The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (127 page)

357

To show thee what shall come in future days

358

To thee, and to thy offspring. Good with bad

359

Expect to hear, supernal
⁵⁹²¹
grace contending
⁵⁹²²

360

With sinfulness of men, thereby to learn

361

True patience, and to temper
⁵⁹²³
joy with fear

362

And pious sorrow, equally inured

363

By moderation either state to bear,

364

Prosperous or adverse. So shalt thou lead

365

Safest thy life, and best prepared endure

366

Thy mortal
⁵⁹²⁴
passage when it comes.

“Ascend

367

This hill. Let Eve ( for I have drenched
⁵⁹²⁵
her eyes)

368

Here sleep below, while thou to foresight
⁵⁹²⁶
wak’st,

369

As once thou slept’st, while she to life was formed.”

370

To whom thus Adam gratefully replied:

371

   
“Ascend, I follow thee, safe guide, the path

372

Thou lead’st me, and to th’ hand of Heav’n submit,

373

However chast’ning. To the evil turn
⁵⁹²⁷

374

My obvious
⁵⁹²⁸
breast, arming to overcome

375

By suffering, and earn rest from labor won,

376

If so I may attain.”

So both ascend

377

In the visions of God.
⁵⁹²⁹
It was a hill,

378

Of Paradise the highest, from whose top

379

The hemisphere of earth, in clearest ken,
⁵⁹³⁰

380

Stretched out
⁵⁹³¹
to amplest reach of prospect
⁵⁹³²
lay.

381

Not higher that hill, nor wider looking round,

382

Whereon, for different cause, the Tempter set

383

Our second Adam,
⁵⁹³³
in the wilderness,

384

To show him all earth’s kingdoms, and their glory.

385

His
⁵⁹³⁴
eye might there command wherever stood

386

City of old or modern fame, the seat

387

Of mightiest empire, from the destined walls

388

Of Cambalu,
⁵⁹³⁵
seat of Cathaian Can,
⁵⁹³⁶

389

And Samarchand
⁵⁹³⁷
by Oxus,
⁵⁹³⁸
Temir’s throne,

390

To Paquin
⁵⁹³⁹
of Sinaean
⁵⁹⁴⁰
kings, and thence

391

To Agra
⁵⁹⁴¹
and Lahor
⁵⁹⁴²
of great Mogul,

392

Down to the golden Chersonese,
⁵⁹⁴³
or where

393

The Persian in Ecbatan
⁵⁹⁴⁴
sat, or since

394

In Hispahan,
⁵⁹⁴⁵
or where the Russian Tsar

395

In Moscow, or the Sultan in Bizance,
⁵⁹⁴⁶

396

Turkestan-born,
⁵⁹⁴⁷
nor could his eye not ken
⁵⁹⁴⁸

397

The empire of Negus
⁵⁹⁴⁹
to his utmost port

398

Ercoco,
⁵⁹⁵⁰
and the less maritime kings

399

Mombaza,
⁵⁹⁵¹
and Quiloa,
⁵⁹⁵²
and Melind,
⁵⁹⁵³

400

And Sofala,
⁵⁹⁵⁴
thought
⁵⁹⁵⁵
Ophir,
⁵⁹⁵⁶
to the realm

401

Of Congo, and Angola farthest south,

402

Or thence, from Niger flood
⁵⁹⁵⁷
to Atlas
⁵⁹⁵⁸
mount,

403

The kingdoms of Almansor,
⁵⁹⁵⁹
Fez and Sus,
⁵⁹⁶⁰

404

Morocco, and Algiers, and Tremisen,
⁵⁹⁶¹

405

On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway

406

The world. In spirit perhaps he also saw

407

Rich Mexico, the seat of Montezume,
⁵⁹⁶²

408

And Cusco
⁵⁹⁶³
in Peru, the richer seat

409

Of Atabalipa,
⁵⁹⁶⁴
and yet unspoiled

410

Guiana, whose great city Geryon’s
⁵⁹⁶⁵
sons

411

Call El Dorado. But to nobler sights

412

Michael from Adam’s eyes the film removed,

413

Which that false fruit that promised clearer sight

414

Had bred, then purged with euphrasy
⁵⁹⁶⁶
and rue
⁵⁹⁶⁷

415

The visual nerve, for he had much to see,

416

And from the well of life three drops instilled.

417

So deep the power of these ingredients pierced,

418

Ev’n to the inmost seat of mental sight,

419

That Adam, now enforced
⁵⁹⁶⁸
to close his eyes,

420

Sunk down, and all his spirits became entranced.

421

But him the gentle Angel by the hand

422

Soon raised, and his attention thus recalled:

423

   
“Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold

424

Th’ effects, which thy original crime hath wrought

425

In some to spring from thee, who never touched

426

Th’ excepted
⁵⁹⁶⁹
tree, nor with the snake conspired,

427

Nor sinned thy sin, yet from that sin derive
⁵⁹⁷⁰

428

Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.”

429

   
His eyes he opened, and beheld a field,

430

Part arable
⁵⁹⁷¹
and tilth,
⁵⁹⁷²
whereon were sheaves

431

New reaped, the other part sheep-walks and folds.

432

In th’ midst an altar as the landmark stood,

433

Rustic, of grassy sord.
⁵⁹⁷³
Thither
⁵⁹⁷⁴
anon
⁵⁹⁷⁵

434

A sweaty reaper
⁵⁹⁷⁶
from his tillage brought

435

First fruits, the green ear, and the yellow sheaf,

436

Unculled,
⁵⁹⁷⁷
as
⁵⁹⁷⁸
came to hand. A shepherd next,

437

More meek,
⁵⁹⁷⁹
came with the firstlings of his flock,

438

Choicest and best, then sacrificing, laid

439

The inwards
⁵⁹⁸⁰
and their fat, with incense strewn,

440

On the cleft wood, and all due rites performed.

441

His offering soon propitious
⁵⁹⁸¹
fire from Heav’n