Book IX

Meanwhile the hainous and depightfull act Of Satan done in Paradie, and how Hee in the Serpent had perverted Eve, Her Huband hee, to tate the fatall fruit, Was known in Heav’n; for what can cape the Eye Of God All-eeing, or deceave his Heart Omnicient, who in all things wie and jut, Hinder’d not Satan to attempt the minde Of Man, with trength entire, and free Will arm’d, 10Complete to have dicover’d and repult Whatever wiles of Foe or eeming Friend. For till they knew, and ought to have till remember’d The high Injunction not to tate that Fruit, Whoever tempted; which they not obeying, Incurr’d, what could they les, the penaltie, And manifold in in, deerv’d to fall. Up into Heav’n from Paradie in hat Th’ Angelic Guards acended, mute and ad For Man, for of his tate by this they knew, 20Much wondring how the uttle Fiend had toln Entrance uneen. Soon as th’ unwelcome news From Earth arriv’d at Heaven Gate, diplea’d All were who heard, dim adnes did not pare That time Celetial viages, yet mixt With pitie, violated not thir blis. About the new-arriv’d, in multitudes Th’ ethereal People ran, to hear and know How all befell: they towards the Throne Supream Accountable made hate to make appear 30With righteous plea, thir utmot vigilance, And eaily approv’d; when the mot High Eternal Father from his ecret Cloud, Amidt in Thunder utter’d thus his voice. Aembl’d Angels, and ye Powers return’d From unucceful charge, be not dimaid, Nor troubl’d at thee tidings from the Earth, Which your inceret care could not prevent, Foretold o lately what would come to pas, When firt this Tempter cro’d the Gulf from Hell. 40I told ye then he hould prevail and peed On his bad Errand, Man hould be educ’t And flatter’d out of all, believing lies Againt his Maker; no Decree of mine Concurring to neceitate his Fall, Or touch with lightet moment of impule His free Will, to her own inclining left In eevn cale. But fall’n he is, and now What rets, but that the mortal Sentence pas On his trangreion, Death denounc’t that day, 50Which he preumes already vain and void, Becaue not yet inflicted, as he fear’d, By ome immediate troak; but oon hall find Forbearance no acquittance ere day end. Jutice hall not return as bountie corn’d. But whom end I to judge them? whom but thee Vicegerent Son, to thee I have tranferr’d All Judgement, whether in Heav’n, or Earth; or Hell. Eaie it may be een that I intend Mercie collegue with Jutice, ending thee 60Mans Friend, his Mediator, his deign’d Both Ranom and Redeemer voluntarie, And detin’d Man himelf to judge Man fall’n. So pake the Father, and unfoulding bright Toward the right hand his Glorie, on the Son Blaz’d forth unclouded Deitie; he full Replendent all his Father manifet Expre’d, and thus divinely anwer’d milde. Father Eternal, thine is to decree, Mine both in Heav’n and Earth to do thy will 70Supream, that thou in mee thy Son belov’d Mayt ever ret well plea’d. I go to judge On Earth thee thy trangreors, but thou knowt, Whoever judg’d, the wort on mee mut light, When time hall be, for o I undertook Before thee; and not repenting, this obtaine Of right, that I may mitigate thir doom On me deriv’d, yet I hall temper o Jutice with Mercie, as may illutrate mot Them fully atified, and thee appeae. 80Attendance none hall need, nor Train, where none Are to behold the Judgement, but the judg’d, Thoe two; the third bet abent is condemn’d, Convict by flight, and Rebel to all Law Conviction to the Serpent none belongs. Thus aying, from his radiant Seat he roe Of high collateral glorie: him Thrones and Powers, Princedoms, and Dominations minitrant Accompanied to Heaven Gate, from whence Eden and all the Coat in propect lay. 90Down he decended trait; the peed of Gods Time counts not, though with wiftet minutes wing’d. Now was the Sun in Wetern cadence low From Noon, and gentle Aires due at thir hour To fan the Earth now wak’d, and uher in The Eevning coole when he from wrauth more coole Came the mild Judge and Interceor both To entence Man: the voice of God they heard Now walking in the Garden, by oft windes Brought to thir Ears, while day declin’d, they heard 100And from his preence hid themelves among The thicket Trees, both Man and Wife, till God Approaching, thus to Adam call’d aloud. Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming een far off? I mis thee here, Not plea’d, thus entertaind with olitude, Where obvious dutie erewhile appear’d unaught: Or come I les conpicuous, or what change Abents thee, or what chance detain? Come forth. He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though firt 110To offend, dicount’nanc’t both, and dicompo’d; Love was not in thir looks, either to God Or to each other, but apparent guilt, And hame, and perturbation, and depaire, Anger, and obtinacie, and hate, and guile. Whence Adam faultring long, thus anwer’d brief. I heard thee in the Garden, and of thy voice Affraid, being naked, hid my elf. To whom The gracious Judge without revile repli’d. My voice thou oft hat heard, and hat not fear’d, 120But till rejoyc’t, how is it now become So dreadful to thee? that thou art naked, who Hath told thee? hat thou eaten of the Tree Whereof I gave thee charge thou houldt not eat? To whom thus Adam ore beet repli’d. O Heav’n! in evil trait this day I tand Before my Judge, either to undergoe My elf the total Crime, or to accue My other elf, the partner of my life; Whoe failing, while her Faith to me remaines, 130I hould conceal, and not expoe to blame By my complaint; but trict neceitie Subdues me, and calamitous contraint, Leat on my head both in and punihment, However inupportable, be all Devolv’d; though hould I hold my peace, yet thou Wouldt eaily detect what I conceale. This Woman whom thou mad’t to be my help, And gav’t me as thy perfet gift, o good, So fit, o acceptable, o Divine, 