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《Paradise Lost Ⅹ》
THE ARGUMENT
Mans transgression known, the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise, aurn up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance, and are approvd, God declaring that The entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the Transgressors, who desds and gives Sentence accly; then in pity cloaths them both, and reasds. Sin ah sitting till then at the Gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathie feeling the success of Satan in this new World, and the sin by Man there itted, resolve to sit no longer find in Hell, but to follow Satan thir Sire up to the plaan: To make the way easier from Hell to this 9９ｌｉｂ?World to and fro, they pave a broad Highway e over Chaos, acc to the Track that Satan first made; then preparing for Earth, they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell; thir mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full of assembly relates with boasting his success against Man; instead of applause is eained with a general hiss by all his audieransformd with himself also suddenly into Serpents, acc to his doom givn in Paradise; then deluded with a shew of the forbidden Tree springing up before them, they greedily reag to take of the Fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings99lib?
of Sin ah; God foretels the final Victory of his Sohem, and the renewing of all things; but for the present ands his Ao make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam more and more perceiving his falln dition heavily bewailes, rejects the ent of Eve; she persists and at length appeases him: then to evade the Curse likely to fall on thir , proposes to Adam violent wayes which he approves not, but ceivier hope, puts her in mind of the late Promise made them, that her Seed should be revengd on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek Peace of the offended Deity, by repentand supplication.
1
MEanwhile the hainous and despightfull act
Of Satan done in Paradise, and how
Hee in the Serpent, had perverted Eve,
Her Husband shee, to taste the fatall fruit,
Was known in Heavn; for what scape the Eye [ 5 ]
Of God All-seeing, or deceave his Heart
Omnist, who in all things wise and just,
Hinderd not Satan to attempt the minde
Of Man, with strength entire, and free will armd,
plete to have discoverd and repulst [ 10 ]
Whatever wiles of Foe or seeming Friend.
For still ..
l to thee? that thou art naked, who
Hath told thee? hast thou eaten of the Tree
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst ?
To whom thus Adam sore beset replid.
O Heavn! in evil strait this day I stand [ 125 ]
Before my Judge, either to up://?９9lib.goe
My self the total Crime, or to accuse
My other self, the partner of my life;
Whose failing, while her Faith to me remaines,
I should ceal, and not expose to blame [ 130 ]
By my plaint; but striecessitie
Subdues me, and calamitous straint
Least on my head both sin and punishment,
However insupportable, be all
Devolvd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou [ 135 ]
Wouldst easily detect what I ceale.
This Woman whom thou madst to be my help,
And gavst me as thy perfet gift, so good,
So fit, so acceptable, so Divine,
That from her hand I could suspeo ill, [ 140 ]
And what she did, whatever in it self,
Her doing seemd to justifie the deed;
Shee gave me of the Tree, and I did eate.
To whom the sovran Presehus replid.
Was sh..t>ee thy God, that her thou didst obey [ 145 ]
Before his voice, or was shee made thy guide,
Superior, or but equal, that to her
Thou didst resighy Manhood, and the Place
Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,
And for thee, whose perfe farr excelld [ 150 ]
Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd
She was indeed, and lovely to attract
Thy Love, not thy Subje, and her Gifts
Were such as under Gover well seemd,
Unseemly to beare rule, which was thy part [ 155 ]
And person, hadst thou known thy self aright.
So having said, he thus to Eve in few:
Say Woman, what is this which thou hast done?
5
To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelmd,
fessing soo not before her Judge [ 160 ]
Bold or loquacious, thus abasht replid.
The Serpent me beguild and I did eate.
Which when the Lod heard, without delay
To Judgement he pr..oceeded on th accusd
Serpent though brute, uo transferre [ 165 ]
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
d not Man (since he no further knew) [ 170 ]
Nor alterd his offence; yet God at last
To Satan first in sin his doom applyd
Though in mysterious terms, judgd as the:
And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall.
Because thou hast dohis, thou art accurst [ 175 ]
Above all Cattle, each Beast９９lｉb? of the Field;
Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe,
And dust shalt eat all the dayes of thy Life.
Between Thee and the Woman I will put
Enmitie, aween thine and h..er Seed; [ 180 ]
Her Seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.
So spake this Oracle, then verifid
When Jesus son of Mary sed Eve,
Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heavn,
Prince of the Aire; then rising from his Grave [ 185 ]
Spoild Principalities and Powers, triumpht
In open shew, and with astiht
Captivity led captive through the Aire,
The Realm it self of Satan long usurpt,
Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; [ 190 ]
Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruise,
And to the Woman thus his Senteurnd.
