The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (68 page)

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

BOOK: The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems
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353

      

Perfections. In himself was all his state,

354

      

More solemn
3455
than the tedious pomp that waits

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
3456
approach and reverence meek,

360

      

As to a superior nature bowing low,

361

      

Thus said:

 

      

        
“Native of Heav’n, for other pla

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

      

To want,
3457
and honor these, vouchsafe
3458
with us

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
3459
heat

370

      

Be over, and the sun more cool decline.”
3460

371

      

Whom thus the angelic Virtue
3461
answered mild:

372

      

   
“Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such

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

      

I have at will.”
3462
So to the sylvan
3463
lodge

378

      

They came, that like Pomona’s
3464
arbor
3465
smiled,

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
3466

382

      

Of three that in mount Ida naked strove,
3467

383

      

Stood to entertain her guest from Heav’n. No veil
3468

384

      

She needed, virtue-proof: no thought infirm
3469

385

      

Altered her cheek. On whom the Angel “Hail”

386

      

Bestowed, the holy salutation used

387

      

Long after to blest Mary, second Eve:

388

      

   
“Hail, mother of mankind, whose fruitful womb

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
3470
from side to side

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:
3471

 

      

“Heav’nly stranger, please to taste

398

      

These bounties,
3472
which our Nourisher, from whom

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:

 

      

        
“Therefore what He gives

405

      

(Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part
3473

406

      

Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found

407

      

No ungrateful
3474
food. And food alike those pure

408

      

Intelligential substances require,

409

      

As doth your rational,
3475
and both
3476
contain

410

      

Within them every lower faculty

411

      

Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,

412

      

Tasting concoct,
3477
digest, assimilate,

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

      

Whence in her visage round
3478
those spots, unpurged
3479

420

      

Vapors not yet into her substance turned.

421

      

Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale

422

      

From her moist continent
3480
to higher orbs.

423

      

The sun, that light imparts to all, receives

424

      

From all
3481
his alimental
3482
recompence

425

      

In humid exhalations, and at ev’n
3483

426

      

3484
with the ocean. Though in Heav’n the trees

427

      

Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines

428

      

Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn

429

      

We brush mellifluous
3485
dews, and find the ground

430

      

Covered with pearly grain; yet God hath here
3486

431

      

Varied His bounty so with new delights

432

      

As may compare with Heaven, and to taste

433

      

Think not I shall be nice.”
3487
So down they sat,

434

      

And to their viands
3488
fell, nor seemingly
3489

435

      

The Angel, nor in mist,
3490
the common gloss
3491

436

      

Of theologians, but with keen dispatch

437

      

Of real
3492
hunger, and concoctive
3493
heat

438

      

To transubstantiate.
3494
What redounds,
3495
transpires
3496

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