Book V

Now Morn her roie teps in th' Eatern Clime Advancing, ow'd the Earth with Orient Pearle, When Adam wak't, o cutomd, for his leep Was Aerie light, from pure digetion bred, And temperat vapors bland, which th' only ound Of leaves and fuming rills, Auroras fan, Lightly dipers'd, and the hrill Matin Song Of Birds on every bough; o much the more 10His wonder was to find unwak'nd Eve With Trees dicompos'd, and glowing Cheek, As through unquiet ret: he on his ide Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial Love Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld Beautie, which whether waking or aleep, Shot forth peculiar Graces; then with voice Milde, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, Her hand oft touching, whiperd thus. Awake My fairet, my epous'd, my latet found, Heav'ns lat bet gift, my ever new delight, 20Awake, the morning hines, and the freh field Calls us, we loe the prime, to mark how pring Our tended Plants, how blows the Citron Grove, What drops the Myrrhe, & what the balmie Reed, How Nature paints her colours, how the Bee Sits on the Bloom extracting liquid weet. Such whipering wak'd her, but with tartl'd eye On Adam, whom imbracing, thus he pake. O Sole in whom my thoughts find all repoe, My Glorie, my Perfection, glad I ee 30Thy face, and Morn return'd, for I this Night, Such night till this I never pas'd, have dream'd, If dream'd, not as I oft am wont, of thee, Works of day pas't, or morrows next deigne, But of offence and trouble, which my mind Knew never till this irkom night; methought Cloe at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk With gentle voice, I thought it thine; it aid, Why leept thou Eve? now is the pleaant time, The cool, the ilent, ave where ilence yields 40To the night-warbling Bird, that now awake Tunes weetet his love-labor'd ong; now reignes Full Orb'd the Moon, and with more pleaing light Shadowie ets off the face of things; in vain, If none regard; Heav'n wakes with all his eyes, Whom to behold but thee, Natures deire, In whoe ight all things joy, with ravihment Attracted by thy beauty till to gaze. I roe as at thy call, but found thee not; To find thee I directed then my walk; 50And on, methought, alone I pas'd through ways That brought me on a udden to the Tree Of interdicted Knowledge: fair it eem'd, Much fairer to my Fancie then by day: And as I wondring lookt, beide it tood One hap'd & wing'd like one of thoe from Heav'n By us oft een; his dewie locks ditill'd Ambroia; on that Tree he alo gaz'd; And O fair Plant, aid he, with fruit urcharg'd, Deigns none to eae thy load and tate thy weet, 60Nor God, nor Man; is Knowledge o depis'd? Or envie, or what reerve forbids to tate? Forbid who will, none hall from me withhold Longer thy offerd good, why ele et here? This aid he paus'd not, but with ventrous Arme He pluckt, he tated; mee damp horror chil'd At uch bold words voucht with a deed o bold: But he thus overjoy'd, O Fruit Divine, Sweet of thy elf, but much more weet thus cropt, Forbidd'n here, it eems, as onely fit 70For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men: And why not Gods of Men, ince good, the more Communicated, more abundant growes, The Author not impair'd, but honourd more? Here, happie Creature, fair Angelic Eve, Partake thou alo; happie though thou art, Happier thou mayt be, worthier cant not be: Tate this, and be henceforth among the Gods Thy elf a Goddes, not to Earth confind, But omtimes in the Air, as wee, omtimes 80Acend to Heav'n, by merit thine, and ee What life the Gods live there, and uch live thou. So aying, he drew nigh, and to me held, Even to my mouth of that ame fruit held part Which he had pluckt; the pleaant avourie mell So quick'nd appetite, that I, methought, Could not but tate. Forthwith up to the Cloud With him I flew, and underneath beheld The Earth outtretcht immene, a propect wide And various: wondring at my flight and change 90To this high exaltation; uddenly My Guide was gon, and I, me thought, unk down, And fell aleep; but O how glad I wak'd To find this but a dream! Thus Eve her Night Related, and thus Adam anwerd ad. Bet Image of my elf and dearer half, The trouble of thy thoughts this night in leep Affects me equally; nor can I like This uncouth dream, of evil prung I fear; Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none, 100Created pure. But know that in the Soule Are many leer Faculties that erve Reaon as chief; among thee Fanie next Her office holds; of all external things, Which the five watchful Senes repreent, She forms Imaginations, Aerie hapes, Which Reaon joyning or dijoyning, frames All what we affirm or what deny, and call Our knowledge or opinion; then retire Into her private Cell when Nature rets. 110Oft in her abence mimic Fanie wakes To imitate her; but