Thy sorrow I will greatly multiplie
By thy ception; Children thou shalt bring
In sorrow forth, and to thy Husbands will [ 195 ]
Thine shall submit, hee over the.e shall rule.
On Adam last thus judgement he pronouncd.
6
Because thou hast hearknd to the voice of thy Wife,
Aen of the Tree ing which
I chargd thee, saying: Thou shalt e thereof, [ 200 ]
Cursd is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow
Shalt e９９lｉｂ?ate thereof all the days of thy Life;
Thorns also and Thistl..s, [ 380 ]
His Quadrature, from thy Orbicular World,
Or trie thee now more dangrous to his Throne.
Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad.
Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both,
High proof ye now have givn to be the Race [ 385 ]
Of Satan (florie in the name,
Antagonist of Heavns Almightie King)
Amply have merited of me, of all
Th Infernal Empire, that so neer Heavns dore
Triumphal with triumphal act have met, [ 390 ]
Mih this glorious Work, and made one Realm
Hell and this World, one Realm, one ti
Of easie thh-fare. Therefore while I
Desd through Darkness, on your Rode with ease
To my associate Powers, them to acquaint [ 395 ]
With these successes, and with them rejoyce,
You two this way, among these numerous Orbs
All yours, right down to Paradise desd;
There dwell and Reign in bliss, then the Earth
Dominion exercise and in the Aire, [ 400 ]
Chiefly on Man, sole Lord of all declard,
Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.
My Substitutes I send ye, and Create
Plenipotent oh, of matchless might
Issuing from mee: on your joynt vigor now [ 405 ]
My hold of this new Kingdom all depends,
Through Sin to Death exposd by my exploit.
11
If your joynt power prevailes, th affaires of Hell
riment need feare, goe arong.
So saying he dismissd them, they with speed [ 410 ]
Thir course through thickest stellations held
Spreading thir bahe blasted Starrs lookt wan,
And Plas, Plarook, real Eclips
Then sufferd. Th other way Sata down
The Causey to Hell Gate; oher side [ 415 ]
Disparted Chaos over built exclaimd,
And with rebounding surge the barrs assaild,
That sd his indignation: through the Gate,
Wide open and unguarded, Satan passd,
And all about found desolate; for those [ 420 ]
Appoio sit there, had left thir charge,
Flown to the upper World; the rest were all
Farr to the inlaird, about the walls
Of Pand?monium, Citie and proud seate
Of Lucifer, so by allusion calld, [ 425 ]
Of that bright Starr to Satan paragond.
There kept thir Watch the Legions, while the Grand
In cil sate, sollicitous what ce
Might intercept thir Emperour sent, so hee
Departing gave and, and they observd. [ 430 ]
As wheartar from his Russian Fo.９9ｌｉｂ?e
By Astra over the Snowie Plaines
Retires, or Bactrian Sophi from the hornes
Of Turkish Crest, leaves all waste beyond
The Realm of Aladule, in his retreate [ 435 ]
To Tauris or Casbeen. So these the late
Heavn-banisht Host, left desert utmost Hell
Many a dark League, redu careful Watch
Round thir Metropolis, and now expeg
Each hour thir great adventurer from the search [ 440 ]
Of Forrein Worlds: he through the midst unmarkt,
In shew Plebeian Angel militant
Of lowest order, past; and from the dore
Of that Plutonian Hall, invisible
Asded his high Throne, whider state [ 445 ]
Of richest texture spred, at th upper end
la regal lustre. Down a while
He sate, and round about him saw unseen:
At last as from a Cloud his fulgent head
And shape Starr bright appeerd, hter, clad [ 450 ]
With ermissive glory since his fall
Was left him, or false glitter: All amazd
At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng
Bent thir aspect, and whom they wishd beheld,
Thir mighty Chief returnd: loud was th acclaime: [ 455 ]
Forth rushd in haste the great sulting Peers,
Raisd from thir dark Divan, and with like joy
gratulant approachd him, who with hand
Silence, and with these words attention won.
