Paradise Lost (Modern Library Classics) (35 page)

To fill the Earth
⁷³³
, who shall with us extol

Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake,

And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep
⁷³⁵
.”

   This
⁷³⁶
said unanimous, and other rites

Observing none, but adoration pure

Which God likes best, into their inmost bow’r

Handed
⁷³⁹
they went; and eased the putting off

These troublesome disguises which we wear,

Straight side by side were laid, nor
⁷⁴¹
turned I ween

Adam from his fair spouse, nor Eve the rites

Mysterious of connubial love refused:

Whatever hypocrites
⁷⁴⁴
austerely talk

Of purity and place and innocence,

Defaming as impure what God declares

Pure, and commands to some, leaves free to all.

Our Maker bids increase, who bids abstain

But our destroyer, foe to God and man?

Hail wedded love, mysterious law, true source

Of human offspring, sole propriety
⁷⁵¹
,

In Paradise of all things common else.

By thee adulterous lust was driv’n from men

Among the bestial herds to range, by thee

Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure,

Relations dear, and all the charities
⁷⁵⁶

Of father, son, and brother first were known.

Far be it, that I should write thee sin or blame,

Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,

Perpetual fountain
⁷⁶⁰
of domestic sweets,

Whose bed is undefiled
⁷⁶¹
and chaste pronounced,

Present, or past, as saints and patriarchs used.

Here love
⁷⁶³
his golden shafts employs, here lights

His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings,

Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile

Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendeared,

Casual fruition, nor in court amours

Mixed dance
⁷⁶⁸
, or wanton masque, or midnight ball,

Or serenade, which the starved
⁷⁶⁹
lover sings

To his proud fair, best quitted
⁷⁷⁰
with disdain.

These lulled by nightingales embracing slept,

And on their naked limbs the flow’ry roof

Show’red roses, which the morn repaired
⁷⁷³
. Sleep on

Blest pair
⁷⁷⁴
; and O yet happiest if ye seek

No happier
⁷⁷⁵
state, and know to know no more.

   Now had night measured with her shadowy cone
⁷⁷⁶

Half way up hill this vast sublunar vault
⁷⁷⁶
,

And from their ivory port
⁷⁷⁸
the Cherubim

Forth issuing at th’ accustomed hour stood armed

To their night watches in warlike parade,

When Gabriel to his next in power thus spake.

   “Uzziel
⁷⁸²
, half these draw off, and coast the south

With strictest watch; these other wheel the north,

Our circuit meets full west.” As flame they part

Half wheeling to the shield, half to the spear.

From these, two strong and subtle spirits he called

That near him stood, and gave them thus in charge.

   “Ithuriel and Zephon
⁷⁸⁸
, with winged speed

Search through this garden, leave unsearched no nook,

But chiefly where those two fair creatures lodge,

Now laid perhaps asleep secure
⁷⁹¹
of harm.

This evening from the sun’s decline arrived

Who
⁷⁹³
tells of some infernal spirit seen

Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escaped

The bars of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:

Such where ye find, seize fast, and hither bring.”

   So saying, on he led his radiant files,

Dazzling the Moon; these
⁷⁹⁸
to the bower direct

In search of whom they sought: him there they found

Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve;

Assaying by his devilish art to reach

The organs of her fancy
⁸⁰²
, and with them forge

Illusions as he list, phantasms and dreams,

Or if, inspiring
⁸⁰⁴
venom, he might taint

Th’ animal spirits that from pure blood arise

Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence raise

At least distempered, discontented thoughts,

Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires

Blown up with high conceits engend’ring pride.

Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear

Touched lightly; for no falsehood can endure

Touch of celestial temper
⁸¹²
, but returns

Of force to its own likeness: up he starts

Discovered and surprised. As when a spark

Lights
⁸¹⁵
on a heap of nitrous powder, laid

Fit for the tun some magazine to store
⁸¹⁶

Against a rumored war, the smutty grain

With sudden blaze diffused, inflames the air:

So started up in his own shape the fiend.

Back stepped those two fair angels half amazed

So sudden to behold the grisly
⁸²¹
king;

Yet thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon.

   “Which of those rebel spirits adjudged to Hell

Com’st thou, escaped thy prison, and transformed,

Why sat’st thou like an enemy in wait

Here watching at the head of these that sleep?”

   “Know ye not then,” said Satan, filled with scorn,

“Know ye not me? Ye knew me once no mate

For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar;

Not to know me argues
⁸³⁰
yourselves unknown,

The lowest of your throng; or if ye know,

Why ask ye, and superfluous begin

Your message, like to end as much in vain?”

To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with scorn.

“Think not,
⁸³⁵
revolted Spirit, thy shape the same,

Or undiminished brightness
⁸³⁶
, to be known

As when thou stood’st in Heav’n upright and pure;

That glory then, when thou no more wast good,

Departed from thee, and thou resemblest now

Thy sin and place of doom obscure and foul.

But come, for thou, be sure, shalt give account

To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep

This place inviolable, and these from harm.”

