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68

But fondly overcome with female charm.

To counterfeit man's voice; true in our fall, Earth trembled from her entrails, as again

False in our promis'd rising ; since our eyes In pangs; and Nature gave a second groan; Open'd we find indeed, and find we know Sky lour'd; and, muttering thunder, some sad drops Both good and evil ; good lost, and evil got; Wept at completing of the mortal sin

Bad fruit of knowledge; if this be to know ; Original: while Adam took no thought,

Which leaves us naked thus, of honor void, Eating his fill: nor Eve to iterate

of innocence, of faith, of purity, Her former trespass fear'd, the more to soothe Our wonted ornaments now soil'd and stain'd. Him with her lov'd society; that now,

And in our faces evident the signs Ås with new wine intoxicated both,

Of foul concupiscence: whence evil store They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel Even shame, the last of evils ; of the first Divinity within them breeding wings,

Be sure then.-How shall I behold the face Wherewith to scorn the earth: but that false fruit Henceforth of God or angel, erst with joy. Far other operation first display'd,

And rapture so oft beheld ? Those heavenly shapes Carnal desire inflaming: he on Eve

Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze Began to cast lascivious eyes; she him

Insufferably bright. O! might I here
As wantonly repaid ; in lust they burn:

In solitude live savage; in some glade
Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move. Obscur’d, where highest woods, impenetrable

Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste, To star or sun-light, spread their umbrage broad
And elegant, of sapience no small part;

And brown as evening : cover me, ye pines !
Since to each meaning savor we apply

Ye cedars, with innumerable boughs
And palate call judicious; I the praise

Hide me, where I may never see them more!
Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purvey'd. But let us now, as in bad plight, devise
Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstain'd What best may for the present serve to hide
From this delightful fruit, nor known till now The parts of each from other, that seem most
True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be

To shame obnoxious, and unseemliest seen ;
In things to us forbidd'n, it might be wishid, Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sew'd
For this one tree had been forbidden ten.

And girded on our loins, may cover round
But come, so well refresh'd, now let us play, Those iniddle parts; that this new comer, Shame,
As meet is, after such delicious fare;

There sit not, and reproach us as unclean.”
For never did thy beauty, since the day

So counsellid he, and both together went
I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorn'd

Into the thickest wood; there soon they chose
With all perfections, so inflame my sense The fig-tree; not that kind for fruit renown'd,
With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now

But such as at this day, to Indians known,
Than ever : bounty of this virtuous tree !" In Malabar or Decan spreads her arms

So said he, and forbore not glance or toy Branching so broad and long, that in the ground
Of amorous intent; well understood

The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow
Or Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire. About the mother tree, a pillar'd shade
Her hand he seiz'd; and to a shady bank, High over-arch'd, and echoing walks between:
Thick over-head with verdant roof embower'd, There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat.
He led her nothing loth; flowers were the couch, Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herd's
Pansies, and violets, and asphodel,

At loop-holes cut through thickest shade: those
And hyacinths; Earth's freshest softest lap.

leaves
There they their fill of love and love's disport They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe;
Took largely, of their mutual guilt the seal, And, with what skill they had, together sew'd,
The solace of their sin : till dewy sleep

To gird their waist; vain covering, if to hide
Oppress'd them, wearied with their amorous play. Their guilt and dreaded slame ! O, how unlike
Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit,

To that first naked glory! Such of late
That with exhilarating vapor bland

Columbus found the American, so girt
About their spirits had play'd, and inmost powers With feather'd cincture, naked else, and wild
Made err, was now exhald; and grosser sleep, Among the trees on isles and woody shores.
Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious dreams Thus fenc'd, and, as they thought, their shame in part
Encumber'd, now had left them; up they rose Cover'd, but not at rest or ease of mind,
As from unrest; and, each the other viewing, They sat them down to weep; nor only tears
Soon found their eyes how open'd, and their minds Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worse withir.
How darken'd: innocence, that as a veil

