Paradise Lost (Modern Library Classics) (63 page)
Read Paradise Lost (Modern Library Classics) Online
Authors: John Milton,William Kerrigan,John Rumrich,Stephen M. Fallon
1029–32.
See Homer,
Od
. 14.314–16.
1037.
Her hand he seized
: not gently, as at 4.488–89.
1043.
of their mutual guilt the seal
: A
seal
makes a document official. So the mutual act of intercourse, as it were, brazenly authenticates their mutual crime: “We have done this, we who were given sexuality with the commandment to be fruitful and multiply.”
1048.
spirits
: a technical term in medical physiology, denoting vaporous substances in the blood that carry out communications between the soul and body. See Thomas Wright
, The Passions of the Minde in Generall
(1604), 59–68 and passim; Donne, “The Extasie,” 61–64.
1050.
unkindly
: unnatural;
conscious:
full of guilty knowledge.
1058.
he
: Shame.
1059.
Danite
: Samson’s father belonged to the tribe of Dan.
1060.
Herculean
: strong like Hercules;
harlot-lap:
The word
harlot
does not appear in Milton’s
Samson Agonistes
, where Dalila is the hero’s wife.
1067.
Eve, in evil
: The pun is prelude to a host of accusations.
1078.
evil store
: evil aplenty.
1079.
Even shame, the last of evils
: Shame, because it initiates repentance, is the last manifestation of the evil that caused it (
the first
).
1083.
Earthly
: earthly nature.
1087.
umbrage
: shadow, foliage.
1094.
obnoxious
: exposed.
1101.
fig tree
: the banyan, not the common variety. For details and sources, see Svendsen 1969, 31–32, 134–36.
1103.
Malabar
: southwest coast of India;
Deccan:
the peninsula of India (including Malabar).
1111.
as Amazonian targe
: as an Amazon’s shield (notable for its size).
1115.
naked glory
: The paradoxical force of the phrase stems from the idea of
glory
(Heb.
kabod
) as an adornment, a radiance of being (Rumrich 1987, 20–21, 131–32).
1116.
Columbus
: one of the two near contemporaries mentioned in the poem (see 1.288–91n).
1117.
cincture
: belt.
1187.
mutual accusation
:
Mutual guilt
(
l
. 1043) has now deteriorated into a quarreling
mutual accusation
.
1133
.
intermitted:
interrupted (by the quest for covering).
1188.
fruitless hours
: See 648n.
1189.
no end
:
No more
at the beginning of the book, declaring unfallen favors at an end, is balanced against the concluding
no end
, declaring fallen ills (so it appears) interminable.
OOK
X
T
HE
A
RGUMENT
Man’s transgression known, the guardian angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved, God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors, who descends and gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and Death, sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of man. To make the way easier from Hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then preparing for Earth, they meet him proud of his success returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandaemonium; in full assembly relates with boasting his success against man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things, but for the present commands his angels to make several alterations in the heavens and elements. Adam more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve. She persists and at length appeases him; then to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.
Meanwhile the heinous and despiteful act
Of Satan done in Paradise, and how
He in the serpent, had perverted Eve,
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit,
Was known in Heav’n; for what can scape the eye
Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart
Omniscient, who in all things wise and just,
Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind
Of man, with strength entire, and free will armed,
Complete
10
to have discovered and repulsed
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.
For still
12
they knew, and ought to have still remembered
The high injunction not to taste that fruit,
Whoever tempted; which they not obeying,
Incurred, what could they less, the penalty,
And manifold in sin
16
, deserved to fall.
Up into Heav’n from Paradise in haste
Th’ angelic guards ascended, mute and sad
For man, for of his state by this they knew,
Much wond’ring how the subtle fiend had stol’n
Entrance unseen. Soon as th’ unwelcome news
From Earth arriv’d at Heaven Gate, displeased
All were who heard, dim sadness did not spare
That time celestial visages, yet mixed
With pity, violated not their bliss.
