Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

by John Milton

  The multitude of Angels with a shout

  Loud as from numbers without number, sweet

  As from blest voices, uttering joy, Heav’n rung

  With Jubilee, and loud Hosanna’s filld

  Th’ eternal Regions: lowly reverent

  350

  Towards either Throne they bow, and to the ground

  With solemn adoration down they cast

  Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold,

  Immortal Amarant, a Flowr which once

  In Paradise, fast by the Tree of Life

  355

  Began to bloom, but soon for mans offence

  To Heav’n remov’d where first it grew, there grows,

  And flowrs aloft shading the Fount of Life,

  And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn

  Rowls o’re Elisian Flowrs her Amber stream;

  360

  With these that never fade the Spirits Elect

  Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath’d with beams,

  Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off, the bright

  Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon

  Impurpl’d with Celestial Roses smil’d.

  365

  Then Crown’d again thir gold’n Harps they took,

  Harps ever tun’d, that glittering by thir side

  Like Quivers hung, and with Præamble sweet

  Of charming symphonie they introduce

  This sacred Song, and waken raptures high;

  370

  No voice exempt, no voice but well could join

  Melodious part, such concord is in Heav’n.

  Thee Father first they sung Omnipotent,

  Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,

  Eternal King; thee Author of all being,

  375

  Fountain of Light, thy self invisible

  Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sit’st

  Thron’d inaccessible, but when thou shad’st

  The full blaze of thy beams, and through a cloud

  Drawn round about thee like a radiant Shrine,

  380

  Dark with excessive bright thy skirts appeer,

  Yet dazle Heav’n, that brightest Seraphim

  Approach not, but with both wings veil thir eyes.

  Thee next they sang of all Creation first,

  Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,

  385

  In whose conspicuous count’nance, without cloud

  Made visible, th’ Almighty Father shines,

  Whom else no Creature can behold; on thee

  Impresst th’ effulgence of his Glorie abides,

  Transfus’d on thee his ample Spirit rests.

  390

  Hee Heav’n of Heav’ns and all the Powers therein

  By thee created, and by thee threw down

  Th’ aspiring Dominations: thou that day

  Thy Fathers dreadful Thunder didst not spare,

  Nor stop thy flaming Chariot wheels, that shook

  395

  Heav’ns everlasting Frame, while o’re the necks

  Thou drov’st of warring Angels disarraid.

  Back from pursuit thy Powers with loud acclaim

  Thee only extoll’d, Son of thy Fathers might,

  To execute fierce vengeance on his foes,

  400

  Not so on Man; him through their malice fall’n,

  Father of Mercie and Grace, thou didst not doom

  So strictly, but much more to pitie encline:

  No sooner did thy dear and onely Son

  Perceive thee purpos’d not to doom frail Man

  405

  So strictly, but much more to pitie enclin’d,

  He to appease thy wrauth, and end the strife

  Of Mercy and Justice in thy face discern’d,

  Regardless of the Bliss wherein hee sat

  Second to thee, offerd himself to die

  410

  For mans offence. O unexampl’d love,

  Love no where to be found less then Divine!

  Hail Son of God, Saviour of Men, thy Name

  Shall be the copious matter of my Song

  Henceforth, and never shall my Harp thy praise

  415

  Forget, nor from thy Fathers praise disjoin.

  Thus they in Heav’n, above the starry Sphear,

  Thir happie hours in joy and hymning spent.

  Mean while upon the firm opacous19 Globe

  Of this round World, whose first convex divides

  420

  The luminous inferior Orbs, enclos’d

  From Chaos and th’ inroad of Darkness old,

  Satan alighted walks: a Globe farr off

  It seem’d, now seems a boundless Continent

  Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night

  425

  Starless expos’d, and ever-threatning storms

  Of Chaos blustring round, inclement skie;

  Save on that side which from the wall of Heav’n

  Though distant farr som small reflection gains

  Of glimmering air less vext with tempest loud:

  430

  Here walk’d the Fiend at large in spacious field.

  As when a Vultur on Imaus20 bred,

  Whose snowie ridge the roving Tartar bounds,

  Dislodging from a Region scarce of prey

  To gorge the flesh of Lambs or yeanling Kids

  435

  On Hills where Flocks are fed, flies toward the Springs

  Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams;

  But in his way lights on the barren plains

  Of Sericana, where Chineses drive

  With Sails and Wind thir canie Waggons light:

  440

  So on this windie Sea of Land, the Fiend

  Walk’d up and down alone bent on his prey,

  Alone, for other Creature in this place

  Living or liveless to be found was none,

  None yet, but store hereafter from the earth

  445

  Up hither like Aereal vapours flew

  Of all things transitorie and vain, when Sin

  With vanity had filld the works of men:

  Both all things vain, and all who in vain things

  Built thir fond hopes of Glorie or lasting fame,

  450

  Or happiness in this or th’ other life;

