The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (57 page)

349

His braided
²⁹⁶⁰
train,
²⁹⁶¹
and of his fatal
²⁹⁶²
guile

350

Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass

351

Couched,
²⁹⁶³
and now filled with pasture
²⁹⁶⁴
gazing sat,

352

Or bedward ruminating,
²⁹⁶⁵
for the sun,

353

Declined,
²⁹⁶⁶
was hasting now with prone
²⁹⁶⁷
career
²⁹⁶⁸

354

To th’ ocean isles,
²⁹⁶⁹
and in the ascending scale
²⁹⁷⁰

355

Of Heav’n the stars that usher evening rose.

356

When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,

357

Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered, sad:

358

   
“O Hell! What do mine eyes with grief behold!

359

Into our room
²⁹⁷¹
of bliss thus high advanced

360

Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,

361

Not Spirits, yet to Heav’nly Spirits bright

362

Little inferior, whom my thoughts pursue

363

With wonder, and could love, so lively shines

364

In them divine resemblance, and such grace

365

The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured.
²⁹⁷²

366

Ah! gentle
²⁹⁷³
pair, ye little think how nigh
²⁹⁷⁴

367

Your change approaches, when all these delights

368

Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe,

369

More woe, the more your taste is now of joy,

370

Happy, but for so happy ill secured
²⁹⁷⁵

371

Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav’n

372

Ill fenced for Heav’n to keep out such a foe

373

As now is entered. Yet no purposed
²⁹⁷⁶
foe

374

To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,
²⁹⁷⁷

375

Though I
²⁹⁷⁸
unpitied. League
²⁹⁷⁹
with you I seek,

376

And mutual amity, so straight,
²⁹⁸⁰
so close,

377

That I with you must dwell, or you with me

378

Henceforth. My dwelling haply
²⁹⁸¹
may not please

379

(Like this fair Paradise) your sense, yet such

380

Accept your Maker’s work. He gave it me,

381

Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold,

382

To entertain
²⁹⁸²
you two, her widest-gates,

383

And send forth all her kings. There will be room,

384

Not like these narrow limits, to receive

385

Your numerous offspring. If no better place,

386

Thank Him who puts me, loath, to this revenge

387

On you (who wrong me not), for Him who wronged.
²⁹⁸³

388

And should I at your harmless innocence

389

Melt,
²⁹⁸⁴
as I do, yet public
²⁹⁸⁵
reason just,

390

Honor and empire with revenge enlarged,

391

By conquering this new world, compels me now

392

To do what else, though damned, I should abhor.

393

   
So spoke the fiend, and with necessity

394

(The tyrant’s plea) excused his devilish deeds.

395

Then from his lofty stand on that high tree

396

Down he alights among the sportful
²⁹⁸⁶
herd

397

Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,

398

Now other, as their shape served best his end

399

Nearer to view his prey, and unespied

400

To mark what of their state
²⁹⁸⁷
he more might learn,

401

By word or action marked.
²⁹⁸⁸
About them round

402

A lion
²⁹⁸⁹
now he stalks with fiery glare,

403

Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied

404

In some purlieu
²⁹⁹⁰
two gentle fawns at play,

405

Straight couches
²⁹⁹¹
close, then rising, changes oft

406

His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,

407

Whence rushing, he might surest seize them both,

408

Gripped in each paw: When Adam, first of men,

409

To first of women Eve, thus moving
²⁹⁹²
speech,

410

Turned him
²⁹⁹³
all ear
²⁹⁹⁴
to hear new utterance flow:

411

   
“Sole partner, and sole part,
²⁹⁹⁵
of all these joys,

412

Dearer thyself than all! Needs must the Power

413

That made us, and for us this ample world,

414

Be infinitely good, and of His good

415

As liberal and free as infinite,

416

That raised us from the dust, and placed us here

417

In all this happiness, who at His hand

418

Have nothing merited,
²⁹⁹⁶
nor can perform

419

Aught whereof He hath need, He who requires

420

From us no other service than to keep

421

This one, this easy charge:
²⁹⁹⁷
of all the trees

422

In Paradise that bear delicious fruit

423

So various, not to taste that only Tree

424

Of Knowledge, planted by
²⁹⁹⁸
the Tree of Life.

425

So near grows death to life, whate’er death is,

426

Some dreadful thing no doubt, for well thou know’st

427

God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree,

428

The only sign of our obedience left

429

Among so many signs of power and rule

430

Conferred upon us, and dominion
²⁹⁹⁹
giv’n

431

Over all other creatures that possess

432

Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard

433

One easy prohibition, who enjoy

434

Free leave so large to all things else, and choice

435

Unlimited of manifold delights,

436

But let us ever praise Him, and extol

437

His bounty, following our delightful task,