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
349 | | |
350 | | Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass |
351 | | |
352 | | Or bedward ruminating, |
353 | | |
354 | | |
355 | | Of Heav’n the stars that usher evening rose. |
356 | | When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood, |
357 | | Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered, sad: |
358 | | |
359 | | Into our room |
360 | | Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps, |
361 | | Not Spirits, yet to Heav’nly Spirits bright |
362 | | Little inferior, whom my thoughts pursue |
363 | | With wonder, and could love, so lively shines |
364 | | In them divine resemblance, and such grace |
365 | | The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured. |
366 | | |
367 | | Your change approaches, when all these delights |
368 | | Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe, |
369 | | More woe, the more your taste is now of joy, |
370 | | Happy, but for so happy ill secured |
371 | | Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav’n |
372 | | Ill fenced for Heav’n to keep out such a foe |
373 | | As now is entered. Yet no purposed |
374 | | To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, |
375 | | |
376 | | And mutual amity, so straight, |
377 | | That I with you must dwell, or you with me |
378 | | Henceforth. My dwelling haply |
379 | | (Like this fair Paradise) your sense, yet such |
380 | | Accept your Maker’s work. He gave it me, |
381 | | Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold, |
382 | | To entertain |
383 | | And send forth all her kings. There will be room, |
384 | | Not like these narrow limits, to receive |
385 | | Your numerous offspring. If no better place, |
386 | | Thank Him who puts me, loath, to this revenge |
387 | | On you (who wrong me not), for Him who wronged. |
388 | | And should I at your harmless innocence |
389 | | |
390 | | Honor and empire with revenge enlarged, |
391 | | By conquering this new world, compels me now |
392 | | To do what else, though damned, I should abhor. |
393 | | |
394 | | (The tyrant’s plea) excused his devilish deeds. |
395 | | Then from his lofty stand on that high tree |
396 | | Down he alights among the sportful |
397 | | Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one, |
398 | | Now other, as their shape served best his end |
399 | | Nearer to view his prey, and unespied |
400 | | To mark what of their state |
401 | | By word or action marked. |
402 | | A lion |
403 | | Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied |
404 | | In some purlieu |
405 | | Straight couches |
406 | | His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground, |
407 | | Whence rushing, he might surest seize them both, |
408 | | Gripped in each paw: When Adam, first of men, |
409 | | To first of women Eve, thus moving |
410 | | |
411 | | |
412 | | Dearer thyself than all! Needs must the Power |
413 | | That made us, and for us this ample world, |
414 | | Be infinitely good, and of His good |
415 | | As liberal and free as infinite, |
416 | | That raised us from the dust, and placed us here |
417 | | In all this happiness, who at His hand |
418 | | Have nothing merited, |
419 | | Aught whereof He hath need, He who requires |
420 | | From us no other service than to keep |
421 | | This one, this easy charge: |
422 | | In Paradise that bear delicious fruit |
423 | | So various, not to taste that only Tree |
424 | | Of Knowledge, planted by |
425 | | So near grows death to life, whate’er death is, |
426 | | Some dreadful thing no doubt, for well thou know’st |
427 | | God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree, |
428 | | The only sign of our obedience left |
429 | | Among so many signs of power and rule |
430 | | Conferred upon us, and dominion |
431 | | Over all other creatures that possess |
432 | | Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard |
433 | | One easy prohibition, who enjoy |
434 | | Free leave so large to all things else, and choice |
435 | | Unlimited of manifold delights, |
436 | | But let us ever praise Him, and extol |
437 | | His bounty, following our delightful task, |