The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (132 page)

796

      

Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace.

797

      

The conquered also, and enslaved by war,

798

      

Shall with their freedom lost all virtue lose

799

      

And fear of God, from whom their piety feigned

800

      

In sharp contest
⁶¹⁴³
of battle found no aid

801

      

Against invaders. Therefore cooled in zeal,

802

      

Thenceforth shall practice how to live secure,
⁶¹⁴⁴

803

      

Worldly or dissolute, on what their lords

804

      

Shall leave them to enjoy, for th’ earth shall bear

805

      

More than enough that temperance
⁶¹⁴⁵
may be tried.
⁶¹⁴⁶

806

      

So all shall turn degenerate,
⁶¹⁴⁷
all depraved,
⁶¹⁴⁸

807

      

Justice and temperance, truth and faith, forgot—

808

      

One man
⁶¹⁴⁹
except, the only son of light

809

      

In a dark age, against example good,
⁶¹⁵⁰

810

      

Against allurement,
⁶¹⁵¹
custom,
⁶¹⁵²
and a world

811

      

Offended.
⁶¹⁵³
Fearless of reproach and scorn,

812

      

Or violence, he of their wicked ways

813

      

Shall them admonish, and before them set

814

      

The paths of righteousness, how much more safe

815

      

And full of peace, denouncing
⁶¹⁵⁴
wrath to come

816

      

Of their impenitence,
⁶¹⁵⁵
and shall return

817

      

Of them derided, but of God observed

818

      

The one just man alive. By His command

819

      

Shall build a wondrous ark, as thou beheld’st,

820

      

To save himself, and household, from amidst

821

      

A world devote to universal wrack.
⁶¹⁵⁶

822

      

No sooner he, with them of man and beast

823

      

Select
⁶¹⁵⁷
for life shall in the ark be lodged,

824

      

And sheltered round, but all the cataracts
⁶¹⁵⁸

825

      

Of Heav’n set open on the earth shall pour

826

      

Rain, day and night. All fountains of the deep,

827

      

Broke up, shall heave the ocean to usurp

828

      

Beyond all bounds, till inundation rise

829

      

Above the highest hills. Then shall this mount

830

      

Of Paradise by might of waves be moved

831

      

Out of his place, pushed by the hornèd
⁶¹⁵⁹
flood,

832

      

With all his verdure spoiled,
⁶¹⁶⁰
and trees adrift,

833

      

Down the great river
⁶¹⁶¹
to the op’ning gulf,
⁶¹⁶²

834

      

And there take root an island salt and bare,

835

      

The haunt of seals, and orcs,
⁶¹⁶³
and sea-mew’s
⁶¹⁶⁴
clang,
⁶¹⁶⁵

836

      

To teach thee that God attributes
⁶¹⁶⁶
to place

837

      

No sanctity, if none
⁶¹⁶⁷
be thither brought

838

      

By men who there frequent, or therein dwell.

839

      

And now, what further shall ensue, behold.”

840

      

   
He looked, and saw the ark hull
⁶¹⁶⁸
on the flood,

841

      

Which now abated, for the clouds were fled,

842

      

Driven by a keen north-wind that, blowing dry,

843

      

Wrinkled the face of deluge, as
⁶¹⁶⁹
decayed,
⁶¹⁷⁰

844

      

And the clear sun on his wide wat’ry glass

845

      

Gazed hot, and of
⁶¹⁷¹
the fresh wave largely
⁶¹⁷²
drew,

846

      

As after thirst, which made their flowing shrink

847

      

From standing lake to tripping
⁶¹⁷³
ebb, that stole

848

      

With soft foot towards the deep, who now had stopped
⁶¹⁷⁴

849

      

His sluices,
⁶¹⁷⁵
as the Heav’n his windows shut.

850

      

The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground,

851

      

Fast on the top of some high mountain fixed.

852

      

And now the tops of hills as rocks appear.

853

      

With clamor
⁶¹⁷⁶
thence the rapid currents drive

854

      

Towards the retreating sea their furious
⁶¹⁷⁷
tide.
⁶¹⁷⁸

855

      

Forthwith
⁶¹⁷⁹
from out the ark a raven flies,

856

      

And after him the surer
⁶¹⁸⁰
messenger,

857

      

A dove sent forth once and again
⁶¹⁸¹
to spy

858

      

Green tree or ground, whereon his foot may light.
⁶¹⁸²

859

      

The second time returning, in his bill

860

      

An olive leaf he brings, pacific
⁶¹⁸³
sign.

861

      

Anon
⁶¹⁸⁴
dry ground appears, and from his ark

862

      

The ancient sire descends, with all his train,

863

      

Then with uplifted hands and eyes devout,

864

      

Grateful to Heav’n, over his head beholds

865

      

A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow
⁶¹⁸⁵

866

      

Conspicuous
⁶¹⁸⁶
with three lifted
⁶¹⁸⁷
colors gay,

867

      

Betok’ning
⁶¹⁸⁸
peace from God, and cov’nant new.

868

      

Whereat the heart of Adam, erst
⁶¹⁸⁹
so sad,

869

      

Greatly rejoiced, and thus his joy broke forth:

870

      

   
“O thou, who future things canst represent

871

      

As present, Heav’nly instructor, I revive

872

      

At this last sight, assured that man shall live,

873

      

With all the creatures and their seed preserve.
⁶¹⁹⁰

874

      

Far less I now lament for one whole world

875

      

Of wicked sons destroyed, than I rejoice

876

      

For one man found so perfect, and so just,

877

      

That God vouchsafes to raise another world

878

      

From him, and all His anger to forget.

879

      

But say, what mean those colored streaks in Heav’n

880

      

Distended,
⁶¹⁹¹
as
⁶¹⁹²
the brow of God appeased?

881

      

Or serve they, as a flow’ry verge,
⁶¹⁹³
to bind

882

      

The fluid skirts of that same wat’ry cloud,