Paradise Lost

by John Milton

  Wide-waving, all approach far off to fright,

  And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:

  Lest Paradise a receptacle prove

  To spirits foul, and all my trees their prey,

  With whose stol’n fruit man once more to delude.”

  He ceased; and th’ archangelic power prepared

  For swift descent, with him the cohort bright

  Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each

  Had, like a double Janus129, all their shape

  Spangled with eyes more numerous than those

  Of Argus131, and more wakeful than to drowse,

  Charmed with Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed

  Of Hermes, or his opiate rod. Meanwhile

  To resalute the world with sacred light

  Leucothea135 waked, and with fresh dews imbalmed

  The Earth, when Adam and first matron Eve

  Had ended now their orisons, and found

  Strength added from above, new hope to spring

  Out of despair, joy, but with fear yet linked;

  Which thus to Eve his welcome words renewed.

  “Eve, easily may faith admit, that all

  The good which we enjoy, from Heav’n descends;

  But that from us aught should ascend to Heav’n

  So prevalent144 as to concern the mind

  Of God high-blest, or to incline his will,

  Hard to belief may seem; yet this will prayer,

  Or one short sigh of human breath, upborne

  Ev’n to the seat of God. For since I sought

  By prayer th’ offended Deity to appease,

  Kneeled and before him humbled all my heart,

  Methought I saw him placable and mild,

  Bending his ear; persuasion in me grew

  That I was heard with favor; peace returned

  Home to my breast, and to my memory

  His promise, that thy seed shall bruise our foe;

  Which then not minded in dismay, yet now

  Assures157 me that the bitterness of death

  Is past, and we shall live. Whence hail to thee158,

  Eve rightly called159, Mother of all Mankind,

  Mother of all things living, since by thee

  Man is to live, and all things live for man.”

  To whom thus Eve with sad demeanor meek.

  “Ill-worthy I such title should belong

  To me transgressor, who for thee ordained

  A help, became thy snare; to me reproach

  Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise:

  But infinite in pardon was my judge,

  That I who first brought death on all, am graced

  The source of life; next favorable thou,

  Who highly thus to entitle me vouchsaf’st,

  Far other name deserving. But the field

  To labor calls us now with sweat imposed,

  Though after sleepless night; for see the morn,

  All unconcerned with our unrest, begins

  Her rosy progress smiling; let us forth,

  I never from thy side henceforth to stray,

  Where’er our day’s work lies, though now enjoined

  Laborious, till day droop; while here we dwell,

  What can be toilsome in these pleasant walks?

  Here let us live, though in fall’n state, content.”

  So spake, so wished much-humbled Eve, but fate

  Subscribed not; nature first gave signs, impressed

  On bird, beast, air, air suddenly eclipsed

  After short blush of morn; nigh in her sight

  The bird of Jove185, stooped from his airy tour,

  Two birds of gayest plume186 before him drove:

  Down from a hill the beast that reigns187 in woods,

  First hunter then, pursued a gentle brace188,

  Goodliest of all the forest, hart and hind;

  Direct to th’ eastern gate was bent their flight.

  Adam observed, and with his eye the chase

  Pursuing, not unmoved to Eve thus spake.

  “O Eve, some further change awaits us nigh,

  Which Heav’n by these mute signs in nature shows

  Forerunners of his purpose, or to warn

  Us haply too secure196 of our discharge

  From penalty, because from death released

  Some days; how long, and what till then our life,

  Who knows, or more than this, that we are dust,

  And thither must return and be no more.

  Why else this double object in our sight

  Of flight pursued in th’ air and o’er the ground

  One way the selfsame hour? Why in the east

  Darkness ere day’s mid-course, and morning light

  More orient205 in yon western cloud that draws

  O’re the blue firmament a radiant white,

  And slow descends, with something Heav’nly fraught.”

  He erred not, for by this208 the Heav’nly bands

  Down from a sky of jasper lighted209 now

  In Paradise, and on a hill made halt210,

  A glorious apparition, had not doubt

  And carnal fear that day dimmed Adam’s eye.

  Not that more glorious, when the angels met

  Jacob in Mahanaim214, where he saw

  The field pavilioned215 with his guardians bright;

  Nor that216 which on the flaming mount appeared

  In Dothan, covered with a camp of fire,

  Against the Syrian king, who to surprise

  One man, assassin-like had levied war,

  War unproclaimed. The princely hierarch

  In their bright stand221, there left his powers to seize

  Possession of the garden; he alone,

  To find where Adam sheltered, took his way,

  Not unperceived of Adam, who to Eve,

  While the great visitant approached, thus spake.

  “Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps

  Of us will soon determine227, or impose

  New laws to be observed; for I descry

  From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill

  One of the Heav’nly host, and by his gait

  None of the meanest, some great potentate

  Or of the Thrones above, such majesty

  Invests him coming; yet not terrible,

  That I should fear, nor sociably mild,

  As Raphael, that I should much confide,

  But solemn and sublime, whom not to offend,

  With reverence I must meet, and thou retire.”