140That from her hand I could upect no ill, And what he did, whatever in it elf, Her doing eem’d to jutifie the deed; Shee gave me of the Tree, and I did eate. To whom the ovran Preence thus repli’d. Was hee thy God, that her thou didt obey Before his voice, or was hee made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her Thou did’t reigne thy Manhood, and the Place Wherein God et thee above her made of thee, 150And for thee, whoe perfection farr excell’d Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd She was indeed, and lovely to attract Thy Love, not thy Subjection, and her Gifts Were uch as under Government well eem’d, Uneemly to beare rule, which was thy part And peron, had’t thou known thy elf aright. So having aid, he thus to Eve in few: Say Woman, what is this which thou hat done? To whom ad Eve with hame nigh overwhelm’d, 160Confeing oon, yet not before her Judge Bold or loquacious, thus abaht repli’d. The Serpent me beguil’d and I did eate. Which when the Lord God heard, without delay To Judgement he proceeded on th’ accu’d Serpent though brute, unable to tranferre The Guilt on him who made him intrument Of michief, and polluted from the end Of his Creation; jutly then accurt, As vitiated in Nature: more to know 170Concern’d not Man (ince he no further knew) Nor alter’d his offence; yet God at lat To Satan firt in in his doom apply’d, Though in myterious terms, judg’d as then bet: And on the Serpent thus his cure let fall. Becaue thou hat done this, thou art accurt Above all Cattel, each Beat of the Field; Upon thy Belly groveling thou halt goe, And dut halt eat all the days of thy Life. Between Thee and the Woman I will put 180Enmitie, and between thine and her Seed; Her Seed hall bruie thy head, thou bruie his heel. So pake this Oracle, then verifi’d When JESUS on of MARY econd Eve, Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav’n, Prince of the Aire; then riing from his Grave Spoild Principalities and Powers, triumpht In open hew, and with acention bright Captivity led captive through the Aire, The Realme it elf of Satan long uurpt, 190Whom he hall tread at lat under our feet; Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruie, And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn’d. Thy orrow I will greatly multiplie By thy Conception; Children thou halt bring In orrow forth, and to thy Hubands will Thine hall ubmit, hee over thee hall rule. On Adam lat thus judgement he pronounc’d. Becaue thou hat heark’nd to the voice of thy Wife, And eaten of the Tree concerning which 200I charg’d thee, aying: Thou halt not eate thereof, Cur’d is the ground for thy ake, thou in orrow Shalt eate thereof all the days of thy Life; Thornes alo and Thitles it hall bring thee forth Unbid, and thou halt eate th’ Herb of th’ Field, In the weat of thy Face halt thou eate Bread, Till thou return unto the ground, for thou Out of the ground wat taken, know thy Birth, For dut thou art, and halt to dut returne. So judg’d he Man, both Judge and Saviour ent, 210And th’ intant troke of Death denounc’t that day Remov’d farr off; then pittying how they tood Before him naked to the aire, that now Mut uffer change, didain’d not to begin Thenceforth the forme of ervant to aume, As when he wah’d his ervants feet, o now As Father of his Familie he clad Thir nakednes with Skins of Beats, or lain, Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid; And thought not much to cloath his Enemie: 220Nor hee thir outward onely with the Skins Of Beats, but inward nakednes, much more Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteounes, Araying cover’d from his Fathers ight. To him with wift acent he up returnd, Into his bliful boom reaum’d In glory as of old, to him appea’d All, though all-knowing, what had pat with Man Recounted, mixing interceion weet. Meanwhile ere thus was in’d and judg’d on Earth, 230Within the Gates of Hell ate Sin and Death, In counterview within the Gates, that now Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame Farr into Chaos, ince the Fiend pa’d through, Sin opening, who thus now to Death began. O Son, why it we here each other viewing Idlely, while Satan our great Author thrives In other Worlds, and happier Seat provides For us his ofpring deare? It cannot be But that ucces attends him; if mihap, 240Ere this he had return’d, with fury driv’n By his Avenger, ince no place like this Can fit his punihment, or their revenge. Methinks I feel new trength within me rie, Wings growing, and Dominion giv’n me large Beyond this Deep; whatever drawes me on, Or ympathie, or om connatural force Powerful at greatet ditance to unite With ecret amity things of like kinde By ecretet conveyance. Thou my Shade 250Ineparable mut with mee along: For Death from Sin no power can eparate. But leat the difficultie of paing back Stay his returne perhaps over this Gulfe Impaable, impervious, let us try Adventrous work, yet to thy power and mine Not unagreeable, to found a path Over this Maine from Hell to that new World Where Satan now prevailes, a Monument Of merit high to all th’ infernal Hot, 260Eaing thir paage hence, for intercoure, Or tranmigration, as thir lot hall lead. Nor can I mis the way, o trongly drawn By this new felt attraction and intinct. Whom thus the meager Shadow anwerd oon. Goe whither Fate and inclination trong Leads thee, I hall not lag behinde, nor erre The way, thou leading, uch a ent I draw Of carnage, prey innumerable, and tate The avour of Death from all things there that live: 270Nor hall I to the work thou enterpriet Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid. So aying, with delight he nuff’d the mell Of mortal change on Earth. As when a flock Of ravenous Fowl, though many a League remote, Againt the day of Battel, to a Field, Where Armies lie encampt, come flying, lur’d