Through the calm firmament, but up or down,
575
By center, or eccentric,2653 hard to tell,2654
576
Or longitude, where the great luminary2655
577
Aloof2656 the vulgar 2657 constellations thick,2658
578
That from his2659 lordly eye keep distance due, 2660
579
Dispenses light from far. They as they move
580
Their starry dance in numbers that compute
581
Days, months, and years, towards his all-cheering lamp
582
Turn swift their various2661 motions, or are turned
583
By his magnetic beam, that gently warms
584
The universe, and to each inward part
585
With gentle penetration, though unseen,
586
Shoots invisible virtue2662 ev’n to the deep,
587
So wondrously was set his station bright.
588
There lands the fiend, a spot like which perhaps
589
Astronomer in the sun’s lucent2663 orb
590
Through his glazed2664 optic tube2665 yet never saw.
591
The place he found beyond expression2666 bright,
592
Compared with aught on earth, metal or stone,
593
Not all parts like, but all alike informed2667
594
With radiant light, as glowing iron with fire.
595
If metal, part seemed gold, part silver clear;
596
If stone, carbuncle most or chrysolite,
597
Ruby or topaz, to the twelve that shone
598
In Aaron’s breast-plate, 2668 and a stone besides
599
Imagined rather oft than elsewhere seen,2669
600
That stone, or like to that which here below
601
Philosophers in vain so long have sought—
602
In vain, though by their powerful art they bind
603
Volatile Hermes,2670 and call up unbound
604
In various shapes old Proteus2671 from the sea,
605
Drained through a limbic 2672 to his native form.
606
What wonder then if fields and regions here
607
Breathe forth elixir 2673 pure, and rivers run
608
Potable2674 gold? when with one virtuous 2675 touch
609
The arch-chemic2676 sun, so far from us remote, 2677
610
Produces, with terrestrial humor2678 mixed,
611
Here in the dark so many precious things
612
Of color glorious, and effect so rare?
613
Here matter new to gaze the Devil met,
614
Undazzled. Far and wide his eye commands,
615
For sight no obstacle found here, nor shade,
616
But all sun-shine, as when his beams at noon
617
Culminate2679 from th’equator, as they now
618
Shot upward still direct, whence no way round
619
Shadow from body opaque can fall, and the air,
620
Nowhere so clear, sharpened his2680 visual ray 2681
621
To objects distant far, whereby he soon
622
Saw within ken2682 a glorious Angel stand,
623
The same whom John saw also in the sun.2683
624
His back was turned, but not his brightness hid.
625
Of beaming sunny rays a golden tiar2684
626
Circled his head, nor less his locks behind
627
Illustrious 2685 on his shoulders fledge 2686 with wings
628
Lay waving round. On some great charge2687 employed
629
He seemed, or fixed in cogitation2688 deep.
630
Glad was the Spirit impure, as now in hope
631
To find who might direct his wandering flight
632
To Paradise, the happy seat of man,
633
His journey’s end and our beginning woe.
634
But first he casts2689 to change his proper shape,
635
Which else might work him danger or delay.
636
And now a stripling2690 Cherub he appears,
637
Not of the prime, 2691 yet such as in his face
638
Youth smiled celestial, and to every limb
639
Suitable grace diffused,2692 so well he feigned.
640
Under a coronet 2693 his flowing hair
641
In curls on either cheek played; wings he wore
642
Of many a colored plume, 2694 sprinkled with gold;
643
His habit fit for speed succinct,2695 and held
644
Before his decent 2696 steps a silver wand.
645
He drew not nigh unheard. The Angel bright,
646
Ere he2697 drew nigh, his radiant visage turned,
647
Admonished by his ear, and straight was known
648
The Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the seven
649
Who in God’s presence, nearest to His throne,
650
Stand ready at command, and are His eyes
651
That run through all the Heav’ns, or down to th’ earth
652
Bear His swift errands over moist and dry,
653
O’er sea and land. Him Satan thus accosts:2698
654
“Uriel, for thou of those sev’n Spirits that stand
655
In sight of God’s high throne, gloriously bright,
656
The first art wont2699 His great authentic2700 will
657
Interpreter 2701 through highest Heav’n to bring,
658
Where all His sons thy embassy2702 attend,
659
And here art likeliest by supreme decree
660
Like honor to obtain, and as His eye
661
To visit oft this new creation round.
662
Unspeakable desire to see, 2703 and know
663
All these His wondrous works, but chiefly man,
664
His chief delight and favor, him for whom
665
All these His works so wondrous He ordained,
666
Hath brought me from the choirs2704 of Cherubim
667
Alone thus wand’ring. Brightest Seraph, tell
668
In which of all these shining orbs hath man
669
His fixèd seat, or fixèd seat hath none,
670
But all these shining orbs his choice to dwell,
671
That I may find him, and with secret gaze
672
Or open admiration2705 him behold,
673
On whom the great Creator hath bestowed
674
Worlds, and on whom hath all these graces poured,
675
That both in him and all things, as is meet,2706
676
The universal Maker we may praise,
677
Who justly hath driven out His rebel foes
678
To deepest Hell and, to repair that loss,
679
Created this new happy race of men
680
To serve Him better. Wise are all His ways.
