The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (54 page)

90

With diadem and scepter high advanced
²⁷⁸⁹

91

The lower still I fall, only supreme

92

In misery. Such joy ambition finds!
²⁷⁹⁰

93

But say I could repent, and could obtain,

94

By act of grace, my former state, how soon

95

Would height recall high thoughts, how soon unsay

96

What feigned
²⁷⁹¹
submission swore? Ease would recant
²⁷⁹²

97

Vows made in pain, as violent
²⁷⁹³
and void.

98

For never can true reconcilement grow

99

Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep,

100

Which would but lead me to a worse relapse

101

And heavier fall. So should I purchase dear
²⁷⁹⁴

102

Short intermission, bought with double smart.
²⁷⁹⁵

103

This knows my punisher, therefore as far

104

From granting He, as I from begging, peace.

105

All hope excluded thus, behold, instead

106

Of us
²⁷⁹⁶
out-cast, exiled, his new delight,

107

Mankind created, and for him
²⁷⁹⁷
this world.

108

So farewell hope and, with hope, farewell fear,

109

Farewell remorse! All good to me is lost.

110

Evil, be thou my good: by thee at least

111

Divided empire with Heav’n’s King I hold—

112

By thee, and more than half
²⁷⁹⁸
perhaps will reign,

113

As man ere long, and this new world, shall know.

114

   
Thus while he spoke, each passion dimmed his face

115

Thrice changed with pale,
²⁷⁹⁹
ire,
²⁸⁰⁰
envy, and despair,

116

Which marred
²⁸⁰¹
his borrowed visage, and betrayed

117

Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld.

118

For Heav’nly minds from such distempers
²⁸⁰²
foul

119

Are ever clear.
²⁸⁰³
Whereof he soon aware,

120

Each perturbation
²⁸⁰⁴
smoothed with outward calm,

121

Artificer
²⁸⁰⁵
of fraud, and
²⁸⁰⁶
was the first

122

That practised falsehood under saintly show,

123

Deep malice to conceal, couched
²⁸⁰⁷
with revenge.

124

Yet not enough had practised
²⁸⁰⁸
to deceive

125

Uriel, once warned, whose eye pursued him down

126

The way he went, and on the Assyrian mount

127

Saw him disfigured, more than could befall
²⁸⁰⁹

128

Spirit of happy sort. His gestures fierce

129

He marked, and mad demeanor,
²⁸¹⁰
then alone,

130

As he supposed, all unobserved, unseen.

131

   
So on he fares,
²⁸¹¹
and to the border comes

132

Of Eden, where delicious Paradise,

133

Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green,

134

As with a rural mound, the champaign
²⁸¹²
head
²⁸¹³

135

Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides

136

With thicket overgrown, grotesque and wild,

137

Access denied.
²⁸¹⁴
And overhead up grew

138

Insuperable
²⁸¹⁵
height of loftiest shade,

139

Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm,

140

A sylvan
²⁸¹⁶
scene, and as the ranks
²⁸¹⁷
ascend,

141

Shade above shade, a woody theater
²⁸¹⁸

142

Of stateliest
²⁸¹⁹
view. Yet higher than their tops

143

The verdurous wall of Paradise upsprung,

144

Which to our general
²⁸²⁰
sire gave prospect large
²⁸²¹

145

Into his
²⁸²²
nether
²⁸²³
empire neighboring round.

146

And higher than that wall a circling row

147

Of goodliest
²⁸²⁴
trees, loaden with fairest fruit,

148

Blossoms and fruits at once
²⁸²⁵
of golden hue

149

Appeared, with gay enamelled
²⁸²⁶
colors mixed,

150

On which the sun more glad impressed
²⁸²⁷
his beams

151

Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,
²⁸²⁸

152

When God hath show’red the earth. So lovely seemed

153

That landscape. And of pure now purer
²⁸²⁹
air

154

Meets his approach, and to the heart inspires

155

Vernal
²⁸³⁰
delight and joy, able to drive
²⁸³¹

156

All sadness but despair. Now gentle gales,
²⁸³²

157

Fanning their odoriferous
²⁸³³
wings, dispense
²⁸³⁴

158

Native
²⁸³⁵
perfumes, and whisper whence they stole

159

Those balmy spoils.
²⁸³⁶
As when to them who sail

160

Beyond the Cape of Hope,
²⁸³⁷
and now are past

161

Mozambique,
²⁸³⁸
off at sea north-east winds blow

162

Sabean
²⁸³⁹
odors from the spicy shore

163

Of Araby the blest,
²⁸⁴⁰
with such delay

164

Well pleased they slack
²⁸⁴¹
their course,
²⁸⁴²
and many a league
²⁸⁴³

165

Cheered with the grateful
²⁸⁴⁴
smell old ocean smiles.

166

So entertained
²⁸⁴⁵
those odorous sweets the fiend,

167

Who came their bane,
²⁸⁴⁶
though with them better pleased

168

Than Asmodeus
²⁸⁴⁷
with the fishy fume
²⁸⁴⁸

169

That drove him, though enamored, from the spouse

170

Of Tobit’s son, and with a vengeance sent
²⁸⁴⁹

171

From Media post
²⁸⁵⁰
to Egypt, there fast bound.
²⁸⁵¹

172

   
Now to the ascent of that steep savage
²⁸⁵²
hill

173

Satan had journeyed on, pensive and slow,

174

But further way found none, so thick entwined,