The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (124 page)

90

He sorrows now, repents, and prays contrite,

91

My motions
⁵⁷⁹⁶
in him. Longer
⁵⁷⁹⁷
than they move,

92

His heart I know,
⁵⁷⁹⁸
how variable and vain,

93

Self-left.
⁵⁷⁹⁹
Lest therefore his now bolder hand

94

Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat,

95

And live forever—dream at least to live

96

Forever—to remove him I decree,

97

And send him from the Garden forth to till

98

The ground whence he was taken: fitter soil.

99

   
“Michael, this my behest
⁵⁸⁰⁰
have thou in charge.

100

Take to thee from among the Cherubim

101

Thy choice of flaming warriors, lest the fiend,

102

Or in
⁵⁸⁰¹
behalf of man, or to invade

103

Vacant possession,
⁵⁸⁰²
some new trouble raise.

104

Haste thee, and from the Paradise of God

105

Without remorse
⁵⁸⁰³
drive out the sinful pair,

106

From hallowed ground th’ unholy, and denounce
⁵⁸⁰⁴

107

To them, and to their progeny, from thence

108

Perpetual banishiment. Yet, lest they faint
⁵⁸⁰⁵

109

At the sad
⁵⁸⁰⁶
sentence rigorously urged
⁵⁸⁰⁷

110

(For I behold them softened, and with tears

111

Bewailing their excess), all terror hide.

112

If patiently thy bidding they obey,

113

Dismiss them not disconsolate.
⁵⁸⁰⁸
Reveal

114

To Adam what shall come in future days,

115

As I shall thee enlighten; intermix
⁵⁸⁰⁹

116

My cov’nant in the Woman’s seed renewed.

117

So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace,

118

And on the east side of the garden place,

119

Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbs,

120

Cherubic watch, and of a sword the flame

121

Wide-waving, all approach far off to fright,

122

And guard all passage to the Tree of Life,

123

Lest Paradise a receptacle
⁵⁸¹⁰
prove

124

To Spirits foul, and all my trees their prey,

125

With those stolen fruit man once more to delude.”

126

   
He ceased, and th’ Arch-Angelic Power prepared

127

For swift descent, with him the cohort
⁵⁸¹¹
bright

128

Of watchful Cherubim. Four faces each

129

Had, like a double Janus,
⁵⁸¹²
all their shape

130

Spangled with eyes more numerous than those

131

Of Argus,
⁵⁸¹³
and more wakeful than to drowse,

132

Charmed with Arcadian pipe, the pastoral reed

133

Of Hermes,
⁵⁸¹⁴
or his opiate rod.
⁵⁸¹⁵
Meanwhile,

134

To re-salute the world with sacred light,

135

Leucothea
⁵⁸¹⁶
waked, and with fresh dews embalmed
⁵⁸¹⁷

136

The earth, when Adam and first matron Eve

137

Had ended now their orisons,
⁵⁸¹⁸
and found

138

Strength added from above, new hope to spring

139

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

140

Which thus to Eve his
⁵⁸¹⁹
welcome words renewed:

141

   
“Eve, easily may faith admit that all

142

The good which we enjoy from Heav’n descends;

143

But that from us aught should ascend to Heav’n

144

So prevalent
⁵⁸²⁰
as to concern the mind

145

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

146

Hard to belief may seem, yet this will
⁵⁸²¹
prayer

147

Or one short sigh of human breath, upborne

148

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

149

By prayer th’ offended
⁵⁸²²
Deity to appease,

150

Kneeled and before Him humbled all my heart,

151

Methought I saw him placable
⁵⁸²³
and mild,

152

Bending his ear. Persuasion in me grew

153

That I was heard with favor, peace returned

154

Home to my breast, and to my memory

155

His promise, that thy seed shall bruise
⁵⁸²⁴
our foe—

156

Which, then not minded
⁵⁸²⁵
in dismay, yet now

157

Assures me that the bitterness of death

158

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

159

Eve rightly called, mother of all mankind,

160

Mother of all things living, since by thee

161

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

162

To whom thus Eve, with sad
⁵⁸²⁶
demeanor meek:

163

   
“Ill-worthy I such title should belong,

164

To me transgressor, who for thee ordained

165

A help, became thy snare. To me reproach

166

Rather belongs, distrust, all dispraise.

167

But infinite in pardon was my Judge,

168

That I, who first brought death on all, am graced

169

The source of life, next favorable
⁵⁸²⁷
thou,
⁵⁸²⁸

170

Who highly
⁵⁸²⁹
thus to entitle
⁵⁸³⁰
me vouchsaf’st,
⁵⁸³¹

171

Far other name deserving. But the field

172

To labor calls us, now
⁵⁸³²
with sweat imposed,

173

Though after sleepless night, for see! the morn,

174

All unconcerned with our unrest, begins

175

Her rosy progress smiling. Let us forth,

176

I never from thy side henceforth to stray,

177

Where’er our day’s work lies, though now enjoined
⁵⁸³³

178

Laborious, till day droop. While here we dwell,

179

What can be toilsome
⁵⁸³⁴
in these pleasant walks?