12
Thrones, Dominations, Prins, Vertues, Powers, [ 460 ]
For in possession suot onely ht,
I call ye and declare ye now, returnd
Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth
Triumphant out of this >infernal Pit
Abominable, accurst, the house of woe, [ 465 ]
And Dungeon of our Tyrant: Now possess,
As Lords, a spacious World, to our native Heaven
Little inferiour, by my adventure hard
With peril great atchievd. Loo tell
What I have don, what sufferd, with aine [ 470 ]
Voyagd th unreal, vast, unbounded deep
Of horrible fusion, over which
By Sin ah a broad way now is pavd
To expedite ylorious march; but I
Toild out my uncouth passage, forct to ride [ 475 ]
Th untractable Abysse, plungd in the womb
Of uninal Night and Chaos wilde,
That jealous of thir secrets fiercely opposd
My jourrange, with clamorous uproare
Protesting Fate supreame; thence how I found [ 480 ]
The new created World, which fame in Heavn
Long had foretold, a Fabrick wonderful
Of absolute perfecti?on, therein Man
Pla a Paradise, by our exile
Made happie: Him by fraud I have seducd [ 485 ]
From his Creator, and the more to increase
Your wonder, with an Apple; he thereat
Offended, worth your laughter, hath givn up
Both his beloved Man and all his World,
To Sin ah a prey, and so to us, [ 490 ]
Without our hazard, labou.r, or allarme,
Te in, and to dwell, and over Man
To rule, as over all he should have ruld.
True is, mee also he hath judgd, or rather
Mee not, but the brute Serpent in whose shape [ 495 ]
Man I deceavd: that whiee belongs,
Is enmity, which he will put between
Mee and Mankinde; I am to bruise his heel;
His Seed, when is not set, shall bruise my head:
A World who would not purchase with a bruise, [ 500 ]
Or much mrievous pain? Ye have th at
Of my performance: What remains, ye Gods,
But up aer now into full bliss.
13
So having said, a while he stood, expeg
Thir universal shout and high applause [ 505 ]
To fill his eare, when trary he hears
On all sides, from innumerable tongues
A dismal universal hiss, the sound
Of public s; he wonderd, but not long
Had leasure, w at himself now more; [ 510 ]
His Visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare,
His Armes g to his Ribs, his Leggs entwining
Each other, till supplanted down he fell
A monstrous Serpent on his Belly prone,
Relut, but in vaine: a greater power [ 515 ]
Now ruld him, punisht in the shape he sind,
Acc to his doom: he would have spoke,
But hiss for hiss returnd with fos head and taile,
Scorpion and Asp, and Amphisb?na dire,
Cerastes hornd, Hydrus, and Ellops drear, [ 525 ]
And Dipsas (not so thick swarmd ohe Soil
Bedropt with blood of Gon, or the Isle
Ophiusa) but still greatest hee the midst,
Non grown, larger then whom the Sun..
Ingenderd ihian Vale on slime, [ 530 ]
Huge Python, and his Power no less he seemd
Above the rest still to retain; they all
Him followd issuing forth to th open Field,
Where all yet left of that revolted Rout
Heavn-falln, in station stood or just array, [ 535 ]
Sublime with expectatioo see
In Triumph issuing forth thir glorious Chief;
They saw, but ht instead, a crowd
Of ugly Serpents; horror on them fell,
And horrid sympathie; for what they saw, [ 540 ]
They felt themselvs now ging; down thir arms,
Down fell both Spear and Shield, down they as fast,
And the dire hiss renewd, and the dire form
Catcht by tagion, like in punishment,
As in thir crime. Thus was th applause they meant, [ 545 ]
Turnd to exploding ９9liｂ?
hiss, triumph to shame
Cast on themselves from thir own mouths. There stood
A Grove hard by, sprung up with this thir ge,
His will whns above, to aggravate
Thir penance, laden with Fruit like that [ 550 ]
Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve
Usd by the Tempter: on that prospect strange
Thir ear eyes they fixd, imagining
For one forbidden Tree a multitude
Now risn, to work them furder woe or shame; [ 555 ]
Yet parcht with scalding thurst and hunger fierce,
Though to delude them sent, could not abstain,
But on they rould in heaps, and up the Trees
Climbing, sat thicker then the snakie locks
That curld Meg?ra: greedily they pluckd [ 560 ]
The Frutage fair to sight, like that which grew
hat bituminous Lake where Sodom flamd;
This mo9９lib?
reshold to have sate watch,
Unnamd, undreaded, and thy self half starvd? [ 595 ]
Whom thus the Sin-born Monster answerd soon.
