Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton

Home > Fantasy > Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton > Page 58
Complete Poetry and Selected Prose of John Milton Page 58

by John Milton


  Heroic built, though of terrestrial mould,

  Foe not informidable, exempt from wound,

  I not; so much hath Hell debas’d, and pain

  Infeebl’d me, to what I was in Heav’n.

  Shee fair, divinely fair, fit Love for Gods,

  490

  Not terrible, though terrour be in Love

  And beautie, not approacht by stronger hate,

  Hate stronger, under shew of Love well feign’d,

  The way which to her ruin now I tend.

  So spake the Enemie of Mankind, enclos’d

  495

  In Serpent, Inmate bad, and toward Eve

  Address’d his way, not with indented wave,

  Prone on the ground, as since, but on his rear,

  Circular base of rising foulds, that tour’d38

  Fould above fould a surging Maze, his Head

  500

  Crested aloft, and Carbuncle his Eyes;

  With burnisht Neck of verdant Gold, erect

  Amidst his circling Spires,39 that on the grass

  Floted redundant: pleasing was his shape,

  And lovely, never since of Serpent kind

  505

  Lovelier, not those that in Illyria chang’d40

  Hermione and Cadmus, or the God41

  In Epidaurus; nor to which transformd

  Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen,

  Hee with Olympias, this with her who bore

  510

  Scipio the highth of Rome.42 With tract oblique

  At first, as one who sought access, but feard

  To interrupt, side-long he works his way.

  As when a Ship by skilful Stearsman wrought

  Nigh Rivers mouth or Foreland, where the Wind

  515

  Veres oft, as oft so steers, and shifts her Sail;

  So varied hee, and of his tortuous Train

  Curld many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve,

  To lure her Eye; shee busied heard the sound

  Of rusling Leaves, but minded not, as us’d

  520

  To such disport before her through the Field,

  From every Beast, more duteous at her call,

  Then at Circean call the Herd disguis’d.43

  Hee boulder now, uncall’d before her stood;

  But as in gaze admiring: Oft he bowd

  525

  His turret Crest, and sleek enamel’d Neck,

  Fawning, and lick’d the ground whereon she trod.

  His gentle dumb expression turnd at length

  The Eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad

  Of her attention gaind, with Serpent Tongue

  530

  Organic, or impulse of vocal Air,44

  His fraudulent temptation thus began.

  Wonder not, sovran Mistress, if perhaps

  Thou canst, who art sole Wonder, much less arm

  Thy looks, the Heav’n of mildness, with disdain,

  535

  Displeas’d that I approach thee thus, and gaze

  Insatiate, I thus single, nor have feard

  Thy awful brow, more awful thus retir’d.

  Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair,

  Thee all things living gaze on, all things thine

  540

  By gift, and thy Celestial Beautie adore

  With ravishment beheld, there best beheld

  Where universally admir’d; but here

  In this enclosure wild, these Beasts among,

  Beholders rude, and shallow to discern

  545

  Half what in thee is fair, one man except,

  Who sees thee? (and what is one?) who shouldst be seen

  A Goddess among Gods, ador’d and serv’d

  By Angels numberless, thy daily Train.

  So gloz’d the Tempter, and his Proem tun’d;

  550

  Into the Heart of Eve his words made way,

  Though at the voice much marveling; at length

  Not unamaz’d she thus in answer spake.

  What may this mean? Language of Man pronounc’t

  By Tongue of Brute, and human sense exprest?

  555

  The first at lest of these I thought deni’d

  To Beasts, whom God on thir Creation-Day

  Created mute to all articulat sound;

  The latter I demurr,45 for in thir looks

  Much reason, and in thir actions oft appeers.

  560

  Thee, Serpent, suttlest beast of all the field

  I knew, but not with human voice endu’d;

  Redouble then this miracle, and say,

  How cam’st thou speakable of mute,46 and how

  To me so friendly grown above the rest

  565

  Of brutal kind,47 that daily are in sight?

  Say, for such wonder claims attention due.

  To whom the guileful Tempter thus reply’d.

