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《Paradise Lost Ⅺ》
THE ARGUMENT
The Son of God presents to his Father the Prayers of our first Parents now repenting, and interc九九藏书edes for them: God accepts them, but declares that they must no longer abide in Paradise; sends Michael with a Band of Cherubim to dispossess them; but first to reveal to Adam .99lib.future things: Michaels ing down. Adam shews to Eve certain ominous signs; he diss Michaels approach, goes out to meet him: the Angel denouhir departure. Eves Lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits: The Angel leads him up to a high Hill, sets before him in vision what shall happn till the Flood.
1
THus they in lowliest plight repentant stood
Praying, for from the Mercie-seat above
Preve Grace desding had removd
The stonie from thir hearts, & made new flesh
Regee grow instead, that sighs now breathd [ 5 ]
Unutterable, which the Spirit of prayer
Inspird, and wingd for Heavn with speedier flight
Then loudest Oratorie: yet thir po?
Not of mean suiters, nor important less
Seemd thir Petition, theh a Pair [ 10 ]
In Fables old, less a yet then these,
Deucalion and chaste Pyrrha to restore
The Raankind drownd, before the Shrine
Of Themis stood devout. To Heavn thir prayers
Flew up, nor missd the way, by envious windes [ 15 ]
Blown vagabond or frustrate: in they passd
Dimentiohrough Heavnly dores; then clad
With inse, where the Golden Altar fumd,
By thir great Intercessor, came in sight
Before the Fathers Throhem the glad Son [ 20 ]
Presenting, thus to intercede began.
See Father, what first fruits oh are sprung
From thy implanted Gra Man, these Sighs
And Prayers, whi this Golden ser, mixt
With Inse, I thy Priest before thee bring, [ 25 ]
Fruits of more pleasing savour from thy seed
Sown with trition in his heart, then those
Which his own hand manuring all the Trees
Of Paradise could have product, ere falln
From innoow therefore bend thine eare [ 30 ]
To supplication, heare his sighs though mute;
Unskilful with what words to pray, let mee
Interpret for him, mee his Advocate
And propitiation, all his works on mee
Good or not good ingraft, my Merit those [ 35 ]
Shall perfet, and for these my Death shall pay.
Accept me, and in mee from these receave
The smell of peace toward Mankinde, let him live
Before thee recild, at least his days
Numberd, though sad, till Death, his doom (which I [ 40 ]
To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse)
To better life shall yeeld him, where with mee
All my redeemd may dwell in joy and bliss,
Made oh me as I with thee am one.
2
To whom the Father, without Cloud, serene. [ 45 ]
All thy request for Man, accepted Son,
Obtain, all thy request was my Decree:
But longer in that Paradise to dwell,
The Law I gave to Nat?ure him forbids:
Those pure immortal Elements that know [ 50 ]
No gross, no unha..rmoneous mixture foule,
Eject him tainted nourge him off
As a distemper, gross to aire as gross,
And mortal food, as may dispose him best
For dissolutiht by Sin, that first [ 55 ]
Distemperd all things, and of incorrupt
Corrupted. I at first with two fair gifts
Created him endowd, with Happiness
And Immortalitie: that fondly lost,
This other servd but to eternize woe; [ 60 ]
Till I provided Death; so Death bees
His final remedie, and after Life
Trid in sharp tribulation, and refind
By Faith and faithful works, to sed Life,
Wakt in the renovation of the just, [ 65 ]
Resignes him up with Heavn ah renewd.
But let us call to Synod all the Blest
Through Heavns wide bounds; from them I will not hide
My judgments, how with Mankind I proceed,
As how with pet Angels late they saw; [ 70 ]
And in bbr>..thir state, though firm, stood more firmd.