About the new-arrived, in multitudes
Th’ ethereal people ran, to hear and know
How all befell: they towards the throne supreme
Accountable
29
made haste to make appear
With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance,
And easily approved; when the Most High
Eternal Father from his secret cloud,
Amidst in thunder uttered thus his voice.
“Assembled angels, and ye Powers returned
From unsuccessful charge, be not dismayed,
Nor troubled at these tidings from the Earth,
Which your sincerest care could not prevent,
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,
When first this Tempter crossed the gulf from Hell.
I told ye then he should prevail and speed
40
On his bad errand, man should be seduced
And flattered out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to necessitate his fall,
Or touch with lightest moment
45
of impulse
His free will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall’n he is, and now
What rests
48
but that the mortal sentence pass
On his transgression, death denounced that day,
Which he presumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he feared,
By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance
53
ere day end.
Justice shall
54
not return as bounty scorned.
But whom send I to judge them? Whom but thee
Vicegerent Son, to thee
56
I have transferred
All judgment, whether in Heav’n, or Earth, or Hell.
Easy it might be seen that I intend
Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee
Man’s friend, his Mediator, his designed
Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary,
And destined man himself to judge man fall’n.”
So spake the Father, and unfolding bright
Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son
65
Blazed forth unclouded deity; he full
Resplendent all his Father manifest
Expressed, and thus divinely answered mild.
“Father Eternal, thine is to decree,
Mine both in Heav’n and Earth to do thy will
Supreme, that thou in me thy Son beloved
May’st ever rest well pleased. I go to judge
On Earth these thy transgressors, but thou know’st,
Whoever judged, the worst on me must light,
When time shall be, for so I undertook
Before thee; and not repenting, this obtain
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me derived, yet I shall temper so
Justice with mercy, as may illustrate most
78
Them
79
fully satisfied, and thee appease.
Attendance none shall need
80
, nor train, where none
Are to behold the judgment but the judged,
Those two; the third
82
best absent is condemned,
Convict
83
by flight, and rebel to all law;
Conviction
84
to the serpent none belongs.”
Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose
Of high collateral
86
glory: him Thrones and Powers,
Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant
Accompanied to Heaven gate, from whence
Eden and all the coast in prospect lay.
Down he descended straight; the speed
90
of gods
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes winged.
Now was the sun in western cadence
92
low
From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour
To fan the earth now waked, and usher in
The evening cool, when he from wrath more cool
Came the mild Judge and Intercessor both
To sentence man: the voice of God they heard
Now walking in the garden, by soft winds
Brought to their ears, while day declined; they heard,
And from his presence hid themselves among
The thickest trees, both man and wife, till God
Approaching, thus to Adam called aloud.
“Where art thou Adam, wont with joy to meet
My coming seen far off? I miss thee here,
Not pleased, thus entertained with solitude,
Where obvious
106
duty erewhile appeared unsought:
Or come I less conspicuous, or what change
Absents thee, or what chance detain? Come forth.”
He came, and with him Eve, more loath, though first
To offend, discount’nanced both, and discomposed;
Love was not in their looks, either to God
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,
And shame, and perturbation, and despair,
Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.
Whence Adam falt’ring long, thus answered brief.
“I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice
Afraid, being naked, hid myself.” To whom
The gracious judge without revile
118
replied.
“My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not feared,
But still
120
rejoiced, how is it now become
So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who
Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?”
To whom thus Adam sore beset replied.
“O Heav’n! In evil strait this day I stand
Before my Judge, either to undergo
Myself the total crime, or to accuse
My other self
128
, the partner of my life;
Whose failing, while her faith to me remains,
I should conceal, and not expose to blame
By my complaint; but strict necessity
Subdues me, and calamitous constraint
Lest on my head both sin and punishment,
However insupportable, be all
Devolved
135
; though should I hold my peace, yet thou
Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.
This woman
137
whom thou mad’st to be my help,
And gav’st me as thy perfect gift, so good,
So fit, so acceptable, so divine,
That from her hand I could suspect no ill,
And what she did, whatever in itself,
Her doing seemed to justify the deed;
She gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
To whom the sov’reign Presence thus replied.
“Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey
Before his voice, or was she made thy guide,
Superior, or but equal, that to her
Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place
Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,
And for thee, whose perfection far excelled
Hers in all real dignity: adorned
She was indeed, and lovely to attract
Thy love, not thy subjection, and her gifts
Were such as under government well seemed,
Unseemly to bear rule, which was thy part
155
And person, hadst thou known thyself aright.”
So having said, he thus to Eve in few:
“Say woman, what is this which thou hast done?”
To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelmed,
Confessing soon, yet not before her judge
Bold or loquacious, thus abashed replied.
“The Serpent me beguiled and I did eat.”
Which when the Lord God heard, without delay
To judgment he proceeded on th’ accused
Serpent though brute, unable
165
to transfer
The guilt on him who made him instrument
Of mischief, and polluted from the end
Of his creation; justly then accursed,
As vitiated in nature: more to know
Concerned not man (since he no further knew)
Nor altered his offense; yet God at last
To Satan first in sin his doom applied,
Though in mysterious
173
terms, judged as then best:
And on the serpent thus his curse let fall.
“Because thou
175
hast done this, thou art accursed
Above all cattle, each beast of the field;
Upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go,
And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life.
Between thee and the woman I will put
Enmity, and between thine and her seed;
Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.”
So spake this oracle, then verified
When Jesus son of Mary, second Eve
183
,
Saw Satan fall like lightning
184
down from heav’n,
Prince of the Air
185
; then rising from his grave
Spoiled Principalities and Powers, triumphed
In open show, and with ascension bright
Captivity led captive through the air,
The realm itself of Satan long usurped,
Whom he shall tread at last under our feet;
Even he who now foretold his fatal bruise,
And to the woman thus his sentence turned.
“Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply
By thy conception; children thou shalt bring
In sorrow forth, and to thy husband’s will
195
Thine shall submit, he over thee shall rule
195
.”
On Adam last thus judgment he pronounced.
“Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife,
And eaten of the tree concerning which
I charged thee, saying, ‘Thou shalt not eat thereof,’
Cursed is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow
Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth
Unbid, and thou shalt eat th’ herb of th’ field,
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,
Till thou return unto the ground, for thou
Out of the ground wast taken, know thy birth,
For dust thou art, and shalt to dust return.”
So judged he man, both Judge and Savior sent,
And th’ instant stroke of death denounced
210
that day
Removed far off; then pitying how they stood
Before him naked to the air, that now
Must suffer change, disdained not to begin
Thenceforth the form of servant to assume,
As when
215
he washed his servants’ feet, so now
As father of his family he clad
Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain,
Or
217
as the snake with youthful coat repaid;
And thought not much
219
to clothe his enemies:
Nor he their outward only with the skins
Of beasts, but inward nakedness, much more
Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness
222
,
Arraying covered from his Father’s sight.
To him with swift ascent he up returned,
Into his blissful bosom reassumed
In glory as of old, to him appeased
All, though all-knowing, what had passed with man
Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.
Meanwhile ere thus was sinned and judged on Earth,
Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and Death
230
,
In counterview within the gates, that now
Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame
Far into Chaos, since the fiend passed through,
Sin opening, who thus now to Death began.
“O Son, why sit we here each other viewing
Idly, while Satan our great author
236
thrives
In other worlds, and happier seat provides
For us his offspring dear? It cannot be
But that success attends him; if mishap,
Ere this he had returned, with fury driv’n
By his avengers, since no place like this
241
Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.
Methinks I feel new strength within me rise,
243
Wings growing, and dominion giv’n me large
243
Beyond this deep
243
; whatever draws me on,
Or sympathy, or some connatural force
Powerful at greatest distance to unite
With secret amity things of like kind
By secretest conveyance
249
. Thou my shade
Inseparable must with me along:
For Death from Sin no power can separate.
But lest the difficulty of passing back
Stay his return perhaps over this gulf