The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

by John Milton

  To happier life, knowledge of good and evil;

  Of good, how just? of evil, if what is evil

  Be real, why not known, since easier shunned?

  700 God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just;

  Not just, not God; not feared then, nor obeyed:

  Your fear itself of death removes the fear.

  Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe,

  Why but to keep ye low and ignorant,

  705 His worshippers; he knows that in the day

  Ye eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear,

  Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be then

  Opened and cleared, and ye shall be as gods,

  Knowing both good and evil as they know.

  710 That ye should be as gods, since I as man,

  Internal man, is but proportion meet,

  I of brute human, ye of human gods.

  So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off

  Human, to put on gods, death to be wished,

  715 Though threatened, which no worse than this can bring.

  And what are gods that man may not become

  As they, participating god-like food?

  The gods are first, and that advantage use

  On our belief, that all from them proceeds;

  720 I question it, for this fair earth I see,

  Warmed by the sun, producing every kind,

  Them nothing: if they all things, who enclosed

  Knowledge of good and evil in this tree,

  That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attains

  725 Wisdom without their leave? and wherein lies

  Th’ offence, that man should thus attain to know?

  What can your knowledge hurt him, or this tree

  Impart against his will if all be his?

  Or is it envy, and can envy dwell

  730 In Heav’nly breasts? these, these and many more

  Causes import your need of this fair fruit.

  Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste.

  He ended, and his words replete with guile

  Into her heart too easy entrance won:

  735 Fixed on the fruit she gazed, which to behold

  Might tempt alone, and in her ears the sound

  Yet rung of his persuasive words, impregned

  With reason, to her seeming, and with truth;

  Meanwhile the hour of noon drew on, and waked

  740 An eager appetite, raised by the smell

  So savoury of that fruit, which with desire,

  Inclinable now grown to touch or taste,

  Solicited her longing eye; yet first

  Pausing a while, thus to herself she mused.

  745 Great are thy virtues, doubtless, best of fruits,

  Though kept from man, and worthy to be admired,

  Whose taste, too long forborne, at first assay

  Gave elocution to the mute, and taught

  The tongue not made for speech to speak thy praise:

  750 Thy praise he also who forbids thy use,

  Conceals not from us, naming thee the Tree

  Of Knowledge, knowledge both of good and evil;

  Forbids us then to taste, but his forbidding

  Commends thee more, while it infers the good

  755 By thee communicated, and our want:

  For good unknown, sure is not had, or had

  And yet unknown, is as not had at all.

  In plain then, what forbids he but to know,

  Forbids us good, forbids us to be wise?

  760 Such prohibitions bind not. But if death

  Bind us with after-bands, what profits then

  Our inward freedom? In the day we eat

  Of this fair fruit, our doom is, we shall die.

  How dies the serpent? he hath eat’n and lives,

  765 And knows, and speaks, and reasons, and discerns,

  Irrational till then. For us alone

  Was death invented? or to us denied

  This intellectual food, for beasts reserved?

  For beasts it seems: yet that one beast which first

  770 Hath tasted, envies not, but brings with joy

  The good befall’n him, author unsuspect,

  Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile.

  What fear I then, rather what know to fear

  Under this ignorance of good and evil,

  775 Of God or death, of law or penalty?

  Here grows the cure of all, this fruit divine,

  Fair to the eye, inviting to the taste,

  Of virtue to make wise: what hinders then

  To reach, and feed at once both body and mind?

  780 So saying, her rash hand in evil hour

  Forth reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she ate:

  Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat

  Sighing through all her works gave signs of woe,

  That all was lost. Back to the thicket slunk

  785 The guilty serpent, and well might, for Eve

  Intent now wholly on her taste, naught else

  Regarded, such delight till then, as seemed,

  In fruit she never tasted, whether true

  Or fancied so, through expectation high

  790 Of knowledge, nor was Godhead from her thought.

  Greedily she engorged without restraint,

  And knew not eating death: satiate at length,

  And heightened as with wine, jocund and boon,

  Thus to herself she pleasingly began.