To mee, who with eternal Famin pine,
Alike is Hell, or Paradise, or Heaven,
There best, where most with ravin I may meet;
Which here, though plenteous, all too little seems [ 600 ]
To stuff this Maw, this vast unhide-bound Corps.
To whom th iuous Mother thus replid.
Thou therefore on these Herbs, and Fruits, and Flours
Feed first, on each Beast , and Fish, and Fowle,
No homely morsels, and whatever thing [ 605 ]
The Sithe of Time mowes down, devour unspard,
Till I in Man residing through the Race,
His thoughts, his looks, words, as all i,
And season him thy last and sweetest prey.
This said, they both betook them several wayes, [ 610 ]
Both to destroy, or unimmortal make
All kinds, and for destru to mature
Sooner or later; which th Almightie seeing,
From his transdent S..he Saints among,
To those bright Orders utterd thus his voice. [ 615 ]
15
See with what heat these Dogs of Hell advance
To waste and havoder World, which I
So fair and good created, and had still
Kept in that State, had not the folly of Man
Let in these wastful Furies, who impute [ 620 ]
Folly to mee, so doth the Prince of Hell
And his Adherents, that with so much ease
I suffer them to enter and possess
A place so heavnly, and iving seem
To gratifie my sful Enemies, [ 625 ]
That laugh, as if transported with some fit
Of Passion, I to them had quitted all,
At random yielded up to their misrule;
And know not that I calld and drew them thither
My Hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth [ 630 ]
Which mans polluting Sin with taint hath shed
On what ure, till crammd and gd, nigh burst
With suckt and glutted offal, at one sling
Of thy victorious Arm, well-pleasing Son,
Both Sin, ah, and yawning Grave at last [ 635 ]
Through Chaos hurld, obstruct the mouth of Hell
For ever, and seal up his ravenous Jawes.
Then Heavn ah renewd shall be made pure
To sanctitie that shall receive no staine:
Till then the Curse pronoun both precedes. [ 640 ]
He ended, and the Heavnly Audience loud
Sung Halleluia, as the sound of Seas,
Through multitude that sung: Just are thy ways,
Righteous are thy Decrees on all thy Works;
Who extenubbr>..ate thee? , to the Son, [ 645 ]
Destiorer of Mankind, by whom
New Heavn ah shall to the Ages rise,
Or down from Heavn desd. Such was thir song,
While the Creator calling forth by name
His mightie Angels gave them several charge, [ 650 ]
As sorted best with present things. The Sun
Had first his precept so to move, so shine,
As might affect the Earth with cold a
Scarce tollerable, and from the North to call
Decrepit Winter, from the South t [ 655 ]
Solstitial summers heat. To the blanc Moone
Her office they prescribd, to th other five
Thir plaarie motions and aspects
Iile, Square, and Trine, and Opposite,
Of noxious efficacie, and when to joyne [ 660 ]
In Synod unbenigne, and taught the fixt
Thir influence malignant when to showre,
Which of them rising with the Sun, or falling,
Should prove tempestuous: To the Winds they set
Thir ers, when with bluster to found [ 665 ]
Sea, Aire, and Shoar, the Thunder when to rowle
With terror through the dark Aereal Hall.
16
Some say he bid his Aurne asse
The Poles of Earth twice ten degrees and more
From the Suns Axle; they with labour pushd [ 670 ]
Oblique the tric Globe: Som say the Sun
Was bid turn Reines from th Equinoctial Rode
Like distant breadth to Taurus with the Seavn
Atlantick Sisters, and the Spartan Twins
Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amaine [ 675 ]
By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales,
As deep as Caprie, t in ge
Of Seasons to each Clime; else had the Spring
Perpetual smild oh with vernant Flours,
Equal in Days and Nights, except to those [ 680 ]
Beyond the Polar Circles; to them Day
Had unbenighted shon, while the low Sun
To repence his distance, in thir sight
Had rouill th Horizon, and not known
Or East or West, which had forbid the Snow [ 685 ]
From cold Estotiland, and South as farr
Beh Magellan. At that tasted Fruit
The Sun, as from Thyestean Baurnd
His course intended; else how had the World
Inhabited, though sinless, more then now, [ 690 ]
Avoided ping cold and scorg heate?
