The Complete Poetry of John Milton (76 page)
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Authors: John Milton
Tags: #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #Poetry, #European
24
Carmelites, Dominicans, and Franciscans.
25
Two theories were advanced (“talkt”): the Ptolemaic explained trepidation as the backward motion of the fixed stars which created the equinoxes; the Copernican classified it as the wobble of the earth rotating on its axis.
26
Gen. xxviii. 17.
27
allegorically; the stairs are Jacob’s ladder (Gen. xxviii. 12).
28
2 Kings ii. 11: “behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire … and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”
29
a city of Dan. The lines survey all of the Holy Land.
30
Aries, the ram.
31
See
Mask
, notes 40 and 93.
32
toward or away from the center (the earth), “hard to tell” because of the varying views of the universe.
33
Galileo had discerned sunspots in 1609.
34
both “given form to” and “made known.”
35
the philosopher’s stone (the
“Elixir”
of l. 607) which would turn base metal into gold. An alembic (l. 605) was a vessel in which the “Native” (l. 605) form of a substance was distilled. Mercury (“Volatil
Hermes
,” l. 603) was thought a component of all minerals, and the changeable Proteus was symbolic of basic matter. (See Edgar H. Duncan,
Osiris
, XI, 1954, 386-421.) The sun, thought to produce gold and precious gems, was a true alchemist (ll. 609 ff.). Urim (“radiant”) and Thummim in Aaron’s breastplate arm the Son when he ascends after the War in Heaven with Victory at his right hand (VI, 760-63). They were considered mediums for the revelation of God’s will.
36
See Rev. xix. 17.
37
appropriate.
38
literally, “the fire of God”; he was the archangel who in Jewish tradition ruled the south.
39
See Rev. iv. 5 and Zech. iv. 10.
40
See
Ely
, n. 13.
41
ceased such movement.
42
a mountain in Armenia, near Assyria; see also IV, 126.
THE ARGUMENT
Satan
now in prospect of
Eden
, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprize which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions, fear, envy, and despare; but at length confirms himself in evil; journeys on to Paradise, whose outward prospect and scituation is described, overleaps the bounds, sits in the shape of a Cormorant on the Tree of life, as highest in the Garden to look about him. The Garden describ’d;
Satans
first sight of
Adam
and
Eve;
his wonder at thir excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to work thir fall; overhears thir discourse, thence gathers that the Tree of knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his Temptation, by seducing them to transgress: then leaves them a while, to know further of thir state by some other means. Mean while
Uriel
descending on a Sunbeam warns
Gabriel
, who had in charge the Gate of Paradise, that some evil spirit had escap’d the Deep, and past at Noon by his Sphere in the shape of a good Angel down to Paradise, discovered after by his furious gestures in the Mount.
Gabriel
promises to find him ere morning. Night coming on,
Adam
and
Eve
discourse of going to thir rest: thir Bower describ’d; thir Evening worship.
Gabriel
drawing forth his Bands of Night-watch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints two strong Angels to
Adams
Bower, least the evill spirit should be there doing some harm to
Adam
or
Eve
sleeping; there they find him at the ear of
Eve
, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to
Gabriel;
by whom question’d, he scornfully answers, prepares resistance, but hinder’d by a Sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise.
O for that warning voice,
1
which he who saw
Th’
Apocalyps
, heard cry in Heaven aloud,
Then when the Dragon, put to second rout,
Came furious down to be reveng’d on men,
5
Wo to th’ inhabitants on Earth!
that now,
While time was, our first Parents had bin warnd
The coming of thir secret foe, and scap’d
Haply so scap’d his mortal snare; for now
Satan
, now first inflam’d with rage, came down,
10
The Tempter ere th’ Accuser of man-kind,
To wreck on innocent frail man his loss
Of that first Battel, and his flight to Hell:
Yet not rejoycing in his speed, though bold,
Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast,
15
Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth
Now rowling, boils in his tumultuous brest,
And like a devillish Engine back recoils
Upon himself; horror and doubt distract
His troubl’d thoughts, and from the bottom stirr
20
The Hell within him, for within him Hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell
One step no more then from himself can fly
By change of place: Now conscience wakes despair
That slumberd, wakes the bitter memorie
25
Of what he was, what is, and what must be
Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue.
