The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (59 page)

530

      

A chance (but chance)
³⁰²⁵
may lead where I may meet

531

      

Some wand’ring Spirit of Heav’n by fountain side,

532

      

Or in thick shade retired, from him to draw

533

      

What further would be learned. Live while ye may,

534

      

Yet happy pair—enjoy, till I return,

535

      

Short pleasures, for long woes are to succeed!”
³⁰²⁶

536

      

   
So saying, his proud step he scornful turned,

537

      

But with sly circumspection,
³⁰²⁷
and began

538

      

Through wood, through waste,
³⁰²⁸
o’er hill, o’er dale, his roam.
³⁰²⁹

539

      

Meanwhile in utmost longitude,
³⁰³⁰
where Heav’n

540

      

With earth and ocean meets, the setting sun

541

      

Slowly descended, and with right aspect
³⁰³¹

542

      

Against the eastern gate of Paradise

543

      

Leveled his evening rays. It was a rock

544

      

Of alabaster, piled up to the clouds,

545

      

Conspicuous
³⁰³²
far, winding with one ascent

546

      

Accessible from earth, one entrance high.

547

      

The rest was craggy cliff, that overhung

548

      

Still as it rose, impossible to climb.

549

      

Betwixt these rocky pillars, Gabriel sat,

550

      

Chief of the Angelic guards, awaiting night.

551

      

About him exercised
³⁰³³
heroic games

552

      

Th’ unarmed youth of Heav’n, but nigh
³⁰³⁴
at hand

553

      

Celestial armory—shields, helms, and spears,

554

      

Hung high with diamond flaming, and with gold.

555

      

Thither came Uriel, gliding through the ev’n
³⁰³⁵

556

      

On a sun-beam, swift as a shooting star

557

      

In autumn thwarts
³⁰³⁶
s fired
³⁰³⁷

558

      

Impress
³⁰³⁸
the air) and shows the mariner

559

      

From what point of his compass to beware

560

      

Impetuous
³⁰³⁹
winds. He thus began in haste:

561

      

   
“Gabriel, to thee thy course by lot
³⁰⁴⁰
hath given

562

      

Charge
³⁰⁴¹
and strict watch, that to this happy place

563

      

No evil thing approach or enter in.

564

      

This day at height of noon came to my sphere

565

      

A Spirit, zealous, as he seemed, to know

566

      

More of the Almighty’s works, and chiefly man,

567

      

God’s latest image. I described
³⁰⁴²
his way

568

      

Bent all on speed, and marked
³⁰⁴³
his airy gait,
³⁰⁴⁴

569

      

But in the mount that lies from Eden north,

570

      

Where he first lighted, soon discerned his looks

571

      

Alien
³⁰⁴⁵
from Heav’n, with passions foul obscured.
³⁰⁴⁶

572

      

Mine eye pursued him still, but under shade

573

      

Lost sight of him. One of the banished crew,

574

      

I fear, hath ventured from the deep, to raise
³⁰⁴⁷

575

      

New troubles. Him thy care must be to find.

576

      

To whom the wingèd warrior thus returned:

577

      

   
“Uriel, no wonder if thy perfect sight,

578

      

Amid the sun’s bright circle where thou sit’st,

579

      

See far and wide. In at this gate none pass

580

      

The vigilance
³⁰⁴⁸
here placed, but such as come

581

      

Well known from Heav’n. And since meridian hour
³⁰⁴⁹

582

      

No creature thence. If Spirit of other sort,

583

      

So minded,
³⁰⁵⁰
have o’er-leaped these earthly bounds

584

      

On purpose, hard thou know’st it to exclude

585

      

Spiritual substance with corporeal bar.

586

      

But if within the circuit of these walks,

587

      

In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom

588

      

Thou tell’st, by morrow dawning I shall know.

589

      

   
So promised he, and Uriel to his charge
³⁰⁵¹

590

      

Returned on that bright beam, whose point now raised

591

      

Bore him slope downward to the sun now fall’n

592

      

Beneath the Azores, whither the prime orb,

593

      

Incredible how swift, had thither rolled

594

      

Diurnal,
³⁰⁵²
or
³⁰⁵³
this less voluble
³⁰⁵⁴
earth,

595

      

By shorter flight to the east, had left him there,

596

      

Arraying with reflected purple and gold

597

      

The clouds that on his western throne attend.

598

      

   
Now came still
³⁰⁵⁵
ev’ning on, and twilight gray

599

      

Had in her sober livery
³⁰⁵⁶
all things clad.
³⁰⁵⁷

600

      

Silence accompanied, for beast and bird,

601

      

They to their grassy couch, these to their nests

602

      

Were slunk, all but the wakeful nightingale:

603

      

She all night long her amorous descant
³⁰⁵⁸
sung.

604

      

Silence was pleased. Now glowed the firmament

605

      

With living sapphires. Hesperus,
³⁰⁵⁹
that led

606

      

The starry host, rode brightest, till the moon,

607

      

Rising in clouded majesty, at length

608

      

(Apparent
³⁰⁶⁰
queen) unveiled her peerless light,

609

      

And o’er the dark her silver mantle threw.

610

      

   
When Adam thus to Eve: “Fair consort, th’ hour

611

      

Of night, and all things now retired to rest,

612

      

Mind
³⁰⁶¹
us of like
³⁰⁶²
repose, since God hath set

613

      

Labor and rest, as day and night, to men

614

      

Successive,
³⁰⁶³
and the timely dew of sleep,

615

      

Now falling with soft slumbrous weight, inclines
³⁰⁶⁴

616

      

Our eye-lids. Other creatures all day long

617

      

Rove idle, unemployed, and less need rest;

618

      

Man hath his daily work of body or mind