He ended, and the Son gave signal high
To the bright Mihat watchd, hee blew
His Trumpet, heard in Oreb since perhaps
When God desded, and perhaps once more [ 75 ]
To sound at general Doom. Th Ang?elic blast
Filld all the Regions: from thir blissful Bowrs
Of Amarantin Shade, Fountain or Spring,
By the waters of Life, where ere they sate
In fellowships of joy: the Sons of Light [ 80 ]
Hasted, res to the Summons high,
And took thir Seats; till from his Throne supream
Th Almighty thus pronouncd his sovran Will.
3
O Sons, like one of us Man is bee
To know both Good and Evil, since his taste [ 85 ]
Of that defended Fruit; but let him boast
His knowledge of Good lost, and Evil got,
Happier, had sufficd him to have known
Good by it self, and Evil not at all.
He sorrows now, repents, and prayes trite, [ 90 ]
My motions in him, lohen they move,
His heart I know, how variable and vain
Self-left. Least therefore his now bolder hand
Reach also of the Tree of Life, a,
And live for ever, dream at least to live [ 95 ]
For ever, to remove him I decree,
And send him from the Garden forth to Till
The Ground whence he was taken, fitter soile.
M.９９ｌib?ichael, this my behest have thou in charge,
Take to thee from among the Cherubim [ 100 ]
Thy choice of flaming Warriours, least the Fie藏书网nd
Or in behalf of Man, or to invade
Vat possession som rouble raise:
Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God
Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair, [ 105 ]
From hallowd ground th unholie, and denounce
To them and to thir Progenie from thence
Perpetual banishment. Yet least they faint
At the sad Sentence rigorously urgd,
For I behold them softnd and with tears [ 110 ]
Bewailing thir excess, all terror hide.
If patiently thy bidding they obey,
Dismiss them not dissolate; reveale
To Adam what shall e in future dayes,
As I shall thee enlighten, intermix [ 115 ]
My ant in the womans seed renewd;
So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace:
And on the East side of the Garden place,
Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbes,
Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame [ 120 ]
Wide waving, all approach farr off tht,
And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:
Least Paradise a receptacle prove
To Spirits foule, and all my Trees thir prey,
With whose stoln Fruit Man once more to delude. [ 125 ]
He ceasd; and th Argelic Power prepard
For swift dest, with him the Cohort bright
Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each
Had, like a double Janus, all thir shape
Spangld with eyes more numerous then those [ 130 ]
us, and more wakeful then to drouze,
Charmd with Arcadian Pipe, the Pastoral Reed
Of Hermes, or his opiate Rod. Mean while
To resalute the World with sacred Light
Leucothea wakd, and with fresh dews imbalmd [ 135 ]
The Earth, when Adam and first Matron Eve
Had ended now thir Orisons, and found,
Strength added from above, new hope t
Out of despaire, joy, but with fear yet linkt;
Wh藏书网ich thus to Eve his wele words renewd. [ 140 ]
Eve, easily may Faith admit, that all
The good which we enjoy, from Heavn desds;
But that from us ought should asd to Heavn
So prevalent as to e the mind
Of God high-blest, or to ine his will, [ 145 ]
Hard to belief may seem; yet this will Prayer,
Or one short sigh of humane breath, up-borne
Evn to the Seat of God. For since I saught
By Prayer th offended Deitie to appease,
Kneeld and before him humbld all my heart, [ 150 ]
Methought I saw him placable and mild,
Bending his eare; perswasion in me grew
That I was heard with favour; peace returnd
Home to my brest, and to my memorie
His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe; [ 155 ]
Which then not minded in dismay, yet now
Assures me that the bitterness of death
Is past, and we shall live. Whence Haile to thee,
Eve rightly calld, Mother of all Mankind,
Mother of all things living, since by thee [ 160 ]
Man is to live, and all things live for Man.
To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour meek.
