The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (67 page)

270

Winnows
³³⁹²
the buxom
³³⁹³
air, till within soar
³³⁹⁴

271

Of tow’ring eagles, to all the fowls he seems

272

A phoenix,
³³⁹⁵
gazed
³³⁹⁶
by all as that sole
³³⁹⁷
bird,

273

When, to enshrine his
³³⁹⁸
relics in the sun’s

274

Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.

275

At once on th’ eastern cliff of Paradise

276

He
³³⁹⁹
lights, and to his proper shape returns,

277

A Seraph winged. Six wings he wore, to shade

278

His lineaments
³⁴⁰⁰
divine. The pair that clad

279

Each shoulder broad, came mantling
³⁴⁰¹
o’er his breast

280

With regal ornament; the middle pair

281

Girt like a starry zone
³⁴⁰²
his waist, and round

282

Skirted
³⁴⁰³
his loins and thighs with downy
³⁴⁰⁴
gold

283

And colors dipped
³⁴⁰⁵
in Heav’n; the third his feet

284

Shadowed from either heel with feathered mail,

285

Sky-tinctured
³⁴⁰⁶
grain.
³⁴⁰⁷
Like Maia’s son
³⁴⁰⁸
he stood

286

And shook his plumes,
³⁴⁰⁹
that
³⁴¹⁰
Heav’nly fragrance filled

287

The circuit wide.
³⁴¹¹
Straight knew him all the bands

288

Of Angels under
³⁴¹²
watch, and to his state,

289

And to his message high, in honor rise,

290

For on some message high they guessed him bound.

291

Their glittering tents he passed, and now is come

292

Into the blissful
³⁴¹³
field, through groves of myrrh,

293

And flowering odors, cassia, nard,
³⁴¹⁴
and balm—

294

A wilderness of sweets. For Nature here

295

Wantoned
³⁴¹⁵
as in her prime, and played at will

296

Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet,

297

Wild above
³⁴¹⁶
rule or art, enormous bliss.

298

Him through the spicy
³⁴¹⁷
forest onward come

299

Adam discerned, as in the door he sat

300

Of his cool bow’r, while now the mounted sun

301

Shot down direct his fervid
³⁴¹⁸
rays to warm

302

Earth’s inmost womb, more warmth than Adam needs.

303

And Eve within, due
³⁴¹⁹
at her hour prepared

304

For dinner savory fruits, of taste to please

305

True appetite, and not disrelish
³⁴²⁰
thirst

306

Of nectarous draughts between, from milky stream,

307

Berry or grape. To whom thus Adam called:

308

“Haste hither, Eve, and worth thy sight behold

309

Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape

310

Comes this way moving, seems another morn

311

Ris’n on mid-noon! Some great behest
³⁴²¹
from Heav’n

312

To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe
³⁴²²

313

This day to be our guest. But go with speed,

314

And what thy stores contain bring forth, and pour

315

Abundance, fit to honor and receive

316

Our Heav’nly stranger. Well we may afford

317

Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow
³⁴²³

318

From large
³⁴²⁴
bestowed, where Nature multiplies

319

Her fertile growth, and by disburthening
³⁴²⁵
grows

320

More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare.”
³⁴²⁶

321

To whom thus Eve:

“Adam, earth’s hallowed
³⁴²⁷

   
mold
,
³⁴²⁸

322

Of God inspired, small store
³⁴²⁹
will serve,
³⁴³⁰
where store,

323

All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk,

324

Save what by frugal
³⁴³¹
storing
³⁴³²
firmness gains

325

To nourish, and superfluous
³⁴³³
moist
³⁴³⁴
consumes.

326

But I will haste, and from each bough and brake,
³⁴³⁵

327

Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such choice

328

To entertain our Angel-guest, as he

329

Beholding shall confess, that here on earth

330

God hath dispensed His bounties as in Heav’n.

331

   
So saying, with dispatchful
³⁴³⁶
looks in haste

332

She turns, on hospitable
³⁴³⁷
thoughts intent

333

What choice to choose for delicacy best,

334

What order, so contrived as not to mix

335

Tastes not well joined, inelegant, but bring

336

Taste after taste upheld
³⁴³⁸
with kindliest
³⁴³⁹
change.

337

Bestirs
³⁴⁴⁰
her then, and from each tender stalk

338

Whatever earth, all-bearing mother, yields

339

In India east or west, or middle shore
³⁴⁴¹

340

In Pontus
³⁴⁴²
or the Punic
³⁴⁴³
coast, or where

341

Alcinous
³⁴⁴⁴
reigned, fruit of all kinds, in coat

342

Rough, or smooth rind, or bearded husk, or shell,

343

She gathers tribute
³⁴⁴⁵
large, and on the board
³⁴⁴⁶

344

Heaps with unsparing hand. For drink the grape

345

She crushes, inoffensive must,
³⁴⁴⁷
and mead

346

From many a berry, and from sweet kernels pressed

347

She tempers
³⁴⁴⁸
dulcet
³⁴⁴⁹
creams.
³⁴⁵⁰
Nor these to hold

348

Wants
³⁴⁵¹
her fit
³⁴⁵²
vessels pure. Then strews the ground

349

With rose and odors from the shrub unfumed.
³⁴⁵³

350

Meanwhile our primitive
³⁴⁵⁴
great sire, to meet

351

His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train

352

Accompanied than with his own complete