  795 O sov’reign, virtuous, precious of all trees

  In Paradise, of operation blest

  To sapience, hitherto obscured, infamed,

  And thy fair fruit let hang, as to no end

  Created; but henceforth my early care,

  800 Not without song, each morning, and due praise

  Shall tend thee, and the fertile burden ease

  Of thy full branches offered free to all;

  Till dieted by thee I grow mature

  In knowledge, as the gods who all things know;

  805 Though others envy what they cannot give;

  For had the gift been theirs, it had not here

  Thus grown. Experience, next to thee I owe,

  Best guide; not following thee, I had remained

  In ignorance, thou open’st wisdom’s way,

  810 And giv’st accéss, though secret she retire.

  And I perhaps am secret; Heav’n is high,

  High and remote to see from thence distinct

  Each thing on earth; and other care perhaps

  May have diverted from continual watch

  815 Our great Forbidder, safe with all his spies

  About him. But to Adam in what sort

  Shall I appear? shall I to him make known

  As yet my change, and give him to partake

  Full happiness with me, or rather not,

  820 But keep the odds of knowledge in my power

  Without copartner? so to add what wants

  In female sex, the more to draw his love,

  And render me more equal, and perhaps,

  A thing not undesirable, sometime

  825 Superior; for inferior who is free?

  This may be well: but what if God have seen,

  And death ensue? then I shall be no more,

  And Adam wedded to another Eve,

  Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct;

  830 A death to think. Confirmed then I resolve,

  Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe:

  So dear I love him, that with him all deaths

  I could endure, without him live no life.

  So saying, from the tree her step she turned,

  835 But first low reverence done, as to the power

  That dwelt within, whose presence had infused

  Into the plant sciential sap, derived

  From nectar, drink of gods. Adam the while

  Waiting desirous her return, had wove

  840 Of choicest
flow’rs a garland to adorn

  Her tresses, and her rural labours crown,

  As reapers oft are wont their harvest queen.

  Great joy he promised to his thoughts, and new

  Solace in her return, so long delayed;

  845 Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill,

  Misgave him; he the falt’ring measure felt;

  And forth to meet her went, the way she took

  That morn when first they parted; by the Tree

  Of Knowledge he must pass, there he her met,

  850 Scarce from the tree returning; in her hand

  A bough of fairest fruit that downy smiled,

  New gathered, and ambrosial smell diffused.

  To him she hasted, in her face excuse

  Came prologue, and apology to prompt,

  855 Which with bland words at will she thus addressed.

  Hast thou not wondered, Adam, at my stay?

  Thee I have missed, and thought it long, deprived

  Thy presence, agony of love till now

  Not felt, nor shall be twice, for never more

  860 Mean I to try, what rash untried I sought,

  The pain of absence from thy sight. But strange

  Hath been the cause, and wonderful to hear:

  This tree is not as we are told, a tree

  Of danger tasted, nor to evil unknown

  865 Op’ning the way, but of divine effect

  To open eyes, and make them gods who taste;

  And hath been tasted such: the serpent wise,

  Or not restrained as we, or not obeying,

  Hath eaten of the fruit, and is become,

  870 Not dead, as we are threatened, but thenceforth

  Endued with human voice and human sense,

  Reasoning to admiration, and with me

  Persuasively hath so prevailed, that I

  Have also tasted, and have also found

  875 Th’ effects to correspond, opener mine eyes,

  Dim erst, dilated spirits, ampler heart,

  And growing up to godhead; which for thee

  Chiefly I sought, without thee can despise.

  For bliss, as thou hast part, to me is bliss,

  880 Tedious, unshared with thee, and odious soon.

  Thou therefore also taste, that equal lot

  May join us, equal joy, as equal love;

  Lest thou not tasting, different degree

  Disjoin us, and I then too late renounce

  885 Deity for thee, when Fate will not permit.

  Thus Eve with count’nance blithe her story told;

  But in her cheek distemper flushing glowed.

  On th’ other side, Adam, soon as he heard

  The fatal trespass done by Eve, amazed,

  890 Astonied stood and blank, while horror chill

  Ran through his veins, and all his joints relaxed;

  From his slack hand the garland wreathed for Eve

  Down dropped, and all the faded roses shed:

  Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length

  895 First to himself he inward silence broke.

  O fairest of Creation, last and best

  Of all God’s works, creature in whom excelled

  Whatever can to sight or thought be formed,

  Holy, divine, good, amiable or sweet!

  900 How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost,

  Defaced, deflow’red, and now to death devote?

  Rather how hast thou yielded to transgress

  The strict forbiddance, how to violate

  The sacred fruit forbidd’n! Some cursèd fraud

  905 Of Enemy hath beguiled thee, yet unknown,

  And me with thee hath ruined, for with thee

  Certain my resolution is to die;

  How can I live without thee, how forgo

  Thy sweet convérse and love so dearly joined,

  910 To live again in these wild woods forlorn?

  Should God create another Eve, and I

  Another rib afford, yet loss of thee

  Would never from my heart; no no, I feel

  The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,

  915 Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state

  Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe.

  So having said, as one from sad dismay

  Recomforted, and after thoughts disturbed

  Submitting to what seemed remédiless,

  920 Thus in calm mood his words to Eve he turned.

  Bold deed thou hast presumed, advent’rous Eve,

  And peril great provoked, who thus hath dared

  Had it been only coveting to eye

  That sacred fruit, sacred to abstinence,

  925 Much more to taste it under ban to touch.

  But past who can recall, or done undo?