  He ended; and th’ archangel soon drew nigh,

  Not in his shape celestial, but as man

  Clad to meet man; over his lucid240 arms

  A military vest of purple flowed

  Livelier than Meliboean242, or the grain

  Of Sarra, worn by kings and heroes old

  In time of truce; Iris had dipped the woof244;

  His starry helm unbuckled showed him prime

  In manhood where youth ended; by his side

  As in a glistering zodiac hung the sword,

  Satan’s dire dread, and in his hand the spear.

  Adam bowed low, he kingly from his state

  Inclined not, but his coming thus declared.

  “Adam, Heav’n’s high behest no preface needs:

  Sufficient that thy prayers are heard, and death,

  Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress,

  Defeated254 of his seizure many days

  Giv’n thee of grace, wherein thou may’st repent,

  And one256 bad act with many deeds well done

  May’st cover: well may then thy Lord appeased

  Redeem thee quite from death’s rapacious claim;

  But longer in this Paradise to dwell259

  Permits not; to remove thee I am come,

  And send thee from the garden forth to till

  The ground whence thou wast tak’n, fitter soil.”

 
; He added not, for Adam at the news

  Heart-strook with chilling grip264 of sorrow stood,

  That all his senses bound; Eve, who unseen

  Yet all had heard, with audible lament

  Discovered267 soon the place of her retire.

  “O unexpected stroke, worse than of death!

  Must I thus leave thee Paradise? Thus leave

  Thee native soil270, these happy walks and shades,

  Fit haunt of gods? Where I had hope to spend,

  Quiet though sad, the respite272 of that day

  That must be mortal to us both. O flow’rs,

  That never will in other climate grow,

  My early visitation, and my last

  At ev’n, which I bred up with tender hand

  From the first op’ning bud, and gave ye names277,

  Who now shall rear ye to the sun, or rank

  Your tribes, and water from th’ ambrosial fount?

  Thee lastly nuptial bower, by me adorned

  With what to sight or smell was sweet; from thee

  How shall I part, and whither wander down

  Into a lower world, to this283 obscure

  And wild, how shall we breathe in other air

  Less pure, accustomed to immortal fruits?”

  Whom thus the angel interrupted mild.

  “Lament not Eve, but patiently resign

  What justly thou hast lost; nor set thy heart,

  Thus over-fond, on that which is not thine;

  Thy going is not lonely, with thee goes290

  Thy husband, him to follow thou art bound;

  Where he abides, think there thy native soil.”

  Adam by this293 from the cold sudden damp

  Recovering, and his scattered spirits returned,

  To Michael thus his humble words addressed.

  “Celestial, whether among the Thrones, or named

  Of them the highest, for such of shape may seem

  Prince above princes, gently hast thou told

  Thy message, which might else in telling wound,

  And in performing end us; what besides

  Of sorrow and dejection and despair

  Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring,

  Departure from this happy place, our sweet

  Recess, and only consolation left

  Familiar to our eyes, all places else

  Inhospitable appear and desolate,

  Nor knowing us nor known: and if by prayer

  Incessant I could hope to change the will

  Of him who all things can309, I would not cease

  To weary him with my assiduous cries:

  But prayer against his absolute decree

  No more avails than breath against the wind,

  Blown stifling back on him that breathes it forth:

  Therefore to his great bidding I submit.

  This most afflicts me, that departing hence,

  As from his face I shall be hid316, deprived

  His blessed count’nance; here I could frequent,

  With worship, place by place where he vouchsafed

  Presence divine, and to my sons relate,

  “On this Mount he appeared, under this tree

  Stood visible, among these pines his voice

  I heard, here with him at this fountain talked.”

  So many grateful altars I would rear

  Of grassy turf, and pile up every stone

  Of luster from the brook, in memory,

  Or monument to ages, and thereon

  Offer sweet smelling gums and fruits and flow’rs:

  In yonder nether world where shall I seek

  His bright appearances, or footstep trace?

  For though I fled him angry, yet recalled

  To life prolonged and promised race331, I now

  Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts

  Of glory, and far off his steps adore.”

  To whom thus Michael with regard benign.

  “Adam, thou know’st Heav’n his, and all the Earth,

  Not this rock only; his omnipresence fills

  Land, sea, and air, and every kind that lives,

  Fomented338 by his virtual power and warmed:

  All th’ Earth he gave thee to possess and rule,

  No despicable gift; surmise not then

  His presence to these narrow bounds confined

  Of Paradise or Eden: this had been

  Perhaps thy capital seat, from whence had spread

  All generations, and had hither come

  From all the ends of th’ Earth, to celebrate

  And reverence thee their great progenitor.