mijoyning hapes, Wilde work produces oft, and mot in dreams, Ill matching words and deeds long pat or late. Som uch reemblances methinks I find Of our lat Eevnings talk, in this thy dream, But with addition trange; yet be not ad. Evil into the mind of God or Man May come and go, o unapprov'd, and leave No pot or blame behind: Which gives me hope 120That what in leep thou didt abhorr to dream, Waking thou never wilt conent to do. Be not diheart'nd then, nor cloud thoe looks That wont to be more chearful and erene Then when fair Morning firt miles on the World, And let us to our freh imployments rie Among the Groves, the Fountains, and the Flours That open now thir choicet boom'd mells Reervd from night, and kept for thee in tore. So cheard he his fair Spoue, and he was cheard, 130But ilently a gentle tear let fall From either eye, and wip'd them with her haire; Two other precious drops that ready tood, Each in thir chrytal luce, hee ere they fell Kis'd as the gracious igns of weet remore And pious awe, that feard to have offended. So all was cleard, and to the Field they hate. But firt from under hadie arborous roof, Soon as they forth were come to open ight Of day-pring, and the Sun, who carce up rien 140With wheels yet hov'ring o're the Ocean brim, Shot paralel to the earth his dewie ray, Dicovering in wide Lantkip all the Eat Of Paradie and Edens happie Plains, Lowly they bow'd adoring, and began Thir Orions, each Morning duly paid In various tyle, for neither various tyle Nor holy rapture wanted they to praie Thir Maker, in fit trains pronounc't or ung Unmeditated, uch prompt eloquence 150Flowd from thir lips, in Proe or numerous Vere, More tuneable then needed Lute or Harp To add more weetnes, and they thus began. Thee are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Almightie, thine this univeral Frame, Thus wondrous fair; thy elf how wondrous then! Unpeakable, who itt above thee Heavens To us inviible or dimly een In thee thy lowet works, yet thee declare Thy goodnes beyond thought, and Power Divine: 160Speak yee who bet can tell, ye Sons of light, Angels, for yee behold him, and with ongs And choral ymphonies, Day without Night, Circle his Throne rejoycing, yee in Heav'n, On Earth joyn all yee Creatures to extoll Him firt, him lat, him midt, and without end. Fairet of Starrs, lat in the train of Night, If better thou belong not to the dawn, Sure pledge of day, that crownt the miling Morn With thy bright Circlet, praie him in thy Spheare 170While day aries, that weet hour of Prime. Thou Sun, of this great World both Eye and Soule, Acknowledge him thy Greater, ound his praie In thy eternal coure, both when thou climb't, And when high Noon hat gaind, & when thou fallt. Moon, that now meett the orient Sun, now fli't With the fixt Starrs, fixt in thir Orb that flies, And yee five other wandring Fires that move In mytic Dance not without Song, reound His praie, who out of Darknes call'd up Light. 180Aire, and ye Elements the eldet birth Of Natures Womb, that in quaternion run Perpetual Circle, multiform; and mix And nourih all things, let your ceales change Varie to our great Maker till new praie. Ye Mits and Exhalations that now rie From Hill or teaming Lake, dukie or grey, Till the Sun paint your fleecie kirts with Gold, In honour to the Worlds great Author rie, Whether to deck with Clouds the uncolourd kie, 190Or wet the thirtie Earth with falling howers, Riing or falling till advance his praie. His praie ye Winds, that from four Quarters blow, Breath oft or loud; and wave your tops, ye Pines, With every Plant, in ign of Worhip wave. Fountains and yee, that warble, as ye flow, Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praie. Joyn voices all ye living Souls, ye Birds, That inging up to Heaven Gate acend, Bear on your wings and in your notes his praie; 200Yee that in Waters glide, and yee that walk The Earth, and tately tread, or lowly creep; Witnes if I be ilent, Morn or Eeven, To Hill, or Valley, Fountain, or freh hade Made vocal by my Song, and taught his praie. Hail univeral Lord, be bounteous till To give us onely good; and if the night Have gathered aught of evil or conceald, Dipere it, as now light dipels the dark. So pray'd they innocent, and to thir thoughts 210Firm peace recoverd oon and wonted calm. On to thir mornings rural work they hate Among weet dewes and flours; where any row Of Fruit-trees overwoodie reachd too farr Thir pamperd boughes, and needed hands to check Fruitles imbraces: or they led the Vine To wed her Elm; he pous'd about him twines Her mariageable arms, and with her brings Her dowr th' adopted Cluters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus imploid beheld 220With pittie Heav'ns high King, and to him call'd Raphael, the ociable Spirit, that deign'd To travel with Tobias, and ecur'd His marriage with the eaventime-wedded Maid. Raphael, aid hee, thou hear't what tir on Earth Satan from Hell cap't through the darkom Gulf Hath raid in Paradie, and how diturbd This night the human pair, how he deignes In them at once to ruin all mankind. Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend 230Convere with Adam, in what Bowre or hade Thou find't him from the heat of Noon retir'd, To repit his day-labour with repat, Or with repoe; and uch dicoure bring on, As may advie him of his happie tate, Happines in his power left free to will, Left to his own free Will, his Will though free, Yet mutable; whence warne him to beware He werve not too ecure: tell him withall His danger, and from whom, what enemie 240Late falln himelf from Heav'n, is plotting now The fall of others from like tate of blis; By violence, no, for that hall be withtood, But by deceit and lies; this let him know, Leat wilfully trangreing he pretend Surprial, unadmoniht, unforewarnd. So pake th' Eternal Father, and fulfilld All Jutice: nor delaid the winged Saint After his charge receivd, but from among Thouand Celetial Ardors, where he tood 250Vaild with his gorgeous wings, up pringing light Flew through the midt of Heav'n; th' angelic Quires On each hand parting, to his peed gave way Through all th' Empyreal road; till at the Gate Of Heav'n arriv'd, the gate elf-opend wide On golden Hinges turning, as by work Divine the ov'ran Architect had fram'd. From hence, no cloud, or, to obtruct his ight, Starr interpos'd, however mall he ees, Not unconform to other hining Globes, 260Earth and the Gard'n of God, with Cedars crownd Above all Hills. As when by night the Glas Of Galileo, les aur'd, oberves Imagind Lands and Regions in the Moon: Or Pilot from amidt the Cyclades Delos or Samos firt appeering kenns A cloudy pot. Down thither prone in flight He peeds, and through the vat Ethereal Skie Sailes between worlds & worlds, with teddie wing Now on the polar windes, then with quick Fann 270Winnows the buxom Air; till within oare Of Towring Eagles, to all the Fowles he eems A Phoenix, gaz'd by all, as that ole Bird When to enhrine his reliques in the Sun' Bright Temple, to Ægyptian Theb's he flies. At once on th' Eatern cliff of Paradie He lights, and to his proper hape returns A Seraph wingd; ix wings he wore, to hade His lineaments Divine; the pair that clad Each houlder broad, came mantling o're his bret 280With regal Ornament; the middle pair Girt like a Starrie Zone his wate, and round Skirted his loines and thighes with downie Gold And colours dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet Shaddowd from either heele with featherd maile Skie-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's on he tood, And hook his Plumes, that Heav'nly fragrance filld The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands Of Angels under watch; and to his tate, And to his meage high in honour rie; 290For on om meage high they gued him bound. Thir glittering Tents he pad, and now is come Into the bliful field, through Groves of Myrrhe, And flouring Odours, Caia, Nard, and Balme; A Wildernes of weets; for Nature here Wantond as in her prime, and plaid at will Her Virgin Fancies, pouring forth more weet, Wilde above rule or art; enormous blis. Him through the picie Forret onward com Adam dicernd, as in the dore he at 300Of his coole Bowre, while now the mounted Sun Shot down direct his fervid Raies, to warme Earths inmot womb, more warmth then Adam need; And Eve within, due at her hour prepar'd For dinner avourie fruits, of tate to pleae True appetite, and not direlih thirt Of nectarous draughts between, from milkie tream, Berrie or Grape: to whom thus Adam call'd. Hate hither Eve, and worth thy ight behold Eatward among thoe Trees, what glorious hape 310Comes this way moving; eems another Morn Ris'n on mid-noon; om great behet from Heav'n To us perhaps he brings, and will voutafe This day to be our Guet. But goe with peed, And what thy tores contain, bring forth and poure Abundance, fit to honour and receive Our Heav'nly tranger; well we may afford Our givers thir own gifts, and large betow From large betowd, where Nature multiplies Her fertil growth, and by diburd'ning grows 320More fruitful, which intructs us not to pare. To whom thus Eve. Adam, earths hallowd mould, Of God inpir'd, mall tore will erve, where tore, All eaons, ripe for ue hangs on the talk; Save what by frugal toring firmnes gain To nourih, and uperfluous moit conumes: But I will hate and from each bough and break, Each Plant & juciet Gourd will pluck uch choice To entertain our Angel guet, as hee Beholding hall confes that here on Earth 330God hath dipent his bounties as in Heav'n. So aying, with dipatchful looks in hate She turns, on hopitable