229
Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill2877
230
Watered the garden, thence united fell
231
Down the steep glade, and met the nether2878 flood,2879
232
Which from his darksome passage now appears,
233
And now, divided into four main streams,
234
Runs diverse, 2880 wand’ring many a famous realm
235
And country, whereof here needs no account,
236
But rather to tell how, if art 2881 could tell,
237
How from that sapphire fount the crispèd2882 brooks,
238
Rolling on orient2883 pearl and sands of gold,
239
With mazy2884 error 2885 under pendant shades
240
Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed
241
Flow’rs worthy of Paradise, which not nice2886 art
242
In beds and curious2887 knots, but Nature boon2888
243
Poured forth profuse on hill and dale and plain,
244
Both where the morning sun first warmly smote
245
The open field, and where the unpierced shade
246
Imbrowned 2889 the noontide bow’rs. Thus was this place
247
A happy rural seat of various view,
248
Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm,
249
Others whose fruit, burnished with golden rind,
250
Hung amiable, 2890 Hesperian2891 fables true,
251
If true, here onl, and of delicious taste.
252
Betwixt them lawns, or level downs,2892 and flocks
253
Grazing the tender herb,2893 were interposed,
254
Or palmy2894 hillock, or the flowery lap2895
255
Of some irriguous2896 valley spread her store,
256
Flow’rs of all hue, and without thorn the rose.
257
Another side, umbrageous2897 grots and caves
258
Of cool recess, o’er which the mantling2898 vine
259
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps
260
Luxuriant. Meanwhile murmuring waters fall
261
Down the slope hills, dispersed, or in a lake,
262
That to the fringèd bank with myrtle crowned
263
Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams.
264
The birds their choir2899 apply, 2900 airs, vernal airs,
265
Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune2901
266
The trembling leaves, while universal Pan,
267
Knit2902 with the Graces2903 and the Hours2904 in dance,
268
Led on th’ eternal Spring. Not that fair field
269
Of Enna,2905 where Proserpine, gath’ring flow’rs,
270
Herself a fairer flow’r by gloomy Dis2906
271
Was gathered, which cost Ceres2907 all that pain
272
To seek her through the world. Nor that sweet grove
273
Of Daphne2908 by Orontes,2909 and the inspired 2910
274
Castalian spring, 2911 might with this Paradise
275
Of Eden strive, 2912 nor that Nyseian2913 isle
276
Girt2914 with the river Triton, where old Cham,2915
277
Whom gentiles Ammon call, and Libyan Jove,
278
Hid Amalthea2916 and her florid2917 son
279
Young Bacchus from his stepdame Rhea’s eye,
280
Nor where Abassin2918 kings their issue2919 guard,
281
Mount Amara,2920 though this by some supposed
282
True Paradise under the Ethiop line2921
283
By Nilus2922 head,2923 enclosed with shining rock,
284
A whole day’s journey high, but wide remote
285
From this Assyrian garden, where the fiend
286
Saw, undelighted, all delight, all kind
287
Of living creatures, new to sight, and strange.
288
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall,
289
Godlike erect, with native honor clad
290
In naked majesty, seemed lords of all.
291
And worthy seemed, for in their looks divine
292
The image of their glorious Maker shone,
293
Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure
294
(Severe, but in true filial freedom placed)
295
Whence true authority in men. Though both
296
Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed:
297
For contemplation he, and valor, formed;
298
For softness she and sweet attractive grace;
299
He for God only, she for God in him.
300
His fair large front2924 and eye sublime2925 declared2926
301
Absolute rule, and hyacinthine2927 locks
302
Round from his parted forelock 2928 manly hung
303
Clust’ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad.
304
She as a veil down to the slender waist
305
Her unadornèd golden tresses wore
306
Dishevelled,2929 but in wanton2930 ringlets waved
307
As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied
308
Subjection, but required 2931 with gentle sway, 2932
309
And by her yielded, by him best received,
310
Yielded with coy 2933 submission, modest pride,
311
And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.
312
Nor those mysterious parts2934 were then concealed.
313
Then was not guilty shame, dishonest2935 shame
314
Of Nature’s works. Honor dishonorable,
315
Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind
316
With shows2936 instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
317
And banished from man’s life his happiest life,
318
Simplicity and spotless innocence!
319
So passed they naked on, nor shunned the sight
320
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:
321
So hand in hand they passed, the loveliest pair
322
That ever since in love’s embraces met,
323
Adam the goodliest man of men, since born
324
His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.
325
Under a tuft 2937 of shade that on a green2938
326
Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain side
327
They sat them down and, after no more toil
328
Of their sweet gardening labor than sufficed
329
To recommend 2939 cool Zephyr, 2940 and made ease
330
More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite
331
More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell,
332
Nectarine 2941 fruits which the compliant 2942 boughs
333
Yielded them, side-long as they sat recline
334
On the soft downy bank, damasked 2943 with flow’rs.
