The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (94 page)

265

Birds on the branches warbling—all things smiled.

266

With fragrance and with joy my heart o’erflowed.

267

Myself I then perused, and limb by limb

268

Surveyed, and sometimes went,
⁴⁵¹³
and sometimes ran

269

With supple joints, as lively vigor led.

270

But who I was, or where, or from what cause,

271

Knew not. To speak I tried, and forthwith spoke.

272

My tongue obeyed, and readily could name

273

Whate’er I saw. ‘Thou Sun,’ said I, ‘fair light,

274

And thou enlight’ned
⁴⁵¹⁴
earth, so fresh and gay,

275

Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains,

276

And ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell,

277

Tell, if ye saw, how I came thus, how here?

278

Not of myself—by some great Maker, then,

279

In goodness and in power preëminent.

280

Tell me, how may I know Him, how adore,

281

From whom I have that thus I move and live,

282

And feel that I am happier than I know.

283

While thus I called, and strayed I knew not whither

284

From where I first drew air, and first beheld

285

This happy light—when, answer none returned,

286

On a green shady bank, profuse of flowers,

287

Pensive I sat me down. There gentle sleep

288

First found me, and with soft oppression
⁴⁵¹⁵
seized

289

My drowsèd
⁴⁵¹⁶
sense, untroubled, though I thought

290

I then was passing to my former state

291

Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve.

292

When suddenly stood at my head a dream,

293

Whose inward apparition
⁴⁵¹⁷
gently moved

294

My fancy to believe I yet had being,

295

And lived. One came, methought, of shape divine,

296

And said, ‘Thy mansion
⁴⁵¹⁸
wants
⁴⁵¹⁹
thee, Adam. Rise,

297

First man, of men innumerable ordained

298

First father! Called by thee, I come thy guide

299

To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepared.

300

So saying, by the hand He took me raised,

301

And over fields and waters, as in air

302

Smooth-sliding without step, last led me up

303

A woody mountain, whose high top was plain,

304

A circuit wide, enclosed with goodliest trees

305

Planted, with walks, and bowers, that what I saw

306

Of earth before scarce pleasant seemed. Each tree,

307

Loaden with fairest fruit that hung to the eye

308

Tempting, stirred in me sudden appetite

309

To pluck and eat, whereat I waked, and found

310

Before mine eyes all real,
⁴⁵²⁰
as the dream

311

Had lively
⁴⁵²¹
shadowed.
⁴⁵²²
Here had new begun

312

My wand’ring, had not He, who was my guide

313

Up hither, from among the trees appeared,

314

Presence Divine. Rejoicing, but with awe,

315

In adoration at His feet I fell

316

Submiss. He reared me, and ‘Whom thou sought’st I am,

317

Said mildly, ‘Author of all this thou see’st

318

Above, or round about thee, or beneath.

319

This Paradise I give thee, count it thine

320

To till
⁴⁵²³
and keep, and of the fruit to eat.

321

Of every tree that in the garden grows

322

Eat freely with glad heart, fear here no dearth.
⁴⁵²⁴

323

But of the tree whose operation
⁴⁵²⁵
brings

324

Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set

325

The pledge
⁴⁵²⁶
of thy obedience and thy faith,

326

Amid the garden by
⁴⁵²⁷
the Tree of Life,

327

Remember what I warn thee: shun to taste,

328

And shun the bitter consequence. For know,

329

The day thou eat’st thereof, my sole command

330

Transgressed, inevitably
⁴⁵²⁸
thou shalt die,

331

From that day mortal, and this happy state

332

Shalt lose, expelled from hence into a world

333

Of woe and sorrow. ’ Sternly He pronounced

334

The rigid interdiction, which resounds

335

Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice

336

Not to incur. But soon His clear aspect
⁴⁵²⁹

337

Returned, and gracious purpose
⁴⁵³⁰
thus renewed:

338

‘Not only these fair bounds,
⁴⁵³¹
but all the earth

339

To thee and to thy race I give. As lords

340

Possess it, and all things that therein live,

341

Or live in sea, or air, beast, fish, and fowl.

342

In sign whereof each bird and beast behold

343

After their kinds; I bring them to receive

344

From thee their names, and pay thee fealty
⁴⁵³²

345

With low subjection. Understand the same

346

Of fish within their wat’ry residence,

347

Not hither summoned, since they cannot change

348

Their element, to draw
⁴⁵³³
the thinner air.

349

As thus he spoke, each bird and beast behold

350

Approaching two and two, these
⁴⁵³⁴
cowering low

351

With blandishment,
⁴⁵³⁵
each bird stooped on his wing.

352

I named them, as they passed, and understood

353

Their nature, with such knowledge God endued
⁴⁵³⁶

354

My sudden apprehension.
⁴⁵³⁷
But in these

355

I found not what methought I wanted still,

356

And to the Heav’nly vision thus presumed:
⁴⁵³⁸