  Empress of this fair World, resplendent Eve,

  Easie to mee it is to tell thee all

  570

  What thou commandst, and right thou shouldst be obeyd:

  I was at first as other Beasts that graze

  The trodden Herb, of abject thoughts and low,

  As was my food, nor aught but food discern’d

  Or Sex, and apprehended nothing high:

  575

  Till on a day roaving the field, I chanc’d

  A goodly Tree farr distant to behold

  Loaden with fruit of fairest colours mixt,

  Ruddie and Gold: I nearer drew to gaze;

  When from the boughs a savorie odour blown,

  580

  Grateful to appetite, more pleas’d my sense

  Then smell of sweetest Fenel, or the Teats

  Of Ewe or Goat dropping with Milk at Eevn,

  Unsuckt of Lamb or Kid, that tend thir play.

  To satisfie the sharp desire I had

  585

  Of tasting those fair Apples, I resolv’d

  Not to deferr; hunger and thirst at once,

  Powerful perswaders, quick’n’d at the scent

  Of that alluring fruit, urg’d me so keen.

  About the mossie Trunk I wound me soon,

  590

  For high from ground the branches would require

  Thy utmost reach or Adams: Round the Tree

  All other Beasts that saw, with like desire

  Longing and envying stood, but could not reach.

  Amid the Tree now got, where plenty hung

  595

  Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill

  I spar’d not, for such pleasure till that hour

  At Feed or Fountain never had I found.

  Sated at length, ere long I might perceave

  Strange alteration in me, to degree

  600

  Of Reason in my inward Powers, and Speech

  Wanted not long, though to this shape retain’d.

  Thenceforth to Speculations high or deep

  I turnd my thoughts, and with capacious mind

  Considerd all things visible in Heav’n,

  605

  Or Earth, or Middle,48 all things fair and good;

  But all that fair and good in thy Divine

  Semblance, and in thy Beauties heav’nly Ray

  United I beheld; no Fair to thine

  Equivalent or second, which compel’d

  610

  Mee thus, though importune perhaps, to come

  And gaze, and worship thee of right declar’d

  Sovran of Creatures, universal Dame.

  So talk’d the spirited49 sly Snake; and Eve

  Yet more amaz’d unwarie thus reply’d.

  615

  Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubt

  The vertue of that Fruit, in thee first prov’d:

  But say, where grows the Tree, from hence how far?

  For many are the Trees of God that grow

  In Paradise, and variou
s, yet unknown

  620

  To us, in such abundance lies our choice,

  As leaves a greater store of Fruit untoucht,

  Still hanging incorruptible, till men

  Grow up to thir provision,50 and more hands

  Help to disburden Nature of her Birth.

  625

  To whom the wilie Adder, blithe and glad.

  Empress, the way is readie, and not long,

  Beyond a row of Myrtles, on a Flat,

  Fast by a Fountain, one small Thicket past

  Of blowing Myrrh and Balm; if thou accept

  630

  My conduct, I can bring thee thither soon.

  Lead then, said Eve. Hee leading swiftly rowld

  In tangles, and made intricate seem strait,

  To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joy

  Bright’ns his Crest, as when a wandring Fire,

  635

  Compact of unctuous vapor, which the Night

  Condenses, and the cold invirons round,

  Kindl’d through agitation to a Flame,

  Which oft, they say, some evil Spirit attends,

  Hovering and blazing with delusive Light,

  640

  Misleads th’ amaz’d Night-wanderer from his way

  To Boggs and Mires, and oft through Pond or Pool,

  There swallow’d up and lost, from succour farr.

  So glister’d the dire Snake, and into fraud

  Led Eve our credulous Mother, to the Tree

  645

  Of prohibition, root of all our woe;

  Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake.

  Serpent, we might have spar’d our coming hither,

  Fruitless to mee, though Fruit be here to excess,

  The credit51 of whose vertue rest with thee,

  650

  Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects.

  But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch;

  God so commanded, and left that Command

  Sole Daughter52 of his voice; the rest, we live

  Law to our selves, our Reason is our Law.

  655

  To whom the Tempter guilefully repli’d.53

  Indeed? hath God then said that of the Fruit

  Of all these Garden Trees ye shall not eat,

  Yet Lords declar’d of all in Earth or Air?