With ent of living Carcaes deign’d For death, the following day, in bloodie fight. So ented the grim Feature, and upturn’d 280His Notril wide into the murkie Air, Sagacious of his Quarrey from o farr. Then Both from out Hell Gates into the wate Wide Anarchie of Chaos damp and dark Flew divers, & with Power (thir Power was great) Hovering upon the Waters; what they met Solid or limie, as in raging Sea Tot up and down, together crowded drove From each ide hoaling towards the mouth of Hell. As when two Polar Winds blowing advere 290Upon the Cronian Sea, together drive Mountains of Ice, that top th’ imagin’d way Beyond Petsora Eatward, to the rich Cathaian Coat. The aggregated Soyle Death with his Mace petrific, cold and dry, As with a Trident mote, and fix’t as firm As Delos floating once; the ret his look Bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move, And with Asphaltic lime; broad as the Gate, Deep to the Roots of Hell the gather’d beach 300They faten’d, and the Mole immene wraught on Over the foaming deep high Archt, a Bridge Of length prodigious joyning to the Wall Immoveable of this now fenceles world Forfeit to Death; from hence a paage broad, Smooth, eaie, inoffenive down to Hell. So, if great things to mall may be compar’d, Xerxes, the Libertie of Greece to yoke, From Susa his Memnonian Palace high Came to the Sea, and over Hellespont’ 310Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joyn’d, And courg’d with many a troak th’ indignant waves. Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art Pontifical, a ridge of pendent Rock Over the vext Abys, following the track Of Satan, to the elfame place where hee Firt lighted from his Wing, and landed afe From out of Chaos to the outide bare Of this round World: with Pinns of Adamant And Chains they made all fat, too fat they made 320And durable; and now in little pace The Confines met of Empyrean Heav’n And of this World, and on the left hand Hell With long reach interpo’d; three ev’ral wayes In ight, to each of thee three places led. And now thir way to Earth they had decri’d, To Paradie firt tending, when behold Satan in likenes of an Angel bright Betwixt the Centaure and the Scorpion tearing His Zenith, while the Sun in Aries roe: 330Digui’d he came, but thoe his Children dear Thir Parent oon dicern’d, though in diguie. Hee, after Eve educ’t, unminded lunk Into the Wood fat by, and changing hape To oberve the equel, aw his guileful act By Eve, though all unweeting, econded Upon her Huband, aw thir hame that ought Vain covertures; but when he aw decend The Son of God to judge them, terrifi’d Hee fled, not hoping to ecape, but hun 340The preent, fearing guiltie what his wrauth Might uddenly inflict; that pat, return’d By Night, and litning where the haples Paire Sate in thir ad dicoure, and various plaint, Thence gatherd his own doom, which undertood Not intant, but of future time. With joy And tidings fraught, to Hell he now return’d, And at the brink of Chaos, neer the foot Of this new wondrous Pontifice, unhop’t Met who to meet him came, his Ofpring dear. 350Great joy was at thir meeting, and at ight Of that tupendious Bridge his joy encrea’d. Long hee admiring tood, till Sin, his faire Inchanting Daughter, thus the ilence broke. O Parent, thee are thy magnific deeds, Thy Trophies, which thou view’t as not thine own, Thou art thir Author and prime Architect: For I no ooner in my Heart divin’d, My Heart, which by a ecret harmonie Still moves with thine, joyn’d in connexion weet, 360That thou on Earth hadt proper’d, which thy looks Now alo evidence, but traight I felt Though ditant from thee Worlds between, yet felt That I mut after thee with this thy Son; Such fatal conequence unites us three: Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds, Nor this unvoyageable Gulf obcure Detain from following thy illutrious track. Thou hat atchiev’d our libertie, confin’d Within Hell Gates till now, thou us impow’rd 370To fortifie thus farr, and overlay With this portentous Bridge the dark Abys. Thine now is all this World, thy vertue hath won What thy hands builded not, thy Widom gain’d With odds what Warr hath lot, and fully aveng’d Our foile in Heav’n; here thou halt Monarch reign, There didt not; there let him till Victor way, As Battel hath adjudg’d, from this new World Retiring, by his own doom alienated, And henceforth Monarchie with thee divide 380Of all things, parted by th’ Empyreal bounds, His Quadrature, from thy Orbicular World, Or trie thee now more dang’rous to his Throne. Whom thus the Prince of Darknes anwerd glad. Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both, High proof ye now have giv’n to be the Race Of Satan (for I glorie in the name, Antagonit of Heav’ns Almightie King) Amply have merited of me, of all Th’ Infernal Empire, that o neer Heav’ns dore 390Triumphal with triumphal act have met, Mine with this glorious Work, & made one Realm Hell and this World, one Realm, one Continent Of eaie thorough-fare. Therefore while I Decend through Darknes, on your Rode with eae To my aociate Powers, them to acquaint With thee uccees, and with them rejoyce, You two this way, among thoe numerous Orbs All yours, right down to Paradie decend; There dwell & Reign in blis, thence on the Earth 400Dominion exercie and in the Aire, Chiefly on Man, ole Lord of all declar’d, Him firt make ure your thrall, and latly kill. My Subtitutes I end ye, and Create Plenipotent on Earth, of matchles might Iuing from mee: on your joynt vigor now My hold of this new Kingdom all depends, Through Sin to Death expo’d by my exploit. If your joynt power prevaile, th’ affaires of Hell No detriment need feare, goe and be trong. 