thoughts intent What choice to chue for delicacie bet, What order, o contriv'd as not to mix Tates, not well joynd, inelegant, but bring Tate after tate upheld with kindliet change, Betirs her then, and from each tender talk Whatever Earth all-bearing Mother yeild In India Eat or Wet, or middle hoare 340In Pontus or the Punic Coat, or where Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kindes, in coate, Rough, or mooth rin'd, or bearded huk, or hell She gathers, Tribute large, and on the board Heaps with unparing hand; for drink the Grape She cruhes, inoffenive mout, and meathes From many a berrie, and from weet kernels pret She tempers dulcet creams, nor thee to hold Wants her fit veels pure, then trews the ground With Roe and Odours from the hrub unfum'd. 350Mean while our Primitive great Sire, to meet His god-like Guet, walks forth, without more train Accompani'd then with his own compleat Perfections, in himelf was all his tate, More olemn then the tedious pomp that waits On Princes, when thir rich Retinue long Of Hores led, and Grooms bemeard with Gold Dazles the croud, and ets them all agape. Neerer his preence Adam though not awd, Yet with ubmis approach and reverence meek, 360As to a uperior Nature, bowing low, Thus aid. Native of Heav'n, for other place None can then Heav'n uch glorious hape contain; Since by decending from the Thrones above, Thoe happie places thou hat deignd a while To want, and honour thee, voutafe with us Two onely, who yet by ov'ran gift poes This pacious ground, in yonder hadie Bowre To ret, and what the Garden choicet bears To it and tate, till this meridian heat 370Be over, and the Sun more coole decline. Whom thus the Angelic Vertue anwerd milde. Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou uch Created, or uch place hat here to dwell, As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heav'n To viit thee; lead on then where thy Bowre Orehades; for thee mid-hours, till Eevning rie I have at will. So to the Silvan Lodge They came, that like Pomona's Arbour mil'd With flourets deck't and fragrant mells; but Eve 380Undeckt, ave with her elf more lovely fair Then Wood-Nymph, or the fairet Goddes feign'd Of three that in Mount Ida naked trove, Stood to entertain her guet from Heav'n; no vaile Shee needed, Vertue-proof, no thought infirme Alterd her cheek. On whom the Angel Haile Betowd, the holy alutation us'd Long after to blet Marie, econd Eve. Haile Mother of Mankind, whoe fruitful Womb Shall fill the World more numerous with thy Sons 390Then with thee various fruits the Trees of God Have heap'd this Table. Rais'd of graie terf Thir Table was, and moie eats had round, And on her ample Square from ide to ide All Autumn pil'd, though Spring and Autumn here Danc'd hand in hand. A while dicoure they hold; No fear let Dinner coole; when thus began Our Authour. Heav'nly tranger, pleae to tate Thee bounties which our Nouriher, from whom All perfet good unmeaur'd out, decends, 400To us for food and for delight hath caus'd The Earth to yeild; unavourie food perhaps To piritual Natures; only this I know, That one Celetial Father gives to all. To whom the Angel. Therefore what he gives (Whoe praie be ever ung) to man in part Spiritual, may of puret Spirits be found No ingrateful food: and food alike thoe pure Intelligential ubtances require As doth your Rational; and both contain 410Within them every lower facultie Of ene, whereby they hear, ee, mell, touch, tate, Tating concoct, diget, aimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn. For know, whatever was created, needs To be utaind and fed; of Elements The groer feeds the purer, earth the ea, Earth and the Sea feed Air, the Air thoe Fires Ethereal, and as lowet firt the Moon; Whence in her viage round thoe pots, unpurg'd 420Vapours not yet into her ubtance turnd. Nor doth the Moon no nourihment exhale From her moit Continent to higher Orbes. The Sun that light imparts to all, receives From all his alimental recompence In humid exhalations, and at Even Sups with the Ocean: though in Heav'n the Trees Of life ambroial frutage bear, and vines Yeild Nectar, though from off the boughs each Morn We bruh mellifluous Dewes, and find the ground 430Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here Varied his bounty o with new delights, As may compare with Heaven; and to tate Think not I hall be nice. So down they at, And to thir viands fell, nor eemingly The Angel, nor in mit, the common glos Of Theologians, but with keen dipatch Of real hunger, and concoctive heate To tranubtantiate; what redounds, tranpires Through Spirits with eae; nor wonder; if by fire 440Of ooty coal the Empiric Alchimit Can turn, or holds it poible to turn Metals of droiet Ore to perfet Gold As from the Mine. Mean while at Table Eve Miniterd