Sometimes towards
Eden
2
which now in his view
Lay pleasant, his griev’d look he fixes sad,
Sometimes towards Heav’n and the full-blazing Sun,
30
Which now sat high in his Meridian Towr:
Then much revolving, thus in sighs began.
O thou that with surpassing Glory crownd,
Look’st from thy sole Dominion like the God
Of this new World; at whose sight all the Starrs
35
Hide thir diminisht heads; to thee I call,
But with no friendly voice, and add thy name
O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams
That bring to my remembrance from what state
I fell, how glorious once above thy Sphear;
40
Till Pride and worse Ambition threw me down
Warring in Heav’n against Heav’ns matchless
3
King:
Ah wherefore! he deserv’d no such return
From me, whom he created what I was
In that bright eminence, and with his good
45
Upbraided none; nor was his service hard.
What could be less then to afford him praise,
The easiest recompence, and pay him thanks,
How due! yet all his good prov’d ill in me,
And wrought but malice; lifted up so high
50
I sdeind
4
subjection, and thought one step higher
Would set me highest, and in a moment quit
The debt immense of endless gratitude,
So burthensome still paying, still to ow;
Forgetful what from him I still receiv’d,
55
And understood not that a grateful mind
By owing owes not, but still pays, at once
Indebted and discharg’d; what burden then?
O had his powerful Destiny ordaind
Me some inferiour Angel, I had stood
60
Then happie; no unbounded hope had rais’d
Ambition. Yet why not? som other Power
As great might have aspir’d, and me though mean
Drawn to his part; but other Powers as great
Fell not, but stand unshak’n, from within
65
Or from without, to all temptations arm’d.
Hadst thou the same free Will and Power to stand?
Thou hadst: whom hast thou then or what t’ accuse,
But Heav’ns free Love dealt equally to all?
Be then his Love accurst, since love or hate,
70
To me alike, it deals eternal woe.
Nay curs’d be thou; since against his thy will
Chose freely what it now so justly rues.
Me miserable I which way shall I flie
Infinite wrauth, and infinite despair?
75
Which way I flie is Hell; my self am Hell;
And in the lowest deep a lower deep
Still threatning to devour me opens wide,
To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heav’n.
O then at last relent: is there no place
80
Left for Repentance, none for Pardon left?
None left but by submission; and that word
Disdain
forbids me, and my dread of shame
Among the Spirits beneath, whom I seduc’d
With other promises and other vaunts
85
Then to submit, boasting I could subdue
Th’ Omnipotent. Ay me, they little know
How dearly I abide that boast so vain,
Under what torments inwardly I groan:
While they adore me on the Throne of Hell,
90
With Diadem and Scepter high advanc’t
The lower still I fall, onely supream
In miserie; such joy Ambition finds.
But say I could repent and could obtain
By Act of Grace my former state; how soon
95
Would highth recall high thoughts, how soon unsay
What feign’d submission swore: ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
For never can true reconcilement grow
Where wounds of deadly hate have peirc’d so deep:
100
Which would but lead me to a worse relapse,
And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear
Short intermission bought with double smart.
This knows my punisher; therefore as farr
From granting hee, as I from begging peace:
105
All hope excluded thus, behold in stead
Of us out-cast, exil’d, his new delight,
Mankind created, and for him this World.
So farwell Hope, and with Hope farwell Fear,
Farwell Remorse: all Good to me is lost;
110
Evil be thou my Good;
5
by thee at least
Divided Empire with Heav’ns King I hold
By thee, and more then half perhaps will reigne;
As Man ere long, and this new World shall know.
Thus while he spake, each passion dimm’d his face