681
So spoke the false dissembler unperceived,
682
For neither man nor Angel can discern
683
Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks
684
Invisible, except to God alone,
685
By His permissive will, through Heav’n and earth,
686
And oft, though wisdom wake, suspicion sleeps
687
At wisdom’s gate, and to simplicity2707
688
Resigns her charge, while goodness thinks no ill
689
Where no ill seems. Which now for once beguiled
690
Uriel, though regent 2708 of the sun, and held2709
691
The sharpest-sighted Spirit of all in Heav’n,
692
Who to the fraudulent impostor foul,
693
In his2710 uprightness,2711 answer thus returned:
694
“Fair Angel, thy desire, which tends to know
695
The works of God, thereby to glorify
696
The great work-master, leads to no excess
697
That reaches2712 blame, but rather merits praise
698
The more it seems excess, that led thee hither
699
From thy empyreal 2713 mansion2714 thus alone,
700
To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps,
701
Contented with report, hear only in Heav’n.
702
For wonderful indeed are all His works,
703
Pleasant 2715 to know, and worthiest to be all
704
Had in remembrance always with delight.
705
But what created mind can comprehend
706
Their number, or the wisdom infinite
707
That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep?
708
I saw when at His word the formless mass,
709
This world’s material mould, came to a heap.2716
710
Confusion heard His voice, and wild uproar
711
Stood2717 ruled,2718 stood vast infinitude confined,
712
Till at His second bidding darkness fled,
713
Light shone, and order from disorder sprung.
714
Swift to their several quarters hasted then
715
The cumbrous2719 elements, earth, flood, air, fire,
716
And this ethereal 2720 quintessence2721 of Heav’n
717
Flew upward, spirited 2722 with various forms,
718
719
Numberless, as thou seest, and how they move.
720
Each had his place appointed, each his course.
721
The rest, in circuit, walls2724 this universe.
722
Look downward on that globe, whose hither side
723
With light from hence, though but reflected, shines.
724
That place is earth, the seat of man, that light
725
His day, which else, as th’ other hemisphere,
726
Night would invade, but there the neighboring moon
727
(So call that opposite fair star) her aid
728
Timely interposes,2725 and her monthly round
729
Still ending, still renewing, through mid Heav’n,
730
With borrowed light her countenance triform2726
731
Hence fills and empties to enlighten2727 th’ earth,
732
And in her pale dominion2728 checks2729 the night.
733
That spot, to which I point, is Paradise,
734
Adam’s abode; those lofty shades, his bow’r.
735
Thy way thou canst not miss, me mine requires.
736
Thus said, he turned, and Satan, bowing low,
737
As to superior Spirits is wont 2730 in Heav’n,
738
Where honor due2731 and reverence none neglects,
739
Took leave, and toward the coast of earth beneath,
740
Down from th’ ecliptic,2732 sped with hoped success,
741
Throws2733 his steep flight in many an airy wheel,2734
742
Nor stayed,2735 till on Niphates’2736 top he lights.
The End of the Third Book
BOOK IV
THE ARGUMENT
Satan now in prospect2737 of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize which he undertook alone against God and man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions, fear, envy, and despair, but at length confirms himself in evil. Journey[ing] on to Paradise, whose outward prospect and situation is described, [he] overleaps the bounds2738 [and] sits in the shape of a cormorant on the Tree of Life, as highest in the Garden, [in order] to look about him. The Garden described; Satan’s first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to work their fall; [he] overhears their discourse, thence gathers that the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his temptation, by seducing them to transgress. Then [he] leaves them a while, to know further of their state by some other means.
Meanwhile Uriel descending on a Sun-beam warns Gabriel, who had in charge the Gate of Paradise, that some evil spirit had escaped the deep, and passed at Noon, by his sphere, in the shape of a good Angel, down to Paradise, [as] discovered2739 after[wards] by his2740 furious gestures in the Mount. Gabriel promises to find him out ere morning.
Night coming on, Adam and Eve discourse of going to their rest; their bower describ’d; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints2741 two strong Angels to Adam’s bower, lest the evil spirit should be there doing some harm to Adam or Eve sleeping. There they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel, by whom questioned, he scornfully answers, prepares resistance, but hindered by a sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise.
1
O, for that warning voice, which he, who saw
2
The Apocalypse, heard cry in Heaven aloud,
3
Then when the dragon, put to second rout,
4
Came furious down to be revenged on men,
5
“Woe to the inhabitants on earth!” 2742 that2743 now,
6
While time was,2744 our first parents had been warned
7
The coming of their secret foe, and ’scaped,
8
Haply2745 so ’scaped, his mortal snare. For now
9
Satan, now first inflamed with rage, came down,
10
The tempter ere2746 the accuser of mankind,
11
To wreak2747 on innocent frail man his2748 loss
12
Of that first battle, and his flight to Hell.
13
Yet, not rejoicing in his speed, though bold,
14
Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast,
15
Begins his dire attempt, which night the birth
16
Now rolling, 2749 boils in his tumultuous breast,
17
And like a devilish engine2750 back recoils
18
Upon himself. Horror and doubt distract
19
His troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir