Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such Created, or such place has here to dwell, As may not oft invite, though Spirits of Heaven To visit thee; lead on then where thy Bower Over-shades; for these mid-hours, till Evening rise I have at will. Hail Mother of Mankind, whose fruitful Womb Shall fill the World more numerous with thy Sons Then with these various fruits the Trees of God Have heaped this Table. Therefore what he gives (Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part Spiritual, may of purest Spirits be found No ungrateful food; and food alike those pure Intelligential substances require As doth your Rational; and both contain Within them every lower faculty Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste, Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate, And corporeal to incorporeal turn. For know, whatever was created, needs To be sustained and fed; of Elements The grosser feeds the purer, Earth the Sea, Earth and the Sea feed Air, the Air those Fires Ethereal, and as lowest first the Moon; Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurged Vapours not yet into her substance turned. Nor doth the Moon no nourishment exhale From her moist Continent to higher Orbs. The Sun that light imparts to all, receives From all his elemental recompense In humid exhalations, and at Even Sups with the Ocean: though in Heaven the Trees Of life ambrosial fruit bear, and vines Yield Nectar, though from off the boughs each Morn We brush mellifluous Dews, and find the ground Covered with pearly grain: yet God hath here Varied his bounty so with new delights, As may compare with Heaven; and to taste Think not I shall be nice. O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, If not depraved from good, created all Such to perfection, one first matter all, Endued with various forms various degrees Of substance, and in things that live, of life; But more refined, more spirituous, and pure, As nearer to him placed or nearer tending Each in their several active Spears assigned, Till body up to spirit work, in bounds Proportion to each kind. So from the root Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves More aerie, last the bright consummate flower Spirits odorous breathes: flours and their fruit Mans nourishment, by gradual scale sublimed To vital Spirits aspire, to animal, To intellectual, give both life and sense, Fancy and understanding, whence the Soul Reason receives, and reason is her being, Discursive, or Intuitive; discourse Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours, Differing but in degree, of kind the same. Wonder not then, what God for you saw good If I refuse not, but convert, as you, To proper substance; time may come when men With Angels may participate, and find No inconvenient Diet, nor too light Fare: And from these corporal nutriments perhaps Your bodies may at last turn all to Spirit, Improved by tract of time, and winged ascend Ethereal, as wee, or may at choice Here or in Heavenly Paradises dwell; If ye be found obedient, and retain Unalterably firm his love entire Whose progeny you are. Mean while enjoy Your fill what happiness this happy state Can comprehend, incapable of more. Son of Heaven and Earth, Attend: That thou are happy, owe to God; That thou continu'st such, owe to thy self, That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. This was that caution given thee; be advised. God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee, but to persevere He left it in thy power, ordained thy will By nature free, not over-ruled by Fate Inextricable, or strict necessity; Our voluntary service he requires, Not our necessitated, such with him Finds no acceptance, nor can find, for how Can hearts, not free, be tried whether they serve Willing or no, who will but what they must By Destiny, and can no other choose? My self and all the Angelic Host that stand In sight of God enthroned, our happy state Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds; On other surety none; freely we serve, Because wee freely love, as in our will To love or not; in this we stand or fall: And some are fallen, to disobedience fallen, And so from Heaven to deepest Hell; O fall From what high state of bliss into what woe! High matter thou enjoin me, O prime of men, Sad task and hard, for how shall I relate To human sense the invisible exploits Of warring Spirits; how without remorse The ruin of so many glorious once And perfect while they stood; how last unfold The secrets of another world, perhaps Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good This is dispensed, and what surmounts the reach Of human sense, I shall delineate so, By likening spiritual to corporal forms, As may express them best, though what if Earth Be but the shadow of Heaven, and things therein Each to other like, more then on earth is thought? As yet this world was not, and Chaos wilde Reigned where these Heavens now roll, where Earth now rests Upon her Center poised, when on a day (For Time, though in Eternity, applied To motion, measures all things durable By present, past, and future) on such day As Heavens great Year brings forth, the Empyreal Host Of Angels by Imperial summons called, Innumerable before the almighty's Throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heaven appeared Under their Hierarchs in orders bright Ten thousand thousand Ensigns high advanced, Standards, and Gonfalons between Van and Rear Stream in the Air, and for distinction serve Of Hierarchies, of Orders, and Degrees; Or in their glittering Tissues bear emblazed Holy Memorials, acts of Zeal and Love Recorded eminent. Thus when in Orbs Of circuit inexpressible they stood, Orb within Orb, the Father infinite, By whom in bliss bosomed sat the Son, Amidst as from a flaming Mount, whose top Brightness had made invisible, thus spake. ALL night the dreadless Angel unpursued Through Heavens wide Champagne held his way, till Morn, Waked by the circling Hours, with rosie hand Unbarred the gates of Light. There is a Cave Within the Mount of God, fast by his Throne, Where light and darkness in perpetual round Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heaven Grateful vicissitude, like Day and Night; Light issues forth, and at the other door Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour To veil the Heaven, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here; and now went forth the Morn Such as in highest Heaven, arrayed in Gold Imperial, from before her vanished Night, Shot through with orient Beams: when all the Plain Coverd with thick embattled Squadrons bright, Chariots and flaming Arms, and fiery Steeds Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: War he perceived, war in procinct, and found Already known what he for news had thought To have reported: gladly then he mixed Among those friendly Powers who him received With joy and acclamation loud, that one That of so many Myriads fallen, yet one Returned not lost: On to the sacred hill They led him high applauded, and present Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice From midst a Golden