The Complete Poetry of John Milton (83 page)
Read The Complete Poetry of John Milton Online
Authors: John Milton
Tags: #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #Poetry, #European
39
awaits.
40
undividable.
41
i.e., the sun on air.
42
in the farthest west.
43
direct look.
44
hand cultivation.
45
times of day.
46
song.
47
ironically indicating her lack of need of further accouterments such as those to which she later succumbs.
48
into the watches of l. 685.
49
adorned with flowers.
50
inlaid with precious gems.
51
marriage song.
52
nuptial.
53
literally, “all-gifted”; through curiosity, she allowed the world’s evils to fly from a magic box, only hope remaining behind. Her husband was Epimethus, brother of Prometheus, sons of Japetus, who was identified with Noah’s son Japheth.
54
that is, repaired the roof by bringing forth more roses.
55
the shadow of the earth, shaped like a cone, as the sun descends.
56
literally, “strength of God.”
57
left.
58
right.
59
literally, “discovery of God” and “searcher.”
60
Natural spirits imply liver, veins; vital spirits, heart, blood; animal spirits, brain, sense and motion.
61
advise.
62
guarder of boundaries.
63
anxious.
64
mountains in the Canary Islands and north Africa.
65
Libra, which in the Zodiac lies between Virgo and Scorpio; that is, between innocence and evil. In like manner Zeus weighed the fate of the Greeks and the Trojans (
Iliad
, VIII, 69-72) and of Achilles and Hector (
Iliad
, XXII, 209). At the same time Libra becomes Mercy set between Justice and the Truth of Man’s failing (compare
Nativity Ode
, 141-48), and the passage comments upon the beginning of Man’s fall since the Sun enters Libra at the autumnal equinox, proceeding through evil (Scorpio), wounding (Sagittarius), and lust (Capricorn) before movement toward rebirth (Aries) is begun.
THE ARGUMENT
Morning approach’t,
Eve
relates to
Adam
her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: They come forth to thir day labours: Thir Morning Hymn at the Door of thir Bower. God to render Man inexcusable sends
Raphael
to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand; who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail
Adam
to know.
Raphael
comes down to Paradise, his appearance describ’d, his coming discern’d by
Adam
afar off sitting at the door of his Bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choycest fruits of Paradise got together by
Eve;
thir discourse at Table:
Raphael
performs his message, minds
Adam
of his state and of his enemy; relates at
Adams
request who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his Legions after him to the parts of the North, and there incited them to rebel with him, perswading all but only
Abdiel
a Seraph, who in Argument diswades and opposes him, then forsakes him.
Now Morn her rosie steps in th’ Eastern Clime
Advancing, sow’d the Earth with Orient Pearl,
When
Adam
wak’t, so customd, for his sleep
Was Aerie light, from pure digestion bred,
5
And temperat vapors
1
bland, which th’ only sound
Of leaves and fuming rills,
Aurora’s
fan,
Lightly dispers’d, and the shrill Matin Song
Of Birds on every bough; so much the more
His wonder was to find unwak’nd
Eve
10
With Tresses discompos’d, and glowing Cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he on his side
Leaning half-rais’d, with looks of cordial Love
Hung over her enamour’d, and beheld
Beautie, which whether waking or asleep,
15
Shot forth peculiar Graces; then with voice
Mild, as when
Zephyrus
on
Flora
breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whisperd thus. Awake
My fairest, my espous’d, my latest found,
Heav’ns last best gift, my ever new delight,
20
Awake, the morning shines, and the fresh field
Calls us, we lose the prime, to mark how spring
Our tended Plants, how blows the Citron Grove,
What drops the Myrrh, and what the balmie Reed,
2
How Nature paints her colours, how the Bee
25
Sits on the Bloom extracting liquid sweet.
Such whispering wak’d her, but with startl’d eye
On
Adam
, whom imbracing, thus she spake.
O Sole in whom my thoughts find all repose,
My Glorie, my Perfection, glad I see
30
Thy face, and Morn return’d, for I this Night,
Such night till this I never pass’d, have dream’d,
If dream’d, not as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day pass’t, or morrows next designe,
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
35
Knew never till this irksom night; methought
Close at mine ear one call’d me forth to walk
With gentle voice, I thought it thine; it said,
Why sleepst thou
Eve?
now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the silent, save where silence yields
40
To the night-warbling Bird, that now awake
Tunes sweetest his love-labor’d song; now reignes
Full Orb’d the Moon, and with more pleasing light
Shadowie sets off the face of things; in vain,
If none regard; Heav’n wakes with all his eyes,
45
Whom to behold but thee, Natures desire,
In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment
Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.
I rose as at thy call, but found thee not;
To find thee I directed then my walk;
50
And on, methought, alone I pass’d through ways
That brought me on a sudden to the Tree
Of interdicted Knowledge: fair it seem’d,
Much fairer to my Fancie
3
then by day:
And as I wondring lookt, beside it stood
55
One shap’d and wing’d like one of those from Heav’n
By us oft seen; his dewie locks distill’d
Ambrosia;
on that Tree he also gaz’d;
And O fair Plant, said he, with fruit surcharg’d,
Deigns none to ease thy load and taste thy sweet,
60
Nor God, nor Man; is Knowledge so despis’d?
Or envie, or what reserve forbids to taste?
Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold
Longer thy offerd good, why else set here?
This said he paus’d not, but with ventrous Arm
65
He pluckt, he tasted; mee damp horror chil’d
At such bold words voucht with a deed so bold:
But he thus overjoy’d, O Fruit Divine,
Sweet of thy self, but much more sweet thus cropt,
Forbidd’n here, it seems, as onely fit
70
For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men:
And why not Gods of Men, since good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows,
The Author not impair’d, but honourd more?
Here, happie Creature, fair Angelic
Eve
,
75
Partake thou also; happie though thou art,
Happier thou mayst be, worthier canst not be:
Taste this, and be henceforth among the Gods
Thy self a Goddess, not to Earth confind,
But sometimes in the Air, as wee, somtimes
80
Ascend to Heav’n, by merit thine, and see
What life the Gods live there, and such live thou.
So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Evn to my mouth of that same fruit held part
Which he had pluckt; the pleasant savourie smell
85
So quick’nd appetite, that I, methought,
Could not but taste. Forthwith up to the Clouds
With him I flew, and underneath beheld
The Earth outstretcht immense, a prospect wide
And various: wondring at my flight and change
90
To this high exaltation; suddenly
My Guide was gon, and I, me thought, sunk down,
And fell asleep; but O how glad I wak’d
To find this but a dream! Thus
Eve
her Night
Related, and thus
Adam
answerd sad.
95
Best Image of my self and dearer half,
The trouble of thy thoughts this night in sleep
Affects me equally; nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil sprung I fear;
Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none,
100
Created pure. But know that in the Soul
Are many lesser Faculties that serve
Reason as chief; among these Fansie next
Her office holds; of all external things,
Which the five watchful Senses represent,
105
She forms Imaginations, Aerie shapes,
Which Reason joyning or disjoyning, frames
All what we affirm or what deny, and call
Our knowledge or opinion; then retires
Into her private Cell when Nature rests.
110
Oft in her absence mimic Fansie wakes
To imitate her; but misjoyning shapes,
Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams,
Ill matching words and deeds long past or late.
Som such resemblances methinks I find
115
Of our last Eevnings talk, in this thy dream,
But with addition strange: yet be not sad.
Evil into the mind of God
4
or Man
May come and go, so unapprov’d, and leave
No spot or blame behind: Which gives me hope