The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (125 page)

Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online

Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry

BOOK: The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems
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180

      

Here let us live, though in fall’n state, content.”

181

      

   
So spoke, so wished much humbled Eve, but Fate

182

      

Subscribed
5835
not. Nature first gave signs, impressed
5836

183

      

On bird, beast, air—air suddenly eclipsed,
5837

184

      

After short blush
5838
of morn. Nigh in her sight

185

      

The bird of Jove,
5839
stooped
5840
from his airy tour,
5841

186

      

Two birds of gayest plume before him drove.

187

      

Down from a hill the beast that reigns in woods,
5842

188

      

First hunter then, pursued a gentle brace,
5843

189

      

Goodliest of all the forest, hart and hind.
5844

190

      

Direct to the eastern gate was bent their flight.

191

      

Adam observed, and with his eye the chase

192

      

Pursuing, not unmoved, to Eve thus spoke:

193

      

   
“O Eve, some further change awaits us nigh,

194

      

Which Heav’n, by these mute signs in Nature, shows

195

      

Forerunners of His purpose, or to warn

196

      

Us, haply
5845
too secure
5846
of
5847
our discharge
5848

197

      

From penalty, because from death released

198

      

Some days. How long, and what till then our life,

199

      

Who knows? Or more than this, that we are dust,

200

      

And thither must return, and be no more?

201

      

Why else this double object in our sight

202

      

Of flight pursued in th’ air, and o’er the ground,

203

      

One way the self-same hour? Why in the east

204

      

Darkness ere day’s mid-course, and morning-light

205

      

More orient
5849
in yon western cloud, that draws

206

      

O’er the blue firmament a radiant white,

207

      

And slow descends with something Heavenly fraught?”
5850

208

      

   
He erred not, for by this
5851
the Heav’nly bands

209

      

Down from a sky of jasper
5852
lighted now

210

      

In Paradise, and on a hill made halt—

211

      

A glorious apparition,
5853
had not doubt

212

      

And carnal
5854
fear that day dimmed Adam’s eye.

213

      

Not that more glorious
5855
when the Angels met

214

      

Jacob in Mahanaim,
5856
where he saw

215

      

The field pavilioned
5857
with His
5858
guardians bright,

216

      

Nor that, which on the flaming mount appeared

217

      

In Dothan,
5859
covered with a camp of fire,

218

      

Against the Syrian king, who to surprise

219

      

One man,
5860
assassin-like,
5861
had levied
5862
war,

220

      

War unproclaimed. The princely Hierarch
5863

221

      

In their bright stand
5864
there left his Powers, to seize

222

      

Possession of the Garden. He alone,

223

      

To find where Adam sheltered, took his way,

224

      

Not unperceived of Adam, who to Eve,

225

      

While the great visitant approached, thus spoke:

226

      

   
“Eve, now expect great tidings, which perhaps

227

      

Of us will soon determine,
5865
or impose

228

      

New laws to be observed, for I descry,

229

      

From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill,

230

      

One of the Heav’nly host and, by his gait,

231

      

None of the meanest,
5866
some great Potentate

232

      

Or of the Thrones above, such majesty

233

      

Invests
5867
him coming, yet not terrible

234

      

(That I should fear) nor sociably
5868
mild

235

      

As Raphael (that I should much confide)
5869

236

      

But solemn and sublime,
5870
whom not t’ offend

237

      

With reverence I must meet, and thou retire.”

238

      

   
He ended, and the Arch-Angel soon drew nigh,

239

      

Not in his shape celestial, but as man

240

      

Clad to meet man. Over his lucid
5871
arms
5872

241

      

A military vest
5873
of purple flowed,

242

      

Livelier
5874
than Meliboean
5875
or the grain
5876

243

      

Of Sarra,
5877
worn by kings and heroes old

244

      

In time of truce. Iris
5878
had dipped the woof.
5879

245

      

His starry helm,
5880
unbuckled, showed him prime

246

      

In manhood where youth ended; by his side,

247

      

As in a glistering zodiac,
5881
hung the sword,

248

      

Satan’s dire dread,
5882
and in his hand the spear.

249

      

Adam bowed low; he,
5883
kingly, from his state
5884

250

      

Inclined not, but his coming thus declared:

251

      

   
“Adam, Heav’n’s high beh’est
5885
no preface needs.

252

      

Sufficient that thy prayers are heard, and Death,

253

      

Then due by sentence when thou didst transgress,

254

      

Defeated of his seizure many days

255

      

Giv’n thee of grace, wherein thou may’st repent,

256

      

And one bad act with many deeds well done

257

      

May’st cover.
5886
Well may then thy Lord, appeased,

258

      

Redeem thee quite
5887
from Death’s rapacious
5888
claim.

259

      

But longer in this Paradise to dwell

260

      

Permits not: to remove thee I am come,

261

      

And send thee from the garden forth to till
5889

262

      

The ground whence thou wast taken, fitter soil.”

263

      

   
He added not, for Adam at the news

264

      

Heart-struck with chilling grip of sorrow stood,

265

      

That all his senses bound.
5890
Eve, who unseen

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