  All who have thir reward on Earth, the fruits

  Of painful Superstition and blind Zeal,

  Naught seeking but the praise of men, here find

  Fit retribution, emptie as thir deeds;

  455

  All th’ unaccomplisht works of Natures hand,

  Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly21 mixt,

  Dissolv’d on Earth, fleet hither, and in vain,

  Till final dissolution, wander here,

  Not in the neighbouring Moon, as some22 have dreamd;

  460

  Those argent Fields more likely habitants,

  Translated Saints,23 or middle Spirits hold

  Betwixt th’ Angelical and Human kind:

  Hither of ill-joynd Sons and Daughters born

  First from the ancient World those Giants came

  465

  With many a vain exploit, though then renownd:

  The builders next of Babel on the Plain

  Of Sennaar, and still with vain designe

  New Babels, had they wherewithall, would build:

  Others came single; he who to be deemd

  470

  A God, leap’d fondly into Ætna flames,

  Empedocles, and hee who to enjoy

  Plato’s Elysium, leap’d into the Sea,

  Cleombrotus, and many more too long,

  Embryo’s and Idiots, Eremits and Friers

  475

  White, Black and Grey,24 with all thir trumperie.

  Here Pilgrims roam, that stray’d so farr to seek

  In Golgotha him dead, who lives in Heav’n;

&n
bsp; And they who to be sure of Paradise

  Dying put on the weeds of Dominic,

  480

  Or in Franciscan think to pass disguis’d;

  They pass the Planets seven, and pass the fixt,

  And that Crystalline Sphear whose ballance weighs

  The Trepidation25 talkt, and that first mov’d;

  And now Saint Peter at Heav’ns Wicket seems

  485

  To wait them with his Keys, and now at foot

  Of Heav’ns ascent they lift thir Feet, when loe

  A violent cross wind from either Coast

  Blows them transverse ten thousand Leagues awry

  Into the devious Air; then might ye see

  490

  Cowls, Hoods and Habits with thir wearers tost

  And fluttered into Raggs, then Reliques, Beads,

  Indulgences, Dispenses, Pardons, Bulls,

  The sport of Winds: all these upwhirld aloft

  Fly o’re the backside of the World farr off

  495

  Into a Limbo large and broad, since calld

  The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown

  Long after, now unpeopl’d, and untrod;

  All this dark Globe the Fiend found as he pass’d,

  And long he wanderd, till at last a gleam

  500

  Of dawning light turnd thither-ward in haste

  His traveird steps; farr distant he descries

  Ascending by degrees magnificent

  Up to the wall of Heav’n a Structure high,

  At top whereof, but farr more rich appeerd

  505

  The work as of a Kingly Palace Gate

  With Frontispice of Diamond and Gold

  Imbellisht, thick with sparkling orient Gemms

  The Portal shon, inimitable on Earth

  By Model, or by shading Pencil drawn.

  510

  The Stairs were such as whereon Jacob saw

  Angels ascending and descending, bands

  Of Guardians bright, when he from Esau fled

  To Padan-Aram in the field of Luz,

  Dreaming by night under the open Skie,

  515

  And waking cri’d, This is the Gate of Heav’n.26

  Each Stair mysteriously27 was meant, nor stood

  There alwayes, but drawn up to Heav’n somtimes

  Viewless, and underneath a bright Sea flow’d

  Of Jasper, or of liquid Pearl, whereon

  520

  Who after came from Earth, sayling arriv’d,

  Wafted by Angels, or flew o’re the Lake

  Rapt in a Chariot drawn by fiery Steeds.28

  The Stairs were then let down, whether to dare

  The Fiend by easie ascent, or aggravate

  525

  His sad exclusion from the dores of Bliss.

  Direct against which op’n’d from beneath,

  Just o’re the blissful seat of Paradise,

  A passage down to th’ Earth, a passage wide,

  Wider by farr then that of after-times

  530

  Over Mount Sion, and, though that were large,

  Over the Promis’d Land to God so dear,

  By which, to visit oft those happy Tribes,

  On high behests his Angels to and fro

  Pass’d frequent, and his eye with choice regard

  535

  From Paneas29 the fount of Jordans flood

  To Beërsaba, where the Holy Land

  Borders on Ægypt and th’ Arabian shoar;

  So wide the op’ning seemd, where bounds were set

  To darkness, such as bound the Ocean wave.

  540

  Satan from hence now on the lower stair

  That scal’d by steps of Gold to Heav’n Gate

  Looks down with wonder at the sudden view

  Of all this World at once. As when a Scout

  Through dark and desart wayes with peril gone

  545

  All night; at last by break of chearful dawn

  Obtains the brow of some high-climbing Hill,

  Which to his eye discovers unaware

  The goodly prospect of some forein land

  First-seen, or some renown’d Metropolis

  550

  With glistering Spires and Pinnacles adornd,

  Which now the Rising Sun guilds with his beams.

