The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (84 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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893

      

   
“Thus, measuring things in Heav’n by things on earth,

894

      

At thy
4089
request, and that thou may’st beware
4090

895

      

By what is past, to thee I have revealed

896

      

What might have else to human race been hid,

897

      

The discord which befell,
4091
and war in Heav’n

898

      

Among th’ angelic Powers, and the deep fall

899

      

Of those too high aspiring, who rebelled

900

      

With Satan—he who envies now thy state,

901

      

Who now is plotting how he may seduce

902

      

Thee also from obedience, that
4092
with
4093
him

903

      

Bereaved
4094
of happiness, thou may’st partake

904

      

His punishment, eternal misery,

905

      

Which would be all his solace and revenge,

906

      

As a despite
4095
done against the Most High,

907

      

Thee once
4096
to gain companion
4097
of his woe.

908

      

But listen not to his temptations, warn

909

      

Thy weaker.
4098
Let it profit thee t’ have heard,

910

      

By terrible example, the reward

911

      

Of disobedience. Firm they might have stood,

912

      

Yet fell. Remember, and fear to transgress.

 

The End of the Sixth Book

 

BOOK VII

THE ARGUMENT

Raphael at the request of Adam relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of Heaven, declared His pleasure to create another world and other creatures to dwell therein; sends His Son with glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of Creation in six days.

The Angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his
4099
re-ascention into Heaven.

 

1

      

   
Descend from Heav’n, Urania,
4100
by that name

2

      

If rightly thou art called, whose voice divine

3

      

Following, above the Olympian hill I soar,

4

      

Above the flight of Pegasean
4101
wing!
4102

5

      

The meaning, not the name, I call, for thou

6

      

Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top

7

      

Of old Olympus, dwell’st, but Heav’nly-born,

8

      

Before the hills appeared, or fountain flowed,

9

      

Thou with eternal wisdom didst converse,
4103

10

      

Wisdom thy sister, and with her did’st play

11

      

In presence of th’Almighty Father, pleased

12

      

With thy celestial song. Up led by thee

13

      

Into the Heav’n of Heav’ns I have presumed,

14

      

An earthly guest, and drawn
4104
empyreal air,

15

      

Thy temp’ring.
4105
With like safety guided down,

16

      

Return me to my native element,
4106

17

      

Lest from this flying steed unreined (as once

18

      

Bellerophon, though from a lower clime)

19

      

Dismounted,
4107
on the Aleian field
4108
I fall,

20

      

Erroneous
4109
there to wander, and forlorn.
4110

21

      

Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound
4111

22

      

Within the visible diurnal sphere:
4112

23

      

Standing on earth, not rapt
4113
above the pole,
4114

24

      

More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchanged

25

      

To hoarse or mute, though fall’n on evil days,

26

      

On evil days though fall’n, and evil tongues,

27

      

In darkness, and with dangers compassed round,
4115

28

      

And solitude. Yet not alone while thou

29

      

Visit’st my slumbers nightly, or when morn

30

      

Purples the east. Still govern thou my song,

31

      

Urania, and fit audience find, though few.

32

      

But drive far off the barbarous dissonance

33

      

Of Bacchus and his revellers, the race
4116

34

      

Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard
4117

35

      

In Rhodopé,
4118
where woods and rocks had ears

36

      

To rapture,
4119
till the savage clamor drowned

37

      

Both harp and voice. Nor could the Muse defend

38

      

Her son.
4120
So fail not thou, who thee implores,

39

      

For thou art Heav’nly, she an empty dream.

40

      

   
Say, goddess, what ensued when Raphael,

41

      

The affable Arch-Angel, had forewarned

42

      

Adam, by dire example, to beware

43

      

Apostasy, by what befell
4121
in Heav’n

44

      

To those apostates, lest the like befall

45

      

In Paradise to Adam or his race,

46

      

Charged not to touch the interdicted tree,

47

      

If they transgress, and slight
4122
that sole command,

48

      

So easily obeyed amid the choice

49

      

Of all tastes else to please their appetite,

50

      

Though wand’ring.
4123
He with his consorted
4124
Eve

51

      

The story heard, attentive, and was filled

52

      

With admiration
4125
and deep muse
4126
to hear

53

      

Of things so high
4127
and strange
4128
—things to their thought

54

      

So unimaginable, as hate in Heav’n,

55

      

And war so near the peace of God in bliss,

56

      

With such confusion,
4129
but the evil, soon

57

      

Driv’n back, redounded
4130
as a flood on those

58

      

From whom it sprung, impossible to mix

59

      

With blessedness. Whence Adam soon repealed
4131

60

      

The doubts that in his heart arose, and now

61

      

Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know

62

      

What nearer might concern him, how this world

63

      

Of Heav’n and earth conspicuous
4132
first began,

64

      

When, and whereof created, for what cause,

65

      

What within Eden, or without, was done

66

      

Before his memory—as one whose drought

67

      

Yet scarce allayed, still eyes the current
4133
stream,

68

      

Whose liquid murmur heard, new thirst excites,

69

      

Proceeded thus to ask his Heav’nly guest:

70

      

   
“Great things, and full of wonder in our ears,

71

      

Far differing from this world, thou hast revealed,

72

      

Divine interpreter!
4134
by favor sent

73

      

Down from the empyrean, to forewarn

74

      

Us timely of what might else have been our loss,

75

      

Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach.

76

      

For which to the infinitely Good we owe

77

      

Immortal thanks, and His admonishment

78

      

Receive, with solemn purpose to observe

79

      

Immutably His sov’reign will, the end
4135

80

      

Of what we are. But since thou hast vouchsafed
4136

81

      

Gently,
4137
for our instruction, to impart

82

      

Things above earthly thought, which yet concerned

83

      

Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seemed,

84

      

Deign to descend now lower, and relate

85

      

What may no less perhaps avail us, known,

86

      

How first began this Heav’n which we behold

87

      

Distant so high, with moving fires adorned

88

      

Innumerable, and this which yields or fills

89

      

All space, the ambient
4138
air wide interfused
4139

90

      

Embracing round this florid
4140
earth. What cause

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