Cloud thus mild was heard. So spake the Soverign voice, and Clouds began To darken all the Hill, and smoke to roll In dusky wreathes, reluctant flames, the sign Of wrath awaked: nor with less dread the loud Ethereal Trumpet from on high began blow: At which command the Powers Militant, That stood for Heaven, in mighty Quadrate join"d Of Union irresistible, moved on In silence their bright Legions, to the sound Of instrumental Harmony that breathed Heroic Ardor to adventurous deeds Under their God-like Leaders, in the Cause Of God and his Messiah. On they move Indissoluble firm; nor obvious Hill, Nor straitening Vale, nor Wood, nor Stream divides Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground Their march was, and the passive Air upbore Their nimble tread, as when the total kind Of Birds in orderly array on wing Came summoned over Eden to receive Their names of thee; so over many a tract Of Heaven they marched, and many a Province wide Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last Far in the Horizon to the North appeared From skirt to skirt a fiery Region, stretched In battailous aspect, and nearer view Bristled with upright beams innumerable Of rigid Spears, and Helmets thronged, and Shields Various, with boastful Argument portrait, The banded Powers of Satan hasting on With furious expedition; for they weend That self same day by fight, or by surprise To win the Mount of God, and on his Throne To set the envier of his State, the proud Aspirer, but their thoughts proved fond and vain In the mid way: though strange to us it seemed At first, that Angel should with Angel war, And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet So oft in Festivals of joy and love Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire Hymning the Eternal Father: but the shout Of Battle now began, and rushing sound Of onset ended soon each milder thought. High in the midst exalted as a God the apostate in his Sun-bright Chariot sate Idol of Majesty Divine, enclosed With Flaming Cherubim, and golden Shields; Then lighted from his gorgeous Throne, for now Twixt Host and Host but narrow space was left, A dreadful interval, and Front to Front Presented stood in terrible array Of hideous length: before the cloudy Van, On the rough edge of battle ere it join,d, Satan with vast and haughty strides advanced, Came towering, armed in Adamant and Gold; Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds, And thus his own undaunted heart explores. So pondering, and from his armed Peers Forth stepping opposite, half way he met His daring foe, at this prevention more Incensed, and thus securely him defied. Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance Thus answered. To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied. So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell On the proud Crest of Satan, that no sight, Nor motion of swift thought, less could his Shield Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge He back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee His massy Spear upstaid; as if on Earth Winds under ground or waters forcing way Sidelong, had pushed a Mountain from his seat Half sunk with all his Pines. Amazement seized The Rebel Thrones, but greater rage to see Thus foiled their mightiest, ours joy filled, and shout, Presage of Victory and fierce desire Of Battle: whereat Michael bid sound The Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven It sounded, and the faithful Armies rung Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze The adverse Legions, nor less hideous joined The horrid shock: now storming fury rose, And clamour such as heard in Heaven till now Was never, Arms on Armour clashing brayed Horrible discord, and the matting Wheels Of brazen Chariots raged; dire was the noise Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss Of fiery Darts in flaming voles flew, And flying vaulted either Host with fire. So under fiery Cope together rushed Both Battles maine, with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage; all Heaven Resounded, and had Earth bin then, all Earth Had to her Center shook. What wonder? when Millions of fierce encountering Angels fought On either side, the least of whom could wield These Elements, and arm him with the force Of all their Regions: how much more of Power Army against Army numberless to raise Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb, Though not destroy, their happy Native seat; Had not the Eternal King Omnipotent From his strong hold of Heaven high over-ruled And limited their might; though numbered such As each divided Legion might have seemed A numerous Host, in strength each armed hand A Legion; led in fight, yet Leader seemed Each Warrior single as in Chief, expert When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway Of Battle, open when, and when to close The ridges of grim War; no thought of flight, None of retreat, no unbecoming deed That argued fear; each on himself relied, As only in his arm the moment lay Of victory; deeds of eternal fame Were don, but infinite: for wide was spread That War and various; sometimes on firm ground A standing fight, then soaring on main wing Tormented all the Air; all Air seemed then Conflicting Fire: long time in even scale The Battle hung; till Satan, who that day Prodigious power had shown, and met in Arms No equal, ranging through the dire attack Of fighting Seraphim confused, at length Saw where the Sword of Michael smote, and felled Squadrons at once, with huge two-handed sway Brandished aloft the horrid edge came down Wide wasting; such destruction to withstand He hasted, and opposed the rocky Orb Of tenfold Adamant, his ample Shield A vast circumference: At his approach The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toil Surceased, and glad as hoping here to end Intestine War in Heaven, the arch foe subdued Or Captive dragged in Chains, with hostile frown And visage all inflamed first thus began. So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus The Adversary. They ended parley, and both addressed for fight Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue Of Angels, can relate, or to what things Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift Human imagination to such height Of Godlike Power: for likest Gods they seemed, Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms Fit to decide the Empire of great Heaven. Now waved their fiery Swords, and in the Air Made horrid Circles; two broad Suns their Shields Blazed opposite, while expectation stood In horror; from each hand with speed retired Where erst was thickest fight, the Angelic throng, And left large field, unsafe within the wind Of such commotion, such as to set forth Great things by small, If Natures concord broke, Among the Constellations war were sprung, Two Planets rushing from aspect malign Of fiercest opposition in mid Sky, Should combat, and their jarring Spears confound. Together both with next to Almighty Arm, Uplifted imminent one stroke they aimed That might determine, and not need repeat, As not of power, at once; nor odds