335
The savory pulp they chew, and in the rind,
336
Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming stream,
337
Nor gentle purpose, 2944 nor endearing smiles
338
Wanted,2945 nor youthful dalliance, as beseems
339
Fair couple, linked in happy nuptial league,
340
Alone as they. About them frisking played
341
All beasts of the earth, since wild, and of all chase2946
342
In wood or wilderness, forest or den.
343
Sporting, 2947 the lion ramped,2948 and in his paw
344
Dandled 2949 the kid; bears, tigers, ounces,2950 pards,2951
345
Gambolled2952 before them; the unwieldy elephant,
346
To make them mirth, used all his might, and wreathed 2953
347
His lithe2954 proboscis;2955 close, 2956 the serpent sly
348
Insinuating 2957 wove with Gordian 2958 twine 2959
349
His braided 2960 train,2961 and of his fatal 2962 guile
350
Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass
351
Couched,2963 and now filled with pasture 2964 gazing sat,
352
Or bedward ruminating, 2965 for the sun,
353
Declined,2966 was hasting now with prone 2967 career 2968
354
To th’ ocean isles,2969 and in the ascending scale2970
355
Of Heav’n the stars that usher evening rose.
356
When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,
357
Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered, sad:
358
“O Hell! What do mine eyes with grief behold!
359
Into our room2971 of bliss thus high advanced
360
Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,
361
Not Spirits, yet to Heav’nly Spirits bright
362
Little inferior, whom my thoughts pursue
363
With wonder, and could love, so lively shines
364
In them divine resemblance, and such grace
365
The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured.2972
366
Ah! gentle 2973 pair, ye little think how nigh 2974
367
Your change approaches, when all these delights
368
Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe,
369
More woe, the more your taste is now of joy,
370
Happy, but for so happy ill secured 2975
371
Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav’n
372
Ill fenced for Heav’n to keep out such a foe
373
As now is entered. Yet no purposed 2976 foe
374
To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,2977
375
Though I 2978 unpitied. League2979 with you I seek,
376
And mutual amity, so straight,2980 so close,
377
That I with you must dwell, or you with me
378
Henceforth. My dwelling haply 2981 may not please
379
(Like this fair Paradise) your sense, yet such
380
Accept your Maker’s work. He gave it me,
381
Which I as freely give: Hell shall unfold,
382
To entertain2982 you two, her widest-gates,
383
And send forth all her kings. There will be room,
384
Not like these narrow limits, to receive
385
386
Thank Him who puts me, loath, to this revenge
387
On you (who wrong me not), for Him who wronged.2983
388
And should I at your harmless innocence
389
Melt,2984 as I do, yet public2985 reason just,
390
Honor and empire with revenge enlarged,
391
By conquering this new world, compels me now
392
To do what else, though damned, I should abhor.
393
So spoke the fiend, and with necessity
394
(The tyrant’s plea) excused his devilish deeds.
395
Then from his lofty stand on that high tree
396
Down he alights among the sportful 2986 herd
397
Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,
398
Now other, as their shape served best his end
399
Nearer to view his prey, and unespied
400
To mark what of their state2987 he more might learn,
401
By word or action marked.2988 About them round
402
A lion 2989 now he stalks with fiery glare,
403
Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied
404
In some purlieu2990 two gentle fawns at play,
405
Straight couches2991 close, then rising, changes oft
406
His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground,
407
Whence rushing, he might surest seize them both,
408
Gripped in each paw: When Adam, first of men,
409
To first of women Eve, thus moving 2992 speech,
410
Turned him2993 all ear 2994 to hear new utterance flow:
411
“Sole partner, and sole part,2995 of all these joys,
412
Dearer thyself than all! Needs must the Power
413
That made us, and for us this ample world,
414
Be infinitely good, and of His good
415
As liberal and free as infinite,
416
That raised us from the dust, and placed us here
417
In all this happiness, who at His hand
418
Have nothing merited,2996 nor can perform
419
Aught whereof He hath need, He who requires
420
From us no other service than to keep
421
This one, this easy charge:2997 of all the trees
422
In Paradise that bear delicious fruit
423
So various, not to taste that only Tree
424
Of Knowledge, planted by 2998 the Tree of Life.
425
So near grows death to life, whate’er death is,
426
Some dreadful thing no doubt, for well thou know’st
427
God hath pronounced it death to taste that tree,
428
The only sign of our obedience left
429
Among so many signs of power and rule
430
Conferred upon us, and dominion2999 giv’n
431
Over all other creatures that possess
432
Earth, air, and sea
. Then let us not think hard
433
One easy prohibition, who enjoy
434
Free leave so large to all things else, and choice
435
Unlimited of manifold delights,
436
But let us ever praise Him, and extol