Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

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Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton Page 18

by John Milton


  By her own radiant light, though sun and moon

  375

  Were in the flat sea sunk. And wisdoms self

  Oft seeks to sweet retired solitude,

  Where with her best nurse Contemplation

  She plumes her feathers, and lets grow her wings

  That in the various bustle of resort

  380

  Were all to36 ruffl’d, and somtimes impair’d.

  He that has light within his own cleer brest

  May sit i’th center,37 and enjoy bright day,

  But he that hides a dark soul, and foul thoughts

  Benighted walks under the midday sun;

  385

  Himself is his own dungeon.

  2 Brother. Tis most true

  That musing meditation most affects38

  The Pensive secrecy of desert cell,

  Far from the cheerfull haunt of men, and herds,

  And sits as safe as in a Senat house,

  390

  For who would rob a Hermit of his weeds,

  His few books, or his beads, or maple dish,

  Or do his gray hairs any violence?

  But beauty like the fair Hesperian Tree

  Laden with blooming gold, had need the guard

  395

  Of dragon watch with uninchanted39 eye,

  To save her blossoms and defend her fruit

  From the rash hand of bold incontinence.40

  You may as well spred out the unsun’d heaps

  Of misers treasure by an outlaws den,

  400

  And tell me it is safe, as bid me hope

  Danger will wink on opportunity,

  And let a single helpless maiden pass

  Uninjur’d in this wild surrounding wast.

  Of night, or lonelines it recks me not,41

  405

  I fear the dred events that dog them both,

  Lest som ill greeting touch attempt the person

  Of our unowned42 sister.

  Elder Brother. I do not, brother,

  Inferr, as if I thought my sisters state

  Secure without all doubt, or controversie:

  410

  Yet where an equall poise of hope and fear

  Does arbitrate th’ event, my nature is

  That I encline to hope, rather then fear,

  And banish gladly squint suspicion.

  My sister is not so defenceless left

  415

  As you imagine, she has a hidden strength

  Which you remember not.

  2 Brother. What hidden strength,

  Unless the strength of Heav’n, if you mean that?

  Elder Brother. I mean that too, but yet a hidden strength

  Which if Heav’n gave it, may be term’d her own:

  420

  ’Tis chastity, my brother, chastity:

  She that has that, is clad in compleat steel,

  And like a quiver’d nymph43 with arrows keen

  May trace huge forests, and unharbour’d heaths,

  Infamous hills, and sandy perilous wilds,

  425

  Where through the sacred rayes of chastity,

  No savage feirce, bandite, or mountaneer

  Will dare to soyl her virgin purity;

  Yea there, where very desolation dwells

  By grots, and caverns shag’d with horrid shades,

  430

  She may pass on with unblench’t majesty,

  Be it not don in pride, or in presumption.

  Som say no evil thing that walks by night

  In fog, or fire, by lake, or moorie fen,

  Blue meager hag, or stubborn unlaid ghost,

  435

  That breaks his magick chains at curfew time,

  No goblin, or swart faery of the mine,

  Has hurtfull power o’re true virginity.

  Do ye beleeve me yet, or shall I call

  Antiquity from the old schools of Greece

  440

  To testifie the arms of chastity?

  Hence had the huntress Dian her dred bow,

  Fair silver-shafted Queen for ever chaste,

  Wherwith she tam’d the brinded lioness

  And spotted mountain pard,44 but set at naught

  445

  The frivolous bolt of Cupid; gods and men

  Fear’d her stern frown, and she was queen o’th woods.

  What was that snaky-headed Gorgon sheild

  That wise Minerva wore,45 unconquer’d virgin,

  Wherwith she freez’d her foes to congeal’d stone?

  450

  But rigid looks of chast austerity,

  And noble grace that dash’t brute violence

  With sudden adoration, and blank aw.

  So dear to Heav’n is saintly chastity,

  That when a soul is found sincerely so,

  455

  A thousand liveried angels lackey her,

  Driving far off each thing of sin and guilt,

  And in cleer dream, and solemn vision

  Tell her of things that no gross ear can hear,

  Till oft convers with heav’nly habitants

  460

  Begin to cast a beam on th’ outward shape,

  The unpolluted temple of the mind,

  And turns it by degrees to the souls essence,

  Till all be made immortal: but when lust

  By unchast looks, loose gestures, and foul talk,

  465

  But most by lewd and lavish act of sin,

  Lets in defilement to the inward parts,

  The soul grows clotted by contagion,

  Imbodies, and imbrutes,46 till she quite loose

  The divine property of her first being.

  470

  Such are those thick and gloomy shadows damp

  Oft seen in charnel vaults, and sepulchers

  Hovering, and sitting by a new made grave,

  As loath to leave the body that it lov’d,

  And link’t it self by carnal sensualty

  475

  To a degenerate and degraded state.