appeared In might or swift prevention; but the sword Of Michael from the Armoury of God Was given him tempered so, that neither keen Nor solid might resist that edge: it met The sword of Satan with steep force to smite Descending, and in half cut sheer, nor staid, But with swift wheel reverse, deep entering shared All his right side; then Satan first knew pain, And writhed him to and fro convolv'd; so sore The griding sword with discontinuous wound Passed through him, but the Ethereal substance closed Not long divisible, and from the gash A stream of Nectarous humour issuing flowed Sanguine, such as Celestial Spirits may bleed, And all his Armour stained ere while so bright. Forthwith on all sides to his aide was run By Angels many and strong, who interposed Defence, while others bore him on their Shields Back to his Chariot; where it stood retired From off the files of war; there they him laid Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame To find himself not matchless, and his pride Humbled by such rebuke, so far beneath His confidence to equal God in power. Yet soon he healed; for Spirits that live throughout Vital in every part, not as frail man In Entrails, Heart or Head, Liver or Reins; Cannot but by annihilating die; Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound Receive, no more then can the fluid Air: All Heart they live, all Head, all Eye, all Ear, All Intellect, all Sense, and as they please, They Limb themselves, and colour, shape or size Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare. Mean while in other parts like deeds deserved Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought, And with fierce Ensigns pierced the deep array Of Moloc furious King, who him defied, And at his Chariot wheels to drag him bound Threatened, nor from the Holy One of Heaven Refrained his tongue blasphemous; but anon Down cloven to the waste, with shattered Arms And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe, Though huge, and in a Rock of Diamond Armed, Vanquished Adramelec, and Asmadai, Two potent Thrones, that to be less then Gods Disdained, but meaner thoughts learned in their flight, Mangled with ghastly wounds through Plate and Mail, Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy The Atheist crew, but with redoubled blow Ariel and Arioc, and the violence Of Ramiel scorched and blasted overthrew. I might relate of thousands, and their names Eternize here on Earth; but those elect Angels contented with their fame in Heaven Seek not the praise of men: the other sort In might though wondrous and in Acts of War, Nor of Renown less eager, yet by doom Concealed from Heaven and sacred memory, Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell. For strength from Truth divided and from Just, Illaudable, nought merits but dispraise And ignominy, yet to glory aspires Vain glorious, and through infamy seeks fame: Therefore Eternal silence be their doom. And now their Mightiest quelled, the battle swerved, With many an inrode gored; deformed rout Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground With shiverd armour strewn, and on a heap Chariot and Charioteer lay overturn And fiery foaming Steeds; what stood, recoiled Overwearied, through the faint Satanic Host Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surprised, Then first with fear surprised and sense of pain Fled ignominious, to such evil brought By sin of disobedience, till that hour Not liable to fear or flight or pain. Far otherwise th'inviolable Saints In Cubic Phalanx firm advanced entire, Invulnerable, impenetrably armed: Such high advantages their innocence Gave them above their foes, not to have send, Not to have disobeyed; in fight they stood Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained By wound, though from their place by violence moved. Now Night her course began, and over Heaven Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposed, And silence on the odious din of War: Under her Cloudy covert both retired, Victor and Vanquished: on the foughten field Michael and his Angels prevalent Encamping, placed in Guard their Watches round, Cherubic waving fires: on the other part Satan with his rebellious disappeared, Far in the dark dislodged, and void of rest, His Potentates to Council called by night; And in the midst thus undismayed began. He sat; and in The Assembly next upstood Nisroc, of Principalities the prime; As one he stood escaped from cruel fight, Sore toiled, his riven Arms to havoc hewn, And cloudy in aspect thus answering spake. Where to with look composed Satan replied. He ended, and his words their drooping chere Enlightened, and their languished hope revived. Th'invention all admired, and each, how he To be th'inventer missed, so easy it seemed Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought Impossible: yet happily of thy Race In future days, if Malice should abound, Some one intent on mischief, or inspired With devilish machination might devise Like instrument to plague the Sons of men For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent. Forthwith from Council to the work they flew, None arguing stood, innumerable hands Were ready, in a moment up they turned Wide the Celestial soil, and saw beneath Th'originals of Nature in their crude Conception; Sulphurous and Nitrous Foam They found, they mingled, and with subtle Art, Concocted and adusted they reduced To blackest grain, and into store conveyed: Part hidden veins digged up (nor hath this Earth Entrails unlike) of Mineral and Stone, Whereof to found their Engines and their Balls Of missive ruin; part incentive reed Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire. So all ere day-spring, under conscious Night Secret they finished, and in order set, With silent circumspection unespied. Now when fair Morn Orient in Heaven appeared Up rose the Victor Angels, and to Arms The matin Trumpet Sung: in Arms they stood Of Golden Panoply, refulgent Host, Soon banded; others from the dawning Hills Looked round, and Scouts each Coast light-armed scour, Each quarter, to descry the distant foe, Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight, In motion or in alt: him soon they met Under spread Ensigns moving nigh, in slow But firm Battalion; back with speediest Sail Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, and in mid Air aloud thus cried. So warned he them aware themselves, and soon In order, quit of all impediment; Instant without disturb they took Alarm, And onward move Embattled; when behold Not distant far with heavy pace the Foe Approaching gross and huge; in hollow Cube Training his devilish Enginrie, impaled On every side with shadowing Squadrons Deep, To hide the fraud. At interview both stood A while, but suddenly at head appeared Satan: And thus was heard Commanding loud. So scoffing in ambiguous words he scarce, Had ended; when to Right and Left the Front Divided, and to either Flank retired. Which to our eyes discovered new and strange, A triple mounted row of Pillars laid On Wheels (for like to Pillars most they seemed Or hollowed bodies made of Oak or Fur With