naked, and thir flowing cups With pleaant liquors crown'd: O innocence Deerving Paradie! if ever, then, Then had the Sons of God excue to have bin Enamour'd at that ight; but in thoe hearts Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealouie 450Was undertood, the injur'd Lovers Hell. Thus when with meats & drinks they had uffic'd, Not burd'nd Nature, udden mind aroe In Adam, not to let th' occaion pas Given him by this great Conference to know Of things above his World, and of thir being Who dwell in Heav'n, whoe excellence he aw Trancend his own o farr, whoe radiant forms Divine effulgence, whoe high Power o far Exceeded human, and his wary peech 460Thus to th' Empyreal Miniter he fram'd. Inhabitant with God, now know I well Thy favour, in this honour done to man, Under whoe lowly roof thou hat voutaf't To enter, and thee earthly fruits to tate, Food not of Angels, yet accepted o, As that more willingly thou couldt not eem At Heav'ns high feats to have fed: yet what compare? To whom the winged Hierarch repli'd. O Adam, one Almightie is, from whom 470All things proceed, and up to him return, If not deprav'd from good, created all Such to perfection, one firt matter all, Indu'd with various forms, various degrees Of ubtance, and in things that live, of life; But more refin'd, more piritous, and pure, As neerer to him plac't or neerer tending Each in thir everal active Sphears aignd, Till body up to pirit work, in bounds Proportiond to each kind. So from the root 480Springs lighter the green talk, from thence the leaves More aerie, lat the bright conummate floure Spirits odorous breathes: flours and thir fruit Mans nourihment, by gradual cale ublim'd To vital Spirits apire, to animal, To intellectual, give both life and ene, Fanie and undertanding, whence the oule Reaon receives, and reaon is her being, Dicurive, or Intuitive; dicoure Is oftet yours, the latter mot is ours, 490Differing but in degree, of kind the ame. Wonder not then, what God for you aw good If I refue not, but convert, as you, To proper ubtance; time may come when men With Angels may participate, and find No inconvenient Diet, nor too light Fare: And from thee corporal nutriments perhaps Your bodies may at lat turn all to Spirit Improv'd by tract of time, and wingd acend Ethereal, as wee, or may at choice 500Here or in Heav'nly Paradies dwell; If ye be found obedient, and retain Unalterably firm his love entire Whoe progenie you are. Mean while enjoy Your fill what happines this happie tate Can comprehend, incapable of more. To whom the Patriarch of mankind repli'd. O favourable pirit, propitious guet, Well hat thou taught the way that might direct Our knowledge, and the cale of Nature et 510From center to circumference, whereon In contemplation of created thing By teps we may acend to God. But ay, What meant that caution joind, if ye be found Obedient? can wee want obedience then To him, or poibly his love deert Who formd us from the dut, and plac'd us here Full to the utmot meaure of what blis Human deires can eek or apprehend? To whom the Angel. Son of Heav'n and Earth, 520Attend: That thou art happie, owe to God; That thou continu't uch, owe to thy elf, That is, to thy obedience; therein tand. This was that caution giv'n thee; be advis'd. God made thee perfet, not immutable; And good he made thee, but to perevere He left it in thy power, ordaind thy will By nature free, not over-rul'd by Fate Inextricable, or trict neceity; Our voluntarie ervice he requires, 530Not our neceitated, uch with him Findes no acceptance, nor can find, for how Can hearts, not free, be tri'd whether they erve Willing or no, who will but what they mut By Detinie, and can no other chooe? My elf and all th' Angelic Hot that tand In ight of God enthron'd, our happie tate Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds; On other urety none; freely we erve. Becaue wee freely love, as in our will 540To love or not; in this we tand or fall: And om are fall'n, to diobedience fall'n, And o from Heav'n to deepet Hell; O fall From what high tate of blis into what woe! To whom our great Progenitor. Thy words Attentive, and with more delighted eare Divine intructer, I have heard, then when Cherubic Songs by night from neighbouring Hills Aereal Muic end: nor knew I not To be both will and deed created free; 550Yet that we never hall forget to love Our maker, and obey him whoe command Single, is yet o jut, my contant thoughts Aur'd me and till aure: though what thou tellt Hath pat in Heav'n, om doubt within me move, But more deire to hear, if thou conent, The full relation, which mut needs be trange, Worthy of Sacred ilence to be heard; And we have yet large day, for carce the Sun Hath finiht half his journey, and carce begins 560His other half in the great Zone of