410 So aying he dimi’d them, they with peed Thir coure through thicket Contellations held Spreading thir bane; the blated Starrs lookt wan, And Planets, Planet-trook, real Eclips Then ufferd. Th’ other way Satan went down The Cauey to Hell Gate; on either ide Diparted Chaos over built exclaimd, And with rebounding urge the barrs aaild, That corn’d his indignation: through the Gate, Wide open and unguarded, Satan pa’d, 420And all about found deolate; for thoe Appointed to it there, had left thir charge, Flown to the upper World; the ret were all Farr to the inland retir’d, about the walls Of Pandæmonium, Citie and proud eate Of Lucifer, o by alluion calld, Of that bright Starr to Satan paragond. There kept thir Watch the Legions, while the Grand In Council ate, ollicitous what chance Might intercept thir Emperour ent, o hee 430Departing gave command, and they oberv’d. As when the Tartar from his Ruian Foe By Atracan over the Snowie Plaines Retires, or Bactrian Sophi from the hornes Of Turkih Crecent, leaves all wate beyond The Realme of Aladule, in his retreate To Tauris or Casbeen. So thee the late Heav’n-baniht Hot, left deert utmot Hell Many a dark League, reduc’t in careful Watch Round thir Metropolis, and now expecting 440Each hour their great adventurer from the earch Of Forrein World: he through the midt unmarkt, In hew plebeian Angel militant Of lowet order, pat; and from the dore Of that Plutonian Hall, inviible Acended his high Throne, which under tate Of richet texture pred, at th’ upper end Was plac’t in regal lutre. Down a while He ate, and round about him aw uneen: At lat as from a Cloud his fulgent head 450And hape Starr bright appeer’d, or brighter, clad With what permiive glory ince his fall Was left him, or fale glitter: All amaz’d At that o udden blaze the Stygian throng Bent thir apect, and whom they wih’d beheld, Thir mighty Chief returnd: loud was th’ acclaime: Forth ruh’d in hate the great conulting Peers, Rai’d from thir dark Divan, and with like joy Congratulant approach’d him, who with hand Silence, and with thee words attention won. 460 Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers, For in poeion uch, not onely of right, I call ye and declare ye now, returnd Succeful beyond hope, to lead ye forth Triumphant out of this infernal Pit Abominable, accurt, the houe of woe, And Dungeon of our Tyrant: Now poes, As Lords, a pacious World, to our native Heaven Little inferiour, by my adventure hard With peril great atchiev’d. Long were to tell 470What I have don, what ufferd, with what paine Voyag’d the unreal, vat, unbounded deep Of horrible confuion, over which By Sin and Death a broad way now is pav’d To expedite your glorious march; but I Toild out my uncouth paage, forc’t to ride Th’ untractable Abye, plung’d in the womb Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wilde, That jealous of thir ecrets fiercely oppo’d My journey trange, with clamorous uproare 480Proteting Fate upreame; thence how I found The new created World, which fame in Heav’n Long had foretold, a Fabrick wonderful Of abolute perfection, therein Man Plac’t in a Paradie, by our exile Made happie: Him by fraud I have educ’d From his Creator, and the more to increae Your wonder, with an Apple; he thereat Offended, worth your laughter, hath giv’n up Both his beloved Man and all his World, 490To Sin and Death a prey, and o to us, Without our hazard, labour or allarme, To range in, and to dwell, and over Man To rule, as over all he hould have rul’d. True is, mee alo he hath judg’d, or rather Mee not, but the brute Serpent in whoe hape Man I deceav’d: that which to mee belongs, Is enmity, which he will put between Mee and Mankinde; I am to bruie his heel; His Seed, when is not et, hall bruie my head: 500A World who would not purchae with a bruie, Or much more grievous pain? Ye have th’ account Of my performance: What remaines, ye Gods, But up and enter now into full blis. So having aid, a while he tood, expecting Thir univeral hout and high applaue To fill his eare, when contrary he hears On all ides, from innumerable tongues A dimal univeral his, the ound Of public corn; he wonderd, but not long 510Had leaure, wondring at himelf now more; His Viage drawn he felt to harp and pare, His Armes clung to his Ribs, his Leggs entwining Each other, till upplanted down he fell A montrous Serpent on his Belly prone, Reluctant, but in vaine, a greater power Now rul’d him, puniht in the hape he in’d, According to his doom: he would have poke, But his for his returnd with forked tongue To forked tongue, for now were all tranform’d 520Alike, to Serpents all as acceories To his bold Riot: dreadful was the din Of hiing through the Hall, thick warming now With complicated monters, head and taile, Scorpion and Ap, and Amphisbæna dire, Cerates hornd, Hydrus, and Ellops drear, And Dipas (Not o thick warm’d once the Soil Bedropt with blood of Gorgon, or the Ile Ophiua) but till greatet hee the midt, Now Dragon grown, larger then whom the Sun 530Ingenderd in the Pythian Vale on lime, Huge Python, and his Power no les he eem’d Above the ret till to retain; they all Him follow’d iuing forth to th’ open Field, Where all yet left of that revolted Rout Heav’n-fall’n, in tation tood or jut array, Sublime with expectation when to ee In Triumph iuing forth thir glorious Chief; They aw, but other ight intead, a crowd Of ugly Serpents; horror on them fell, 540And horrid ympathie; for what they aw, They felt themelvs now changing; down thir arms, Down fell both Spear and Shield, down they as fat, And the dire his renew’d, and the dire form Catcht by Contagion, like in punihment, As in thir crime. Thus was th’ applaue they meant, Turnd to exploding his, triumph to hame Cat on themelves from thir own mouths. There tood A Grove hard by, prung up with this thir change, His will who reigns above, to aggravate 550Thir penance, laden with fair Fruit, like that Which grew in Paradie, the bait of Eve U’d