branches lopped, in Wood or Mountain felled) Brass, Iron, Stony mould, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gaped on us wide, Portending hollow truce; at each behind A Seraph stood, and in his hand a Reed Stood waving tipped with fire; while we suspense, Collected stood within our thoughts amused, Not long, for sudden all at once their Reeds Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, But soon obscured with smoke, all Heaven appeared, From those deep throated Engines belched, whose roar Emboweld with outrageous noise the Air, And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul Their devilish glut, chained Thunderbolts and Hail Of Iron Globes, which on the Victor Host Levelled, with such impetuous fury smote, That whom they hit, none on their feet might stand, Though standing else as Rocks, but down they fell By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel rolled; The sooner for their Arms, unarmed they might Have easily as Spirits evaded swift By quick contraction or remove; but now Foul dissipation followed and forced rout; Nor served it to relax their serried files. What should they do? if on they rushed, repulse Repeated, and indecent overthrow Doubled, would render them yet more despised, And to their foes a laughter; for in view Stood ranked of Seraphim another row In posture to displode their second tire Of Thunder: back defeated to return They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight, And to his Mates thus in derision ca11'd. To whom thus Belial in like gamesom mood, So they among themselves in pleasant vein Stood scoffing, heightened in their thoughts beyond All doubt of Victory, eternal might To match with their inventions they presumed So easy, and of his Thunder made a scorn, And all his Host derided, while they stood A while in trouble; but they stood not long, Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose. Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power Which God hath in his mighty Angels placed) Their Arms away they threw, and to the Hills (For Earth hath this variety from Heaven Of pleasure situate in Hill and Dale) Light as the Lightning glimpse they ran, they flew, From their foundations loosening to and fro They plucked the seated Hills with all their load, Rocks, Waters, Woods, and by the shaggy tops Up lifting bore them in their hands: Amaze, Be sure, and terror seized the rebel Host, When coming towards them so dread they saw The bottom of the Mountains upward turned, Till on those cursed Engines triple-row They saw them whelmed, and all their confidence Under the weight of Mountains buried deep, Themselves invaded next, and on their heads Main Promontories flung, which in the Air Came shadowing, and oppressed whole Legions armed, Their armour helped their harm, crushed in and bruised Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain Implacable, and many a dolorous groan, Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light, Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown. The rest in imitation to like Arms Betook them, and the neighbouring Hills uptore; So Hills amid the Air encountered Hills Hurled to and fro with jaculation dire That under ground, they fought in dismal shade; Infernal noise; War seemed a civil Game To this uproar; horrid confusion heaped Upon confusion rose: and now all Heaven Had gon to wrack, with ruin overspread, Had not the almighty Father where he sits shrined in his Sanctuary of Heaven secure, Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen This tumult, and permitted all, advised: That his great purpose he might so fulfil, To honour his Anointed Son avenged Upon his enemies, and to declare All power on him transferred: whence to his Son Th'Assessor of his Throne he thus began. He said, and on his Son with Rays direct Shone full, he all his Father full expressed Ineffably into his face received, And thus the filial Godhood answering spake. So spake the Son, and into terror changed His countenance too severe to be beheld And full of wrath bent on his Enemies. At once the Four spread out their Starry wings With dreadful shade contiguous, and the Orbs Of his fierce Chariot rolled, as with the sound Of torrent Floods, or of a numerous Host. He on his impious Foes right onward drove, Gloomy as Night; under his burning Wheels The steadfast Empyrean shook throughout, All but the Throne it self of God. Full soon Among them he arrived; in his right hand Grasping ten thousand Thunders, which he sent Before him, such as in their Souls infixed Plagues; they astonished all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropped; O'er Shields and Helmes, and helmet heads he rode Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate, That wished the Mountains now might be again Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire. Nor less on either side tempestuous fell His arrows, from the fourfold-visag'd Four, Distinct with eyes, and from the living Wheels Distinct alike with multitude of eyes, One Spirit in them ruled, and every eye Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire Among th'accurst, that withered all their strength, And of their wonted vigour left them drained, Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen. Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked His Thunder in mid Volly, for he meant Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven: The overthrown he raised, and as a Heard Of Goats or timorous flock together thronged Drove them before him Thunder-struck, pursued With terrors and with furies to the bounds And Crystal wall of Heaven, which opening wide, Rolled inward, and a spacious Gap disclosed Into the wistful Deep; the monstrous sight Struck them with horror backward, but far worse Urged them behind; headlong themselves they threw Down from the verge of Heaven, Eternal wrath Burnt after them to the bottomless pit. Hell heard th'unsufferable noise, Hell saw Heaven ruining from Heaven and would have fled Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roared, And felt tenfold confusion in their fall Through his wilde Anarchy, so huge a rout Encumbered him with ruin: Hell at last Yawning received them whole, and on them closed, Hell their fit habitation fraught with fire Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain. Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled. Sole Victor from th'expulsion of his Foes Messiah his triumphal Chariot turned: To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood Eye witnesses of his Almighty Acts, With Jubilee advanced; and as they went, Shaded with branching Palm, each order bright, Sung Triumph, and him sung Victorious King, Son, Heir, and Lord, to him Dominion given, Worthiest to Reign: he celebrated rode Triumphant through mid Heaven, into the Courts And Temple of his mighty Father Throned On high: who into Glory him received, Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss. Thus measuring things in Heaven by things on Earth At thy request, and that thou may beware By what is past, to thee I have revealed What might have else to human Race bin hid; The discord which befell, and War in Heaven Among the Angelic Powers, and the deep fall Of those too high aspiring, who rebelled With Satan, he who envies now thy state, Who now is plotting how he may seduce Thee also from obedience, that with him Bereaved of happiness thou may partake His punishment, Eternal misery; Which would be all his solace and revenge, As a despite don against the most High, Thee once to gain Companion of his woe. But list'n not to his Temptations, warn Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard By terrible Example the reward Of disobedience; firm they might have stood, Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress. The End of the Sixth Book. Paradise Lost. 