The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (130 page)

616

      

Yet empty of all good wherein consists

617

      

Woman’s domestic honor and chief praise,

618

      

Bred only and completed
⁶⁰⁷²
to the taste

619

      

Of lustful appetence, to sing, to dance,

620

      

To dress, and troll
⁶⁰⁷³
the tongue, and roll the eye.

621

      

To these that sober race of men, whose lives

622

      

Religious titled them the sons of God,

623

      

Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame

624

      

Ignobly, to the trains,
⁶⁰⁷⁴
and to the smiles

625

      

Of these fair atheists, and now swim in joy

626

      

(Erelong to swim at large),
⁶⁰⁷⁵
and laugh, for which

627

      

The world erelong a world of tears must weep.”

628

      

To whom thus Adam, of short joy bereft:
⁶⁰⁷⁶

629

      

   
“O pity and shame, that they who to live well

630

      

Entered
⁶⁰⁷⁷
so fair, should turn aside to tread

631

      

Paths indirect,
⁶⁰⁷⁸
or in the mid way faint!
⁶⁰⁷⁹

632

      

But still I see the tenor
⁶⁰⁸⁰
of man’s woe

633

      

Holds on the same, from woman
⁶⁰⁸¹
to begin.”

634

      

   
“From man’s effeminate slackness it begins,”

635

      

Said th’ Angel, “who should better hold his place

636

      

By wisdom, and superior gifts received.

637

      

But now prepare thee for another scene.”

638

      

   
He looked, and saw wide territory spread

639

      

Before him, towns, and rural
⁶⁰⁸²
works between,

640

      

Cities of men with lofty gates and tow’rs,

641

      

Concourse
⁶⁰⁸³
in arms, fierce faces threat’ning war,

642

      

Giants of mighty bone and bold emprise.
⁶⁰⁸⁴

643

      

Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed,

644

      

Single or in array of battle ranged

645

      

Both horse and foot, nor idly must’ring
⁶⁰⁸⁵
stood.

646

      

One way a band select
⁶⁰⁸⁶
from forage drives

647

      

A herd of beeves,
⁶⁰⁸⁷
fair oxen and fair kine,
⁶⁰⁸⁸

648

      

From a fat meadow ground, or fleecy flock,

649

      

Ewes and their bleating lambs over the plain,

650

      

Their booty. Scarce with life
⁶⁰⁸⁹
the shepherds fly,

651

      

But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;

652

      

With cruel
⁶⁰⁹⁰
tournament
⁶⁰⁹¹
the squadrons join.

653

      

Where cattle pastured late,
⁶⁰⁹²
now scattered lies

654

      

With carcasses and arms th’ ensanguined
⁶⁰⁹³
field,

655

      

Deserted. Others to a city strong

656

      

Lay siege, encamped, by battery,
⁶⁰⁹⁴
scale,
⁶⁰⁹⁵
and mine,
⁶⁰⁹⁶

657

      

Assaulting; others from the wall defend

658

      

With dart
⁶⁰⁹⁷
and javelin,
⁶⁰⁹⁸
stones, and sulphurous fire;

659

      

On each hand slaughter, and gigantic deeds.

660

      

In other part the sceptered heralds call

661

      

To council, in the city-gates. Anon
⁶⁰⁹⁹

662

      

Gray-headed men and grave, with warriors mixed,

663

      

Assemble, and harangues
⁶¹⁰⁰
are heard, but soon

664

      

In factious
⁶¹⁰¹
opposition, till at last

665

      

Of middle age one
⁶¹⁰²
rising, eminent

666

      

In wise deport,
⁶¹⁰³
spoke much of right and wrong,

667

      

Of justice, or religion, truth, and peace,

668

      

And judgment from above. Him old and young

669

      

Exploded,
⁶¹⁰⁴
and had seized with violent hands,

670

      

Had not a cloud descending snatched him thence

671

      

Unseen amid the throng. So violence

672

      

Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law,

673

      

Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.

674

      

Adam was all in tears, and to his guide

675

      

Lamenting turned full sad:

“O what are these,

676

      

Death’s ministers, not men, who thus deal death

677

      

Inhumanly to men, and multiply

678

      

Ten thousandfold the sin of him who slew

679

      

His brother, for of whom such massacre

680

      

Make they, but of their brethren, men of men?

681

      

But who was that just man, whom had not Heav’n

682

      

Rescued, had in his righteousness been lost?”
⁶¹⁰⁵

683

      

To whom thus Michael:
⁶¹⁰⁶

“These are the product

684

      

Of those ill-mated marriages thou saw’st,

685

      

Where good with bad were matched, who of themselves

686

      

Abhor
⁶¹⁰⁷
to join
⁶¹⁰⁸
and, by imprudence mixed,
⁶¹⁰⁹

687

      

Produce prodigious births of body or mind.

688

      

Such were these giants, men of high renown,

689

      

For in those days might
⁶¹¹⁰
only shall be admired,

690

      

And valor and heroic virtue called.
⁶¹¹¹

691

      

To overcome in battle, and subdue

692

      

Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite

693

      

Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch

694

      

Of human glory, and for glory done

695

      

Of triumph, to be styled great conquerors,

696

      

Patrons of mankind, gods, and sons of gods—

697

      

Destroyers rightlier called, and plagues of men.

698

      

Thus fame shall be achieved, renown on earth,

699

      

And what most merits fame, in silence hid.

700

      

But he
⁶¹¹²
the seventh from thee, whom thou beheld’st

701

      

The only righteous in a world perverse,

702

      

And therefore hated,
⁶¹¹³
therefore so beset
⁶¹¹⁴

703

      

With foes, for daring single
⁶¹¹⁵
to be just