Heav'n. Thus Adam made requet, and Raphael After hort paue aenting, thus began. High matter thou injoint me, O prime of men, Sad tak and hard, for how hall I relate To human ene th' inviible exploits Of warring Spirits; how without remore The ruin of o many glorious once And perfet while they tood; how lat unfould The ecrets of another world, perhaps 570Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good This is dipenc't, and what urmounts the reach Of human ene, I hall delineate o, By lik'ning piritual to corporal forms, As may expres them bet, though what if Earth Be but the haddow of Heav'n, and things therein Each to other like, more then on earth is thought? As yet this world was not, and Chaos wilde Reignd where thee Heav'ns now rowl, where Earth now rets Upon her Center pois'd, when on a day 580(For Time, though in Eternitie, appli'd To motion, meaures all things durable By preent, pat, and future) on uch day As Heav'ns great Year brings forth, th' Empyreal Hot Of Angels by Imperial ummons call'd, Innumerable before th' Almighties Throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heav'n appeerd Under thir Hierarchs in orders bright Ten thouand thouand Enignes high advanc'd, Standards, and Gonfalons twixt Van and Reare 590Streame in the Aire, and for ditinction erve Of Hierarchies, of Orders, and Degrees; Or in thir glittering Tiues bear imblaz'd Holy Memorials, acts of Zeale and Love Recorded eminent. Thus when in Orbes Of circuit inexpreible they tood, Orb within Orb, the Father infinite, By whom in blis imboom'd at the Son, Amidt as from a flaming Mount, whoeop Brightnes had made inviible, thus pake. 600 Hear all ye Angels, Progenie of Light, Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers, Hear my Decree, which unrevok't hall tand. This day I have begot whom I declare My onely Son, and on this holy Hill Him have anointed, whom ye now behold At my right hand; your Head I him appoint; And by my Self have worn to him hall bow All knees in Heav'n, and hall confes him Lord: Under his great Vice-gerent Reign abide 610United as one individual Soule For ever happie: him who diobeyes Mee diobeyes, breaks union, and that day Cat out from God and bleed viion, falls Into utter darknes, deep ingulft, his place Ordaind without redemption, without end. So pake th' Omnipotent, and with his words All eemd well pleas'd, all eem'd, but were not all. That day, as other olem dayes, they pent In ong and dance about the acred Hill, 620Mytical dance, which yonder tarrie Spheare Of Planets and of fixt in all her Wheele Reembles nearet, mazes intricate, Eccentric, intervolv'd, yet regular Then mot, when mot irregular they eem: And in thir motions harmonie Divine So mooths her charming tones, that Gods own ear Litens delighted. Eevning approachd (For we have alo our Eevning and our Morn, We ours for change delectable, not need) 630Forthwith from dance to weet repat they turn Deirous, all in Circles as they tood, Tables are et, and on a udden pil'd With Angels Food, and rubied Nectar flows: In Pearl, in Diamond, and maie Gold, Fruit of delicious Vines, the growth of Heav'n. They eat, they drink, and with refection weet Are fill'd, before th' all bounteous King, who howrd With copious hand, rejoycing in thir joy. Now when ambroial Night with Clouds exhal'd 640From that high mount of God, whence light & hade Spring both, the face of brightet Heav'n had changd To grateful Twilight (for Night comes not there In darker veile) and roeat Dews dipos'd All but the unleeping eyes of God to ret, Wide over all the Plain, and wider farr Then all this globous Earth in Plain outpred, (Such are the Courts of God) Th' Angelic throng Dipert in Bands and Files thir Camp extend By living Streams among the Trees of Life, 650Pavilions numberles, and udden reard, Celetial Tabernacles, where they lept Fannd with coole Winds, ave thoe who in thir coure Melodious Hymns about the ovran Throne Alternate all night long: but not o wak'd Satan, o call him now, his former name Is heard no more Heav'n; he of the firt, If not the firt Arch-Angel, great in Power, In favour and praeeminence, yet fraught With envie againt the Son of God, that day 660Honourd by his great Father, and proclaimd Messiah King anointed, could not beare Through pride that ight, and thought himelf impaird. Deep malice thence conceiving & didain, Soon as midnight brought on the dukie houre Friendliet to leep and ilence, he reolv'd With all his Legions to dilodge, and leave Unworhipt, unobey'd the Throne upream Contemptuous, and his next ubordinate Awak'ning, thus to him in ecret pake. 670 Sleept thou Companion dear, what leep can cloe Thy eye-lid? and remembret what Decree Of yeterday, o late hath pat the lip Of Heav'ns Almightie. Thou to me thy thought Wat wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart; Both waking we were one; how then can now Thy leep dient? new Laws thou eet impos'd; New Laws from him who reigns, new minds may raie In us who erve, new Counels, to debate What doubtful may enue, more in this place 680To utter is not afe. Aemble thou Of all thoe Myriads which we lead the chief; Tell them that by command, ere yet dim Night Her hadowie Cloud withdraws, I am to hate, And all who under me thir Banners wave, Homeward with flying march where we poes The Quarters of the North, there to prepare Fit entertainment to receive our King The great Messiah, and his new commands, Who peedily through all the Hierarchies 690Intends to pas triumphant, and give Laws. So pake the fale Arch-Angel, and infus'd Bad influence into th' unwarie bret Of his Aociate; hee together calls, Or everal one by one, the Regent Powers, Under him Regent, tells, as he was taught, That the mot High commanding, now ere Night, Now ere dim Night had diincumberd Heav'n, The great Hierarchal Standard was to move; Tells the uggeted caue, and cats between 700Ambiguous words and jealouies, to ound Or taint integritie; but all obey'd The wonted ignal, and uperior voice Of thir great Potentate; for great indeed His name, and high was his degree in Heav'n; His count'nance, as the Morning Starr that guides The tarrie flock, allur'd them, and with lyes Drew after him the third part of Heav'ns Hot: Mean while th' Eternal eye, whoe ight dicernes Abtruet thoughts, from forth his holy Mount 710And from within the golden Lamps that burne Nightly before him, aw without thir light Rebellion riing, aw in whom, how pred Among the ons of Morn, what multitudes Were banded to oppoe his high Decree; And miling to his onely Son thus aid. Son, thou in whom my glory I behold In full replendence, Heir of all my might, Neerly it now concernes us to be ure Of our Omnipotence, and with what Arms 720We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of Deitie or Empire, uch a foe Is riing, who intends to erect his Throne Equal to ours, throughout the pacious North; Nor o content, hath in his thought to trie In battel, what our Power is, or our right. Let us advie, and to this hazard draw With peed what force is left, and all imploy In our defence, let unawares we loe This our high place, our Sanctuarie, our Hill. 730 To whom the Son with calm apect and cleer Light'ning Divine, ineffable, erene, Made anwer. Mightie Father, thou thy foes Jutly hat in deriion, and ecure Laugh't at thir vain deignes and tumults vain, Matter to mee of Glory, whom thir hate Illutrates, when they ee all Regal Power Giv'n me to quell thir pride, and in event Know whether I be dextrous to ubdue Thy Rebels, or be found the wort in Heav'n. 740 So pake the Son, but Satan with his Powers Farr was advanc't on winged peed, an Hot Innumerable as the Starrs of Night, Or Starrs of Morning, Dew-drops, which the Sun Impearls on every leaf and every flouer. Regions they pas'd, the mightie Regencies Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones In thir triple Degrees, Regions to which All thy Dominion, Adam, is no more Then what this Garden is to all the Earth, 750And all the Sea, from one entire globoe Stretcht into Longitude; which having pas'd At length into the limits of the North They came, and Satan to his Royal eat High on a Hill, far blazing, as a Mount Rais'd on a Mount, with Pyramids and Towrs From Diamond Quarries hew'n, & Rocks of Gold, The Palace of great Lucifer, (o call That Structure in the Dialect of men Interpreted) which not long after, hee 760Affecting all equality with God, In imitation of that Mount whereon Messiah was declar'd in ight of Heav'n, The Mountain of the Congregation call'd; For thither he aembl'd all his Train, Pretending o commanded to conult About the great reception of thir King, Thither to come, and with calumnious Art Of counterfeted truth thus held thir ears. Thrones, Dominations, Princedomes, Vertues, Powers, 770If thee magnific Titles yet remain Not meerly titular, ince by Decree Another now hath to himelf ingros't All Power, and us eclipt under the name Of King anointed, for whom all this hate Of midnight march, and hurried meeting here, This onely to conult how we may bet With what may be devis'd of honours new Receive him coming to receive from u Knee-tribute yet unpaid, protration vile, 780Too much to one, but double how endur'd, To one and to his image now proclaim'd? But what if better counels might erect Our minds and teach us to cat off this Yoke? Will ye ubmit your necks, and chue to bend The upple knee? ye will not, if I trut To know ye right, or if ye know your elves Natives and Sons of Heav'n poet before By none, and if not equal all, yet free, Equally free; for Orders and Degrees 790Jarr not with liberty, but