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, declar'd 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 resignation into Heaven. This also thy request with caution asked Obtain: though to recount Almighty works What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice, Or heart of man suffice to comprehend? Yet what thou can attain, which best may serve To glorify the Maker, and infer Thee also happier, shall not be withheld Thy hearing, such Commission from above I have received, to answer thy desire Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain To ask, nor let thine own inventions hope Things not revealed, which the invisible King, Only Omniscient, hath suppressed in Night, To none communicable in Earth or Heaven: Enough is left besides to search and know. But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less Her Temperance over Appetite, to know In measure what the mind may well contain, Oppresses else with Surfeit, and soon turns Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Wind. Know then, that after Lucifer from Heaven (So call him, brighter once amidst the Host Of Angels, then that Star the Stars among) Fell with his flaming Legions through the Deep Into his place, and the great Son returned Victorious with his Saints, The Omnipotent Eternal Father from his Throne beheld Their multitude, and to his Son thus spake. So spake the almighty, and to what he spake His Word, the filial Godhood, gave effect. Immediate are the Acts of God, more swift Then time or motion, but to human ears Cannot without process of speech be told, So told as earthly notion can receive. Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven When such was heard declared the Almightie's will; Glory they sung to the most High, good will To future men, and in their dwellings peace: Glory to him whose just avenging ire Had driven out th'ungodly from his sight And th'habitations of the just; to him Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordained Good out of evil to create, in stead Of Spirits malign a better Race to bring Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse His good to Worlds and Ages infinite. So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son On his great Expedition now appeared, Girt with Omnipotence, with Radiance crowned Of Majesty Divine, Sapience and Love Immense, and all his Father in him shone. About his Chariot numberless were poured Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones, And Virtues, winged Spirits, and Chariots winged, From the Armoury of God, where stand of old Myriads between two brazen Mountains lodged Against a solemn day, harnessed at hand, Celestial Equipage; and now came forth Spontaneous, for within them Spirit lived, Attendant on their Lord: Heaven opened wide Her ever during Gates, Harmonious sound On golden Hinges moving, to let forth The King of Glory in his powerful Word And Spirit coming to create new Worlds. On heavenly ground they stood, and from the shore They viewed the vast immeasurable Abyss Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wasteful, wilde, Up from the bottom turned by furious winds And surging waves, as Mountains to assault Heavens height, and with the Center mix the Pole. Said then th'Omnific Word, Nor staid, but on the Wings of Cherubim Uplifted, in Paternal Glory rode Far into Chaos, and the World unborn; For Chaos heard his voice: him all his Train Followed in bright procession to behold Creation, and the wonders of his might. Then staid the fervid Wheels, and in his hand He took the golden Compasses, prepared In Gods Eternal store, to circumscribe This Universe, and all created things: One foot he centred, and the other turned Round through the vast profundity obscure, And said, Thus God the Heaven created, thus the Earth, Matter unformed and void: Darkness profound Covered th'Abyss: but on the watery calm His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread, And vital virtue infused, and vital warmth Throughout the fluid Mass, but downward purged The black tartareous cold Infernal dregs Adverse to life: then founded, then conglob'd Like things to like, the rest to several place Disported, and between spun out the Air, And Earth self balanced on her Center hung. said God, and forthwith Light Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure Sprung from the Deep, and from her Native East To journey through the airy gloom began, Sphered in a radiant Cloud, for yet the Sun Was not; she in a cloudy Tabernacle Sojourned the while. God saw the Light was good; And light from darkness by the Hemisphere Divided: Light the Day, and Darkness Night He named. Thus was the first Day Even and Morn: Nor past uncelebrated, nor unsung By the Celestial Quires, when Orient Light Exhaling first from Darkness they beheld; Birth-day of Heaven and Earth; with joy and shout The hollow Universal Orb they filled, And touched their Golden Harps, and hymning praised God and his works, Creator him they sung, Both when first Evening was, and when first Morn. Again, God said, and God made The Firmament, expanse of liquid, pure, Transparent, Elemental Air, diffused In circuit to the uttermost convex Of this great Round: partition firm and sure, The Waters underneath from those above Dividing: for as Earth, so he the World Built on circumfluous Waters calm, in wide Crystalline Ocean, and the loud misrule Of Chaos far removed, least fierce extremes Contiguous might distemper the whole frame: And Heaven he named the Firmament: So Even And Morning Chorus sung the second Day. The Earth was formed, but in the Womb as yet Of Waters, Embryon immature involved, Appeared not: over all the face of Earth Main Ocean flowed, not idle, but with warm Prolific humour softening all her Globe, Fermented the great Mother to conceive, Satiate with genial moisture, when God said Immediately the Mountains huge appear Emergent, and their broad bare backs upheave Into the Clouds, their tops ascend the Sky: So high as heaved the tumid Hills, so low Down sunk a hollow bottom broad and deep, Capacious bed of Waters: thither they Hasted with glad precipitance, uprowld As drops on dust conglobing from the dry; Part rise in crystal Wall, or ridge direct, For haste; such flight the great command impressed On the swift floods: as Armies at the call Of Trumpet (for of Armies thou has heard) Troop to their Standard, so the