Began to rise, high passions, anger, hate,
Had shadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone ; Mistrust, suspicion, discord; and shook sore
Just confidence, and native righteousness, Their inward state of mind, calm region once
And honor, from about them, naked left

And full of peace, now tost and turbulent:
To guilty shame; he cover'd, but his robe For Understanding rul'd not, and the Will
Uncover'd more. So rose the Danite strong,

Heard not her lore; both in subjection now
Herculean Samson, from the harlot-lap

To Sensual Appetite, who from beneath
Of Philistéan Dalilah, and wak'd

Usurping over sovran Reason claim'd
Shorn of his strength, they destitute and bare Superior sway: from thus distemper'd breast,
Of all their virtue: silent, and in face

Adam, estrang’d in look and alter'd style,
Confounded, long they sat, as strucken mute : Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd.
Till Adam, though not less than Eve abash'd, “ Would thou hadst hearkened to my words, and
At length gave utlerance to these words constrain'd. With me, as I besought thee, when that strange

“O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give car Desire of wandering, this unhappy morn,
To that false worm, of whomsoever taught I know not whence possess'd thee; we had then:

istaid

Remain'd still happy ; not, as now, despoil'd

committed, resolve to sit no longer confined Of all our good; sham’d, naked, miserable!

in Hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve place of Man: to make the way easier from The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek Hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail." highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the To whom, soon mov'd with touch of blame, thus track that Satan first made; then, preparing for Eve.

Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, re" What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam severe ! turning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan Imput'st thou that to my default, or will

arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates Of wandering, as thou call'st it, which who knows with boasting his success against Man; instead But might as ill have happen'd thou being by, of applause is entertained with a general hiss by Or to thyself perhaps ? Hadst thou been there, all his audience, transformed with himself also Or here the attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd suddenly into serpents according to his doom Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spake;

given in Paradise; then, deluded with a show of No ground of enmity between us known,

the forbidden tree springing up before them, thoy, Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm. greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust Was I to have never parted from thy side?

and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and As good have grown there still a lifeless rib.

Death ; God foretells the final victory of his Son Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head,

over them, and the renewing of all things; but Command me absolutely not to go,

for the present, commands his angels to make Going into such danger, as thou saidst ?

several alterations in the Heavens and elements. Too facile then, thou didst not much gainsay ; Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen con. Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss.

dition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement Hadst thou been firm and fix'd in thy dissent, of Eve; she persisis, and at length appeases him : Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me." then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their off

To whom, then first incens’d, Adam replied. spring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which “ Is this the love, is this the recompense

he approves not; but, conceiving beiter hope, Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve! Express'd

puts her in mind of the late promise made them, Immutable, when thou wert lost, not I;

that her seed should be revenged on the serpent; Who might have liv’d, and joy'd immortal bliss, and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the Yet willingly chose rather death with thee? offended Deity, by repentance and supplication. And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgressing? Not enough severe, MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act It seems, in thy restraint: what could I more? Of Satan done in Paradise ; and how I warn’d thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold

He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve, The danger, and the lurking enemy

Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit, That lay in wait; beyond this had been force ; Was known in Heaven; for what can 'scape the eye And force upon free-will hath here no place. Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart But confidence then bore thee on; secure

Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just, Either to meet no danger, or to find

Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps

Of Man, with strength entire, and free-will, arm'd; I also err'd, in over-much admiring

Complete to have discover'd and repuls'd What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend. No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue

For still they knew, and ought to have still reThat error now, which is become my crime,

member'd,
And thou the accuser. Thus it shall befall The high injunction, not to taste that fruit,
Him, who, to worth in women overtrusting, Whoever tempted; which they not obeying
Lets her will rule : restraint she will not brook ; Incurr'd (what could they less ?) the penalty ;
And, left to herself, if evil thence ensue,

And, manifold in sin, deserv'd to fall.
She first his weak indulgence will accuse." Up into Heaven from Paradise in baste
Thus they in mutual accusation spent

The angelic guards ascend, mute, and sad, The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning, For Man; for of his state by this they knew, And of their vain contést appear’d no end. Much wondering how the subtle fiend had stol'n

Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news

From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeas'd BOOK X.

