474
And in her looks, which from that time infused 4579
475
Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before,
476
And into all things from her air 4580 inspired
477
The spirit of love and amorous delight.
478
She disappeared, and left me dark; I waked
479
To4581 find her, or for ever to deplore
480
Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure—4582
481
When, out of hope, behold her, not far off,
482
Such as I saw her in my dream, adorned
483
With what all earth or Heav’n could bestow
484
To make her amiable. 4583 On she came,
485
Led by her Heav’nly Maker, though unseen,
486
And guided by His voice, nor uninformed
487
Of nuptial sanctity and marriage rites.
488
Grace was in all her steps, Heav’n in her eye,
489
In every gesture dignity and love.
490
I overjoyed could not forbear 4584 aloud:
491
“‘This turn4585 hath made amends! Thou hast fulfilled
492
Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign,
493
Giver of all things fair! But fairest this
494
Of all Thy gifts, nor enviest.4586 I now see
495
Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, myself
496
Before me. Woman is her name, of man
497
Extracted.4587 For this cause he shall forego
498
Father and mother, and to his wife adhere,
499
And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul.
500
“She heard me thus, and though divinely brought4588
501
Yet innocence, and virgin modesty,
502
Her virtue, and the conscience 4589 of her worth,
503
That would be wooed, and not unsought be won,
504
Not obvious,4590 not obtrusive, 4591 but retired,4592
505
The more desirable—or, to say all,
506
Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought,
507
Wrought 4593 in her so that, seeing me, she turned.
508
I followed her. She what was honor knew,
509
And with obsequious4594 majesty approved 4595
510
My pleaded 4596 reason.4597 To the nuptial bow’r
511
I led her blushing like the morn. All Heav’n,
512
And happy constellations, on that hour
513
Shed their selected 4598 influence, the earth
514
Gave sign of gratulation,4599 and each hill;
515
Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs
516
Whispered it to the woods, and from their wings
517
Flung rose, flung odors from the spicy 4600 shrub,
518
Disporting, 4601 till the amorous bird of night4602
519
Sung spousal,4603 and bid haste the ev’ning-star 4604
520
On his hill top, to light the bridal lamp.
521
“Thus have I told thee all my state, and brought
522
My story to the sum of earthly bliss
Which I enjoy, and must confess to find
524
In all things else delight indeed, but such
525
As, used or not, works in the mind no change,
526
Nor vehement 4605 desire—these delicacies
527
I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flow’rs,
528
Walks, and the melody of birds. But here
529
Far otherwise, transported 4606 I behold,
530
Transported touch;4607 here passion first I felt,
531
Commotion 4608 strange! in all enjoyments else
532
Superior and unmoved, here only weak
533
Against the charm of beauty’s powerful glance.
534
Or 4609 Nature failed in me, and left some part
535
Not proof enough such object to sustain,4610
536
Or, from my side subducting, 4611 took perhaps
537
More than enough, at least on her bestowed
538
Too much of ornament, in outward show
539
Elaborate, 4612 of inward less exact.
540
For well I understand in the prime end4613
541
Of Nature her th’ inferior, in the mind
542
And inward faculties, which most excel.4614
543
In outward also her resembling less
544
His image who made both, and less expressing
545
The character of that dominion giv’n
546
O’er other creatures. Yet when I approach
547
Her loveliness, so absolute4615 she seems
548
And in herself complete, so well to know
549
Her own, that what she wills to do or say
550
Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best.
551
All higher knowledge in her presence falls
552
Degraded,4616 wisdom in discourse with her
553
Looses 4617 discount’nanced,4618 and like folly shows.4619
554
Authority and reason on her wait,
555
As 4620 one intended first, not after made4621
556
Occasionally. 4622 And, to consummate4623 all,
557
Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat
558
Build in her loveliest, and create an awe
559
About her, as 4624 a guard Angelic placed.
560
To whom the Angel with contracted brow:
561
“Accuse not Nature. She hath done her part;
562
Do thou but thine, and be not diffident4625
563
Of wisdom. She deserts thee not, if thou
564
Dismiss 4626 not her, when most thou need’st her nigh,
565
By attributing 4627 overmuch to things
566
Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv’st.
567
For what admir’st thou, what transports thee so?
568
An outside? Fair, no doubt, and worthy well
569
Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love.
570
Not thy subjection. Weigh with her thyself,
571
Then value. Oft-times nothing profits more
Than self-esteem, grounded on just and right
573
Well managed. Of that skill 4628 the more thou know’st
574
The more she will acknowledge thee her head,4629
575
And to realities yield all her shows,4630
576
Made so adorn for thy delight the more,
577
So awful 4631 that with
honor thou may’st love
578
Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise.
579
But if the sense of touch, whereby mankind
580
Is propagated, seem such dear delight
581
Beyond all other, think the same vouchsafed
582
To cattle and each beast, which would not be
583
To them made common and divulged, if aught
584
Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue
585
The soul of man, or passion in him move.