  But this preeminence thou hast lost, brought down

  To dwell on even ground now with thy sons:

  Yet doubt not but in valley and in plain

  God is as here, and will be found alike

  Present, and of his presence many a sign

  Still following thee, still compassing thee round

  With goodness and paternal love, his face

  Express, and of his steps the track divine.

  Which that thou may’st believe, and be confirmed

  Ere thou from hence depart, know I am sent356

  To show thee what shall come in future days356

  To thee and to thy offspring356; good with bad

  Expect to hear, supernal grace contending

  With sinfulness of men; thereby to learn

  True patience361, and to temper joy with fear

  And pious sorrow, equally inured

  By moderation either state to bear,

  Prosperous or adverse: so shalt thou lead

  Safest thy life, and best prepared endure

  Thy mortal passage when it comes. Ascend

  This hill; let Eve (for I have drenched367 her eyes)

  Here sleep below while thou to foresight wak’st,

  As once thou slept’st, while she to life was formed.”

  To whom thus Adam gratefully replied.

  “Ascend, I follow thee, safe guide, the path

  Thou lead’st me, and to the hand of Heav’n submit,

  However chast’ning, to the evil turn

  My obvious374 breast, arming to overcome

  By suffering, and earn rest from labor won,

  If so I may attain.” So both ascend

  In the visions of God377: it was a hill

  Of Paradise the highest, from whose top

  The hemisphere of earth in clearest ken

  Stretched out to the amplest reach of prospect lay.

  Not higher that hill nor wider looking round,

  Whereon for different cause the Tempter set

  Our second Adam383 in the wilderness,

  To show him all Earth’s kingdoms and their glory.

  His eye might there command wherever stood

  City of old or modern fame, the seat

  Of mightiest empire, from the destined walls

  Of Cambalu388, seat of Cathayan Khan

  And Samarkand by Oxus389, Temir’s throne,

  To Paquin390 of Sinaean kings, and thence

  To Agra391 and Lahore of Great Mogul

  Down to the golden Chersonese392, or where

  The Persian in Ecbatan393 sat, or since

  In Hispahan, or where the Russian Czar

  In Moscow, or the Sultan in Bizance395,

  Turkestan-born396; nor could his eye not ken

  Th’ Empire of Negus397 to his utmost port

  Ercoco398 and the less maritime kings

  Mombaza399, and Quiloa, and Melind,

  And Sofala thought Ophir, to the realm

  Of Congo, and Angola farthest south;

  Or thence from Niger402 flood to Atlas mount

  The kingdoms of Almansor403, Fez and Sus,

  Morocco and Algiers, and Tremisen404;

  On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway

  The world: in spirit406 perhaps he also saw

  Rich Mexico the seat of Mo
tezume407,

  And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat

  Of Atabalipa409, and yet unspoiled

  Guiana, whose great city Geryon’s sons410

  Call El Dorado411: but to nobler sights

  Michael from Adam’s eyes the film removed412

  Which that false fruit that promised clearer sight

  Had bred; then purged with euphrasy and rue414

  The visual nerve, for he had much to see;

  And from the Well of Life416 three drops instilled.

  So deep the power of these ingredients pierced,

  Even to the inmost seat of mental sight,

  That Adam now enforced to close his eyes,

  Sunk down and all his spirits became entranced:

  But him the gentle angel by the hand

  Soon raised, and his attention thus recalled.

  “Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold

  Th’ effects which thy original crime hath wrought

  In some to spring from thee, who never touched

  Th’ excepted426 tree, nor with the snake conspired,

  Nor sinned thy sin, yet from that sin427 derive

  Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.”

  His eyes he opened, and beheld a field,

  Part arable and tilth430, whereon were sheaves

  New reapt, the other part sheep-walks and folds;

  I’ th’ midst an altar as the landmark stood

  Rustic, of grassy sward433; thither anon

  A sweaty reaper from his tillage brought

  First fruits, the green ear, and the yellow sheaf,

  Unculled436, as came to hand; a shepherd next

  More meek came with the firstlings of his flock

  Choicest and best; then sacrificing, laid

  The inwards and their fat, with incense strewed,

  On the cleft wood, and all due rites performed.

  His off’ring soon propitious fire from heav’n441

  Consumed with nimble glance442, and grateful steam;

  The other’s not, for his was not sincere;

  Whereat he inly raged, and as they talked,

  Smote him into the midriff with a stone

  That beat out life; he fell, and deadly pale

  Groaned out his soul with gushing blood effused447.

  Much at that sight was Adam in his heart

  Dismayed, and thus in haste to th’ angel cried.

  “O teacher, some great mischief hath befall’n

  To that meek man, who well had sacrificed;

  Is piety thus and pure devotion paid?”

  T’ whom Michael thus, he also moved, replied.

  “These two are brethren, Adam, and to come

  Out of thy loins; th’ unjust the just hath slain,

  For envy that his brother’s offering found

  From Heav’n acceptance; but the bloody fact457

  Will be avenged, and th’ other’s faith approved

  Lose no reward, though here thou see him die,