  2 Brother. How charming is divine philosophy!

  Not harsh, and crabbed as dull fools suppose,

  But musical as is Apollo’s lute,

  And a perpetual feast of nectar’d sweets,

  480

  Where no crude surfet raigns.

  Elder Brother. List, list, I hear

  Som far off hallow break the silent Air.

  2 Brother. Me thought so too; what should it be?

  Elder Brother. For certain

  Either som one like us night-founder’d47 heer,

  Or els som neighbour woodman, or at worst,

  485

  Som roaving robber calling to his fellows.

  2 Brother. Heav’n keep my sister! Agen, agen and neer,48

  Best draw, and stand upon our guard.

  Elder Brother. Ile hallow,

  If he be freindly he comes well, if not,

  Defence is a good cause, and Heav’n be for us.

  The attendant Spirit habited like a Shepherd.

  490

  That hallow I should know, what are you? speak;

  Com not too neer, you fall on iron stakes49 else.

  Spirit. What voice is that, my young Lord? speak agen.

  2 Brother. O brother, ‘tis my fathers shepherd sure.

  Elder Brother. Thyrsis? Whose artfull strains have oft delaid

  495

  The huddling50 brook to hear his madrigal,

  And sweeten’d every muskrose of the dale,

  How cam’st thou heer good Swain? hath any ram

  Slip’t from his fold, or young Kid lost his dam,

  Or straggling weather the pen’t flock forsook?

  500

  How couldst thou find this dark sequester’d nook?

  Spirit. O my lov’d maisters heir, and his next joy,

  I came not heer on such a trivial toy

  As a stray’d ewe,
or to pursue the stealth

  Of pilfering wolf, not all the fleecy wealth

  505

  That doth enrich these downs, is worth a thought

  To this my errand, and the care it brought.

  But O my virgin Lady, where is she?

  How chance she is not in your company?

  Elder Brother. To tell thee sadly shepherd, without blame,

  510

  Or our neglect, we lost her as we came.

  Spirit. Ay me unhappy! then my fears are true.

  Elder Brother. What fears good Thyrsis? Prethee breifly shew.

  Spirit. Ile tell you. Tis not vain, or fabulous,

  (Though so esteem’d by shallow ignorance)

  515

  What the sage poets taught by th’ heav’nly Muse,

  Storied of old in high immortal vers

  Of dire Chimeras and inchanted Iles,

  And rifted rocks whose entrance leads to hell,

  For such there be, but unbeleif is blind.

  520

  Within the navil51 of this hideous wood,

  Immur’d in cypress shades a sorcerer dwells

  Of Bacchus and of Circe born, great Comus,

  Deep skill’d in all his mothers witcheries,

  And heer to every thirsty wanderer

  525

  By sly enticement gives his banefull cup,

  With many murmurs mixt, whose pleasing poison

  The visage quite transforms of him that drinks,

  And the inglorious likenes of a beast

  Fixes instead, unmoulding reasons mintage52

  530

  Character’d in the face; this have I learn’t

  Tending my flocks hard by i’th hilly crofts

  That brow this bottom glade, whence night by night

  He and his monstrous rout are heard to howl

  Like stabl’d wolves, or tigers at thir prey,

  535

  Doing abhorred rites to Hecate

  In thir obscured haunts of inmost bowrs.

  Yet have they many baits, and guilefull spells

  T’ inveigle and invite th’ unwary sense

  Of them that pass unweeting53 by the way.

  540

  This evening late by then the chewing flocks

  Had tane thir supper on the savoury herb

  Of Knot-grass dew-besprent, and were in fold,

  I sate me down to watch upon a bank

  With ivy canopied, and interwove

  545

  With flaunting honiesuckle, and began

  Wrapt in a pleasing fit of melancholy54

  To meditate my rural minstrelsie,

  Till fancy had her fill, but ere a close55

  The wonted roar was up amidst the woods,

  550

  And fill’d the air with barbarous dissonance,

  At which I ceas’t, and listen’d them a while,

  Till an unusuall stop of sudden silence

  Gave respit to the drowsie frighted steeds

  That draw the litter of close-curtain’d sleep.

  555

  At last a soft and solemn breathing sound

  Rose like a steam of rich distill’d perfumes

  And stole upon the air, that even silence

  Was took e’re she was ware, and wish’t she might

  Deny her nature, and be never more

  560

  Still to be so displac’t. I was all ear,

  And took in strains that might create a soul

  Under the ribs of Death, but O ere long

  Too well I did perceave it was the voice

  Of my most honour’d Lady, your dear sister.

  565

  Amaz’d I stood, harrow’d with greif and fear,

  And O poor hapless nightingale thought I,

  How sweet thou sing’st, how neer the deadly snare!