4
Ill worthie I such title should belong
To me transgressour, who for thee ordaind
A help, became thy so mee reproach [ 165 ]
Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise:
But infinite in pardon was my Judge,
That I who first brought Death on all, am gract
The sourse of life; favourable thou,
Who highly thus to entitle me voutsafst, [ 170 ]
Farr other name deserving. But the Field
To labour calls us now with sweat imposd,
Though after sleepless Night; for see the Morn,
All und with our u, begins
Her rosie progress smiling; let us forth, [ 175 ]
I never from thy side heh to stray,
Wherere o..ur days work lies, though now enjoind
Laborious, till day droop; while here we dwell,
What be toilsom in these pleasant Walkes?
Here let us live, though in falln state, tent. [ 180 ]
So spake, so wishd much-humbld Eve, but Fate
Subscribd not; Nature first gave Signs, imprest
On Bird, Beast, Aire, Aire suddenly eclipsd
After short blush of Morn; nigh in her sight
The Bird of Jove, stoopt ..from his aerie tour, [ 185 ]
Two Birds of gayest plume before him drove:
Down from a Hill the Beast that reigns i藏书网n Woods,
First huhen, pursud a gentle brace,
Goodliest of all the Forrest, Hart and Hinde;
Direct to th Eastern Gate was bent thir flight. [ 190 ]
Adam observd, and with his Eye the chase
Pursuing, not unmovd to Eve thus spake.
O Eve, some furder ge awaits us nigh,
Which Heavn by these mute signs in Nature shews
Forerunners of his purpose, or to warn [ 195 ]
Us haply too secure of our discharge
From penaltie, because from death releast
Some days; how long, and what till then our life,
Who knows, or more then this, that we are dust,
And thither must return and be no more. [ 200 ]
5
Why else this double obje ht
Of flight pursud in th Air and ore the ground
One way the self-..same hour? why in the East
Darkness ere Dayes mid-course, and M light
More orient in yoern Cloud that draws [ 205 ]
Ore the blew Firmament a radiant white,
And slow desds, with somthing heavnly fraught.
He errd not, for by this the heavnly Bands
Down from a Skie of Jasper lighted now
In Paradise, and on a Hill made alt, [ 210 ]
A glorious Apparition, had not doubt
And al fear that day dimmd Adams eye.
Not that mlorious, when the Angels met
Jacob in Mahanaim, where he saw
The field Paviliond with his Guardians bright; [ 215 ]
Nor that whi the flaming Mount appeerd
In Dothan, coverd with a Camp of Fire,
Against the Syrian King, who to surprize
One man, Assassin-like had levied Warr,
Warr unproclamd. The Princely Hierarch [ 220 ]
In thir bright stand, there left his Powers to seise
Possession of the Garden; hee alone,
To find where Adam shelterd, took his way,
Not unperceavd of Adam, who to Eve,
While t..he great Visitant approachd, thus spake. [ 225 ]
Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps
Of us will sooermin, or impose
New Laws to be observd; for I descrie
From yonder blazing Cloud that veils the Hill
One of the heavnly Host, and by his Gate [ 230 ]
None of the mea, some great Potentate
Or of the Thrones above, such Majestie
Is h>im ing? yet not terrible,
That I should fear, nor sociably mild,
As Raphael, that I should much fide, [ 235 ]
But solemn and sublime, whom not９9ｌｉb?
rom that sin derive
Corruption t forth more violent deeds.
His eyes he opnd, and beheld a field,
Part arable and tilth, whereon were Sheaves [ 430 ]
Net, the other part sheep-walks and foulds;
Ith midst an Altar as the Land-mark stood
Rustic, of grassie sord; thither anon
A sweatie Reaper from his Tillage brought
First Fruits, the green Eare, and the yellow Sheaf, [ 435 ]
Unculld, as came to hand; a Shepherd
More meek came with the Firstlings of his Flock
Choicest a; then sacrifig, laid
The Inwards and thir Fat, with Inse strewd,
On the cleft Wood, and all due Rites performd. [ 440 ]
His soon propitious Fire from Heavn
d with nimble glance, and grateful steame;
The others not, for his was not sincere;
Whereat hee inlie ragd, and as they talkd,
Smote him into the Midriff with a stone [ 445 ]
That beat out life; he fell, and deadly pale
Groand out his Soul with gushing bloud effusd.
Much at that sight was Adam in his heart
Dismaid, and thus in haste to th Angel crid.
O Teacher, some great mischief hath befalln [ 450 ]
To that meek man, who well had sacrificd;
Is Pietie thus and pure Devotion paid?
T whom Michael thus, hee also movd, replid.
These two are Brethren, Adam, and to e
Out of thy loyns; th unjust the just hath slain, [ 455 ]
For ehat his Brothers found
From Heavn acceptance; but the bloodie Fact
Will be avengd,藏书网
and th others Faith approvd
Loose no reward, though here thou see him die,
Rowling in dust and gore. To which our Sire. [ 460 ]
Alas, both for the deed and for the cause!
11
But have I now seeh? Is this the way
I must return to native dust? O sight
Of terrour, foul and ugly to behold,
Horrid to think, how horrible to feel! [ 465 ]
To whom thus Michael. Death thou hast seen
In his first shape on man; but many shapes
Of Death, and many are the wayes that lead
To his grim Cave, all dismal; yet to sense
More terrible at th entrahen within. [ 470 ]
Some, as thou sawst, by violent stroke shall die,
By Fire, Flood, Famin, by Intemperance more
Is and Drinks, whi the Earth shall bring
Diseases dire, of which a monstrous crew
Before thee shall appear; that thou mayst know [ 475 ]
What miserie th inabstinence of Eve
Shall bring on men. Immediately a place
Before his eyes appeard, sad, noysom, dark,
A Lazar-house it seemd, wherein were laid
Numbers of all diseasd, all maladies [ 480 ]
Of gastly Spasm, or rag torture, qualmes
Of heart-sick Agonie, all feavorous kinds,
vulsions, Epilepsies, fierce Catarrhs,
Iin Stone and Ulcer, Coligs,
D?moniac Phrenzie, moaping Melancholie [ 485 ]
And Moon-struck madness, pining Atrophie
Marasmus and wide-wastiilence,
Dropsies, and Asthmas, and Joint-rag Rheums.
Dire was the tossing, deep the groans, despair
Tehe sick busiest from Couch to Couch; [ 490 ]
And over them triumphah his Dart
Shook, but delaid to strike, though oft invokt
With vows, as thir chief good, and final hope.
Sight so deform what heart of Rock could long
Drie-eyd behold? Adam could not, but wept, [ 495 ]
Though not of Woman born; passion quelld
His best of Man, and gave .99ｌib?
for now I see
Peace to corrupt hen Warr to waste.
How es it thus? unfould, Celestial Guide, [ 785 ]
And whether here the Raan will end.
To whom thus Michael. Those whom last thou sawst
In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they
First seen in acts of prowess emi
And great exploits, but of true vertu void; [ 790 ]
Who having spilt much blood, and don much waste
Subduing Nations, and achievd thereby
Fame in the World, high titles, and rich prey,
Shall ge thir course to pleasure, ease, and sloth,
Surfet, and lust, till wantonness and pride [ 795 ]
Raise out of friendship hostil deeds in Peace.
19
The querd also, and enslavd by Warr
Shall with thir freedom lost all vertu loose
And fear of God, from whom thir pietie feignd
In sharp test of Battel found no aide [ 800 ]
Against invaders; therefore coold in zeale
Theh shall practice how to live secure,
Worldlie or dissolute, on what thir Lords
Shall leave them to enjoy; for th Earth shall bear
More then anough, that temperance may be trid: [ 805 ]
So all shall turn degee, all depravd,
Justid Temperaruth and Faith fot;
One Man except, the onely Son of light
In a dark Age, against example good,
Against allurement, , and a World [ 810 ]
Offended; fearless of reproad s,
Or violence, hee of wicked wayes
Shall them admonish, and before them set
The paths hteousness, how much more safe,
And full of peace, denoung wrauth to e [ 815 ]
On thir impenitence; and shall returne
Of them derided, but of God observd
The one just Man alive; by his and
Shall build a wondrous Ark, as thou beheldst,
To save himself and houshold from amidst [ 820 ]
A World devote to universal rack.