watery throng, Wave rolling after Wave, where way they found, If steep, with torrent rapture, if through Plain, Soft-ebbing; nor withstood them Rock or Hill, But they, or under ground, or circuit wide With Serpent error wandering, found their way, And on the wash Ooze deep Channels wore; Easy, ever God had bid the ground be dry, All but within those banks, where Rivers now Stream, and perpetual draw their humid train. The dry Land, Earth, and the great receptacle Of congregated Waters he called Seas: And saw that it was good, and said, He scarce had said, when the bare Earth, till then Desert and bare, unsightly, unadorned, Brought forth the tender Grass, whose verdure clad Her Universal Face with pleasant green, Then Herbs of every leaf, that sudden floured Opening their various colours, and made gay Her bosom smelling sweet: and these scarce blown, Forth flourished thick the clustering Vine, forth crept The smelling Gourd, up stood the cornie Reed Embattled in her field: and the humble Shrub, And Bush with frizzled hair implicit: last Rose as in Dance the stately Trees, and spread Their branches hung with copious Fruit; or gemm'd Their blossoms: with high woods the hills were crowned, With tufts the valleys and each fountain side, With borders long the Rivers. That Earth now Seemed like to Heaven, a seat where Gods might dwell, Or wander with delight, and love to haunt Her sacred shades: though God had yet not rained Upon the Earth, and man to till the ground None was, but from the Earth a dewy Mist Went up and watered all the ground, and each Plant of the field, which ever it was in the Earth God made, and every Herb, before it grew On the green stem; God saw that it was good. So Even and Morn recorded the Third Day. Again the almighty spake: and it was so. And God made two great Lights, great for their use To Man, the greater to have rule by Day, The less by Night alterne: and made the Stars, And set them in the Firmament of Heaven To illuminate the Earth, and rule the Day In their vicissitude, and rule the Night, And Light from Darkness to divide. God saw, Surveying his great Work, that it was good: For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun A mighty Sphere he framed, unlightsom first, Though of Ethereal Mould: then formed the Moon Globose, and every magnitude of Stars, And sowed with Stars the Heaven thick as a field: Of Light by far the greater part he took, Transplanted from her cloudy Shrine, and placed In the Suns Orb, made porous to receive And drink the liquid Light, firm to retain Her gathered beams, great Palace now of Light. Hither as to their Fountain other Stars Repairing, in their golden Urns draw Light, And hence the Morning Planet guilds her horns; By tincture or reflection they augment Their small peculiar, though from human sight So far remote, with diminution seen. First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen, Regent of Day, and all the Horizon round Invested with bright Rays, jocund to run His Longitude through Heavens high rode: the gray Dawn, and the Pleiades before him danced Shedding sweet influence: less bright the Moon, But opposite in leveled West was set His mirror, with full face borrowing her Light From him, for other light she needed none In that aspect, and still that distance keeps Till night, then in the East her turn she shines, Revolved on Heavens great Axle, and her Reign With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds, With thousand thousand Stars, that then appeared Spangling the Hemisphere: then first adorned With their bright Luminaries that Set and Rose, Glad Evening and glad Morn crowned the fourth day. And God said, And God created the great Whales, and each Soul living, each that crept, which plenteously The waters generated by their kinds, And every Bird of wing after his kind; And saw that it was good, and blessed them, saying, Forthwith the Sounds and Seas, each Creek and Bay With Fry innumerable swarm, and Shoals Of Fish that with their Finns and shining Scales Glide under the green Wave, in Sculls that oft Bank the mid Sea: part single or with mate Graze the Sea weed their pasture, and through Groves Of Coral stray, or sporting with quick glance Show to the Sun their waved coats dropped with Gold, Or in their Pearlie shells at ease, attend Moist nutriment, or under Rocks their food In jointed Armour watch: on smooth the Seal, And bended Dolphins play: part huge of bulk Wallowing unwieldy, enormous in their Gate Tempest the Ocean: there Leviathan Hugest of living Creatures, on the Deep Stretched like a Promontory sleeps or swims, And seems a moving Land, and at his Gills Draws in, and at his Trunk spouts out a Sea. Mean while the tepid Caves, and Fens and shores Their Brood as numerous hatch, from the Egg that soon Bursting with kindly rupture forth disclosed Their callow young, but feathered soon and fledge They summed their Pens, and soaring the air sublime With clang despised the ground, under a cloud In prospect; there the Eagle and the Stork On Cliffs and Cedar tops their Eyries build: Part loosely wing the Region, part more wise In common, ranged in figure wedge their way, Intelligent of seasons, and set forth Their Aerie Caravan high over Sea's Flying, and over Lands with mutual wing Easing their flight; so steers the prudent Crane Her annual Voyage, born on Winds; the Air Floats, as they pass, fanned with unnumbered plumes: From Branch to Branch the smaller Birds with song Solaced the Woods, and spread their painted wings Till Even, nor then the solemn Nightingale Ceased warbling, but all night tuned her soft lays: Others on Silver Lakes and Rivers Bathed Their downy Breast; the Swan with Arched neck Between her white wings mantling proudly, Rows Her state with Oar feet: yet oft they quit The Dank, and rising on stiff Pennons, tower The mid Aerial Sky: Others on ground Walked firm; the crested Cock whose clarion sounds The silent hours, and the other whose gay Train Adorns him, coloured with the Florid hue Of Rainbows and Starry Eyes. The Waters thus With Fish replenished, and the Air with Foul, Evening and Morn solemnised the Fifth day. The Sixth, and of Creation last arose With Evening Harps and Mitten, when God said, The Earth obeyed, and strait Opening her fertile Womb teemed at a Birth numerous living Creatures, perfect forms, Limbed and full grown: out of the ground up rose As from his Lair the wilde Beast where he one In Forest wilde, in Thicket, Brake, or Den; Among the Trees in Pairs they rose, they walked: The Cattle in the Fields and Meadows green: Those rare and solitary, these in flocks Pasturing at once, and in broad Herds upsprung. The grassy Clods now Calv'd, now half appeared The Tawny Lion, pawing to get free His hinder parts, then springs as broke from Bonds, And Rampant shakes his Brinded main; the Ounce, The Leopard, and the Tiger, as the Moil Rising, the crumbled Earth above them threw In Hillocks; the swift Stag from under ground Bore up his branching head: scarce from his mould Behemoth biggest born of Earth upheav'd His vastness: Fleeced the Flocks and bleating rose, As Plants: ambiguous