by the Tempter: on that propect trange Thir earnet eyes they fix’d, imagining For one forbidden Tree a multitude Now ri’n, to work them furder woe or hame; Yet parcht with calding thurt and hunger fierce, Though to delude them ent, could not abtain, But on they rould in heaps, and up the Trees Climbing, at thicker then the nakie locks 560That curld Megæra: greedily they pluck’d The Frutage fair to ight, like that which grew Neer that bituminous Lake where Sodom flam’d; This more deluive, not the touch, but tate Deceav’d; they fondly thinking to allay Thir appetite with gut, intead of Fruit Chewd bitter Ahes, which th’ offended tate VVith pattering noie rejected: oft they aayd, Hunger and thirt contraining, drugd as oft, VVith hatefullet direlih writh’d thir jaws 570VVith foot and cinders fill’d; o oft they fell Into the ame illuion, not as Man Whom they triumph’d once lapt. Thus were they plagu’d And worn with Famin, long and ceales his, Till thir lot hape, permitted, they reum’d, Yearly enjoynd, ome ay, to undergo This annual humbling certain number’d days, To dah thir pride, and joy for Man educ’t. However ome tradition they diper’d Among the Heathen of thir purchae got, 580And Fabl’d how the Serpent, whom they calld Ophion with Eurynome, the wide- Encroaching Eve perhaps, had firt the rule Of high Olympus, thence by Saturn driv’n And Ops, ere yet Dictæan Jove was born. Mean while in Paradie the hellih pair Too oon arriv’d, Sin there in power before, Once actual, now in body, and to dwell Habitual habitant; behind her Death Cloe following pace for pace, not mounted yet 590On his pale Hore: to whom Sin thus began. Second of Satan prung, all conquering Death, What thinkt thou of our Empire now, though earnd With travail difficult, not better farr Then til at Hels dark threhold to have ate watch, Unnam’d, undreaded, and thy elf half tarv’d? Whom thus the Sin-born Monter anwerd oon. To mee, who with eternal Famin pine, Alike is Hell, or Paradie, or Heaven, There bet, where mot with ravin I may meet; 600Which here, though plenteous, all too little eems To tuff this Maw, this vat unhide-bound Corps. To whom th’ incetuous Mother thus repli’d. Thou therefore on thee Herbs, and Fruits, & Flours Feed firt, on each Beat next, and Fih, and Fowle, No homely morels, and whatever thing The Sithe of Time mowes down, devour unpar’d, Till I in Man reiding through the Race, His thoughts, his looks, words, actions all infect, And eaon him thy lat and weetet prey. 610 This aid, they both betook them everal wayes, Both to detroy, or unimmortal make All kinds, and for detruction to mature Sooner or later; which th’ Almightie eeing, From his trancendent Seat the Saints among, To thoe bright Orders utterd thus his voice. See with what heat thee Dogs of Hell advance To wate and havoc yonder VVorld, which I So fair and good created, and had till Kept in that tate, had not the folly of Man 620Let in thee watful Furies, who impute Folly to mee, o doth the Prince of Hell And his Adherents, that with o much eae I uffer them to enter and poes A place o heav’nly, and conniving eem To gratifie my cornful Enemies, That laugh, as if tranported with ome fit Of Paion, I to them had quitted all, At random yeilded up to their mirule; And know not that I call’d and drew them thither 630My Hell-hounds, to lick up the draff and filth Which mans polluting Sin with taint hath hed On what was pure, till cramm’d and gorg’d, nigh burt With uckt and glutted offal, at one fling Of thy victorious Arm, well-pleaing Son, Both Sin, and Death, and yawning Grave at lat Through Chaos hurld, obtruct the mouth of Hell For ever, and eal up his ravenous Jawes. Then Heav’n and Earth renewd hall be made pure To anctitie that hall receive no taine: 640Till then the Cure pronounc’t on both precedes. Hee ended, and the heav’nly Audience loud Sung Halleluia, as the ound of Seas, Through multitude that ung: Jut are thy ways, Righteous are thy Decrees on all thy Works; Who can extenuate thee? Next, to the Son, Detin’d retorer of Mankind, by whom New Heav’n and Earth hall to the Ages rie, Or down from Heav’n decend. Such was thir ong, While the Creator calling forth by name 650His mightie Angels gave them everal charge, As orted bet with preent things. The Sun Had firt his precept o to move, o hine, As might affect the Earth with cold and heat Scarce tollerable, and from the North to call Decrepit Winter, from the South to bring Soltitial ummers heat. To the blanc Moone Her office they precrib’d, to th’ other five Thir planetarie motions and apects In Sextile, Square, and Trine, and Opposite, 660Of noxious efficacie, and when to joyne In Synod unbenigne, and taught the fixt Thir influence malignant when to howre, Which of them riing with the Sun, or falling, Should prove tempetuou: To the Winds they et Thir corners, when with bluter to confound Sea, Aire, and Shoar, the Thunder when to rowle With terror through the dark Aereal Hall. Some ay he bid his Angels turne acane The Poles of Earth twice ten degrees and more 670From the Suns Axle; they with labour puh’d Oblique the Centric Globe: Som ay the Sun Was bid turn Reines from th’ Equinoctial Rode Like ditant breadth to Taurus with the Seav’n Atlantick Siters, and the Spartan Twins Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amaine By Leo and the Virgin and the Scales, As deep as Capricorne, to bring in change Of Seaons to each Clime; ele had the Spring Perpetual mil’d on Earth with vernant Flours, 680Equal in Days and Nights, except to thoe Beyond the Polar Circles; to them Day Had unbenighted hon, while the low Sun To recompence his ditance, in thir ight Had rounded till th’ Horizon, and not known Or Eat or Wet, which had forbid the Snow From cold Etotiland, and South as farr Beneath Magellan. At that tated Fruit The Sun, as from