The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (55 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

BOOK: The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems
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175

      

As one continued brake,
2853
the undergrowth

176

      

Of shrubs and tangling bushes had perplexed
2854

177

      

All path of man or beast that passed that way.

178

      

One gate there only was, and that looked east

179

      

On th’ other side. Which when the arch-felon saw,

180

      

Due entrance he disdained and, in contempt,

181

      

At one slight
2855
bound high over-leaped all bound

182

      

Of hill or highest wall, and sheer
2856
within

183

      

Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf,

184

      

Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey,

185

      

Watching where shepherds pen their flocks at eve

186

      

In hurdled
2857
cotes
2858
amid the field secure,

187

      

Leaps o’er the fence with ease into the fold—

188

      

Or as a thief, bent to unhoard
2859
the cash

189

      

Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors,

190

      

Cross-barred and bolted fast, fear no assault,

191

      

In at the window climbs, or o’er the tiles,
2860

192

      

So clomb
2861
this first grand thief into God’s fold.

193

      

So since into His church lewd hirelings climb.

194

      

Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life,

195

      

The middle tree and highest there that grew,

196

      

Sat like a cormorant, yet not true life

197

      

Thereby regained, but sat devising death

198

      

To them who lived, nor on the virtue thought

199

      

Of that life-giving plant, but only used

200

      

For prospect,
2862
what well-used had been
2863
the pledge
2864

201

      

Of immortality. So little knows

202

      

Any, but God alone, to value right

203

      

The good before him, but perverts best things

204

      

To worst abuse, or to their meanest
2865
use.

205

      

   
Beneath him with new wonder now he views,

206

      

To all delight of human sense exposed

207

      

In narrow room,
2866
Nature’s whole wealth, yea more,

208

      

A Heav’n on earth. For blissful Paradise

209

      

Of God the garden was, by Him in th’ east

210

      

Of Eden planted. Eden stretched her line
2867

211

      

From Auran
2868
eastward to the royal tow’rs

212

      

Of great Seleucia,
2869
built by Grecian kings,

213

      

Or where the sons of Eden long before

214

      

Dwelt in Telassar.
2870
In this pleasant soil

215

      

His far more pleasant garden God ordained.

216

      

Out of the fertile ground He caused to grow

217

      

All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste,

218

      

And all amid them stood the Tree of Life,

219

      

High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit

220

      

Of vegetable
2871
gold. And next to life

221

      

Our death, the Tree of Knowledge, grew fast by,

222

      

Knowledge of good bought dear by knowing ill.

223

      

Southward through Eden went a river large,

224

      

Nor changed his course, but through the shaggy
2872
hill

225

      

Passed underneath engulfed,
2873
for God had thrown
2874

226

      

That mountain as His garden-mold
2875
high raised

227

      

Upon the rapid current, which through veins

228

      

Of porous earth with kindly
2876
thirst up-drawn,

229

      

Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill
2877

230

      

Watered the garden, thence united fell

231

      

Down the steep glade, and met the nether
2878
flood,
2879

232

      

Which from his darksome passage now appears,

233

      

And now, divided into four main streams,

234

      

Runs diverse,
2880
wand’ring many a famous realm

235

      

And country, whereof here needs no account,

236

      

But rather to tell how, if art
2881
could tell,

237

      

How from that sapphire fount the crispèd
2882
brooks,

238

      

Rolling on orient
2883
pearl and sands of gold,

239

      

With mazy
2884
error
2885
under pendant shades

240

      

Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed

241

      

Flow’rs worthy of Paradise, which not nice
2886
art

242

      

In beds and curious
2887
knots, but Nature boon
2888

243

      

Poured forth profuse on hill and dale and plain,

244

      

Both where the morning sun first warmly smote

245

      

The open field, and where the unpierced shade

246

      

Imbrowned
2889
the noontide bow’rs. Thus was this place

247

      

A happy rural seat of various view,

248

      

Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm,

249

      

Others whose fruit, burnished with golden rind,

250

      

Hung amiable,
2890
Hesperian
2891
fables true,

251

      

If true, here onl, and of delicious taste.

252

      

Betwixt them lawns, or level downs,
2892
and flocks

253

      

Grazing the tender herb,
2893
were interposed,

254

      

Or palmy
2894
hillock, or the flowery lap
2895

255

      

Of some irriguous
2896
valley spread her store,

256

      

Flow’rs of all hue, and without thorn the rose.

257

      

Another side, umbrageous
2897
grots and caves

258

      

Of cool recess, o’er which the mantling
2898
vine

259

      

Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps

260

      

Luxuriant. Meanwhile murmuring waters fall

261

      

Down the slope hills, dispersed, or in a lake,

262

      

That to the fringèd bank with myrtle crowned

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