between Sea and Land The River Horse and scaly Crocodile. At once came forth whatever creeps the ground, Insect or Worm; those waved their limber fans For wings, and smallest Lineaments exact In all the Liveries dect of Summers pride With spots of Gold and Purple, azure and green: These as a line their long dimension drew, Streaking the ground with sinuous trace; not all Minims of Nature; some of Serpent kind Wondrous in length and corpulence involved Their Snaky folds, and added wings. First crept The Parsimonious Emmet, provident Of future, in small room large heart enclosed, Pattern of just equality perhaps Hereafter, joined in her popular Tribes Of Commonalty: swarming next appeared The Female Bee that feeds her Husband Drone Deliciously, and builds her waxen Cells With Honey stored: the rest are numberless, And thou their Natures know, & gave them Names, Needless to thee repeated; nor unknown The Serpent suttl'st Beast of all the field, Of huge extent sometimes, with brazen Eyes And hairy Main terrific, though to thee Not noxious, but obedient at thy call. Now Heaven in all her Glory shone, and rolled Her motions, as the great first-Movers hand First wheeled their course; Earth in her rich attire Consummate lovely smiled; Air, Water, Earth, By Fowl, Fish, Beast, was flown, was swum, was walked Frequent; and of the Sixth day yet remained; There wanted yet the Master work, the end Of all yet don; a Creature who not prone And Brute as other Creatures, but endued With Sanctity of Reason, might erect His Stature, and upright with Front serene Govern the rest, self-knowing, and from thence Magnanimous to correspond with Heaven, But grateful to acknowledge whence his good Descends, thither with heart and voice and eyes Directed in Devotion, to adore And worship God Supreme, who made him chief Of all his works; therefore the Omnipotent Eternal Father (For where is not he Present) thus to his Son audibly spake. This said, he formed thee, Adam, thee O Man Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breathed The breath of Life; in his own Image he Created thee, in the Image of God Express, and thou became a living Soul. Male he created thee, but thy consort Female for Race; then blessed Mankind, and said, Wherever thus created, for no place Is yet distinct by name, thence, as thou know He brought thee into this delicious Grove, This Garden, planted with the Trees of God, Delectable both to behold and taste; And freely all their pleasant fruit for food Gave thee, all sorts are here that all the Earth yields, Variety without end; but of the Tree Which tasted works knowledge of Good and Evil, Thou may not; in the day thou eats, thou did; Death is the penalty imposed, beware, And govern well thy appetite, least sin Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death. Here finished he, and all that he had made Viewed, and behold all was entirely good; So Even and Morn accomplished the Sixth day: Yet not till the Creator from his work Desisting, though unwearied, up returned Up to the Heaven of Heavens his high abode, Thence to behold this new created World Th'addition of his Empire, how it showed In prospect from his Throne, how good, how fair, Answering his great Idea. Up he rode Followed with acclamation and the sound Symphonious of ten thousand Harps that tuned Angelic harmonies: the Earth, the Air Resounded, (thou remember, for thou heard) The Heavens and all the Constellations rung, The Planets in their station listening stood, While the bright Pomp ascended jubilant. they sung, So sung The glorious Train ascending: He through Heaven, That opened wide her blazing Portals, led To Gods Eternal house direct the way, A broad and ample rode, whose dust is Gold And pavement Stars, as Stars to thee appear, Seen in the Galaxy, that Milky way Which nightly as a circling Zone thou see Pouderd with Stars. And now on Earth the Seventh Evening arose in Eden, for the Sun Was set, and twilight from the East came on, Forerunning Night; when at the holy mount Of Heavens high-seated top, the empyreal Throne Of Godhood, fixed for ever firm and sure, The Filial Power arrived, and sate him down With his great Father (for he also went Invisible, yet staid (such privilege Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordained, Author and end of all things, and from work Now resting, blessed and hallowed the Seventh day, As resting on that day from all his work, But not in silence holy kept; the Harp Had work and rested not, the solemn Pipe, And Dulcimer, all Organs of sweet stop, All sounds on Fret by String or Golden Wire Tempered soft Tunings, intermixed with Voice Choral or Unison: of incense Clouds Fuming from Golden Censers hid the Mount. Creation and the Six days acts they sung, So sung they, and the Empyrean rung, With Halleluiahs: Thus was Sabbath kept. And thy request think now fulfilled, that asked How first this World and face of things began, And what before thy memory was don From the beginning, that posterity Informed by thee might know; if else thou seeks Aught, not surpassing human measure, say. The End of the Seventh Book. Paradise Lost. BOOK VIII. THE ARGUMENT. Adam enquires concerning celestial Motions, is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam assents, and still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remembered since his own Creation, his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society, his first meeting and Nuptials with Eve, his discourse with the Angel thereupon; who after admonitions repeated departs. To ask or search I blame thee not, for Heaven Is as the Book of God before thee set, Wherein to read his wondrous Works, and learn His Seasons, Hours, or Days, or Months, or Years: This to attain, whether Heaven move or Earth, Imports not, if thou reckon right, the rest From Man or Angel the great Architect Did wisely to conceal, and not divulge His secrets to be scanned by them who ought Rather admire; or if they list to try Conjecture, he his Fabric of the Heavens Hath left to their disputes, perhaps to move His laughter at their quaint Opinions wide Hereafter, when they come to model Heaven And calculate the Stars, how they will wield The mighty frame, how build, unbuild, contrive To save appearances, how gird the Sphere With Centres and Eccentric scribbled o'er, Cycle and Epicycle, Orb in Orb: Already by thy reasoning this I guess, Who art to lead thy offspring, and suppose That bodies bright and greater should not serve The less not bright, nor Heaven such journeys run, Earth sitting still, when she alone receives The benefit: consider first, that Great Or Bright infers not Excellence: the Earth Though, in comparison of Heaven, so small, Nor glistening, may of solid good contain More plenty then the Sun that barren shines Whose virtue on it self works no effect, But in the fruitful Earth; there first received His beams, unactive else, their vigour find. Yet not to Earth are those bright Luminaries Officious, but to thee Earths habitant. And for the Heavens wide Circuit, let it speak The Makers high magnificence, who built So spacious, and his Line