No sooner hee with them of Man and Beas..
Select for life shall in the Ark be lodgd,
And shelterd round, but all the Cataracts
Of Heav open on the Earth shall powre [ 825 ]
Raine day and night, all fountains of the Deep
Broke up, shall heave the O to usurp
Beyond all bounds, till inundation rise
Above the highest Hills: then shall this Mount
Of Paradise by might of Waves be moovd [ 830 ]
Out of his place, pushd by the horned floud,
With all his verdure spoild, and Trees adrift
Down the great River to the opning Gulf,
And there take root an Iland salt and bare,
Tbbr>he haunt of Seales and Orcs, and Sea-mews g. [ 835 ]
To teach thee that God attributes to place
No sanctitie, if nohither brought
By Men who there frequent, or therein dwell.
And now what further shall ensue, behold.
20
He lookd, and saw the Ark hull on the floud, [ 840 ]
Whiow abated, for the Clouds were fled,
Drivn by a keen North- wihat blowing drie
Wrinkld the face of Deluge, as decaid;
And the cleer Sun on his wide watrie Glass
Gazd hot, and of the fresh Wave largely drew, [ 845 ]
As after thirst, which made thir flowing shrink
From standing lake to tripping ebbe, that stole
With soft foot towards the deep, who now had stopt
His Sluces, as the Heavn his windows shut.
The Ark no more now flotes, but seems on ground [ 850 ]
Fast oop of som high mountain fixt...
And now the tops of Hills as Rocks appeer;
With clamor thehe rapid Currents drive
Towards the retreatihir furious tyde.
Forthwith from out the Arke a Raven flies, [ 855 ]
And after him, the surer messenger,
A Dove sent forth ond agen to spie
Green Tree round whereon his foot may light;
The sed time returnin..g, in his Bill
An Olive leafe he brings, pacific signe: [ 860 ]
Anround appeers, and from his Arke
The a Sire desds with all his Train;
Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout,
Grateful to Heavn, over his head beholds
A dewie Cloud, and in the Cloud a Bow [ 865 ]
spicuous with three listed cay,
Betokning peace from God, and ant new.
Whereat the heart of Adam erst so sad
Greatly rejoycd, and thus his joy broke forth.
O thou that future things st represent [ 870 ]
As present, Heavnly instructer, I revive
At this last sight, assurd that Man shall live
With all the Creatures, and thir seed preserve.
Farr less I now lament for one whole World
Of wicked Soroyd, then I rejoyce [ 875 ]
For one Man found so perfet and so just,
That God voutsafes to raise another World
From him, and all his aet.
21
But say, what mean those colourd streaks in Heavn,
Distended as the Brow of God appeasd, [ 880 ]
Or serve they as a flourie verge to binde
The fluid skirts of that same watrie Cloud,
Least it aga?9９ｌｉb?in dissolve and showr the Earth?
To whom th Argel. Dextrously thou藏书网 aimst;
So willingly doth God remit his Ire, [ 885 ]
Though late repenting him of Man depravd,
Grievd at his heart, when looking down he saw
The whole Earth filld with violence, and all flesh
Corrupting each thir way; yet those remoovd,
Such grace shall one just Man find in his sight, [ 890 ]
That he relents, not to blot out mankind,
And makes a ant o destroy
The Earth again by flood, nor let the Sea
Surpass his bounds, nor Rain to drown the World
With Man therein or Beast; but when he brings [ 895 ]
Over the Earth a Cloud, will therei
His triple-colourd Bow, whereon to look
And call to mind his ant: Day and Night,
Seed time and Harvest, Heat and hoary Frost
Shall hold thir course, till fire purge all things new, [ 900 ]
Both Heavn ah, wherein the just shall dw９９ｌiｂ?ell.
The End of the Eleventh Book.天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》