All were who heard ; dim sadness did not spare

That time celestial visages, yet, mix'd
THE ARGUMENT.

With pity, violated not their bliss.

About the new-arrived, in multitudes Man's transgression known ; the guardian-angels The ethereal people ran, to hear and know

forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to How all befell; they towards the throne supreme approve their vigilance, and are approved ; God Accountable, made haste, to make appear declaring that the entrance of Satan could With righteous plea their utmost vigilance, not be by them prevented. He sends his Son And easily approv'd; when the Most High to judge the transgressors, who descends and Eternal Father, from his secret cloud gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes Amidst, in thunder utter'd thus his voice. them both, and reascends. Sin and Death, “ Assembled angels, and ye powers reiurn'd sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by won. From unsuccessful charge, be not dismay'd, drous sympathy feeling the success of Satan Nor tronbled at these tidings from the Earth, in this new world, and the Sin by Man there which your sincerest care could not prevent,

MILTON.

90

my life;

Foretold so lately what would come to pass, Or come I less conspicuous, or what change
When first this tempter cross'd the gulf from Hell. Absents thee, or what chance detains - Come
I told ye then he should prevail, and speed

forth !"

[fint On his bad errand; Man should be seduc'd,

He came; and with him Eve, more loth, though And Natter'd out of all, believing lies

To offend ; discountenanc'd both, and discompos d; Against his Maker ; no decree of mine

Love was not in their looks, either to God,
Concurring to necessitate his fall,

Or to each other; but apparent guilt,
Or touch'd with lightest moment of impulse And shame, and perturbation, and despair,
His free-will, to her own inclining left

Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.
In even scale. But fall'n he is; and now Whence Adam, faltering long, thus answer'd brief.
What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass " I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice
On his transgression,-death denounc'd that day? Afraid, being naked, hið myself.” To whom
Which he presumes already vain and void, The gracious Judge without revile replied.
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear’d,

* My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'ı
By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find But still rejoic'd; how is it now become
Forbearance no acquittance, ere day end.

So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who
Justice shall not return as bounty scorn'd.

Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree,
But whom send I 10 judge them? whom but thee, Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?
Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferr'd

To whom thus Adam sore beset replied.
All judgment, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell.“ O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand
Easy it may be seen that I intend

Before my judge; either to undergo Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee Myself the total crime, or to accuse Man's friend, his Mediator, his design'd

My other self, the partner

of Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary,

Whose failing, while her faith to me remains. And destin'd Man himself to judge Man fall'n.” I should conceal, and not expose to blame

So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright By my complaint : but strict necessity Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son Subdues me, and calamitous constraint; Blaz'd forth unclouded deity: he full

Lest on my head both sin and punishment, Resplendent all his Father manifest

However insupportable, be all
Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild. Devolv'd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou
• Father Eternal, thine is to decree;

Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.-
Mine, both in Heaven and Earth, to do thy will This woman, whom thou mad'st to be my help,
Supreme; that thou in me, thy Son belov'd, And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good,
May'st ever rest well pleas'd. I go to judge So fit, so acceptable, so divine,
On Earth these thy transgressors; but thou know'st, That from her hand I could suspect no ill,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light, And what she did, whatever in itself,
When time shall be ; for so I undertook

Her doing seem'd to justify the deed ;
Before thee; and, not repenting, this obtain She gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom

To whom the Sovran Presence thus replied.
On me deriv'd; yet I shall temper so

“ Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey
Justice with mercy, as may illustrate most Before his voice? or was she made thy guide,
Them fully satisfied, and thee appease.

