The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (93 page)

176

Live, in what state,
⁴⁴⁶⁹
condition,
⁴⁴⁷⁰
or degree,
⁴⁴⁷¹

177

Contented that thus far hath been revealed

178

Not of earth only, but of highest Heav’n.

179

To whom thus Adam, cleared of doubt, replied:

180

   
“How fully hast thou satisfied me, pure

181

Intelligence of Heav’n, Angel serene!

182

And, freed from intricacies,
⁴⁴⁷²
taught to live

183

The easiest way, nor with perplexing thoughts

184

To interrupt the sweet of life, from which

185

God hath bid dwell far off all anxious cares,

186

And not molest
⁴⁴⁷³
us, unless we ourselves

187

Seek them with wand’ring thoughts, and notions vain.

188

But apt the mind or fancy is to rove

189

Unchecked, and of her roving is no end,

190

Till warned, or by experience taught, she learn

191

That not to know at large
⁴⁴⁷⁴
of things remote

192

From use, obscure and subtle,
⁴⁴⁷⁵
but to know

193

That which before us lies in daily life,

194

Is the prime wisdom. What is more, is fume
⁴⁴⁷⁶

195

Or emptiness, or fond
⁴⁴⁷⁷
impertinence,
⁴⁴⁷⁸

196

And renders us, in things that most concern

197

Unpractised, unprepared, and still to seek.

198

Therefore from this high pitch
⁴⁴⁷⁹
let us descend
⁴⁴⁸⁰

199

A lower flight, and speak of things at hand

200

Useful, whence haply,
⁴⁴⁸¹
mention may arise

201

Of something not unseasonable to ask,

202

By sufferance,
⁴⁴⁸²
and thy wonted
⁴⁴⁸³
favor, deigned.

203

   
“Thee I have heard relating what was done

204

Ere my remembrance. Now, hear me relate

205

My story, which perhaps thou hast not heard.

206

And day is not yet spent—till then thou see’st

207

How subtly to detain thee I devise,

208

Inviting thee to hear while I relate.

209

Fond!
⁴⁴⁸⁴
were it not in hope of thy reply,

210

For while I sit with thee, I seem in Heav’n,

211

And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear

212

Than fruits of palm-tree pleasantest to thirst

213

And hunger both, from
⁴⁴⁸⁵
labor, at the hour

214

Of sweet repast.
⁴⁴⁸⁶
They satiate,
⁴⁴⁸⁷
and soon fill,

215

Though pleasant, but thy words, with grace divine

216

Imbued,
⁴⁴⁸⁸
bring to their sweetness no satiety.”
⁴⁴⁸⁹

217

To whom thus Raphael answered, Heav’nly meek:
⁴⁴⁹⁰

218

   
“Nor are thy lips ungraceful, sire of men,

219

Nor tongue ineloquent. For God on thee

220

Abundantly His gifts hath also poured

221

Inward and outward both, His image fair.

222

Speaking or mute,
⁴⁴⁹¹
all comeliness and grace

223

Attends thee, and each word, each motion
⁴⁴⁹²
forms.
⁴⁴⁹³

224

Nor less think we in Heav’n of thee on earth

225

Than of our fellow-servant, and inquire

226

Gladly into the ways of God with man,

227

For God, we see, hath honored thee, and set

228

On man His equal love. Say therefore on,

229

For I that day was absent, as befell,
⁴⁴⁹⁴

230

Bound on a voyage uncouth
⁴⁴⁹⁵
and obscure,
⁴⁴⁹⁶

231

Far on excursion
⁴⁴⁹⁷
toward the gates of Hell,

232

Squared
⁴⁴⁹⁸
in full legion
⁴⁴⁹⁹
(such command we had)

233

To see that none thence issued forth a spy

234

Or enemy, while God was in His work,

235

Lest He, incensed at such eruption
⁴⁵⁰⁰
bold,

236

Destruction with creation might have mixed.

237

Not that they durst without His leave attempt—

238

But us He sends upon His high behests

239

For state, as Sov’reign King, and to inure
⁴⁵⁰¹

240

Our prompt obedience.
⁴⁵⁰²
Fast we found, fast shut,

241

The dismal gates, and barricado’d
⁴⁵⁰³
strong,

242

But long ere our approaching heard within

243

Noise, other than the sound of dance or song,

244

Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage.

245

Glad we returned up to the coasts of light

246

Ere sabbath-ev’ning: so we had in charge.
⁴⁵⁰⁴

247

But thy relation
⁴⁵⁰⁵
now, for I attend,
⁴⁵⁰⁶

248

Pleased with thy words no less than thou with mine.

249

So spoke the godlike Power, and thus our sire:

250

   
“For man to tell how human life began

251

Is hard, for who himself beginning knew?

252

Desire with thee still longer to converse

253

Induced
⁴⁵⁰⁷
me. As new waked from soundest sleep,

254

Soft on the flow’ry herb
⁴⁵⁰⁸
I found me laid,

255

In balmy
⁴⁵⁰⁹
sweat, which with his beams the sun

256

Soon dried, and on the reeking
⁴⁵¹⁰
moisture fed.

257

Straight toward Heav’n my wond’ring eyes I turned,

258

And gazed a while the ample sky, till raised

259

By quick instinctive motion, up I sprung,

260

As thitherward endeavoring, and upright

261

Stood on my feet. About me round I saw

262

Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains,

263

And liquid lapse
⁴⁵¹¹
of murmuring streams. By
⁴⁵¹²
these,

264

Creatures that lived and moved, and walked, or flew,