The Complete Poetry of John Milton (112 page)
Read The Complete Poetry of John Milton Online
Authors: John Milton
Tags: #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #Poetry, #European
18
liable.
19
harmful.
20
hidden.
21
cluster of new-blown roses.
22
innocent.
23
untouched.
24
accession, increase by addition.
25
forehead.
26
always watchful.
27
remind.
28
prove.
29
more confident.
30
Diana’s. An oread was a mountain nymph; a dryad, a tree nymph.
31
goddesses of flocks and herds, and of fruit. Vertumnus was god of the changing season, and Ceres, mother of Proserpina, taught men agriculture.
32
easily turning in and out.
33
handiwork.
34
Ulysses.
35
not mythological. The “sapient king” is Solomon, who married Pharaoh’s daughter (1 Kings iii. 1).
36
pollute.
37
grass spread out to make hay.
38
towered.
39
coils.
40
transformed (into serpents). When Pentheus revolted and acquired the rule of Thebes from Cadmus, his grandfather, Cadmus and his wife Harmonia (Hermione) were changed into dragons and carried off to the Elysian Fields.
41
Aesculapius, depicted as a serpent (the caduceus being his symbol) in his temple in Epidaurus.
42
In the guise of a serpent Jove Ammon wooed Alexander the Great’s mother Olympias, and Roman Jove (Capitoline), Scipio’s mother (Sempronia).
43
Circe had turned Ulysses’ men into swine.
44
Satan spoke either by using the serpent’s forked tongue or by vibrating the air to create vocal sounds.
45
doubt.
46
How cam’st thou to be able to speak though otherwise incapable of human speech.
47
“of the nature of a beast,” with ironic overtones of the words’ opposing connotations.
48
the air.
49
embodying a spirit.
50
to the number of men provided for.
51
trustworthiness.
52
By this term (signifying a divine revelation) Eve makes the command less stringent.
53
Eve’s fall (through l. 781) is derived from Gen. iii. 1–6.
54
knowledge.
55
In the
Art of Logic
(Columbia, XI, 29), Milton defined a cause as: “that by the force of which a thing exists.” Following Ramus, he talks of efficient causes (those by which a thing exists or is brought about) and helping causes. Such discernment as Satan claims would recognize the slight dissent among things when they seem to exhibit affinity with consentanies (things in agreement). The “highest Agents” are those instruments (helping causes) through which divine testimony operates. But since the procatarctic cause (that from without) is powerless if there is no proegumenic cause (that from within), Eve cannot duplicate the actions of such agents. Satan persuades that he, as well as Eve if she partakes, has such power now within him from having eaten the fruit.
56
adds.
57
whom the penalty of death threatened.
58
probably meaning only “human,” since the received spelling is the common form for that word.
59
The concept that the Noonday Devil is the most dangerous explains the time of occurrence of Eve’s fall.
60
with no suspicion of his truthfulness.
61
the archaic preterite.
62
knew not that she was eating Death.
63
jovial.
64
The word is derived from the Latin for “taste.”
65
subjected to infamy.
66
having knowledge.
67
portending.
68
dismayed.
69
doomed.
70
resolved.
71
bind thee with a deed.
72
Gen. iii. 12: “And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
73
Adam falls at l. 999, inverse number of the sign of the beast of Revelation (666), assigned in book II to Death.
74
Since the word “savor” (“taste”) derives from “Sapience,” a pun is intended referring to the act of their disobedience.
75
efficacious, but ironically pointing to the lack of chastity exhibited by their tasting of it.
76
Prov. vii. 18: “Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.”
77
worst.
78
dark.
79
the banyan; its leaves are not broad (l. 1111), an error deriving from Pliny.
80
shield.
81
have.
82
shown to be unchangeable.
83
tempt.
THE ARGUMENT
Mans transgression known, the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve thir vigilance, and are approv’d, God declaring that the entrance of
Satan
could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the Transgressors, who descends and gives Sentence accordingly; then in pity cloaths them both, and reascends.