Thyetean Banquet, turn’d His coure intended; ele how had the World 690Inhabited, though inles, more then now, Avoided pinching cold and corching heate? Thee changes in the Heav’ns, though low, produc’d Like change on Sea and Land, ideral blat, Vapour, and Mit, and Exhalation hot, Corrupt and Petilent: Now from the North Of Norumbega, and the Samoed hoar Burting thir brazen Dungeon, armd with ice And now and haile and tormie gut and flaw, Boreas and Cæcias and Argetes loud 700And Thracias rend the Woods and Seas upturn; With advere blat up-turns them from the South Notus and Afer black with thundrous Clouds From Serraliona; thwart of thee as fierce Forth ruh the Levant and the Ponent’ VVindes Eurus and Zephir with thir lateral noie, Sirocco, and Libecchio. Thus began Outrage from liveles things; but Dicord firt Daughter of Sin, among th’ irrational, Death introduc’d through fierce antipathie: 710Beat now with Beat gan war, & Fowle with Fowle, And Fih with Fih; to graze the Herb all leaving, Devourd each other; nor tood much in awe Of Man, but fled him, or with count’nance grim Glar’d on him paing: thee were from without The growing mieries, which Adam aw Alreadie in part, though hid in gloomiet hade, To orrow abandond, but wore felt within, And in a troubl’d Sea of paion tot, Thus to diburd’n ought with ad complaint. 720 O mierable of happie! is this the end Of this new glorious World, and mee o late The Glory of that Glory, who now becom Accurt of bleed, hide me from the face Of God, whom to behold was then my highth Of happine: yet well, if here would end The mierie, I deerv’d it, and would beare My own deervings; but this will not erve; All that I eate or drink, or hall beget, Is propagated cure. O voice once heard 730Delightfully, Encreae and multiply, Now death to heare! for what can I encreae Or multiplie, but cures on my head? Who of all Ages to ucceed, but feeling The evil on him brought by me, will cure My Head, Ill fare our Ancetor impure, For this we may thank Adam; but his thanks Shall be the execration; o beides Mine own that bide upon me, all from mee Shall with a fierce reflux on mee redound, 740On mee as on thir natural center light Heavie, though in thir place. O fleeting joyes Of Paradie, deare bought with lating woe! Did I requet thee, Maker, from my Clay To mould me Man, did I ollicite thee From darknes to promote me, or here place In this delicious Garden? as my Will Concurd not to my being, it were but right And equal to reduce me to my dut, Deirous to reigne, and render back 750All I receav’d, unable to performe Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold The good I ought not. To the los of that, Sufficient penaltie, why hat thou added The ene of endles woe? inexplicable Thy Jutice eems; yet to ay truth, too late, I thus contet; then hould have been refud Thoe terms whatever, when they were propo’d: Thou didt accept them; wilt thou enjoy the good, Then cavil the condition? and though God 760Made thee without thy leave, what if thy Son Prove diobedient, and reprov’d, retort, Wherefore didt thou beget me? I ought it not: Wouldt thou admit for his contempt of thee That proud excue? yet him not thy election, But Natural neceity begot. God made thee of choice his own, and of his own To erve him, thy reward was of his grace, Thy punihment then jutly is at his Will. Be it o, for I ubmit, his doom is fair, 770That dut I am, and hall to dut returne: O welcom hour whenever! why delayes His hand to execute what his Decree Fixd on this day? why do I overlive, Why am I mockt with death, and length’nd out To deathles pain? how gladly would I meet Mortalitie my entence, and be Earth Inenible, how glad would lay me down As in my Mothers lap? there I hould ret And leep ecure; his dreadful voice no more 780Would Thunder in my ears, no fear of wore To mee and to my ofpring would torment me With cruel expectation. Yet one doubt Purues me till, leat all I cannot die, Leat that pure breath of Life, the Spirit of Man Which God inpir’d, cannot together perih With this corporeal Clod; then in the Grave, Or in ome other dimal place, who knows But I hall die a living Death? O thought Horrid, if true! yet why? it was but breath 790Of Life that inn’d; what dies but what had life And in? the Bodie properly hath neither. All of me then hall die: let this appeae The doubt, ince humane reach no further knows. For though the Lord of all be infinite, Is his wrauth alo? be it, man is not o, But mortal doom’d. How can he exercie Wrath without end on Man whom Death mut end? Can he make deathles Death? that were to make Strange contradiction, which to God himelf 800Impoible is held, as Argument Of weaknes, not of Power. Will he, draw out, For angers ake, finite to infinite In puniht man, to atifie his rigour Satifi’d never; that were to extend His Sentence beyond dut and Natures Law, By which all Caues ele according till To the reception of thir matter act, Not to th’ extent of thir own Spheare. But ay That Death be not one troak, as I uppo’d, 810Bereaving ene, but endles mierie From this day onward, which I feel begun Both in me, and without me, and o lat To perpetuitie; Ay me, that fear Comes thundring back with dreadful revolution On my defenles head; both Death and I Am found Eternal, and incorporate both, Nor I on my part ingle, in mee all Poteritie tands curt: Fair Patrimonie That I mut leave ye, Sons; O were I able 820To wate it all my elf, and leave ye none! So diinherited how would ye bles Me now your Cure! Ah, why hould all mankind For one mans fault thus guiltles be condemn’d, If guiltle? But from mee what can proceed, But all corrupt, both Mind and Will deprav’d, Not to do onely, but to will the ame With me? how can they acquitted tand In ight of God? Him after all Diputes Forc’t I abolve: all my evaions vain 830And