The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (123 page)

1

   
Thus they, in lowliest plight, repentant stood

2

Praying, for from the mercy-seat
⁵⁷⁵²
above

3

Prevenient
⁵⁷⁵³
grace descending had removed

4

The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh

5

Regenerate
⁵⁷⁵⁴
grow instead, that sighs now breathed

6

Unutterable,
⁵⁷⁵⁵
which the spirit of prayer

7

Inspired, and winged for Heav’n with speedier flight

8

Than loudest oratory. Yet their port
⁵⁷⁵⁶

9

Not of mean
⁵⁷⁵⁷
suitors, nor important less

10

Seemed their petition than when the ancient pair

11

In fables old, less ancient yet than these,

12

Deucalion
⁵⁷⁵⁸
and chaste Pyrrha,
⁵⁷⁵⁹
to restore

13

The race of mankind drowned,
⁵⁷⁶⁰
before the shrine

14

Of Themis
⁵⁷⁶¹
stood devout. To Heav’n their prayers

15

Flew up, nor missed the way, by envious winds

16

Blown vagabond
⁵⁷⁶²
or frustrate. In they
⁵⁷⁶³
passed

17

Dimensionless
⁵⁷⁶⁴
through Heav’nly doors, then clad

18

With incense, where the golden altar fumed
⁵⁷⁶⁵

19

By
⁵⁷⁶⁶
their great Intercessor,
⁵⁷⁶⁷
came in sight

20

Before the Father’s throne. Them the glad Son

21

Presenting, thus to intercede began:

22

   
“See, Father, what first-fruits on earth are sprung

23

From Thy implanted grace in man! These sighs

24

And prayers, which in this golden censer
⁵⁷⁶⁸
mixed

25

With incense, I Thy priest, before Thee bring,

26

Fruits of more pleasing savor ( from Thy seed,

27

Sown with contrition in his heart) than those

28

Which, his own hand manuring,
⁵⁷⁶⁹
all the trees

29

Of Paradise could have produced, ere fall’n

30

From innocence. Now therefore bend Thine ear

31

To supplication. Hear his sighs, though mute.

32

Unskilful with what words to pray, let me

33

Interpret for him—me, his advocate

34

And propitiation.
⁵⁷⁷⁰
All his works on me,

35

Good, or not good, engraft.
⁵⁷⁷¹
My merit those
⁵⁷⁷²

36

Shall perfect, and for these
⁵⁷⁷³
my death shall pay.

37

Accept me
⁵⁷⁷⁴
and, in me, from these receive

38

The smell of peace toward mankind. Let him live

39

Before Thee reconciled, at least his days

40

Numbered, though sad, till death, his doom (which I

41

To mitigate thus plead, not to reverse),

42

To better life shall yield him, where with me

43

All my redeemed may dwell in joy and bliss,

44

Made one with me, as I with Thee am one.”

45

To whom the Father, without cloud,
⁵⁷⁷⁵
serene:

46

   
“All thy request for man, accepted, Son,

47

Obtain. All thy request was my decree.

48

But longer in that Paradise to dwell

49

The law I gave to Nature him
⁵⁷⁷⁶
forbids.

50

Those pure immortal elements that know

51

No gross, no unharmonious mixture foul,

52

Eject him, tainted now, and purge him off
⁵⁷⁷⁷

53

As a distemper,
⁵⁷⁷⁸
gross—to air as gross,

54

And mortal food—as may dispose him
⁵⁷⁷⁹
best

55

For dissolution, wrought by sin, that first

56

Distempered all things, and of incorrupt

57

Corrupted. I, at first, with two fair gifts

58

Created him endowed: with happiness

59

And immortality. That
⁵⁷⁸⁰
fondly
⁵⁷⁸¹
lost,

60

This other
⁵⁷⁸²
served but to eternize
⁵⁷⁸³
woe,

61

Till I provided death. So death becomes

62

His final remedy and, after life

63

Tried
⁵⁷⁸⁴
in sharp tribulation,
⁵⁷⁸⁵
and refined

64

By faith and faithful works, to second life,

65

Waked in the renovation
⁵⁷⁸⁶
of the just,

66

Resigns
⁵⁷⁸⁷
him up with Heav’n and earth renewed.

67

   
“But let us call to synod all the Blest

68

Through Heav’n’s wide bounds. From them I will not hide

69

My judgments, how with mankind I proceed,

70

As how with peccant
⁵⁷⁸⁸
Angels late
⁵⁷⁸⁹
they saw,

71

And in their state,
⁵⁷⁹⁰
though firm, stood more confirmed.”

72

   
He ended, and the Son gave signal high

73

To the bright minister that watched. He blew

74

His trumpet, heard in Oreb
⁵⁷⁹¹
since perhaps

75

When God descended, and perhaps once more

76

To sound at general doom.
⁵⁷⁹²
The Angelic blast

77

Filled all the regions. From their blissful bow’rs

78

Of amarantine
⁵⁷⁹³
shade, fountain or spring,

79

By the waters of life, where’er they sat

80

In fellowships of joy, the sons of light

81

Hasted, resorting
⁵⁷⁹⁴
to the summons high,

82

And took their seats, till from His throne supreme

83

Th’ Almighty thus pronounced His sov’reign will:

84

   
“O Sons, like one of us man is become

85

To know both good and evil, since his taste

86

Of that defended
⁵⁷⁹⁵
fruit. But let him boast

87

His knowledge of good lost, and evil got,

88

Happier, had it sufficed him to have known

89

Good by itself, and evil not at all.