Superior, or but equal, that to her
Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place
Are to behold the judgment, but the judg’d, Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,
Those two; the third best absent is condemn’d, And for thee, whose perfection far excell'd
Convict by Alight, and rebel to all law:

Hers in all real dignity ? Adorn'd
Conviction to the serpent none belongs."

She was indeed, and lovely, to attract
Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts
Of high collateral glory. Him thrones, and powers, Were such, as under government well seem'd;
Princedoms, and dominations ministrant,

l'nseemly to bear rule; which was thy part
Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence And person, hadst thou known thyself aright.”
Eden, and all the coast, in prospect lay.

So having said, he thus to Eve in few.
Down he descended straight; the speed of gods “Say, woman, what is this which thou hast done?
*Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes To whom sad Eve, with shame nigh overwhelm'd
wing'a.

Confessing soon, yet not before her judge
Now was the Sun in western cadence low Bold or loquacious, thus abash'd replied.
From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour, The serpent me beguild, and I did eat."
To fan the Earth now wak'd, and usher in

Which when the Lord God heard, without delay
The evening cool; when he, from wrath more cool, To judgment he proceeded on the accus'd
Came the mild judge, and intercessor both, Serpent, though brute; unable to transfer
To sentence Man: the voice of God they heard The guilt on him, who made him instrument
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds Of mischief, and polluted from the end
Brought to their ears, while day declin'd; they heard, or his creation; justly then accursid,
And from his presence hid themselves among

As vitiated in nature : more to know
The thickest trees, both man and wife ; till God, Concern'd not Man, (since he no further knew.)
Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud.

Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last
Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet To Satan first in sin his doom applied,
My coming seen far off? I miss thee here, Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then best:
Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with solitude, And on the serpent thus his curse let fall.
Where obvious duty erewhile appear d unsought: “ Because thou hast done this, thou art accurs'd

!

Above all cattle, each beast of the field;

Beyond this deep: whatever draws me on, Upon thy belly grovelling thou shalt go,

Or sympathy, or some connatural force, And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life. Powerful at greatest distance to unite, Between thee and the woman I will put

With secret amity, things of like kind,
Enmity, and between thine and her seed;

By secretest conveyance. Thou, my shade
Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel." Inseparable, must with me along :
So spake this oracle, then verified

For Death from Sin no power can separate.
When Jesus, son of Mary, second Eve,

But, lest the difficulty of passing back Saw Satan fall, like lightning, down from Heaven, Stay his return perhaps over this gulf Prince of the air; then, rising from his grave, Impassable, impervious ; let us try Spoild principalities and powers, triumph'd Adventurous work, yet to thy power and mino In open show; and, with ascension bright, Not unagreeable, to found a path Captivity led captive throngh the air,

Over this main from Hell to that new world,
The realm itself of Satan, long usurp'd ;

Where Satan now prevails; a monument
Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; Of merit high to all the infernal host,
Ev'n he, who now foretold his fatal bruise : Easing their passage hence, for intercourse,
And to the woman thus his sentence turn'd. Or transmigration, as their lot shall lead.
“Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply

Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn
By thy conception ; children thou shalt bring By this new-felt attraction and instinct."
In sorrow forth ; and to thy husband's will

Whom thus the meagre shadow answer'd soon Thine shall submit; he over thee shall rule." “Go whither Fate, and inclination strong,

On Adam last thus judgment he pronounc'd. Leads thee; I shall not lag behind, nor err " Because thou hast hearken'd to the voice of thy wife, The way, thou leading; such a scent I draw And eaten of the tree, concerning which Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste I charg'd thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat thereof:' The savor of death from all things there that live: Cursid is the ground for thy sake; thou in sorrow Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest Shalt eat thereof, all the days of thy life;

Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.”. Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth So saying, with delight he snuff’d the smell Unbid; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; Of mortal change on Earth. As when a flock In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, Of ravenous fowl, though many a league remote, Till thou return unto the ground; for thou Against the day of battle, to a field, Out of the ground wast taken, know thy birth, Where armies lie encamp’d, come flying, lur'd For dust thou art, and shalt to dust return." With scent of living carcasses design'd