stretched out so far; That Man may know he dwells not in his own; An Edifice too large for him to fill, Lodged in a small partition, and the rest Ordained for uses to his Lord best known. The swiftness of those Circles attribute Though numberless, to his Omnipotence, That to corporeal substances could add Speed almost Spiritual; me thou think not slow, Who since the Morning hour set out from Heaven Where God resides, and ere mid-day arrived In Eden, distance inexpressible By Numbers that have name. But this I urge, Admitting Motion in the Heavens, to show Invalid that which thee to doubt it moved; Not that I so affirm, though so it seem To thee who has thy dwelling here on Earth. God to remove his ways from human sense, Placed Heaven from Earth so far, that earthly sight, If it presume, might err in things too high, And no advantage gain. What if the Sun Be Center to the World, and other Stars By his attractive virtue and their own Incited, dance about him various rounds? Their wandering course now high, now low, then hid, Progressive, retrograde, or standing still, In six thou see, and what if seventh to these The Planet Earth, so steadfast though she seem, Insensibly three different Motions move? Which else to several Spears thou must ascribe, Moved contrary with thwart obliquities, Or save the Sun his labour, and that swift Nocturnal and Diurnal rhomb supposed, Invisible else above all Stars, the Wheel Of Day and Night; which needs not thy belief, If Earth industrious of her self fetch Day Travelling East, and with her part averse From the Suns beam meet Night, her other part Still luminous by his ray. What if that light Sent from her through the wide transpicuous air, To the terrestrial Moon be as a Star Enlightening her by Day, as she by Night This Earth? reciprocal, if Land be there, Fields and Inhabitants: Her spots thou see As Clouds, and Clouds may rain, and Rain produce Fruits in her softened Soil, for some to eat Allotted there; and other Suns perhaps With their attendant Moons thou wilt descry Communicating Male and Female Light, Which two great Sexes animate the World, Stored in each Orb perhaps with some that live. For such vast room in Nature unpossessed By living Soul, desert and desolate, Only to shine, yet scarce to contribute Each Orb a glimpse of Light, conveyed so far Down to this habitable, which returns Light back to them, is obvious to dispute. But whether thus these things, or whether not, Whether the Sun predominant in Heaven Rise on the Earth, or Earth rise on the Sun He from the East his flaming rode begin, Or She from West her silent course advance With inoffensive pace that spinning sleeps On her soft Axle, while she paces Even, And bears thee soft with the smooth Air along, Solicit not thy thoughts with matters hid, Leave them to God above, him serve and fear; Of other Creatures, as him pleases best, Wherever placed, let him dispose: joy thou In what he gives to thee, this Paradise And thy fair Eve; Heaven is for thee too high To know what passes there; be lowly wise:. Think only what concerns thee and thy being; Dream not of other Worlds, what Creatures there Live, in what state, condition or degree, Contented that thus far hath been revealed Not of Earth only but of highest Heaven. Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of men, Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee Abundantly his gifts hath also poured Inward and outward both, his image fair: Speaking or mute all comeliness and grace Attends thee, and each word, each motion forms, Nor less think wee in Heaven of thee on Earth Then of our fellow servant, and inquire Gladly into the ways of God with Man: For God we see hath honoured thee, and set On Man his Equal Love: say therefore on; For I that Day was absent, as befell, Bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure, Far on excursion toward the Gates of Hell; Squared in full Legion (such command we had) To see that none thence issued forth a spy, Or enemy, while God was in his work, Least he incensed at such eruption bold, Destruction with Creation might have mixed. Not that they dared without his leave attempt, But us he sends upon his high behests For state, as Soverign King, and to enure Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut The dismal Gates, and barricaded strong; But long ere our approaching heard within Noise, other then the sound of Dance or Song, Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. Glad we returned up to the coasts of Light Ere Sabbath Evening: so we had in charge. But thy relation now; for I attend, Pleased with thy words no less then thou with mine. Accuse not Nature, she hath don her part; Do thou but thine, and be not diffident Of Wisdom, she deserts thee not, if thou Dismiss not her, when most thou need her nigh, By attributing overmuch to things Less excellent, as thou thy self perceav'st. For what admir'st thou, what transports thee so, An outside? fair no doubt, and worthy well Thy cherishing, thy honouring, and thy love, Not thy subjection: weigh with her thy self; Then value: Oft times nothing profits more Then self esteem, grounded on just and right Well managed; of that skill the more thou know, The more she will acknowledge thee her Head, And to realities yield all her shows: Made so adorn for thy delight the more, So awful, that with honour thou may love Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise. But if the sense of touch whereby mankind Is propagated seem such dear delight Beyond all other, think the same Vouchsafed To Cattle and each Beast; which would not be To them made common and divulged, if aught Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue The Soul of Man, or passion in him move. What higher in her society thou finds Attractive, human, rational, love still; In loving thou does well, in passion not, Wherein true Love consists not; love refines The thoughts, and heart enlarges, hath his seat In Reason, and is judicious, is the scale By which to heavenly Love thou may ascend, Not sunk in carnal pleasure, for which cause Among the Beasts no Mate for thee was found. Let it suffice thee that thou know Us happy, and without Love no happiness. Whatever pure thou in the body enjoys (And pure thou were created) we enjoy In eminence, and obstacle find none Of membrane, joint, or limb, exclusive bars: Easier then Air with Air; if Spirits embrace, Total they mix, Union of Pure with Pure Desiring; nor restrained conveyance need As Flesh to mix with Flesh, or Soul with Soul. But I can now no more; the parting Sun Beyond the Earths green Cape and verdant Isles Hesperian sets, my Signal to depart. Be strong, live happy, and love, but first of all Him whom to love is to obey, and keep His great command; take heed least Passion sway Thy judgement to do aught, which else free Will Would not admit; thine and of all thy Sons The weal or woe in thee is placed; beware. I in thy persevering shall rejoice, And all the Blessed: stand fast; to stand or fall Free in thine own Arbitrament it lies. Perfect within, no outward aid require; And all temptation to transgress repel.