The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (111 page)
Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online
Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry
1165
Immutable,
5165
when thou wert lost, not I,
1166
Who might have lived, and joyed
5166
immortal bliss,
1167
Yet willingly chose rather death with thee?
1168
And am I now upbraided as the cause
1169
Of thy transgressing? Not enough severe,
1170
It seems, in thy restraint. What could I more?
1171
I warned thee, I admonished thee, foretold
1172
The danger, and the lurking enemy
1173
That lay in wait. Beyond this had been force,
1174
And force upon free will hath here no place.
1175
But confidence then bore thee on, secure
5167
1176
Either to meet no danger, or to find
1177
1178
I also erred, in overmuch admiring
1179
What seemed in thee so perfect that I thought
1180
No evil durst attempt thee. But I rue
5170
1181
The error now, which is become my crime,
1182
And thou th’ accuser. Thus it shall befall
5171
1183
Him who, to worth in women overtrusting,
1184
Lets her will
5172
rule. Restraint she will not brook
1185
And left t’ herself, if evil thence ensue,
5173
1186
She first his weak indulgence will accuse.
1187
Thus they in mutual accusation spent
1188
The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning,
1189
And of their vain contest
5174
appeared no end.
The End of the Ninth Book
BOOK X
THE ARGUMENT
Man’s transgression known, the Guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve
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their vigilance, and are approved, 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 clothes them both, and reascends.
Sin and Death sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan their 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; their 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, transformed—with himself also—suddenly into serpents, according to his doom, given in Paradise. Then deluded with show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take 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 fallen condition heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve. She persists and at length appeases him, then to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.
1 | | |
2 | | Of Satan, done in Paradise, and how |
3 | | He, in the serpent, had perverted |
4 | | Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit, |
5 | | Was known in Heav’n, for what can ’scape the eye |
6 | | Of God all-seeing, or deceive His heart |
7 | | Omniscient? Who, in all things wise and just, |
8 | | Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind |
9 | | Of man, with strength entire |
10 | | Complete to have discovered and repulsed |
11 | | Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend. |
12 | | For still they |
13 | | The high injunction not to taste that fruit, |
14 | | Whoever tempted, which they not obeying, |
15 | | Incurred (what could they less?) the penalty |
16 | | And, manifold |
17 | | |
18 | | The Angelic guards ascended, mute, and sad |
19 | | For man, for of his state by this they knew, |
20 | | Much wond’ring how the subtle fiend had stol’n |
21 | | Entrance unseen. Soon as th’ unwelcome news |
22 | | From earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased |
23 | | All were who heard. Dim sadness did not spare, |
24 | | That time, celestial visages, yet mixed |
25 | | With pity violated |
26 | | About the new-arrived in multitudes |
27 | | The ethereal people ran, to hear and know |
28 | | How all befell. |
29 | | |
30 | | With righteous |
31 | | And easily approved, |
32 | | Eternal Father, from His secret cloud, |
33 | | Amidst in thunder, uttered thus His voice: |
34 | | |
35 | | From unsuccessful charge, |
36 | | Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth, |
37 | | Which your sincerest |
38 | | |
39 | | When first this Tempter crossed the gulf from Hell. |
40 | | I told ye then he should prevail, and speed |
41 | | On his bad errand. Man should |
42 | | And flattered out of all, believing lies |
43 | | Against his Maker, no decree of mine |
44 | | Concurring to necessitate his fall |
45 | | |
46 | | His free will, to her |
47 | | In ev’n scale. But fall’n he is. And now |
48 | | |
49 | | On his transgression, death denounced |
50 | | Which he presumes already vain and void |
51 | | Because not yet inflicted, as he feared, |
52 | | By some immediate stroke, but soon shall find |
53 | | |
54 | | Justice shall not return as bounty scorned. |
55 | | But whom send I to judge them? Whom but thee, |
56 | | Vice-gerent |
57 | | All judgment, whether in Heav’n, or earth, or Hell. |
58 | | Easy it may be seen that I intend |
59 | | Mercy colleague |
60 | | Man’s friend, his mediator, his designed |
61 | | Both ransom and redeemer voluntary, |
62 | | And destined, man himself, to judge man fallen. |
63 | | |
64 | | Toward the right hand His glory, on the Son |
65 | | Blazed forth unclouded Deity. He full |
66 | | Resplendent all his Father manifest |
67 | | Expressed, and thus divinely answered mild: |
68 | | |
69 | | Mine, both in Heav’n and earth, to do Thy will |
70 | | Supreme, that Thou in me, Thy Son beloved, |
71 | | May’st ever rest well pleased. I go to judge |
72 | | On earth these Thy transgressors, but Thou know’st, |
73 | | Whoever judged, the worst on me must light, |
74 | | When time shall be, for so I undertook |
75 | | Before Thee, and not repenting, this obtain |
76 | | |
77 | | On me derived. |
78 | | Justice with mercy, as may illustrate |
79 | | |
80 | | |
81 | | Are to behold the judgment but the judged, |
82 | | |
83 | | Convict |
84 | | |
85 | | |
86 | | Of high collateral |
87 | | Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant |
88 | | Accompanied to Heaven-gate, from whence |
