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
265 | | Birds on the branches warbling—all things smiled. |
266 | | With fragrance and with joy my heart o’erflowed. |
267 | | Myself I then perused, and limb by limb |
268 | | Surveyed, and sometimes went, |
269 | | With supple joints, as lively vigor led. |
270 | | But who I was, or where, or from what cause, |
271 | | Knew not. To speak I tried, and forthwith spoke. |
272 | | My tongue obeyed, and readily could name |
273 | | Whate’er I saw. ‘Thou Sun,’ said I, ‘fair light, |
274 | | And thou enlight’ned |
275 | | Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains, |
276 | | And ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell, |
277 | | Tell, if ye saw, how I came thus, how here? |
278 | | Not of myself—by some great Maker, then, |
279 | | In goodness and in power preëminent. |
280 | | Tell me, how may I know Him, how adore, |
281 | | From whom I have that thus I move and live, |
282 | | And feel that I am happier than I know. |
283 | | While thus I called, and strayed I knew not whither |
284 | | From where I first drew air, and first beheld |
285 | | This happy light—when, answer none returned, |
286 | | On a green shady bank, profuse of flowers, |
287 | | Pensive I sat me down. There gentle sleep |
288 | | First found me, and with soft oppression |
289 | | My drowsèd |
290 | | I then was passing to my former state |
291 | | Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve. |
292 | | When suddenly stood at my head a dream, |
293 | | Whose inward apparition |
294 | | My fancy to believe I yet had being, |
295 | | And lived. One came, methought, of shape divine, |
296 | | |
297 | | First man, of men innumerable ordained |
298 | | First father! Called by thee, I come thy guide |
299 | | To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepared. |
300 | | So saying, by the hand He took me raised, |
301 | | And over fields and waters, as in air |
302 | | Smooth-sliding without step, last led me up |
303 | | A woody mountain, whose high top was plain, |
304 | | A circuit wide, enclosed with goodliest trees |
305 | | Planted, with walks, and bowers, that what I saw |
306 | | Of earth before scarce pleasant seemed. Each tree, |
307 | | Loaden with fairest fruit that hung to the eye |
308 | | Tempting, stirred in me sudden appetite |
309 | | To pluck and eat, whereat I waked, and found |
310 | | Before mine eyes all real, |
311 | | |
312 | | My wand’ring, had not He, who was my guide |
313 | | Up hither, from among the trees appeared, |
314 | | Presence Divine. Rejoicing, but with awe, |
315 | | In adoration at His feet I fell |
316 | | Submiss. He reared me, and ‘Whom thou sought’st I am, |
317 | | Said mildly, ‘Author of all this thou see’st |
318 | | Above, or round about thee, or beneath. |
319 | | This Paradise I give thee, count it thine |
320 | | To till |
321 | | Of every tree that in the garden grows |
322 | | Eat freely with glad heart, fear here no dearth. |
323 | | But of the tree whose operation |
324 | | Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set |
325 | | The pledge |
326 | | Amid the garden by |
327 | | Remember what I warn thee: shun to taste, |
328 | | And shun the bitter consequence. For know, |
329 | | The day thou eat’st thereof, my sole command |
330 | | Transgressed, inevitably |
331 | | From that day mortal, and this happy state |
332 | | Shalt lose, expelled from hence into a world |
333 | | Of woe and sorrow. ’ Sternly He pronounced |
334 | | The rigid interdiction, which resounds |
335 | | Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice |
336 | | Not to incur. But soon His clear aspect |
337 | | Returned, and gracious purpose |
338 | | ‘Not only these fair bounds, |
339 | | To thee and to thy race I give. As lords |
340 | | Possess it, and all things that therein live, |
341 | | Or live in sea, or air, beast, fish, and fowl. |
342 | | In sign whereof each bird and beast behold |
343 | | After their kinds; I bring them to receive |
344 | | From thee their names, and pay thee fealty |
345 | | With low subjection. Understand the same |
346 | | Of fish within their wat’ry residence, |
347 | | Not hither summoned, since they cannot change |
348 | | Their element, to draw |
349 | | As thus he spoke, each bird and beast behold |
350 | | Approaching two and two, these |
351 | | With blandishment, |
352 | | I named them, as they passed, and understood |
353 | | Their nature, with such knowledge God endued |
354 | | My sudden apprehension. |
355 | | I found not what methought I wanted still, |
356 | | And to the Heav’nly vision thus presumed: |