The Complete Poetry of John Milton (79 page)

   425     
So neer grows Death to Life, what ere Death is,

               
Som dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou knowst

               
God hath pronounc’t it death to taste that Tree,

               
The only sign of our obedience left

               
Among so many signes of power and rule

   430     
Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv’n

               
Over all other Creatures that possess

               
Earth, Air, and Sea. Then let us not think hard

               
One easie prohibition, who enjoy

               
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice

   435     
Unlimited of manifold delights:

               
But let us ever praise him, and extoll

               
His bountie, following our delightful task

               
To prune these growing Plants, and tend these Flowrs,

               
Which were it toilsom, yet with thee were sweet.

   440  
      
       To whom thus
Eve
repli’d. O thou for whom

               
And from whom I was formd flesh of thy flesh,

               
And without whom am to no end, my Guide

               
And Head, what thou hast said is just and right.

               
For wee to him indeed all praises owe,

   445     
And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy

               
So farr the happier Lot, enjoying thee

               
Præeminent by so much odds, while thou

               
Like consort to thy self canst no where find.

               
That day I oft remember, when from sleep

   450     
I first awak’t, and found my self repos’d

               
Under a shade on flowrs, much wondring where

               
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

               
Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

               
Of waters issu’d from a Cave and spread

   455     
Into a liquid Plain, then stood unmov’d

               
Pure as th’ expanse of Heav’n; I thither went

               
With unexperienc’t thought, and laid me down

               
On the green bank, to look into the cleer

               
Smooth Lake, that to me seemd another Skie.

   460     
As I bent down to look, just opposite,

               
A Shape within the watry gleam appeerd

               
Bending to look on me, I started back,

               
It started back, but pleas’d I soon returnd,

               
Pleas’d it returnd as soon with answering looks

   465     
Of sympathie and love; there I had fixt

               
Mine eyes till now, and pin’d with vain desire,

               
Had not a voice thus warnd me, What thou seest,

               
What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self,

               
With thee it came and goes: but follow me,

   470     
And I will bring thee where no shadow staies
³⁹

               
Thy coming, and thy soft imbraces, hee

               
Whose image thou art, him thou shall enjoy

               
Inseparablie thine, to him shalt bear

               
Multitudes like thy self, and thence be call’d

   475     
Mother of human Race: what could I doe,

               
But follow strait, invisibly thus led?

               
Till I espi’d thee, fair indeed and tall,

               
Under a Platan, yet methought less fair,

               
Less winning soft, less amiablie mild,

   480     
Then that smooth watry image; back I turnd,

               
Thou following cryd’st aloud, Return fair
Eve
,

               
Whom fli’st thou? whom thou first, of him thou art,

               
His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent

               
Out of my side to thee, neerest my heart

   485     
Substantial Life, to have thee by my side

               
Henceforth an individual
⁴⁰
solace dear;

               
Part of my Soul I seek thee, and thee claim

               
My other half: with that thy gentle hand

               
Seis’d mine, I yeilded, and from that time see

   490     
How beauty is excelld by manly grace

               
And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.

           
      
       So spake our general Mother, and with eyes

               
Of conjugal attraction unreprov’d,

               
And meek surrender, half imbracing leand

   495     
On our first Father, half her swelling Breast

               
Naked met his under the flowing Gold

               
Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight

               
Both of her Beauty and submissive Charms

               
Smil’d with superior Love, as
Jupiter

   500     
On
Juno
⁴¹
smiles, when he impregns the Clouds

               
That shed
May
Flowers; and press’d her Matron lip

               
With kisses pure: aside the Devil turnd

               
For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne

               
Ey’d them askance, and to himself thus plaind.

   505  
      
       Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two

               
Imparadis’t in one anothers arms

               
The happier
Eden
, shall enjoy thir fill

               
Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust,

               
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,

   510     
Among our other torments not the least,

               
Still unfulfill’d with pain of longing pines;

               
Yet let me not forget what I have gain’d

               
From thir own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:

               
One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge call’d,

   515     
Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidd’n?

               
Suspicious, reasonless. Why should thir Lord

               
Envie them that? can it be sin to know,

               
Can it be death? and do they onely stand

               
By Ignorance,
is
that thir happie state,

   520     
The proof of thir obedience and thir faith?

               
O fair foundation laid whereon to build

               
Thir ruin I Hence I will excite thir minds

               
With more desire to know, and to reject

               
Envious commands, invented with designe

   525     
To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt

               
Equal with Gods; aspiring to be such,

               
They taste and die: what likelier can ensue?

               
But first with narrow search I must walk round

               
This Garden, and no corner leave unspi’d;

   530     
A chance but chance may lead where I may meet

               
Some wandring Spirit of Heav’n, by Fountain side,

               
Or in thick shade retir’d, from him to draw

               
What further would be learnt. Live while ye may,

               
Yet happie pair; enjoy, till I return,

   535     
Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed.

           
      
       So saying, his proud step he scornful turn’d,

               
But with sly circumspection, and began

               
Through wood, through waste, o’re hill, o’re dale his roam.

               
Mean while in utmost Longitude,
⁴²
where Heav’n

   540     
With Earth and Ocean meets, the setting Sun

               
Slowly descended, and with right aspect
⁴³

               
Against the eastern Gate of Paradise

               
Leveld his eevning Rayes: it was a Rock

               
Of Alablaster, pil’d up to the Clouds,

   545     
Conspicuous farr, winding with one ascent

               
Accessible from Earth, one entrance high;

               
The rest was craggie cliff, that overhung

               
Still as it rose, impossible to climb.

               
Betwixt these rockie Pillars
Gabriel
sat

   550     
Chief of th’ Angelic Guards, awaiting night;

               
About him exercis’d Heroic Games

               
Th’ unarmed Youth of Heav’n, but nigh at hand

               
Celestial Armourie, Shields, Helms, and Speares

               
Hung high with Diamond flaming, and with Gold.

   555     
Thither came
Uriel
, gliding through the Eev’n

               
On a Sun beam, swift as a shooting Starr

               
In
Autumn
thwarts the night, when vapors fir’d

               
Impress the Air, and shews the Mariner

               
From what point of his Compass to beware

   560     
Impetuous winds: he thus began in haste.

           
      
       
Gabriel
, to thee thy cours by Lot hath giv’n

               
Charge and strict watch that to this happie place

               
No evil thing approach or enter in;

               
This day at highth of Noon came to my Sphear

   565     
A Spirit, zealous, as he seem’d, to know

               
More of th’ Almighties works, and chiefly Man

               
Gods latest Image: I describ’d his way

               
Bent all on speed, and markt his Aerie Gate;

               
But in the Mount that lies from
Eden
North,

   570     
Where he first lighted, soon discernd his looks

               
Alien from Heav’n, with passions foul obscur’d:

               
Mine eye pursu’d him still, but under shade

               
Lost sight of him; one of the banisht crew

               
I fear, hath ventur’d from the deep, to raise

   575     
New troubles; him thy care must be to find.

           
      
       To whom the winged Warriour thus returnd:

               
Uriel
, no wonder if thy perfet sight,

               
Amid the Suns bright circle where thou sitst,

               
See farr and wide: in at this Gate none pass

   580     
The vigilance here plac’t, but such as come

               
Well known from Heav’n; and since Meridian hour

               
No Creature thence: if Spirit of other sort,

               
So minded, have oreleapt these earthie bounds

               
On purpose, hard thou knowst it to exclude