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
353 | | Perfections. In himself was all his state, |
354 | | More solemn |
355 | | On princes, when their rich retinue long |
356 | | Of horses led, and grooms besmeared with gold, |
357 | | Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape. |
358 | | Nearer his presence Adam, though not awed, |
359 | | Yet with submiss |
360 | | As to a superior nature bowing low, |
361 | | Thus said: |
| | |
362 | | None can than Heav’n such glorious shape contain, |
363 | | Since by descending from the thrones above |
364 | | Those happy places thou hast deigned a while |
365 | | |
366 | | Two only, who yet by sov’reign gift possess |
367 | | This spacious ground, in yonder shady bow’r |
368 | | To rest, and what the garden choicest bears |
369 | | To sit and taste, till this meridian |
370 | | Be over, and the sun more cool decline.” |
371 | | Whom thus the angelic Virtue |
372 | | |
373 | | Created, or such place hast here to dwell, |
374 | | As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heav’n, |
375 | | To visit thee. Lead on, then, where thy bow’r |
376 | | O’ershades, for these mid-hours, till evening rise, |
377 | | |
378 | | |
379 | | With flow’rets decked, and fragrant smells. But Eve, |
380 | | Undecked save with herself, more lovely fair |
381 | | Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feigned |
382 | | Of three that in mount Ida naked strove, |
383 | | Stood to entertain her guest from Heav’n. No veil |
384 | | She needed, virtue-proof: no thought infirm |
385 | | Altered her cheek. On whom the Angel “Hail” |
386 | | Bestowed, the holy salutation used |
387 | | Long after to blest Mary, second Eve: |
388 | | |
389 | | Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons, |
390 | | Than with these various fruits the trees of God |
391 | | Have heaped this table! |
| | —Raised of grassy tur |
392 | | Their table was, and mossy seats had round, |
393 | | And on her ample square |
394 | | All autumn piled, though spring and autumn here |
395 | | Danced hand in hand. A while discourse they hold— |
396 | | No fear lest dinner cool—when thus began |
397 | | Our author: |
| | “Heav’nly stranger, please to taste |
398 | | These bounties, |
399 | | All perfect good, unmeasured out, descends, |
400 | | To us for food and for delight hath caused |
401 | | The earth to yield—unsavory food perhaps |
402 | | To spiritual natures. Only this I know, |
403 | | That one celestial Father gives to all. |
404 | | To whom the Angel: |
| | |
405 | | (Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part |
406 | | Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found |
407 | | No ungrateful |
408 | | Intelligential substances require, |
409 | | |
410 | | Within them every lower faculty |
411 | | Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste, |
412 | | Tasting concoct, |
413 | | And corporeal to incorporeal turn. |
414 | | For know, whatever was created, needs |
415 | | To be sustained and fed. Of elements |
416 | | The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea, |
417 | | Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires |
418 | | Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon, |
419 | | |
420 | | Vapors not yet into her substance turned. |
421 | | Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale |
422 | | From her moist continent |
423 | | The sun, that light imparts to all, receives |
424 | | |
425 | | In humid exhalations, and at ev’n |
426 | | 3484 |
427 | | Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines |
428 | | Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn |
429 | | We brush mellifluous |
430 | | Covered with pearly grain; yet God hath here |
431 | | Varied His bounty so with new delights |
432 | | As may compare with Heaven, and to taste |
433 | | Think not I shall be nice.” |
434 | | |
435 | | |
436 | | Of theologians, but with keen dispatch |
437 | | |
438 | |