586
What higher in her society thou find’st
587
Attractive, human, rational, love still.4632
588
In loving thou dost well, in passion not,
589
Wherein true love consists not. Love refines
590
The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat
591
In reason, and is judicious, is the scale
592
By which to Heav’nly love thou may’st ascend,
593
Not sunk in carnal pleasure. For which cause
594
Among the beasts no mate for thee was found.
595
To whom thus, half abashed, Adam replied:
596
“Neither her outside formed so fair, nor aught
597
In procreation common to all kinds
598
( Though higher of the genial 4633 bed by far,
599
And with mysterious reverence, I deem)4634
600
So much delights me as those graceful4635 acts,
601
Those thousand decencies,4636 that daily flow
602
From all her words and actions, mixed with love
603
And sweet compliance, which declare unfeigned
604
Union of mind, or in us both one soul.
605
Harmony to behold in wedded pair
606
More grateful 4637 than harmonious sound to th’ ear.
607
Yet these subject4638 not. I to thee disclose
608
What inward thence I feel, not therefore foiled,4639
609
Who meet with various objects4640 from the sense
610
Variously representing, 4641 yet still free
611
Approve the best, and follow what I approve.
612
To love, thou blam’st me not, for love, thou say’st,
613
Leads up to Heav’n, is both the way and guide.
614
Bear with me, then, if lawful what I ask:
615
Love not the Heav’nly Spirits, and how their love
616
Express they? by looks only? or do they mix
617
Irradiance, 4642 virtual 4643 or immediate touch?
618
To whom the Angel, with a smile that glowed
619
Celestial rosy red, love’s proper hue,
620
Answered:
“Let it suffice thee that thou know’st
621
Us happy, and without love no happiness.
622
Whatever pure thou in the body enjoy’st
623
(And pure thou wert created), we enjoy
624
In eminence, 4644 and obstacle find none
625
Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive4645 bars.
626
Easier than air with air, if Spirits embrace:
627
Total they mix, union of pure with pure
628
Desiring, nor restrained 4646 conveyance 4647 need,
629
As flesh to mix with flesh, or soul with soul.
630
But I can now no more. The parting sun
631
Beyond the earth’s green cape and verdant isles4648
632
Hesperian4649 sets: my signal to depart.
633
Be strong, live happy, and love! But first of all 4650
634
Him whom to love is to obey, and keep
635
His great command. Take heed lest passion sway
636
Thy judgment to do aught which else free will
637
Would not admit.4651 Thine, and of all thy sons,
638
The weal 4652 or woe in thee is placed. Beware!
639
I in thy persevering shall rejoice,
640
And all the Blest. Stand fast! To stand or fall
641
Free in thine own arbitrement 4653 it lies.
642
Perfect 4654 within, no outward aid require,
643
And all temptation to transgress repel.
644
So saying, he arose, whom Adam thus
645
Followed with benediction. “Since to part,
646
Go, Heav’nly guest, ethereal messenger,
647
Sent from whose sov’reign goodness I adore!
648
Gentle4655 to me and affable hath been
649
Thy condescension, and shall be honored ever
650
With grateful memory. Thou to mankind
651
Be good and friendly still,4656 and oft return!
652
So parted they, the Angel up to Heav’n
653
From the thick shade, and Adam to his bow’r.
The End of the Eighth Book
BOOK IX
THE ARGUMENT
Satan having compassed4657 the earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into Paradise, enters into the serpent sleeping.4658 Adam and Eve in the morning go forth to their labors, which Eve proposes to divide in4659 several places, each laboring apart. Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that enemy, of whom they were forewarned, should attempt4660 her, found alone. Eve, loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength. Adam at last yields.
The serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other creatures. Eve wondering to hear the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding not till now. The serpent answers that by tasting of a certain tree in the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then void of both. Eve requires him to bring her to that tree, and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge, forbidden.
The serpent, now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length4661 to eat. She, pleased with the taste, deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof. Adam at first amaz’d, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence4662 of love to perish with her and, extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit.
The effects thereof in them both; they seek to cover their nakedness, then fall to variance4663 and accusation of one another.
1
No more of talk where God or Angel guest
2
With man, as with his 4664 friend, familiar used,4665
3
To sit indulgent,4666 and with him4667 partake
4
Rural4668 repast, permitting him4669 the while
5
Venial4670 discourse unblamed.4671 I now must change
6
Those notes4672 to tragic, foul distrust, and breach4673
7
Disloyal on the part of man, r
evolt,
8
And disobedience; on the part of Heav’n,
9
Now alienated,4674 distance and distaste,
10
Anger and just rebuke, and judgment giv’n,
11
That brought into this world a world of woe,