Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

by John Milton

  Of high collateral glorie: him Thrones and Powers,

  Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant

  Accompanied to Heaven Gate, from whence

  Eden and all the Coast9 in prospect lay.

  90

  Down he descended strait; the speed of Gods

  Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes wing’d.

  Now was the Sun in Western cadence10 low

  From Noon, and gentle Aires due at thir hour

  To fan the Earth now wak’d, and usher in

  95

  The Eevning cool when he from wrauth more cool

  Came the mild Judge and Intercessor both

  To sentence Man: the voice of God they heard

  Now walking in the Garden, by soft winds

  Brought to thir Ears, while day declin’d, they heard,

  100

  And from his presence hid themselves among

  The thickest Trees, both Man and Wife, till God

  Approaching, thus to Adam call’d aloud.

  Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet

  My coming seen far off? I miss thee here,

  105

  Not pleas’d, thus entertaind with solitude,

  Where obvious dutie11 erewhile appear’d unsaught:

  Or come I less conspicuous, or what change

  Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth.

  He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though first

  110

  T’ offend, discount’nanc’t both, and discompos’d;

  Love was not in thir looks, either to God

  Or to each other, but apparent12 guilt,

  And shame, and perturbation, and despair,

  Anger, and obstinacie, and hate, and guile.

  115

  Whence Adam faultring long, thus answer’d brief.

  I heard thee in the Garden, and of thy voice

  Affraid, being naked, hid my self. To whom

  The gracious Judge without revile repli’d.

  My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear’d,

  120

  But still rejoyc’t, how is it now become

  So dreadful to thee? that thou art naked, who

  Hath told thee? hast thou eaten of the Tree

  Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?

  To whom thus Adam sore beset repli’d.

  125

  O Heav’n! in evil strait this day I stand

  Before my Judge, either to undergoe

  My self the total Crime, or to accuse

  My other self, the partner of my life;

  Whose failing, while her Faith to me remains,

  130

  I should conceal, and not expose to blame

  By my complaint; but strict necessitie

  Subdues me, and calamitous constraint,

  Least on my head both sin and punishment,

  However insupportable, be all

  135

  Devolv’d; though should I hold my peace, yet thou

  Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.

  This Woman whom thou mad’st to be my help,

  And gav’st me as thy perfet gift, so good,

  So fit, so acceptable, so Divine,

  140

  That from her hand I could suspect no ill,

  And what she did, whatever in it self,

  Her doing seem’d to justifie the deed;

  Shee gave me of the Tree, and I did eat.

  To whom the sovran Presence thus repli’d.

  145

  Was shee thy God, that her thou didst obey

  Before his voice, or was shee made thy guide,

  Superior, or but equal, that to her

  Thou did’st resigne thy Manhood, and the Place

  Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,

  150

  And for thee, whose perfection farr excell’d

  Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd

  Shee was indeed, and lovely to attract

  Thy Love, not thy Subjection, and her Gifts

  Were such as under Government well seem’d,

  155

  Unseemly to bear rule, which was thy part

  And person,13 had’st thou known thy self aright

  So having said, he thus to Eve in few:

  Say Woman, what is this which thou hast done?

  To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelm’d,

  160

  Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge

  Bold or loquacious, thus abasht repli’d.

  The Serpent me beguil’d and I did eat.

  Which when the Lord God heard, without delay

  To Judgement he proceeded on th’ accus’d

  165

  Serpent though brute, unable to transferr

  The Guilt on him who made him instrument

  Of mischief, and polluted from the end

  Of his Creation; justly then accurst,

  As vitiated in Nature: more to know

  170

  Concern’d not Man (since he no further knew)

  Nor alter’d his offence; yet God at last

  To Satan first in sin his doom apply’d,

  Though in mysterious terms, judg’d as then best:

  And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall.

  175

  Because thou hast done this, thou art accurst

  Above all Cattel, each Beast of the Field;

  Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe,

  And dust shalt eat all the dayes of thy Life.14

  Between Thee and the Woman I will put

  180

  Enmitie, and between thine and her Seed;

  Her Seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.15

  So spake this Oracle, then verifi’d

  When Jesus son of Mary second Eve,

  Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav’n,

  185

  Prince of the Air; then rising from his Grave

  Spoild Principalities and Powers, triumpht

  In open shew, and with ascention bright

  Captivity led captive through the Air,

  The Realm it self of Satan long usurpt,

  190

  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; Childern thou shalt bring

  195

  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’n’d to the voice of thy Wife,

  And eaten of the Tree concerning which

  200

  I charg’d thee, saying: Thou shalt not eat thereof,

  Curs’d is the ground for thy sake,16 thou in sorrow

  Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy Life;

  Thorns also and Thistles it shall bring thee forth

  Unbid, and thou shalt eat th’ Herb of the Field,

  205

  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 return.