So judgd he Man, both judge and savior sent; For death, the following day, in bloody fight : And the instant stroke of death, denounc'd that day, So scented the grim feature, and upturn'd Remov'd far off; then, pitying how they siood His nostril wide into the murky air; Before him naked to the air, that now

Sagacious of his quarry from so far. Must suffer change, disdain'd not to begin

Then both from out Hell-gates, into the waste Thenceforth the form of servant to assume; Wide anarchy of Chaos, damp and dark, As when he wash'd his servants' feet; so now, Flew diverse; and with power (their power was great) As father of his family, he clad

Hovering upon the waters, what they met Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain, Solid or slimy, as in raging sea Or as the snake with youthful coat repaid; Tost up and down, together crowded drove, And thought not much to clothe his enemies : From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell. Nor he their outward only with the skins

As when two polar winds, blowing adverse Of beasts, but inward nakedness, much more Upon the Cronian sea, together drive Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness Mountains of ice, that stop the imagin'd way Arraying, cover'd from his Father's sight.

Beyond Petsora eastward, to the rich To him with swift ascent he up return'd,

Cathaian coast. The aggregated soil Into his blissful bosom reassum'd

Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry, In glory, as of old; to him appeas'd,

As with a trident smote, and fix'd as firm All, though all-knowing, what had pass'd with Man As Delos, floating once; the rest his look Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.

Bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move ; Meanwhile, ere thus was sinn'd and judg'don Earth, And with Asphaltic slime, broad as the gate, Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and Death, Deep to the roots of Hell the gather'd beach In counterview within the gates, that now They fasten'd, and the mole immense wrought on Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame Over the foaming deep high-arch'd, a bridge Far into Chaos, since the fiend pass'd through, Of length prodigious, joining to the wall Sin opening; who thus now to Death began. Immovable of this now fenceless world,

“O son, why sit we here each other viewing Forfeit to Death ; from hence a passage broau, Idly, while Satan, our great author, thrives Sniooth, easy, inoffensive, down to Hell. In other worlds, and happier seat provides So, if great things to small may be compar’d, For us, his offspring dear? It cannot be

Xerxes, the liberty of Greece to yoke, But that success attends him; if mishap,

From Susa, his Memnonian palace high, Ere this he had return’d, with fury driven Came to the sea; and, over Hellespont By his avengers ; since no place like this

Bridging his way, Europe with Asia join'd, Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.

And scourg'd with many a stroke the indignant waves. Methinks I feel new strength within me rise, Now had they brought the work by wondrous art Wings growing, and dominion given me large, Pontifical, a ridge of pendent rock

64

Over the vex'd abyss, following the track

Fair daughter, and thou son and grand-child both, or Satan to the self-same place where he. High proof ye now have given to be the race First lighted from his wing, and landed safe Of Satan, (for I glory in the name, From out of Chaos, to the outside bare

Antagonist of Heaven's Almighty King,) Of this round world: with pins of adamant Amply have merited of me, of all And chains they made all fast, too fast they made The infernal empire, that so near Heaven's door And durable! And now in little space

Triumphal with triumphal act have met, The confines met of empyréan Heaven,

Mine, with this glorious work; and made one realm, And of this world; and, on the left hand, Hell Hell and this world, one realm, one continent With long reach interpos'd ; three several ways Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore, while 1 In sight, to each of these three places led. Descend through darkness, on your road with ease. And now their way to Earth they had descried, To my associate powers, them to acquaint To Paradise first tending; when, behold!