well conit. Who can in reaon then or right aume Monarchie over uch as live by right His equals, if in power and plendor les, In freedome equal? or can introduce Law and Edict on us, who without law Erre not, much les for this to be our Lord, And look for adoration to th' abue Of thoe Imperial Titles which aert Our being ordain'd to govern, not to erve? 800 Thus farr his bold dicoure without controule Had audience, when among the Seraphim Abdiel, then whom none with more zeale ador'd The Deitie, and divine commands obei'd, Stood up, and in a flame of zeale evere The current of his fury thus oppos'd. O argument blaphemous, fale and proud! Words which no eare ever to hear in Heav'n Expected, leat of all from thee, ingrate In place thy elf o high above thy Peeres. 810Cant thou with impious obloquie condemne The jut Decree of God, pronounc't and worn, That to his only Son by right endu'd With Regal Scepter, every Soule in Heav'n Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due Confes him rightful King? unjut thou ait Flatly unjut, to binde with Laws the free, And equal over equals to let Reigne, One over all with unucceeded power. Shalt thou give Law to God, halt thou dipute 820With him the points of libertie, who made Thee what thou art, & formd the Pow'rs of Heav'n Such as he plead, and circumcrib'd thir being? Yet by experience taught we know how good, And of our good, and of our dignitie How provident he is, how farr from thought To make us les, bent rather to exalt Our happie tate under one Head more neer United. But to grant it thee unjut, That equal over equals Monarch Reigne: 830Thy elf though great & glorious dot thou count, Or all Angelic Nature joind in one, Equal to him begotten Son, by whom As by his Word the mighty Father made All things, ev'n thee, and all the Spirits of Heav'n By him created in thir bright degrees, Crownd them with Glory, & to thir Glory nam'd Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers Eential Powers, nor by his Reign obcur'd, But more illutrious made, ince he the Head 840One of our number thus reduc't becomes, His Laws our Laws, all honour to him done Returns our own. Ceae then this impious rage, And tempt not thee; but hat'n to appeae Th' incened Father, and th' incened Son, While Pardon may be found in time beought. So pake the fervent Angel, but his zeale None econded, as out of eaon judg'd, Or ingular and rah, whereat rejoic'd Th' Apotat, and more haughty thus repli'd. 850That we were formd then ait thou? & the work Of econdarie hands, by tak tranferd From Father to his Son? trange point and new! Doctrin which we would know whence learnt: who aw When this creation wa? remembert thou Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being? We know no time when we were not as now; Know none before us, elf-begot, elf-rais'd By our own quick'ning power, when fatal coure Had circl'd his full Orbe, the birth mature 860Of this our native Heav'n, Ethereal Sons. Our puiance is our own, our own right hand Shall teach us highet deeds, by proof to try Who is our equal: then thou halt behold Whether by upplication we intend Addres, and to begirt th' Almighty Throne Beeeching or beieging. This report, Thee tidings carrie to th' anointed King; And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight. He aid, and as the ound of waters deep 870Hoarce murmur echo'd to his words applaue Through the infinite Hot, nor les for that The flaming Seraph fearles, though alone Encompas'd round with foes, thus anwerd bold. O alienate from God, O pirit accurt, Forak'n of all good; I ee thy fall Determind, and thy haples crew involv'd In this perfidious fraud, contagion pred Both of thy crime and punihment: henceforth No more be troubl'd how to quit the yoke 880Of Gods Messiah; thoe indulgent Laws Will not be now voutaf't, other Decrees Againt thee are gon forth without recall; That Golden Scepter which thou didt reject Is now an Iron Rod to bruie and breake Thy diobedience. Well thou didt advie, Yet not for thy advie or threats I fly Thee wicked Tents devoted, leat the wrauth Impendent, raging into udden flame Ditinguih not: for oon expect to feel 890His Thunder on thy head, devouring fire. Then who created thee lamenting learne, When who can uncreate thee thou halt know. So pake the Seraph Abdiel faithful found, Among the faithles, faithful only hee; Among innumerable fale, unmov'd, Unhak'n, uneduc'd, unterrifi'd His Loyaltie he kept, his Love, his Zeale; Nor number, nor example with him wrought To werve from truth, or change his contant mind 900Though ingle. From amidt them forth he pad, Long way through hotile corn, which he uteind Superior, nor of violence fear'd aught; And with retorted corn his back he turn'd On thoe proud Towrs to wift detruction doom'd.

The End of the Fifth Book.