   
So spake the Cherub, and his grave rebuke

Severe
⁸⁴⁵
in youthful beauty, added grace

Invincible: abashed the Devil stood,

And felt how awful goodness is, and saw

Virtue in her shape how lovely
⁸⁴⁸
, saw, and pined

His loss; but chiefly to find here observed

His luster visibly impaired; yet seemed

Undaunted. “If I must contend,” said he,

“Best with the best, the sender not the sent,

Or all at once; more glory will be won,

Or less be lost.” “Thy fear,” said Zephon bold,

“Will save us trial what the least can do

Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.”

   The fiend replied not, overcome with rage;

But like
⁸⁵⁸
a proud steed reined, went haughty on,

Champing his iron curb: to strive or fly

He held it vain; awe from above had quelled

His heart, not else dismayed. Now drew they nigh

The western point, where those half-rounding
⁸⁶²
guards

Just met, and closing stood in squadron joined

Awaiting next command. To whom their chief

Gabriel from the front thus called aloud.

   “O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet

Hasting this way, and now by glimpse discern

Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade
⁸⁶⁸
,

And with them comes a third of regal port,

But faded splendor wan; who by his gait
⁸⁷⁰

And fierce demeanor seems the Prince of Hell,

Not likely to part hence without contest;

Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.”

   He scarce had ended, when those two approached

And brief related whom they brought, where found,

How busied, in what form and posture couched.

To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake.

   “Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescribed

To thy transgressions
⁸⁷⁹
, and disturbed the charge

Of others, who approve
⁸⁸⁰
not to transgress

By thy example, but have power and right

To question thy bold entrance on this place;

Employed it seems to violate sleep, and those

Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?

   To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous brow.

“Gabriel, thou hadst in Heav’n th’ esteem of wise
⁸⁸⁶
,

And such I held thee; but this question asked

Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain?

Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,

Though thither doomed? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt,

And boldly venture to whatever place

Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change

Torment with ease, and soonest recompense
⁸⁹³

Dole with delight
⁸⁹³
, which in this place I sought;

To thee no reason; who know’st only good,

But evil hast not tried: and wilt object
⁸⁹⁶

His will who bound us? Let him surer bar

His iron gates, if he intends our stay

In that dark durance
⁸⁹⁹
: thus much what was asked.

The rest is true, they found me where they say;

But that implies not violence or harm.”

   Thus he in scorn. The warlike angel moved,

Disdainfully half smiling thus replied.

“O loss of one
⁹⁰⁴
in Heav’n to judge of wise,

Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,

And now returns
⁹⁰⁶
him from his prison scaped,

Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise

Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither

Unlicensed from his bounds in Hell prescribed;

So wise he judges it to fly from pain

However
⁹¹¹
, and to scape his punishment.

So judge thou still, presumptuous, till the wrath,

Which thou incurr’st by flying, meet thy flight

Sevenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell,

Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain

Can equal anger infinite provoked.

But wherefore thou alone? Wherefore with thee

Came not all Hell broke loose? Is pain to them

Less pain, less to be fled, or thou than they

Less hardy to endure? Courageous chief,

The first in flight from pain, hadst thou alleged

To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.”

   To which the fiend thus answered frowning stern.

“Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,

Insulting angel, well thou know’st I stood
⁹²⁶

Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid

The
⁹²⁸
blasting volleyed thunder made all speed

And seconded thy else not dreaded spear.

But
⁹³⁰
still thy words at random, as before,

Argue thy inexperience what behooves

From hard assays and ill successes past

A faithful Leader, not to hazard all

Through ways of danger by himself untried.

I therefore, I alone first undertook

To wing the desolate abyss, and spy

This new created world, whereof in Hell

Fame is not silent, here in hope to find

Better abode, and my afflicted
⁹³⁹
powers

To settle here on Earth, or in mid-air
⁹⁴⁰
;

Though for possession put to try once more

What thou and thy gay
⁹⁴²
legions dare against;

Whose easier business were to serve their Lord

High up in Heav’n, with songs to hymn his throne,

And practiced distances
⁹⁴⁵
to cringe, not fight.”

   To whom the warrior angel, soon replied.

“To say and straight unsay, pretending first

Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy,

Argues no
⁹⁴⁹
leader but a liar traced,

Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name,

O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!

Faithful to whom? To thy rebellious crew?

Army of fiends, fit body to fit head;

Was this your discipline and faith engaged,

Your military obedience, to dissolve

Allegiance to th’ acknowledged power supreme?

And thou sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem

Patron of liberty,
⁹⁵⁸
who more than thou

Once fawned, and cringed, and servilely adored

Heav’n’s awful Monarch? Wherefore but in hope

To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?

But mark what I aread
⁹⁶²
thee now, avaunt;

Fly thither whence thou fledd’st: if from this hour

Within these hallowed limits thou appear,

Back to th’
⁹⁶⁵
infernal pit I drag thee chained,

And seal thee so, as henceforth not to scorn

The facile
⁹⁶⁷
gates of Hell too slightly barred.”

   So threat’ned he, but Satan to no threats

Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied.

   “Then when I am thy captive talk of chains,

Proud limitary
⁹⁷¹
Cherub, but ere then