The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (56 page)

263

Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams.

264

The birds their choir
²⁸⁹⁹
apply,
²⁹⁰⁰
airs, vernal airs,

265

Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune
²⁹⁰¹

266

The trembling leaves, while universal Pan,

267

Knit
²⁹⁰²
with the Graces
²⁹⁰³
and the Hours
²⁹⁰⁴
in dance,

268

Led on th’ eternal Spring. Not that fair field

269

Of Enna,
²⁹⁰⁵
where Proserpine, gath’ring flow’rs,

270

Herself a fairer flow’r by gloomy Dis
²⁹⁰⁶

271

Was gathered, which cost Ceres
²⁹⁰⁷
all that pain

272

To seek her through the world. Nor that sweet grove

273

Of Daphne
²⁹⁰⁸
by Orontes,
²⁹⁰⁹
and the inspired
²⁹¹⁰

274

Castalian spring,
²⁹¹¹
might with this Paradise

275

Of Eden strive,
²⁹¹²
nor that Nyseian
²⁹¹³
isle

276

Girt
²⁹¹⁴
with the river Triton, where old Cham,
²⁹¹⁵

277

Whom gentiles Ammon call, and Libyan Jove,

278

Hid Amalthea
²⁹¹⁶
and her florid
²⁹¹⁷
son

279

Young Bacchus from his stepdame Rhea’s eye,

280

Nor where Abassin
²⁹¹⁸
kings their issue
²⁹¹⁹
guard,

281

Mount Amara,
²⁹²⁰
though this by some supposed

282

True Paradise under the Ethiop line
²⁹²¹

283

By Nilus
²⁹²²
head,
²⁹²³
enclosed with shining rock,

284

A whole day’s journey high, but wide remote

285

From this Assyrian garden, where the fiend

286

Saw, undelighted, all delight, all kind

287

Of living creatures, new to sight, and strange.

288

   
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall,

289

Godlike erect, with native honor clad

290

In naked majesty, seemed lords of all.

291

And worthy seemed, for in their looks divine

292

The image of their glorious Maker shone,

293

Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure

294

(Severe, but in true filial freedom placed)

295

Whence true authority in men. Though both

296

Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed:

297

For contemplation he, and valor, formed;

298

For softness she and sweet attractive grace;

299

He for God only, she for God in him.

300

His fair large front
²⁹²⁴
and eye sublime
²⁹²⁵
declared
²⁹²⁶

301

Absolute rule, and hyacinthine
²⁹²⁷
locks

302

Round from his parted forelock
²⁹²⁸
manly hung

303

Clust’ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad.

304

She as a veil down to the slender waist

305

Her unadornèd golden tresses wore

306

Dishevelled,
²⁹²⁹
but in wanton
²⁹³⁰
ringlets waved

307

As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied

308

Subjection, but required
²⁹³¹
with gentle sway,
²⁹³²

309

And by her yielded, by him best received,

310

Yielded with coy
²⁹³³
submission, modest pride,

311

And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.

312

Nor those mysterious parts
²⁹³⁴
were then concealed.

313

Then was not guilty shame, dishonest
²⁹³⁵
shame

314

Of Nature’s works. Honor dishonorable,

315

Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind

316

With shows
²⁹³⁶
instead, mere shows of seeming pure,

317

And banished from man’s life his happiest life,

318

Simplicity and spotless innocence!

319

   
So passed they naked on, nor shunned the sight

320

Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:

321

So hand in hand they passed, the loveliest pair

322

That ever since in love’s embraces met,

323

Adam the goodliest man of men, since born

324

His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.

325

Under a tuft
²⁹³⁷
of shade that on a green
²⁹³⁸

326

Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain side

327

They sat them down and, after no more toil

328

Of their sweet gardening labor than sufficed

329

To recommend
²⁹³⁹
cool Zephyr,
²⁹⁴⁰
and made ease

330

More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite

331

More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell,

332

Nectarine
²⁹⁴¹
fruits which the compliant
²⁹⁴²
boughs

333

Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline

334

On the soft downy bank, damasked
²⁹⁴³
with flow’rs.

335

The savory pulp they chew, and in the rind,

336

Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream,

337

Nor gentle purpose,
²⁹⁴⁴
nor endearing smiles

338

Wanted,
²⁹⁴⁵
nor youthful dalliance, as beseems

339

Fair couple, linked in happy nuptial league,

340

Alone as they. About them frisking played

341

All beasts of the earth, since wild, and of all chase
²⁹⁴⁶

342

In wood or wilderness, forest or den.

343

Sporting,
²⁹⁴⁷
the lion ramped,
²⁹⁴⁸
and in his paw

344

Dandled
²⁹⁴⁹
the kid; bears, tigers, ounces,
²⁹⁵⁰
pards,
²⁹⁵¹

345

Gambolled
²⁹⁵²
before them; the unwieldy elephant,

346

To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed
²⁹⁵³

347

His lithe
²⁹⁵⁴
proboscis;
²⁹⁵⁵
close,
²⁹⁵⁶
the serpent sly

348

Insinuating
²⁹⁵⁷
wove with Gordian
²⁹⁵⁸
twine
²⁹⁵⁹