With these successes, and with them rejoice ; Satan, in likeness of an angel bright,

You two this way, among these numerous orbs, Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering All yours, right down to Paradise descend; His zenith, while the Sun in Aries rose :

There dwell, and reign in bliss; thence on the Earth Disguis'd he came; but those his children dear Dominion exercise and in the air, Their parent soon discern'd, though in disguise. Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declar'd; He, after Eve seduc'd, unminded slunk

Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill. Into the wood fast by; and, changing shape, My substitutes I send ye, and create To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded

Issuing from me: on your joint vigor now Upon her husband ; saw their shar that sought My hold of this new kingdom all depends, Vain covertures; but when he saw descend Through Sin to Death expos'd by my exploit. The Son of God to judge them, terrified

If your joint power prevail, the affairs of Hell He fied ; not hoping to escape, but shun

No detriment need fear; go, and be strong!" The present; fearing, guilty, what his wrath So saying, he dismiss'd them; they with speed Might suddenly inflict; that past, return'd Their course through thickest constellations held, By night, and listening where the hapless pair Spreading their bane; the blasted stars look'd wan Sat in their sad discourse, and various plaint, And planets, planet-struck, real eclipse Thence gather'd his own doom; which understood Then suffer'd. The other way Satan went down Not instant, but of future time, with joy

The causey to Hell-gate: on either side And tidings fraught, to Hell he now return'd; Disparted Chaos over-built exclaim'd, And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot

And with rebounding surge the bars assaild, of this new wondrous pontifice, unhop'd

That scorn'd his indignation : through the gate, Met, who to meet him came, his offspring dear. Wide open and unguarded, Satan pass'd, Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight And all about found desolate ; for those, Of that stupendous bridge his joy increas d. Appointed to sit there, had left their charge, Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair

Flown to the upper world; the rest were all Enchanting daughter, thus the silence broke. Far to the inland retir'd, about the walls

“ O parent, these are thy magnific deeds, Of Pandemonium; city and proud seat
Thy trophies! which thou view'st as not thine own; Of Lucifer, so by allusion call’d
Thou art their author, and prime architect : of that bright star 10 Satan paragon'd ;
For I no sooner in my heart divin'd,

There kept their watch the legions, while the grand My heart, which by a secret harmony

In council sat, solicitous what chance
Srih moves with thine, join'd in connexion sweet, Might intercept their emperor sent; so he
That thou on Earth hadst prosperd, which thy looks Departing gave command, and they observ'd.
Now also evidence, but straight I felt,

As when the Tartar from his Russian foe,
Though distant from thee worlds between, yet felt By Astracan, over the snowy plains,
That I must after thee, with this thy son;

Retires; or Bactrian Sophi, from the horns
Such fatal consequence unites us three;

Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste beyond Hell could no longer hold us in our bounds, The realm of Aladule, in his retreat Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure

To Tauris or Casbeen: so these, the late Detain from following thy illustrious track : Heaven-banish'd host, left desert utmost Hell Thou hast achiev'd our liberty, confin'd

Many a dark league, reduc'd in careful watch Within Hell-gates till now; thou us empower'd Round their metropolis ; and now expecting To fortify thus far, and overlay,

Each hour their great adventurer, from the search
With this portentous bridge, the dark abyss. of foreign worlds; he through the midst unmark's
Thine now is all this world ; thy virtue hath won In show plebeian angel militant
What thy hands builded not; thy wisdom gain'd Of lowest order, pass'd ; and from the door
With odds what war hath lost, and fully aveng'd Of that Plutonian hall, invisible
Our foil in Heaven; here thou shalt monarch reign, Ascended his high throne ; which, under state
There didst not; there let him still victor sway, Or richest texture spread, at the upper end
As battle hath adjudg'd; from this new world Was plac'd in regal lustre. Down awhile
Retiring, by his own doom alienated ;

He sat, and round about him saw, unseen:
And henceforth monarchy with thee divide
Of all things, parted by the empyreal bounds,

At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head
His quadrature, from thy orbicular world;

And shape star-bright appear'd, or brighter; clad Or try thee now more dangerous to his throne."

With what permissive glory since his fall Whom thus the prince of darkness answer'd glad. At that so sudden blaze, the Siygian throng

Was left him, or false glitter : all amaz'd