  Then down the lawns I ran with headlong hast

  Through paths and turnings oft’n trod by day,

  570

  Till guided by mine ear I found the place

  Where that damn’d wisard hid in sly disguise

  (For so by certain signs I knew) had met

  Already, ere my best speed could prevent,56

  The aidless innocent Lady his wisht prey,

  575

  Who gently askt if he had seen such two,

  Supposing him som neighbour villager;

  Longer I durst not stay, but soon I gues’t

  Ye were the two she meant; with that I sprung

  Into swift flight, till I had found you heer,

  580

  But furder know I not.

  2 Brother. O night and shades,

  How are ye joyn’d with hell in triple knot

  Against th’ unarmed weakness of one virgin

  Alone, and helpless! Is this the confidence

  You gave me brother?

  Elder Brother. Yes, and keep it still,

  585

  Lean on it safely, not a period57

  Shall be unsaid for me: against the threats

  Of malice or of sorcery, or that power

  Which erring men call chance, this I hold firm,

  Vertue may be assail’d, but never hurt,

  590

  Surpris’d by unjust force, but not enthrall’d,

  Yea even that which mischeif meant most harm

  Shall in the happy trial prove most glory.

  But evil on it self shall back recoyl,

  And mix no more with goodness, when at last

  595

  Gather’d like scum, and setl’d to it self

  It shall be in eternal restless change

  Self-fed, and self-consum’d; if this fail,

  The pillar’d firmament is rott’nness,

  And earths base built on stubble. But com let’s on.

  600

  Against th’ opposing will and arm of Heav’n

  May never this just sword be lifted up,

  But for that damn’d magician, let him be girt

  With all the greisly legions that troop

  Under the sooty flag of Acheron,

  605

  Harpies and Hydras, or all the monstrous buggs58

  ’Twixt Africa and Inde. Ile find him out,

  And force him to restore his purchase59 back,

  Or drag him by the curls and cleave his scalp

  Down to the hipps.

  Spirit. Alas good ventrous youth,

  610

  I love thy courage yet, and bold emprise,60

  But heer thy sword can do thee little stead;

  Farr other arms and other weapons must

  Be those that quell the might of hellish charms,

  He with his bare wand can unthred thy joynts,

  615

  And crumble all thy sinews.

  Elder Brother. Why prethee shepherd,

  How durst thou then thy self approach so neer

  As to make this relation?

  Spirit. Care and utmost shifts

  How to secure the Lady from surprisal

  Brought to my mind a certain shepherd lad

  620

  Of small regard to see to, yet well skill’d

  In every vertuous61 plant and healing herb

  That spreds her verdant leaf to th’ morning ray;

  He lov’d me well, and oft would beg me sing,

  Which when I did, he on the tender grass

  625

  Would sit and hearken ev’n to extasie,

  And in requitall ope his leathern scrip,

  And shew me simples62 of a thousand names

  Telling thir strange and vigorous faculties;

  Amongst the rest a small unsightly root,

  630

  But of divine effect, he cull’d me out;

  The leaf was darkish, and had prickles on it,

  But in another country, as he said,

  Bore a bright golden flowr, but not in this soyl:

  Unknown, and like esteem’
d, and the dull swayn

  635

  Treads on it dayly with his clouted shoon,63

  And yet more med’cinal is it then that Moly

  Which Hermes once to wise Ulysses gave;64

  He call’d it Hæmony, and gave it me,

  And bad me keep it as of sovran use

  640

  ’Gainst all inchantments, mildew blast, or damp

  Or gastly Furies apparition;

  I purs’t it up, but little reck’ning made,

  Till now that this extremity compell’d,

  But now I find it true; for by this means

  645

  I knew the foul inchanter though disguis’d

  Enter’d the very lime-twigs65 of his spells,

  And yet came off: if you have this about you

  (As I will give you when we go) you may

  Boldly assault the necromancers hall;

  650

  Where if he be, with dauntless hardihood,

  And brandish’t blade rush on him, break his glass,

  And shed the lushious liquor on the ground

  But sease his wand; though he and his curst crew

  Feirce sign of battail make, and menace high,

  655

  Or like the sons of Vulcan vomit smoak,66

  Yet will they soon retire, if he but shrink.

  Elder Brother. Thyrsis lead on apace, Ile follow thee,

  And som good angel bear a sheild before us.67

  The scene changes to a stately Palace, set out with all manner of deliciousness: soft Musick, Tables spred with all dainties. Comus appears with his rabble, and the Lady set in an inchanted Chair, to whom he offers his Glass; which she puts by, and goes about to rise.

  Comus. Nay Lady sit; if I but wave this wand,

  660

  Your nervs are all chain’d up in alablaster

  And you a statue; or as Daphne was

  Root-bound, that fled Apollo.68

  Lady. Fool do not boast,

  Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind

  With all thy charms, although this corporal rind

  665

  Thou hast immanacl’d, while Heav’n sees good.

 

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