The Complete Poetry of John Milton (134 page)
Read The Complete Poetry of John Milton Online
Authors: John Milton
Tags: #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #Poetry, #European
2
probably referring to Thomas Ellwood’s prompting after seeing the manuscript of
PL:
“but what hast thou to say of Paradise found?” (
The History of the Life of Thomas Ellwood
[London, 1714], p. 234).
3
with fully grown feathers; i.e., with mature poetic powers.
4
John the Baptist.
5
Satan.
6
Gen. iii. 15: “And I will put enmity between thee [the serpent] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head.…”
7
holds.
8
unknowing.
9
attendance.
10
Gabriel, angel of comfort, heralded the coming of the Messiah (Dan. viii. 23–25, ix. 25–27), and made the annunciation to Mary (Luke i. 26–38).
11
The first principles of the Son’s warfare constitute faith and obedience, to which are later added works (see
PL
XII, 427); these counter, respectively, the “two main arms” of Satan’s warfare, Sin and Death.
12
regarded with wonder.
13
See Luke ii. 25–38.
14
reflected upon.
15
Rev. xxii. 16: “I am … the bright and morning star.”
16
snake.
17
Exod. xxiv. 18.
18
1 Kings xix. 8.
19
always alert (literally, “not closing its eyes”).
20
1 Kings xxii. 19–23.
21
attentive.
22
referring to 1 Kings xxii. 6: “Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men.”
23
In “Food-Word Imagery in
PR
,”
English Literary History
, XXVIII (1961), 225–43, Lee S. Cox shows that this metaphoric development marks a new stage of temptation in each book. The poem defines the nature of the Word Incarnate and, as here, the nature of Satan’s word.
24
presiding, occupying authoritative position.
25
submissive.
26
Though pressed by the king of Moab, Balaam could not curse the Israelites, for the Lord had imposed on him the words to speak (Num. xxiii).
Mean while the new-baptiz’d, who yet remain’d
At
Jordan
with the Baptist, and had seen
Him whom they heard so late expresly call’d
Jesus Messiah, Son of God declar’d,
5
And on that high Authority had believ’d,
And with him talkt, and with him lodg’d, I mean
Andrew
and
Simon
, famous after known
With others though in Holy Writ not nam’d,
Now missing him thir joy so lately found,
10
So lately found, and so abruptly gone,
Began to doubt, and doubted many days,
And as the days increas’d, increas’d thir doubt:
Sometimes they thought he might be only shewn,
And for a time caught up to God, as once
15
Moses
was in the Mount, and missing long;
And the great
Thisbite
1
who on fiery wheels
Rode up to Heav’n, yet once again to come.
Therefore as those young Prophets then with care
Sought lost
Eliah
, so in each place these
20
Nigh to
Bethabara;
in
Jerico
The City of Palms,
Ænon
, and
Salem
Old,
Machærus
and each Town or City wall’d
On this side the broad lake
Genezaret
,
Or in
Perea
, but return’d in vain.
25
Then on the bank of
Jordan
, by a Creek:
Where winds with Reeds, and Osiers whisp’ring play
Plain Fishermen, no greater men them call,
Close in a Cottage low together got
Thir unexpected loss and plaints out breath’d.
30
Alas, from what high hope to what relapse
Unlook’d for are we fall’n, our eyes beheld
Messiah certainly now come, so long
Expected of our Fathers; we have heard
His words, his wisdom full of grace and truth,
35
Now, now, for sure, deliverance is at hand,
The Kingdom shall to
Israel
be restor’d:
Thus we rejoyc’d, but soon our joy is turn’d
Into perplexity and new amaze:
For whither is he gone, what accident
40
Hath rapt him from us? will he now retire
After appearance, and again prolong
Our expectation? God of
Israel
,
Send thy Messiah forth, the time is come;
Behold the Kings of th’ Earth how they oppress
45
Thy chosen, to what highth thir pow’r unjust
They have exalted, and behind them cast
All fear of thee, arise and vindicate
Thy Glory, free thy people from thir yoke,
But let us wait; thus far he hath perform’d,
50
Sent his Anointed, and to us reveal’d him,
By his great Prophet, pointed at and shown,
In publick, and with him we have convers’d;
Let us be glad of this, and all our fears
Lay on his Providence; he will not fail
55
Nor will withdraw him now, nor will recall,
Mock us with his blest sight, then snatch him hence,
Soon we shall see our hope, our joy return.
Thus they out of their plaints new hope resume
To find whom at the first they found unsought:
60
But to his Mother
Mary
, when she saw
Others return’d from Baptism, not her Son,
Nor left at
Jordan
, tidings of him none;
Within her brest, though calm; her brest though pure,
Motherly cares and fears got head, and rais’d
65
Some troubl’d thoughts, which she in sighs thus clad.
O what avails me now that honour high
To have conceiv’d of God, or that salute,
2
Hail highly favour’d, among women blest;
While I to sorrows am no less advanc’t,
70
And fears as eminent, above the lot
Of other women, by the birth I bore,
In such a season born when scarce a Shed
Could be obtain’d to shelter him or me
From the bleak air; a Stable was our warmth,
75
A Manger his, yet soon enforc’t to fly
Thence into
Egypt
, till the Murd’rous King
3
Were dead, who sought his life, and missing fill’d
With Infant blood the streets of
Bethlehem;
From
Egypt
home return’d, in
Nazareth
80
Hath been our dwelling many years, his life
Private, unactive, calm, contemplative,
Little suspicious t’ any King; but now
Full grown to Man, acknowledg’d, as I hear,
By
John
the Baptist, and in publick shown,
85
Son own’d from Heav’n by his Father’s voice;
I look’t for some great change; to Honour? no,
But trouble, as old
Simeon
plain fore-told,
4
That to the fall and rising he should be
Of many in
Israel
, and to a sign
90
Spoken against, that through my very Soul
A sword shall pierce, this is my favour’d lot,
My Exaltation to Afflictions high;
Afflicted I may be, it seems, and blest;
I will not argue that, nor will repine.
95
But where delays he now? some great intent
Conceals him: when twelve years he scarce had seen,
I lost him, but so found, as well I saw
He could not lose himself; but went about
His Father’s business;
5
what he meant I mus’d,
100
Since understand; much more his absence now
Thus long to some great purpose he obscures.
But I to wait with patience am inur’d;
My heart hath been a store-house long of things
And sayings laid up, portending strange events.
105
Thus
Mary
pondering oft, and oft to mind
Recalling what remarkably had pass’d
Since first her Salutation heard, with thoughts
Meekly compos’d awaited the fulfilling:
The while her Son tracing the Desert wild,
110
Sole but with holiest Meditations fed,
Into himself descended, and at once
All his great work to come before him set;
How to begin, how to accomplish best
His end of being on Earth, and mission high:
115
For Satan with sly preface to return
Had left him vacant, and with speed was gon
Up to the middle Region of thick Air,
Where all his Potentates in Council sate;
There without sign of boast, or sign of joy,
120
Sollicitous and blank
6
he thus began.
Princes, Heav’ns antient Sons, Æthereal Thrones,
Demonian Spirits now, from the Element
Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call’d,
Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath,
125
So may we hold our place and these mild seats
Without new trouble; such an Enemy
Is ris’n to invade us, who no less
Threat’ns then our expulsion down to Hell;
I, as I undertook, and with the vote