These ges in the Heavns, though slow, producd
Like ge on Sea and Land, sideral blast,
Vbbr>99lｉｂ?apour, and Mist, and Exhalation hot,
Corrupt ailent: Now from the North [ 695 ]
Of Norumbega, and the Samoed shoar
Bursting thir brazen Dungeon, armd with ice
?And snow and haile and stormie gust and flaw,
Boreas and C?cias and Argestes loud
And Thrascias rend the Woods and Seas upturn; [ 700 ]
With adverse blast up-turns them from the South
Notus and Afer black with thundrous Clouds
From Serraliona; thwart of these as fierce
Forth rush the Levant and the Po Windes
Eurus and Zephir with thir lateral noise, [ 705 ]
Sirocco, and Libecchio. Thus began
e from liveless things; but Discord first
Daughter of Sin, among th irrational,
Death introducd through fiertipathie:
Beast now with Beast gan war, and Fowle with Fowle, [ 710 ]
And Fish with Fish; to graze the Herb all leaving,
Devourd each other; nor stood mu awe
Of Man, but fled him, or with tnance grim
Glard on him passing: these were from without
The growing miseries, which Adam saw [ 715 ]
Alreadie in part, though hid in gloomiest shade,
To sorrow abandond, but worse felt within,
And in a troubld Sea of passion tost,
Thus to disburdn sought with sad plaint.
17
O miserable of happie! is this the end [ 720 ]
Of this new glorious World, and mee so late
The Glory of that Glory, who now be
Accurst of blessed, hide me from the face
Of God, whom to behold was then my highth
Of happiness: yet well, if here would end [ 725 ]
The miserie, I deservd it, and would beare
My own deservings; but this will not serve;
All th藏书网at I eat or drink, or shall beget,
Is propagated curse. O voice heard
Delightfully, Encrease and multiply, [ 730 ]
Now death to hear! for what I encrease
Or multiplie, but curses on my head?
Who of all Ages to succeed, but feeling
The evil on him brought by me, will curse
My Head, Ill fare our Aor impure, [ 735 ]
For this we may thank Ada.m; but his thanks
Shall be the execration; so besides
Mine own that bide upon me, all from mee
Shall with a fierce reflux on mee redound,
On mee as on thir natural ter light [ 740 ]
Heavie, though in thir place. O fleeting joyes
Of Paradise, deare bought with lasting woes!
Did I request thee, Maker, from .?my Clay
To mould me Man, did I sollicite thee
From darko promote me, or here place [ 745 ]
In this delicious Garden? as my Will
curd not to my being, it were but right
And equal to reduce me to my dust,
Desirous tne, and render back
All I receavd, uo performe [ 750 ]
Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold
The good I sought not. To the loss of that,
Suffit penaltie, why hast thou added
The sense of endless woes? inexplicable
Thy Justice seems; yet to say truth, too late, [ 755 ]
I thus test; then should have been refusd
Those terms whatever, when they were proposd:
Thou didst accept them; wilt thou enjoy the good,
Then cavil the ditions? and though God
Made thee without thy leave, what if thy Son [ 760 ]
Prove disobedient, and reprovd, retort,
Wherefore dids?hou beget me? I sought it not
Wouldst thou admit for his pt of thee
That proud excuse? yet him not thy ele,
But Natural y begot. [ 765 ]
18
God made thee of choice his own, and of his own
To serve him, thy reward was of his grace,
Thy punishment then justly is at his Will.
Be it so, for I submit, his doom is fair,
That du.. I am, and shall to dust returne: [ 770 ]
O wel hour whenever! why delayes
His hand to execute what his Decree
Fixd on this day? why do I overlive,
Why am I mockt with death, ahnd out
To deathless pain? how gladly would I meet [ 775 ]
Mortalitie my sentence, and be Earth
Insensible, how glad would lay me down
As in my Mothers lap! There I should rest
And sleep secure; his dreadful voiore
Would Thunder in my ears, no fear of worse [ 780 ]
To mee and to my would torment me
With cruel expectatio one doubt
Pursues me still, least all I ot die,
Least that pure breath of Life, the Spirit of Man
Which God inspird, ot together perish [ 785 ]
With this corporeal Clod; then in the Grave,
Or in some other dismal place who knows
But I shall die a livih? O thought
Horrid, if true! yet why? it was but breath
Of Life that sinnd; what dies but what had life [ 790 ]
And sin? the Bodie properly hath her.
All of me then shall die: let this appease
The doubt, since humane reao further knows.