reaonings, though through Mazes, lead me till But to my own conviction: firt and lat On mee, mee onely, as the oure and pring Of all corruption, all the blame lights due; So might the wrauth, Fond wih! couldt thou upport That burden heavier then the Earth to bear, Then all the world much heavier, though divided With that bad Woman? Thus what thou deir’t, And what thou feart, alike detroyes all hope Of refuge, and concludes thee mierable 840Beyond all pat example and future, To Satan onely like both crime and doom. O Concience, into what Abys of fears And horrors hat thou driv’n me; out of which I find no way, from deep to deeper plung’d! Thus Adam to himelf lamented loud Through the till Night, now now, as ere man fell, Wholom and cool, and mild, but with black Air Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom, Which to his evil Concience repreented 850All things with double terror: On the ground Outtretcht he lay, on the cold ground, and oft Cur’d his Creation, Death as oft accu’d Of tardie execution, ince denounc’t The day of his offence. Why comes not Death, Said hee, with one thrice acceptable troke To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word, Jutice Divine not hat’n to be jut? But Death comes not at call, Jutice Divine Mends not her lowet pace for prayers or cries. 860O Woods, O Fountains, Hillocks, Dales and Bowrs, VVith other echo farr I taught your Shades To anwer, and reound farr other Song. VVhom thus afflicted when ad Eve beheld, Deolate where he ate, approaching nigh, Soft words to his fierce paion he aay’d: But her with tern regard he thus repell’d. Out of my ight, thou Serpent, that name bet Befits thee with him leagu’d, thy elf as fale And hateful; nothing wants, but that thy hape, 870Like his, and colour Serpentine may hew Thy inward fraud, to warn all Creatures from thee Henceforth; leat that too heav’nly form, pretended To hellih falhood, nare them. But for thee I had perited happie, had not thy pride And wandring vanitie, when let was afe, Rejected my forewarning, and didain’d Not to be truted, longing to be een Though by the Devil himelf, him overweening To over-reach, but with the Serpent meeting 880Fool’d and beguil’d, by him thou, I by thee, To trut thee from my ide, imagin’d wie, Contant, mature, proof againt all aaults, And undertood not all was but a hew Rather then olid vertu, all but a Rib Crooked by nature, bent, as now appears, More to the part initer from me drawn, Well if thrown out, as upernumerarie To my jut number found. O why did God, Creator wie, that peopl’d highet Heav’n 890With Spirits Maculine, create at lat This noveltie on Earth, this fair defect Of Nature, and not fill the World at once With Men as Angels without Feminine, Or find ome other way to generate Mankind? this michief had not then befall’n, And more that hall befall, innumerable Diturbances on Earth through Femal nares, And traight conjunction with this Sex: for either He never hall find out fit Mate, but uch 900As ome mifortune brings him, or mitake, Or whom he wihes mot hall eldom gain Through her perverenes, but hall ee her gaind By a farr wore, or if he love, withheld By Parents, or his happiet choice too late Shall meet, alreadie linkt and Wedlock-bound To a fell Adverarie, his hate or hame: Which infinite calamitie hall caue To humane life, and houhold peace confound. He added not, and from her turn’d, but Eve 910Not o repult, with Tears that cea’d not flowing, And trees all diorderd, at his feet Fell humble, and imbracing them, beaught His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint. Forake me not thus, Adam, witnes Heav’n What love incere, and reverence in my heart I beare thee, and unweeting have offended, Unhappilie deceav’d; thy uppliant I beg, and clap thy knees; bereave me not, Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid, 920Thy counel in this uttermot ditres, My onely trength and tay: forlorn of thee, Whither hall I betake me, where ubit? While yet we live, care one hort hour perhaps, Between us two let there be peace, both joyning, As joyn’d in injuries, one enmitie Againt a Foe by doom expres aign’d us, That cruel Serpent: On me exercie not Thy hatred for this mierie befall’n, On me already lot, mee then thy elf 930More mierable; both have in’d, but thou Againt God onely, I againt God and thee, And to the place of judgement will return, There with my cries importune Heaven, that all The entence from thy head remov’d may light On me, ole caue to thee of all this woe, Mee mee onely jut object of his ire. She ended weeping, and her lowlie plight, Immoveable till peace obtain’d from fault Acknowledg’d and deplor’d, in Adam wraught 940Commieration; oon his heart relented Towards her, his life o late and ole delight, Now at his feet ubmiive in ditres, Creature o faire his reconcilement eeking, His counel whom he had diplea’d, his aide; As one diarm’d, his anger all he lot, And thus with peaceful words uprai’d her oon. Unwarie, and too deirous, as before, So now of what thou knowt not, who deir’t The punihment all on thy elf; alas, 950Beare thine own firt, ill able to utaine His full wrauth whoe thou feelt as yet let part, And my dipleaure beart o ill. If Prayers Could alter high Decrees, I to that place Would peed before thee, and be louder heard, That on my head all might be viited, Thy frailtie and infirmer Sex forgiv’n, To me committed and by me expo’d. But rie, let us no more contend, nor blame Each other, blam’d enough elewhere, but trive 960In offices of Love, how we may light’n Each others burden in our hare of woe; Since this days Death denounc’t, if ought I ee, Will prove no udden, but a low-pac’t evill, A long days dying to augment our paine, And to our Seed (O haples Seed!) deriv’d. To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, repli’d. Adam, by ad experiment