The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (58 page)

438

To prune these growing plants, and tend these flow’rs,

439

Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.

440

   
To whom thus Eve replied: “O thou for whom

441

And from whom I was formed, flesh of thy flesh,

442

And without whom am to no end,
³⁰⁰⁰
my guide

443

And head! What thou hast said is just and right.

444

For we to Him indeed all praises owe,

445

And daily thanks—I chiefly, who enjoy

446

So far the happier lot, enjoying thee

447

Pre-eminent by so much odds,
³⁰⁰¹
while thou

448

Like
³⁰⁰²
consort
³⁰⁰³
to thyself canst nowhere find.

449

That day I oft remember, when from sleep

450

I first awaked, and found myself reposed

451

Under a shade
³⁰⁰⁴
on flow’rs, much wond’ring where

452

And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

453

Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

454

Of waters issued from a cave, and spread

455

Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved,
³⁰⁰⁵

456

Pure as th’ expanse of Heav’n. I thither
³⁰⁰⁶
went

457

With unexperienced
³⁰⁰⁷
thought, and laid me down

458

On the green bank, to look into the clear

459

Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky.

460

As I bent down to look, just opposite

461

A shape within the wat’ry gleam appeared,

462

Bending to look on me. I started back—

463

It started back—but pleased I soon returned,

464

Pleased it returned as soon, with answering looks

465

Of sympathy and love. There I had fixed

466

Mine eyes till now, and pined
³⁰⁰⁸
with vain desire,

467

Had not a voice thus warned me: ‘What thou see’st,

468

What there thou see’st, fair creature, is thyself.

469

With thee it came and goes. But follow me

470

And I will bring thee where no shadow stays
³⁰⁰⁹

471

Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he

472

Whose image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy

473

Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear

474

Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called

475

Mother of human race. ’What could I do,

476

But follow straight,
³⁰¹⁰
invisibly thus led?

477

Till I espied thee, fair indeed and tall,

478

Under a platane,
³⁰¹¹
yet methought less fair,

479

Less winning soft, less amiably mild,

480

Than that smooth wat’ry image. Back I turned.

481

Thou following cried’st aloud, ‘Return, fair Eve.

482

Whom fly’st
³⁰¹²
thou? Whom thou fly’st, of him thou art,

483

His flesh, his bone. To give thee being I lent

484

Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart,

485

Substantial
³⁰¹³
life, to
³⁰¹⁴
have thee by my side

486

Henceforth an individual
³⁰¹⁵
solace
³⁰¹⁶
dear.

487

Part of my soul, I seek thee! and thee claim
³⁰¹⁷

488

My other half. ’With that thy gentle hand

489

Seized mine, I yielded, and from that time see

490

How beauty is excelled by manly grace,

491

And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.

492

   
So spoke our general
³⁰¹⁸
mother, and with eyes

493

Of conjugal attraction unreproved,

494

And meek surrender, half-embracing leaned

495

On our first father. Half her swelling breast

496

Naked met his, under the flowing gold

497

Of her loose tresses hid. He in delight

498

Both of her beauty and submissive charms,

499

Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter

500

On Juno smiles, when he impregns
³⁰¹⁹
the clouds

501

That shed May flowers, and pressed her matron lip

502

With kisses pure. Aside the Devil turned

503

For envy, yet with jealous leer malign

504

Eyed them askance, and to himself thus plained:
³⁰²⁰

505

“Sight hateful, sight tormenting! Thus these two,

506

Imparadised in one another’s arms,

507