For though the Lord of all be infinite,
Is his wrauth also? be it, man is not so, [ 795 ]
But mortal doomd. How he exercise
Wrath without end on Man whom Death must end?
he make deathless Death? that were to make
Strange tradi, which to God himself
Impossible is held, as Argument [ 800 ]
Of weakness, not of Power. Will he, draw out,
Fers sake, fio infinite
In punisht man, to satisfie his rigour
Satisfid hat were to extend
His Sentence beyond dust and Natures Law, [ 805 ]
By which all Causes else acc still
To the reception of thir matter act,
Not to th extent of thir own Spheare. But say
That Death be not oroak, as I supposd,
Bereaving sense, but endless miserie [ 810 ]
From this day onward, which I feel begun
Both in me, and without me, and so last
To perpetuitie; Ay me, that fear
es thundring back with dreadful revolution
On my defensless head; both Death and I [ 815 ]
Am fouernal, and incorporate both,
Nor I on my part single, in mee all
Posteritie stands curst: Fair Patrimonie
That I must leave ye, Sons; O were I able
To waste it all my self, and leave ye none! [ 820 ]
19
So disied how would ye bless
Me now your curse! Ah, why should all mankind
For one mans fault thus guiltless be nd,
If guiltless? But from mee what proceed,
But all corrupt, both Mind and Will depravd, [ 825 ]
Not to do onely, but to will the same
With me? how they then acquitted stand
In sight of God? Him after all Disputes
Forct I absolve: all my evasions vain
And reasonings, though through Mazes, lead me still [ 830 ]
But to my own vi: first and last
On mee, mee onely, as the sourse and spring
Of all corruption, all the blame lights due;
So might the wrauth. Fond wish! couldst thou support
That burden heavier then the Earth to bear [ 835 ]
Then?. all the World much heavier, though divided
With that bad Woman? Thus what thou desirst,
And what thou fearst, alike destroyes all hope
e, and cludes thee miserable
Beyond all past example and future, [ 840 ]
To Satan on９９lｉｂ?ly like both crime and doom.
O sce, into what Abyss of fears
And horrors hast thou drivn me; out of which
I find no way, from deep to deeper plungd!
Thus Adam to himself lamented loud [ 845 ]
Through the still Night, not now, as ere man fell,
Wholsom and cool, and mild, but with black Air
Apanied, with damps and dreadful gloom,
Which to his evil sce represented
All things with double terror: On the ground [ 850 ]
Outstretcht he lay, on the cold ground, and oft
Cursd his Creatioh as oft accusd
Of tardie execution, since denounct
The day of his offence. Why es not Death,
Said hee, with ohrice acceptable stroke [ 855 ]
To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word,
Justice Divi hastn to be just?
But Death es not at call, Justice Divine
Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries.
O Woods, O Fountains, Hillocks, Dales and Bowrs, [ 860 ]
With other echo late I taught your Shades
To answer, and resound farr other Song.
20
Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld,
Desolate where she sate, approag nigh,
Soft words to his fierce passion she assayd: [ 865 ]
But her with stern regard he thus repelld.
Out of my sight, thou Serpent, that name best
Befits thee with him leagud, thy self as false
And hateful; nothing wants, but that thy shape,
Like his, and colour Serpentine may shew [ 870 ]
Thy inward fraud, to warn all Creatures from thee
Heh; least that too heavnly form, pretended
To hellish falshood, shem. But for thee
I had persisted happie, had not thy pride
And wandring vanitie, whe was safe, [ 875 ]
Rejected my forewarning, and disdaind
Not to be trusted, longing to be seen
Though by the Devil himself, him overweening
To over-reach, but with the Serpeing
Foold and beguild, by him thou, I by thee, [ 880 ]
To trust thee from my side, imagind wise,
stant, mature, proof against all assaults,
And uood not all was but a shew
Rather then solid vertu, all but a Rib
Crooked by nature, bent, as noears, [ 885 ]
More to the part sinister from me drawn,
Well if thrown out, as supernumerarie
To my just number found. O why did God,
Creator wise, that peopld highest Heavn
With Spirits Mase, create at last [ 890 ]
This ie oh, this fair defect
Of Nature, and not fill the World at once
With Men as Angels without Feminine,
Or find some other way to gee
Mankind? this mischief had not then befalln, [ 895 ]
And more that shall befall, innumerable
Disturbances oh through Femal snares,
And straight jun with this Sex: for either
He never shall find out fit Mate, but such
As some misfortune brings him, or mistake, [ 900 ]
Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain
Through her perversness, but shall see her gaind
By a farr worse, or if she love, withheld
By Parents, or his happiest choice too lat?e
Shall meet, alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound [ 905 ]
To a fell Adversarie, his hate or shame:
Whifinite calamitie shall cause
To Humane life, and houshold peace found.
