

  As one who long in populous City pent,

  Where Houses thick and Sewers annoy36 the Air,

  Forth issuing on a Summers Morn to breathe

  Among the
pleasant Villages and Farmes

  Adjoynd, from each thing met conceaves delight,

  450

  The smell of Grain, or tedded Grass,37 or Kine,

  Or Dairie, each rural sight, each rural sound;

  If chance with Nymphlike step fair Virgin pass,

  What pleasing seemd, for her now pleases more,

  She most, and in her look summs all Delight.

  455

  Such Pleasure took the Serpent to behold

  This Flowrie Plat, the sweet recess of Eve

  Thus earlie, thus alone; her Heav’nly form

  Angelic, but more soft, and Feminine,

  Her graceful Innocence, her every Air

  460

  Of gesture or lest action overawd

  His Malice, and with rapine sweet bereav’d

  His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought:

  That space the Evil one abstracted stood

  From his own evil, and for the time remaind

  465

  Stupidly good, of enmitie disarm’d,

  Of guile, of hate, of envie, of revenge;

  But the hot Hell that alwayes in him burns,

  Though in mid Heav’n, soon ended his delight,

  And tortures him now more, the more he sees

  470

  Of pleasure not for him ordain’d: then soon

  Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts

  Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites.

  Thoughts, whither have ye led me, with what sweet

  Compulsion thus transported to forget

  475

  What hither brought us, hate, not love, nor hope

  Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste

  Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy,

  Save what is in destroying, other joy

  To me is lost. Then let me not let pass

  480

  Occasion which now smiles, behold alone

  The Woman, opportune to all attempts,

  Her Husband, for I view far round, not nigh,

  Whose higher intellectual more I shun,

  And strength, of courage hautie, and of limb

  485