  So judg’d he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent,

  210

  And th’ instant stroke of Death denounc’t that day

  Remov’d farr off; then pittying how they stood

  Before him naked to the air, that now

  Must suffer change, disdain’d not to begin

  Thenceforth the form of servant to assume,

  215

  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 Coat repaid;17

 
And thought not much18 to cloath his Enemies:

  220

  Nor hee thir outward onely with the Skins

  Of Beasts, but inward nakedness, much more

  Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteousness,

  Arraying cover’d from his Fathers sight.

  To him with swift ascent he up returnd,

  225

  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,

  230

  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.

  235

  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 dear? It cannot be

  But that success attends him; if mishap,

  240

  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

  245

  Beyond this Deep; whatever draws me on,

  Or sympathie,19 or som connatural force

  Powerful at greatest distance to unite

  With secret amity things of like kind

  By secretest conveyance. Thou my Shade

  250

  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 Gulf

  Impassable, impervious, let us try

  255

  Adventrous work, yet to thy power and mine

  Not unagreeable, to found a path

  Over this Main from Hell to that new World

  Where Satan now prevails, a Monument

  Of merit high to all th’ infernal Host,

  260

  Easing thir passage hence, for intercourse,20

  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.

  265

  Goe whither Fate and inclination strong

  Leads thee, I shall not lag behind, nor err

  The way, thou leading, such a scent I draw

  Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste

  The savour of Death from all things there that live:

  270

  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,

  275

  Against the day of Battel, to a Field,

  Where Armies lie encampt, come flying, lur’d

  With scent of living Carcasses design’d

  For death, the following day, in bloodie fight.

  So scented the grim Feature, and upturn’d

  280

  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)

  285

  Hovering upon the Waters; what they met

  Solid or slimie, as in raging Sea

  Tost up and down, together crowded drove

  From each side shoaling21 towards the mouth of Hell.

  As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse

  290

  Upon the Cronian Sea,22 together drive

  Mountains of Ice, that stop th’ imagin’d way23

  Beyond Petsora Eastward, to the rich

  Cathaian Coast. The aggregated Soyl

  Death with his Mace petrific, cold and dry,

  295

  As with a Trident smote, and fix’t as firm

  As Delos24 floating once; the rest his look

  Bound with Gorgonian25 rigor not to move,

  And with Asphaltic slime; broad as the Gate,

  Deep to the Roots of Hell the gather’d beach

  300

  They fasten’d, and the Mole immense wraught on

  Over the foaming deep high Archt, a Bridge

  Of length prodigious joyning to the Wall26

  Immovable of this now fenceless27 world

  Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad,

  305

  Smooth, easie, inoffensive28 down to Hell.

  So, if great things to small may be compar’d,

  Xerxes, the Libertie of Greece to yoke,

  From Susa29 his Memnonian Palace high

  Came to the Sea, and over Hellespont

  310

  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,30 a ridge of pendent Rock

  Over the vext Abyss, following the track

  315

  Of Satan, to the self-same place where hee

  First lighted from his Wing, and landed safe

  From out of Chaos to the outside bare

  Of this round World: with Pinns of Adamant

  And Chains they made all fast, too fast they made

  320

  And durable; and now in little space

  The confines met31 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.

  325

  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 Centaur and the Scorpion stealing

  His Zenith, while the Sun in Aries rose:32

  330

  Disguis’d he came, but those his Childern dear

  Thir Parent soon discern’d, though in disguise.

  Hee, after Eve seduc’t, unminded slunk

  Into the Wood fast by, and changing shape

  T’ observe the sequel, saw his guileful act

  335

  By Eve, though all unweeting,33 seconded

  Upon her Husband, saw thir shame that sought

  Vain covertures;34 but when he saw descend

  The Son of God to judge them, terrifi’d

  Hee fled, not hoping to escape, but shun

  340

  The present, fearing guiltie what his wrauth

  Might suddenly inflict; that past, return’d

  By Night, and listning where the hapless Pair

  Sate in thir sad discourse, and various plaint,

  Thence gatherd his own doom, which understood

  345

  Not instant, but of future 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,35 unhop’t

  Met who to meet him came, his Ofspring dear.

  350

  Great joy was at thir meeting, and at sight

  Of that stupendious Bridge his joy encreas’d.

  Long hee admiring stood, till Sin, his fair

  Inchanting Daughter, thus the silence broke.

  O Pare
nt, these are thy magnific deeds,

  355

  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, joyn’d in connexion sweet,

  360

  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 consequence36 unites us three:

  365

  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

  370

  To fortifie thus farr, and overlay

  With this portentous Bridge the dark Abyss.

  Thine now is all 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

  375

  Our foil 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 Monarchic with thee divide

  380

  Of all things, parted by th’ Empyreal bounds,

  His Quadrature, from thy Orbicular World,37

  Or trie38 thee now more dang’rous to his Throne.

  Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad.

  Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both,

  385

  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

  390