21
He added not, and from her turnd, but Eve
Not so repulst, with Tears that ceasd not flowing, [ 910 ]
And tresses all disorderd, at his feet
Fell humble, and imbrag them, besaught
His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint.
Forsake me not thus, Adam, witness Heavn
What love sincere, and reveren my heart [ 915 ]
I beare thee, and uing have offended,
Unhappilie deceavd; thy suppliant
I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not,
Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid,
Thy sel in this uttermost distress, [ 920 ]
My onely strength and stay: forlorn of thee,
Whither shall I betake me, where subsist?
While yet we live, scarse one short hour perhaps,
Between us two let there be peace, both joyning,
As joynd in injuries, oie [ 925 ]
Against a Foe by doom express assignd us,
That cruel Serpent: On me exercise not
Thy hatred ..for this miserie befalln,
On me alreadie lost, mee then thy self
More miserable; both have sind, but thou [ 930 ]
Against God onely, I against God and thee,
And to the place of judgment will return,
There with my cries importune Heaven, that all
The sentence from thy head removd may light
On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe, [ 935 ]
Mee mee onely just object of his ire.
She ended weeping, and her lowlie plight,
Immovable till peace obtaind from fault
Aowledgd and deplord, in Adam wraught
iseration; soon his heart relented [ 940 ]
Towards her, his life so late and sole delight,
Now at his feet submissive in distress,
Creature so faire his recilement seeking,
His sel whom she had displeasd, hi>9９ｌｉb.s aide;
As one disarmd, his anger all he lost, [ 945 ]
And thus with peaceful words upraisd her soon.
Unwarie, and too desirous, as before,
So now of what thou knowst not, who desirst
The punishment all on thy self; alas,
Beare thine own first, ill able to sustaine [ 950 ]
His full wrauth whose thou feelst as yet lest part,
And my displeasure bearst so ill. If Prayers
Could alter high Decrees, I to that place
Would speed before thee, and be louder heard,
That on my head all might be visited, [ 955 ]
Thy frailtie and infirmer Sex fivn,
To me itted and by me exposd.
22
But rise, let us no more tend, nor blame
Each other, blamd enough elsewhere, but strive
In offices of Love, how we may lightn [ 960 ]
Each others burden in our share of woe;
Sihis days Death denounct, if ought I see,
Will prove no sudden, but a slow-pact evill,
A long days dying to augment our paine,
And to our Seed (O hapless Seed!) derivd. [ 965 ]
To whom thus Eve, rec heart, replid.
Adam, by sad experiment I know
How little weight my words with thee finde,
Found so erroneous, t９9lib?
hence by just event
Found so unfortunate; heless, [ 970 ]
Restord by thee, vile as I am, to place
Of netance, hopeful taine
Thy Love, the sole te of my heart
Living or dying, from thee I will not hide
What thoughts in my u brest are risn, [ 975 ]
Tending to some relief of our extremes,
Or end, though sharp and sad, yet tolerable,
As in our evils, and of easier choice.
If care of our dest perplex us most,
Which must be born to certain woe, devourd [ 980 ]
By Death藏书网 at last, and miserable it is
To be to others cause of misery,
Our owen, and of our L.９9liｂ.oi
Into this cursed World a woful Race,
That after wretched Life must be at last [ 985 ]
Food for so foule a Monster, in thy power
It lies, yet ere ception to prevent
The Rablest, to bei u.
Childless thou art, Childless remaine:
So Death shall be deceavd his glut, and with us two [ 990 ]
Be forcd to satisfie his Ravnous Maw.
But if thou judge it hard and difficult,
versing, looking, loving, to abstain
From Loves due Rites, Nuptial imbraces sweet,
And with desire to languish without hope, [ 995 ]
Before the present object languishing
With like desire, which would be miserie
And tormehen none of what we dread,
Then both our selves and Seed at oo free
From what we fear for both, let us make short, [ 1000 ]
Let us seek Death, or he not found, supply
With our own hands his Offi our selves;
Why stand we longer shivering under feares,
That shew no end but Death, and have the power,
Of many ways to die the shortest choosing, [ 1005 ]
Destru with destru to destroy.
