The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (99 page)

83

With narrow
⁴⁷⁴⁸
search, and with inspection deep

84

Considered every creature, which of all

85

Most opportune might serve his wiles, and found

86

The serpent, subtlest beast of all the field.

87

Him after long debate, irresolute

88

Of thoughts revolved, his final sentence
⁴⁷⁴⁹
chose

89

Fit vessel, fittest imp
⁴⁷⁵⁰
of fraud, in whom

90

To enter, and his dark suggestions hide

91

From sharpest sight, for in the wily snake,

92

Whatever sleights,
⁴⁷⁵¹
none would suspicious mark,
⁴⁷⁵²

93

As from his wit and native subtlety

94

Proceeding, which in other beasts observed

95

Doubt might beget
⁴⁷⁵³
of diabolic power

96

Active within, beyond the sense
⁴⁷⁵⁴
of brute.

97

Thus he resolved, but first from inward grief

98

His bursting passion into plaints
⁴⁷⁵⁵
thus poured:

99

   
“O earth, how like to Heav’n, if not preferred

100

More justly, seat worthier of gods, as built

101

With second thoughts, reforming
⁴⁷⁵⁶
what was old!

102

For what god, after better, worse would build?

103

Terrestrial Heav’n, danced round by other Heav’ns

104

That shine, yet bear their bright officious
⁴⁷⁵⁷
lamps,

105

Light above light, for thee
⁴⁷⁵⁸
alone, as seems,

106

In thee concent’ring all their precious beams

107

Of sacred influence! As God in Heav’n

108

Is center, yet extends to all, so thou,

109

Cent’ring, receiv’st from all those orbs. In thee,

110

Not in themselves, all their known virtue
⁴⁷⁵⁹
appears

111

Productive in herb, plant, and nobler birth

112

Of creatures animate with gradual
⁴⁷⁶⁰
life

113

Of growth, sense, reason, all summed up in man.

114

With what delight could I have walked thee round

115

( If I could joy in aught), sweet interchange
⁴⁷⁶¹

116

Of hill, and valley, rivers, woods, and plains,

117

Now land, now sea and shores with forest crowned,

118

Rocks, dens, and caves! But I in none of these

119

Find place or refuge, and the more I see

120

Pleasures about me, so much more I feel

121

Torment within me, as from the hateful siege

122

Of contraries.
⁴⁷⁶²
All good to me becomes

123

Bane
⁴⁷⁶³
—and in Heav’n much worse would be my state,

124

   
“But neither here seek I, no, nor in Heav’n

125

To dwell, unless by mast’ring Heav’n’s Supreme,
⁴⁷⁶⁴

126

Nor hope to be myself less miserable

127

By what I seek, but others to make such

128

As I, though thereby worse to me redound.
⁴⁷⁶⁵

129

For only in destroying I find ease

130

To my relentless thoughts and, him
⁴⁷⁶⁶
destroyed,

131

Or won to what may work his utter loss,

132

For whom all this was made, all this will soon

133

Follow, as to him linked in weal
⁴⁷⁶⁷
or woe.

134

In woe then. That destruction wide may range:
⁴⁷⁶⁸

135

To me shall be the glory sole among

136

Th’ infernal Powers, in one day to have marred
⁴⁷⁶⁹

137

What He, Almighty styled, six nights and days

138

Continued making—and who knows how long

139

Before had been contriving? Though perhaps

140

Not longer than since I, in one night, freed

141

From servitude inglorious well nigh half

142

Th’Angelic name, and thinner left the throng

143

Of His adorers. He, to be avenged,

144

And to repair His numbers thus impaired,

145

Whether such virtue spent of old now failed

146

More Angels to create (if they at least

147

Are His created) or, to spite us more,

148

Determined to advance into our room
⁴⁷⁷⁰

149

A creature formed of earth, and him endow,

150

Exalted from so base original,
⁴⁷⁷¹

151

With Heav’nly spoils—our spoils. What He decreed,

152

He effected. Man He made, and for him built

153

Magnificent this world, and earth his seat,

154

Him lord pronounced and, O indignity!

155

Subjected to his service angel-wings,

156

And flaming ministers
⁴⁷⁷²
to watch and tend

157

Their earthly charge. Of these the vigilance

158

I dread and, to elude, thus wrapped in mist

159

Of midnight vapor glide obscure,
⁴⁷⁷³
and pry
⁴⁷⁷⁴

160

In every bush and brake,
⁴⁷⁷⁵
where hap
⁴⁷⁷⁶
may find

161

The serpent sleeping, in whose mazy folds
⁴⁷⁷⁷

162

To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.

163

   
“O foul descent! that I, who erst contended

164

With gods to sit the highest, am now constrained
⁴⁷⁷⁸

165

Into a beast and, mixed with bestial slime,

166

This essence to incarnate
⁴⁷⁷⁹
and imbrute
⁴⁷⁸⁰

167

That
⁴⁷⁸¹
to the height of Deity aspired!

168

But what will not ambition and revenge

169

Descend to? Who
⁴⁷⁸²
aspires, must down
⁴⁷⁸³
as low

170

As high he soared, obnoxious,
⁴⁷⁸⁴
first or last,

171

To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet,

172

Bitter ere long, back on itself recoils.