I know How little weight my words with thee can finde, Found o erroneous, thence by jut event 970Found o unfortunate; nevertheles, Retor’d by thee, vile as I am, to place Of new acceptance, hopeful to regaine Thy Love, the ole contentment of my heart, Living or dying from thee I will not hide What thoughts in my unquiet bret are ri’n, Tending to om relief of our extremes, Or end, though harp and ad, yet tolerable, As in our evils, and of eaier choice. If care of our decent perplex us mot, 980Which mut be born to certain woe, devourd By Death at lat, and mierable it is To be to others caue of miery, Our own begotten, and of our Loines to bring Into this cured World a woful Race, That after wretched Life mut be at lat Food for o foule a Monter, in thy power It lies, yet ere Conception to prevent The Race unblet, to being yet unbegot. Childles thou art, Childles remaine: 990So Death hall be deceav’d his glut, and with us two Be forc’d to atifie his Rav’nous Maw. But if thou judge it hard and difficult, Convering, looking, loving, to abtain From Loves due Rites, Nuptial embraces weet, And with deire to languih without hope, Before the preent object languihing With like deire, which would be mierie And torment les then none of what we dread, Then both our elves and Seed at once to free 1000From what we fear for both, let us make hort, Let us eek Death, or hee not found, upply With our own hands his Office on our elves; Why tand we longer hivering under feares, That hew no end but Death, and have the power, Of many wayes to die the hortet chooing, Detruction with detruction to detroy. She ended heer, or vehement depaire Broke off the ret; o much of Death her thoughts Had entertaind, as di’d her Cheeks with pale. 1010But Adam with uch counel nothing way’d, To better hopes his more attentive minde Labouring had rai’d, and thus to Eve repli’d. Eve, thy contempt of life and pleaure eems To argue in thee omthing more ublime And excellent then what thy minde contemnes; But elf-detruction therefore aught, refutes That excellence thought in thee, and implies, Not thy contempt, but anguih and regret For los of life and pleaure overlov’d. 1020Or if thou covet death, as utmot end Of mierie, o thinking to evade The penaltie pronounc’t, doubt not but God Hath wielier arm’d his vengeful ire then o To be foretall’d; much more I fear leat Death So natcht will not exempt us from the paine We are by doom to pay; rather uch acts Of contumacie will provoke the highet To make death in us live: Then let us eek Som afer reolution, which methinks 1030I have in view, calling to minde with heed Part of our Sentence, that thy Seed hall bruie The Serpents head; piteous amends, unles Be meant, whom I conjecture, our grand Foe Satan, who in the Serpent hath contriv’d Againt us this deceit: to cruh his head Would be revenge indeed; which will be lot By death brought on our elves, or childles days Reolv’d, as thou propoet; o our Foe Shall cape his punihment ordain’d, and wee 1040Intead hall double ours upon our heads. No more be mention’d then of violence Againt our elves, and wilful barrennes, That cuts us off from hope, and avours onely Rancor and pride, impatience and depite, Reluctance againt God and his jut yoke Laid on our Necks. Remember with what mild And gracious temper he both heard and judg’d Without wrauth or reviling; wee expected Immediate diolution, which we thought 1050Was meant by Death that day, when lo, to thee Pains onely in Child-bearing were foretold, And bringing forth, oon recompenc’t with joy, Fruit of thy Womb: On mee the Cure alope Glanc’d on the ground, with labour I mut earne My bread; what harm? Idlenes had bin wore; My labour will utain me; and leat Cold Or Heat hould injure us, his timely care Hath unbeaught provided, and his hands Cloath’d us unworthie, pitying while he judg’d; 1060How much more, if we pray him, will his ear Be open, and his heart to pitie incline, And teach us further by what means to hun Th’ inclement Seaons, Rain, Ice, Hail and Snow, Which now the Skie with various Face begins To hew us in this Mountain, while the Winds Blow moit and keen, hattering the graceful locks Of thee fair preading Trees; which bids us eek Som better hroud, om better warmth to cherih Our Limbs benumm’d, ere this diurnal Starr 1070Leave cold the Night, how we his gather’d beams Reflected, may with matter ere foment, Or by colliion of two bodies grinde The Air attrite to Fire, as late the Clouds Jutling or puht with Winds rude in thir hock Tine the lant Lightning, whoe thwart flame driv’n down Kindles the gummie bark of Firr or Pine, And ends a comfortable heat from farr, Which might upplie the Sun: uch Fire to ue, And what may ele be remedie or cure 1080To evils which our own mideeds have wrought, Hee will intruct us praying, and of Grace Beeeching him, o as we need not fear To pas commodiouly this life, utain’d By him with many comforts, till we end In dut, our final ret and native home. What better can we do, then to the place Repairing where he judg’d us, protrate fall Before him reverent, and there confes Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears 1090VVatering the ground, and with our ighs the Air Frequenting, ent from hearts contrite, in ign Of orrow unfeign’d, and humiliation meek. Undoubtedly he will relent and turn From his dipleaure; in whoe look erene, VVhen angry mot he eem’d and mot evere, VVhat ele but favor, grace, and mercie hon? So pake our Father penitent, nor Eve Felt les remore: they forthwith to the place Repairing where he judg’d them protrate fell 1100Before him reverent, and both confe’d Humbly thir faults, and pardon beg’d, with tears VVatering the ground, and with thir ighs the Air Frequenting, ent from hearts contrite, in ign Of orrow unfeign’d, and humiliation meek.

The End of the Ninth Book.