23
She ended heer, or vehement despaire
Broke off the rest; so much of Death her thoughts
Had eaind, as did her Cheeks with pale.
But Adam with such sel nothing swayd, [ 1010 ]
To better hopes his more attentive minde
Lab had raisd, and thus to Eve replid.
Eve, thy pt of life and pleasure seebbr>..ms
Tue in thee somthing more sublime
And excellent then what thy minde nes; [ 1015 ]
But self-destru therefore saught, refutes
That excellehought in thee, and implies,
Not thy pt, but anguish a
For loss of life and pleasure overlovd.
Or if thou covet death, as utmost end [ 1020 ]
Of miserie, so thinking to evade
The penaltie pronounct, doubt not but God
Hath wiselier armd his vengeful ire then so
To be forestalld; much more I fear least Death
So?99ｌｉｂ? snatcht will not exempt us from the paine [ 1025 ]
We are by doom to pay; rather such acts
Of acie will provoke the highest
To make death in us live: The us seek
Some safer resolution, which methinks
I have in view, calling to mih heed [ 1030 ]
Part of our Sentehat thy Seed shall bruise
The Serpents head; piteous amends, unless
Be meant, whom I jecture, rand Foe
Satan, who in t..
sh his head [ 1035 ]
Would be revenge indeed; which will be lost
By death brought on our selves, or childless days
Resolvd, as thou proposest; so our Foe
Shall scape his punishment ordaind, and wee
Instead shall double ours upon our heads. [ 1040 ]
24
No more bbr>be mentiond then of violence
Against our selves, and wilful barrenness,
That cuts us off from hope, and savours onely
Rancor and pride, impatiend despite,
Reluce against God and his just yoke [ 1045 ]
Laid on our Necks. Remember with what mild
And gracious temper he both heard and judgd
Without wrauth or reviling; wee expected
Immediate dissolut?ion, which we thought
Was meant by Death that day, when lo, to thee [ 1050 ]
Pains onely in Child-bearing were foretold,
And bringing forth, soon repenct with joy,
Fruit of thy Womb: Ohe Curse aslope
Glan the ground, with labour I must earne
My bread; what harm? Idleness had bin worse; [ 1055 ]
My labour will sustain me; a Cold
Or Heat should injure us, his timely care
Hath unbesaught provided, and his hand藏书网s
Cloathd us unworthie, pitying while he judgd;
How much more, if we pray him, will his ear [ 1060 ]
Be open, and his heart to pitie ine,
And teach us further by what means to shun
Th i Seasons, Rain, Ice, Hail and Snow,
Whiow the Skie with various Face begins
To shew us in this Mountain, while the Winds [ 1065 ]
Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful locks
Of these fair spreading Trees; which bids us seek
Som better shroud, som better warmth to cherish
Our Limbs benummd, ere this diurnal Starr
Leave cold the Night, how we his gatherd beams [ 1070 ]
Reflected, may with matter sere foment,
Or by collision of two bodies grinde
The Air attrite to Fire, as late the Clouds
Justling or pusht with Winds rude in thir shock
Tihe slant Lightning, whose thwart flame drivn down [ 1075 ]
Kihe gummie bark of Firr or Pine,
And sends a fortable heat from farr,
Which might supplie the Sun: such Fire to use,
And what may else be remedie or cure
To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, [ 1080 ]
Hee will instruct us praying, and of Grace
Beseeg him, so as we need not fear
To pass odiously this life, sust?99lｉb?aind
By him with many forts, till we end
In dust, our final rest and native home. [ 1085 ]
What better we do, then to the place
Repairing where he judgd us, prostrate fall
Before him reverent, and there fess
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Watering the ground, and with hs the Air [ 1090 ]
Frequenting, sent from hearts trite, in sign
Of sorrow unfeignd, and humiliation meek.
Undoubtedly he will relent and turn
From his displeasure; in whose look serene,
When angry most he seemd and most severe, [ 1095 ]
What else but favrace, and mercie shon?
So spake our Father pe, nor Eve
Felt less remorse: they forthwith to the place
Repairing where he judgd them prostrate fell
Before him reverent, and both fessd [ 1100 ]
Humbly thir faults, and pardon begd, with tears
Watering the ground, and with thir sighs the Air
Frequenting, sent from hearts trite, in sign
Of sorrow unfeignd, and humiliation meek.
The End of the Tenth Book.天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》