  Not God omnipotent, nor Fate, yet so

  Perhaps thou shalt not die, perhaps the fact

  Is not so heinous now, foretasted fruit,

  930 Profaned first by the serpent, by him first

  Made common and unhallowed ere our taste;

  Nor yet on him found deadly; he yet lives,

  Lives, as thou saidst, and gains to live as man

  Higher degree of life, inducement strong

  935 To us, as likely tasting to attain

  Proportional ascent, which cannot be

  But to be gods, or angels demi-gods.

  Nor can I think that God, Creator wise,

  Though threat’ning, will in earnest so destroy

  940 Us his prime creatures, dignified so high,

  Set over all his works, which in our Fall,

  For us created, needs with us must fail,

  Dependent made; so God shall uncreate,

  Be frustrate, do, undo, and labour lose,

  945 Not well conceived of God, who though his power

  Creation could repeat, yet would be loath

  Us to abolish, lest the Adversary

  Triúmph and say; Fickle their state whom God

  Most favours, who can please him long? Me first

  950 He ruined, now mankind; whom will he next?

  Matter of scorn, not to be given the Foe.

  However I with thee have fixed my lot,

  Certain to undergo like doom; if death

  Consort with thee, death is to me as life;

  955 So forcible within my heart I feel

  The bond of nature draw me to my own,

  My own in thee, for what thou art is mine;

  Our state cannot be severed, we are one,

  One flesh; to lose thee were to lose myself.

  960 So Adam, and thus Eve to him replied.

  O glorious trial of exceeding love,

  Illustrious evidence, example high!

  Engaging me to emulate, but short

  Of thy perfection, how shall I attain,

  965 Adam, from whose dear side I boast me sprung,

  And gladly of our union hear thee speak,

  One heart, one soul in both; whereof good proof

  This day affords, declaring thee resolved,

  Rather than death or aught than death more dread

  970 Shall separate us, linked in love so dear,

  To undergo with me one guilt, one crime,

  If any be, of tasting this fair fruit,

  Whose virtue, for of good still good proceeds,

  Direct, or by occasion hath presented

  975 This happy trial of thy love, which else

  So eminently never had been known.

  Were it I thought death menaced would ensue

  This my attempt, I would sustain alone

  The worst, and not persuade thee, rather die

  980 Deserted, than oblige thee with a fact

  Pernicious to thy peace, chiefly assured

  Remarkably so late of thy so true,

  So faithful love unequalled; but I feel

  Far otherwise th’ event, not death, but life

  985 Augmented, opened
eyes, new hopes, new joys,

  Taste so divine, that what of sweet before

  Hath touched my sense, flat seems to this, and harsh.

  On my experience, Adam, freely taste,

  And fear of death deliver to the winds.

  990 So saying, she embraced him, and for joy

  Tenderly wept, much won that he his love

  Had so ennobled, as of choice to incur

  Divine displeasure for her sake, or death.

  In recompense (for such compliance bad

  995 Such recompense best merits) from the bough

  She gave him of that fair enticing fruit

  With liberal hand: he scrupled not to eat

  Against his better knowledge, not deceived,

  But fondly overcome with female charm.

  1000 Earth trembled from her entrails, as again

  In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan;

  Sky loured, and muttering thunder, some sad drops

  Wept at completing of the mortal sin

  Original; while Adam took no thought,

  1005 Eating his fill, nor Eve to iterate

  Her former trespass feared, the more to soothe

  Him with her loved society, that now

  As with new wine intoxicated both

  They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel

  1010 Divinity within them breeding wings

  Wherewith to scorn the earth: but that false fruit

  Far other operation first displayed,

  Carnal desire inflaming; he on Eve

  Began to cast lascivious eyes, she him

  1015 As wantonly repaid; in lust they burn:

  Till Adam thus gan Eve to dalliance move.

  Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste,

  And elegant, of sapience no small part,

  Since to each meaning savour we apply,

  1020 And palate call judicious; I the praise

  Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purveyed.

  Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstained

  From this delightful fruit, nor known till now

  True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be

  1025 In things to us forbidden, it might be wished,

  For this one tree had been forbidden ten.

  But come, so well refreshed, now let us play,

  As meet is, after such delicious fare;

  For never did thy beauty since the day

  1030 I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorned

  With all perfections, so inflame my sense

  With ardour to enjoy thee, fairer now

  Than ever, bounty of this virtuous tree.

  So said he, and forbore not glance or toy

  1035 Of amorous intent, well understood

  Of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire.

  Her hand he seized, and to a shady bank,

  Thick overhead with verdant roof embow’red

  He led her nothing loath; flow’rs were the couch,