The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (68 page)

353

Perfections. In himself was all his state,

354

More solemn
³⁴⁵⁵
than the tedious pomp that waits

355

On princes, when their rich retinue long

356

Of horses led, and grooms besmeared with gold,

357

Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape.

358

Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed,

359

Yet with submiss
³⁴⁵⁶
approach and reverence meek,

360

As to a superior nature bowing low,

361

Thus said:

        
“Native of Heav’n, for other pla

362

None can than Heav’n such glorious shape contain,

363

Since by descending from the thrones above

364

Those happy places thou hast deigned a while

365

To want,
³⁴⁵⁷
and honor these, vouchsafe
³⁴⁵⁸
with us

366

Two only, who yet by sov’reign gift possess

367

This spacious ground, in yonder shady bow’r

368

To rest, and what the garden choicest bears

369

To sit and taste, till this meridian
³⁴⁵⁹
heat

370

Be over, and the sun more cool decline.”
³⁴⁶⁰

371

Whom thus the angelic Virtue
³⁴⁶¹
answered mild:

372

   
“Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such

373

Created, or such place hast here to dwell,

374

As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heav’n,

375

To visit thee. Lead on, then, where thy bow’r

376

O’ershades, for these mid-hours, till evening rise,

377

I have at will.”
³⁴⁶²
So to the sylvan
³⁴⁶³
lodge

378

They came, that like Pomona’s
³⁴⁶⁴
arbor
³⁴⁶⁵
smiled,

379

With flow’rets decked, and fragrant smells. But Eve,

380

Undecked save with herself, more lovely fair

381

Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feigned
³⁴⁶⁶

382

Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
³⁴⁶⁷

383

Stood to entertain her guest from Heav’n. No veil
³⁴⁶⁸

384

She needed, virtue-proof: no thought infirm
³⁴⁶⁹

385

Altered her cheek. On whom the Angel “Hail”

386

Bestowed, the holy salutation used

387

Long after to blest Mary, second Eve:

388

   
“Hail, mother of mankind, whose fruitful womb

389

Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons,

390

Than with these various fruits the trees of God

391

Have heaped this table!

—Raised of grassy tur

392

Their table was, and mossy seats had round,

393

And on her ample square
³⁴⁷⁰
from side to side

394

All autumn piled, though spring and autumn here

395

Danced hand in hand. A while discourse they hold—

396

No fear lest dinner cool—when thus began

397

Our author:
³⁴⁷¹

“Heav’nly stranger, please to taste

398

These bounties,
³⁴⁷²
which our Nourisher, from whom

399

All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends,

400

To us for food and for delight hath caused

401

The earth to yield—unsavory food perhaps

402

To spiritual natures. Only this I know,

403

That one celestial Father gives to all.

404

To whom the Angel:

        
“Therefore what He gives

405

(Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part
³⁴⁷³

406

Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found

407

No ungrateful
³⁴⁷⁴
food. And food alike those pure

408

Intelligential substances require,

409

As doth your rational,
³⁴⁷⁵
and both
³⁴⁷⁶
contain

410

Within them every lower faculty

411

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,

412

Tasting concoct,
³⁴⁷⁷
digest, assimilate,

413

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

414

For know, whatever was created, needs

415

To be sustained and fed. Of elements

416

The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea,

417

Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires

418

Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon,

419

Whence in her visage round
³⁴⁷⁸
those spots, unpurged
³⁴⁷⁹

420

Vapors not yet into her substance turned.

421

Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale

422

From her moist continent
³⁴⁸⁰
to higher orbs.

423

The sun, that light imparts to all, receives

424

From all
³⁴⁸¹
his alimental
³⁴⁸²
recompence

425

In humid exhalations, and at ev’n
³⁴⁸³

426

³⁴⁸⁴
with the ocean. Though in Heav’n the trees

427

Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines

428

Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn

429

We brush mellifluous
³⁴⁸⁵
dews, and find the ground

430

Covered with pearly grain; yet God hath here
³⁴⁸⁶

431

Varied His bounty so with new delights

432

As may compare with Heaven, and to taste

433

Think not I shall be nice.”
³⁴⁸⁷
So down they sat,

434

And to their viands
³⁴⁸⁸
fell, nor seemingly
³⁴⁸⁹

435

The Angel, nor in mist,
³⁴⁹⁰
the common gloss
³⁴⁹¹

436

Of theologians, but with keen dispatch

437

Of real
³⁴⁹²
hunger, and concoctive
³⁴⁹³
heat

438

To transubstantiate.
³⁴⁹⁴
What redounds,
³⁴⁹⁵
transpires
³⁴⁹⁶