Sin
and
Death
sitting till then at the Gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathie feeling the success of
Satan
in this new World, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confin’d in Hell, but to follow
Satan
thir Sire up to the place of Man: To make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad Highway or Bridge over
Chaos
, according to the Track that
Satan
first made; then preparing for Earth, they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell; thir mutual gratulation.
Satan
arrives at
Pandemonium
, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transform’d with himself also suddenly into Serpents, according to his doom giv’n in Paradise; then deluded with a shew of the forbidden Tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to taste of the Fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of
Sin
and
Death;
God foretells the final Victory of his Son over
them, and the renewing of all things; but for the present commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements.
Adam
more and more perceiving his fall’n condition heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of
Eve;
she persists and at length appeases him: then to evade the Curse likely to fall on thir Ofspring, proposes to
Adam
violent wayes which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late Promise made them, that her Seed should be reveng’d on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek Peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.
Meanwhile the hainous and despightfull act
Of
Satan
done in Paradise, and how
Hee in the Serpent had perverted
Eve
,
Her Husband shee, to taste the fatall fruit,
5
Was known in Heav’n; for what can scape the Eye
Of God All-seeing, or deceave his Heart
Omniscient, who in all things wise and just,
Hinder’d not
Satan
to attempt the mind
Of Man, with strength entire, and free will arm’d,
10
Complete
1
to have discover’d and repulst
Whatever wiles of Foe or seeming Friend.
For still they knew, and ought t’ have still remember’d
The high Injunction not to taste that Fruit,
Whoever tempted; which they not obeying,
15
Incurr’d, what could they less, the penaltie,
And manifold in sin, deserv’d to fall.
Up into Heav’n from Paradise in hast
Th’ Angelic Guards ascended, mute and sad
For Man, for of his state by this they knew,
20
Much wondring how the suttle Fiend had stoln
Entrance unseen. Soon as th’ unwelcome news
From Earth arriv’d at Heaven Gate, displeas’d
All were who heard, dim sadness did not spare
That time Celestial visages, yet mixt
25
With pitie, violated not thir bliss.
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 haste to make appear
30
With righteous plea, thir utmost vigilance,
And easily approv’d; when the most High
Eternal Father from his secret Cloud,
Amidst in Thunder utter’d thus his voice.
Assembl’d Angels, and ye Powers return’d
35
From unsuccessful charge, be not dismaid,
Nor troubl’d at these tidings from the Earth,
Which your sincerest care could not prevent,
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,
When first this Tempter cross’d the Gulf from Hell.
40
I told ye then he should prevail and speed
2
On his bad Errand, Man should be seduc’t
And flatter’d out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no Decree of mine
Concurring to necessitate his Fall,
45
Or touch with lightest moment
3
of impulse
His free Will, to her own inclining left
In eevn scale. But fall’n he is, and now
What rests,
4
but that the mortal Sentence pass
On his transgression, Death denounc’t that day,
50
Which he presumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear’d,
By some immediate stroak; but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance ere day end.
Justice shall not return as bountie scorn’d.
55
But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee
Vicegerent Son, to thee I have transferr’d
All Judgement, whether in Heav’n, or Earth, or Hell.
Easie it may be seen that I intend
Mercie collegue with Justice, sending thee
60
Mans Friend, his Mediator, his design’d
Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntarie,
And destin’d Man himself to judge Man fall’n.
So spake the Father, and unfoulding bright
Toward the right hand his Glorie, on the Son
65
Blaz’d forth unclouded Deitie; he full
Resplendent all his Father manifest
Express’d, and thus divinely answer’d mild.
Father Eternal, thine is to decree,
Mine both in Heav’n and Earth to do thy will
70
Supream, that thou in mee thy Son belov’d
Mayst ever rest well pleas’d. I go to judge
On Earth these thy transgressors, but thou knowst,
Whoever judg’d, the worst on mee must light,
When time shall be, for so I undertook