  To whom thus Eve yet sinless. Of the Fruit

  660

  Of each Tree in the Garden we may eat,

  But of the Fruit of this fair Tree amidst

  The Garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat

  Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, least ye die.

  She scarse had said, though brief, when now more bold

  665

  The Tempter, but with shew of Zeal and Love

  To Man, and indignation at his wrong,

  New part puts on, and as to passion mov’d,

  Fluctuats disturb’d, yet comely, and in act

  Rais’d, as of som great matter to begin.

  670

  As when of old som Orator renound

  In Athens or free Rome, where Eloquence

  Flourishd, since mute, to som great cause addrest,

  Stood in himself collected, while each part,

  Motion, each act won audience ere the tongue,

  675

  Somtimes in highth began, as no delay

  Of Preface brooking through his Zeal of Right.

  So standing, moving, or to highth upgrown

  The Tempter all impassiond thus began.

  O Sacred, Wise, and Wisdom-giving Plant,

  680

  Mother of Science,54 now I feel thy Power

  Within me cleere, not onely to discern

  Things in thir Causes,55 but to trace the wayes

  Of highest Agents, deemd however wise.

  Queen of this Universe, doe not believe

  685

  Those rigid threats of Death; ye shall not Die:

  How should ye? by the Fruit? it gives56 you Life

  To Knowledge; by the Threatner? look on mee,

  Mee who have touch’d and tasted, yet both live,

  And life more perfet have attaind then Fate

  690

  Meant mee, by ventring higher then my Lot.

  Shall that be shut to Man, which to the Beast

  Is open? or will God incense his ire

  For such a petty Trespass, and not praise

  Rather your dauntless vertue, whom the pain

  695

  Of Death denounc’t,57 whatever thing Death be,

  Deterrd not from atchieving what might lead

  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 shunnd?

  700

  God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just;

  Not just, not God; not feard then, nor obeyd:

  Your fear it self 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 cleer,

  Yet are but dim, shall perfetly be then

  Op’n’d and cleerd, 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, yee of human Gods.

  So ye shall die perhaps, by putting off

  Human, to put on Gods, death to be wisht,

  715

  Though threat’n’d, which no worse then 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,

  Warm’d by the Sun, producing every kind,

  Them nothing: If they all things, who enclos’d

  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 envie, and can envie dwell

  730

  In heav’nly brests? these, these and many more

  Causes import your need of this fair Fruit.

  Goddess humane,58 reach then, and freely taste.

  He ended, and his words replete with guile

  Into her heart too easie entrance won:

  735

  Fixt on the Fruit she gaz’d, which to behold

  Might tempt alone, and in her ears the sound

  Yet rung of his perswasive words, impregn’d

  With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth;

  Mean while the hour of Noon59 drew on, and wak’d

  740

  An eager appetite, rais’d by the smell

  So savorie of that Fruit, which with desire,

  Inclinable now grown to touch or taste,

  Sollicited her longing eye; yet first

  Pausing a while, thus to her self she mus’d.

  745

  Great are thy Vertues, doubtless, best of Fruits,

  Though kept from Man, and worthy to be admir’d,

  Whose taste, too long forborn, at first assay

  Gave elocution to the mute, and taught

  The Tongue not made for Speech to speak thy praise:

  750

  Thy praise hee also who forbids thy use,

  Conceals not from us, naming thee the Tree

  Of Knowledge, knowledge both of good and evil;r />
  Forbids us then to taste, but his forbidding

  Commends thee more, while it inferrs 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? hee 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 deni’d

  This intellectual food, for beasts reserv’d?

  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,60

  Friendly to man, farr 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 Penaltie?

  Here grows the Cure of all, this Fruit Divine,

  Fair to the Eye, inviting to the Taste,

  Of vertue to make wise: what hinders then

  To reach, and feed at once both Bodie and Mind?

  780

  So saying, her rash hand in evil hour

  Forth reaching to the Fruit, she pluck’d, she eat:61

  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 guiltie Serpent, and well might, for Eve

  Intent now wholly on her taste, naught else

  Regarded, such delight till then, as seemd,

  In Fruit she never tasted, whether true

  Or fansied so, through expectation high

 

‹ Prev