  Such wonder seis’d, though after Heaven seen,

  The Spirit maligne, but much more envy seis’d

  At sight of all this World beheld so fair.

  555

  Round he surveys, and well might, where he stood

  So high above the circling Canopie

  Of Nights extended shade; from Eastern Point

  Of Libra to the fleecie Starr30 that bears

  Andromeda farr off Atlantic Seas

  560

  Beyond th’ Horizon; then from Pole to Pole

  He views in bredth, and without longer pause

  Down right into the Worlds first Region throws

  His flight precipitant, and winds with ease

  Through the pure marble Air his oblique way

  565

  Amongst innumerable Starrs, that shon

  Stars distant, but nigh hand seemd other Worlds,

  Or other Worlds they seemd, or happy Iles,

  Like those Hesperian Gardens fam’d of old,31

  Fortunate Fields, and Groves and flowrie Vales,

  570

  Thrice happy Iles, but who dwelt happy there

  He stayd not to enquire: above them all

  The golden Sun in splendor likest Heav’n

  Allur’d his eye: Thither his course he bends

  Through the calm Firmament; but up or down

  575

  By center, or eccentric,32 hard to tell,

  Or Longitude, where the great Luminarie

  Alooff the vulgar Constellations thick,

  That from his Lordly eye keep distance due,

  Dispenses Light from farr; they as they move

  580

  Thir Starry dance in numbers that compute

  Days, months, and years, towards his all-chearing Lamp

  Turn swift thir various motions, or are turnd

  By his Magnetic beam, that gently warms

  The Univers, and to each inward part

  585

  With gentle penetration, though unseen,

  Shoots invisible vertue ev’n to the deep:

  So wondrously was set his Station bright.

  There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps

  Astronomer in the Sun’s lucent Orb

  590

  Through his glaz’d Optic Tube yet never saw.33

  The place he found beyond expression bright,

  Compar’d with aught on Earth, Mettal or Stone;

  Not all parts like, but all alike informd34

  With radiant light, as glowing Iron with fire;

  595

  If mettal, part seemd Gold, part Silver cleer;

  If stone, Carbuncle most or Chrysolite,

  Rubie or Topaz, to the Twelve that shon

  In Aarons Brest-plate, and a stone35 besides

  Imagind rather oft then elsewhere seen,

  600

  That stone, or like to that which here below

  Philosophers in vain so long have sought,

  In vain, though by thir powerful Art they bind

  Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound

  In various shapes old Proteus from the Sea,

  605

  Draind through a Limbec to his Native form.

  What wonder then if fields and regions here

  Breathe forth Elixir pure, and Rivers run

  Potable Gold, when with one vertuous touch

  Th’ Arch-chimic Sun so farr from us remote

  610

  Produces with Terrestrial Humor mixt

  Here in the dark so many precious things

  Of colour glorious and ef
fect so rare?

  Here matter new to gaze the Devil met

  Undazl’d, farr and wide his eye commands,

  615

  For sight no obstacle found here, nor shade,

  But all Sun-shine, as when his Beams at Noon

  Culminate from th’ Æquator, as they now

  Shot upward still direct, whence no way round

  Shadow from body opaque can fall, and th’ Air,

  620

  No where so cleer, sharp’n’d his visual ray

  To objects distant farr, whereby he soon

  Saw within kenn a glorious Angel stand,

  The same whom John saw also in the Sun:36

  His back was turnd, but not his brightness hid;

  625

  Of beaming sunnie Raies, a golden tiar

  Circl’d his Head, nor less his Locks behind

  Illustrious on his Shoulders fledge with wings

  Lay waving round; on som great charge imploy’d

  He seemd, or fixt in cogitation deep.

  630

  Glad was the Spirit impure; as now in hope

  To find who might direct his wandring flight

  To Paradise the happie seat of Man,

  His journies end and our beginning woe.

  But first he casts to change his proper shape,

  635

  Which else might work him danger or delay:

  And now a stripling Cherub he appeers,

  Not of the prime, yet such as in his face

  Youth smil’d Celestial, and to every Limb

  Sutable grace diffus’d, so well he feign’d;

  640

  Under a Coronet his flowing hair

  In curls on either cheek plaid, wings he wore

  Of many a colourd plume sprinkl’d with Gold,

  His habit fit for speed succinct, and held

  Before his decent37 steps a Silver wand.

  645

  He drew not nigh unheard, the Angel bright,

  Ere he drew nigh, his radiant visage turnd,

  Admonisht by his ear, and strait was known

  Th’ Arch-Angel Uriel,38 one of the seav’n

  Who in Gods presence, neerest to his Throne