Paradise Lost (Modern Library Classics)

by Milton, John

Glad we returned up to the coasts of light

  Ere Sabbath evening246: so we had in charge.

  But thy relation now; for I attend,

  Pleased with thy words no less than thou with mine.”

  So spake the godlike power, and thus our sire.

  “For man to tell how human life began

  Is hard; for who himself beginning knew?

  Desire with thee still longer to converse

  Induced me. As new waked from soundest sleep

  Soft on the flow’ry herb I found me laid

  In balmy sweat255, which with his beams the sun

  Soon dried, and on the reeking256 moisture fed.

  Straight toward heav’n my wond’ring eyes I turned,

  And gazed a while the ample sky, till raised

  By quick instinctive motion up I sprung,

  As thitherward endeavoring, and upright

  Stood on my feet; about me round I saw

  Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains,

  And liquid lapse263 of murmuring streams; by these,

  Creatures that lived, and moved, and walked, or flew,

  Birds on the branches warbling; all things smiled,

  With fragrance and with joy my heart o’erflowed.

  Myself I then perused, and limb by limb

  Surveyed, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran

  With supple joints, as lively vigor led:

  But who I was, or where, or from what cause,

  Knew not; to speak I tried, and forthwith spake,

  My tongue obeyed and readily could name

  Whate’er I saw. ‘Thou sun273,’ said I, ‘fair light,

  And thou enlightened earth, so fresh and gay,

  Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains,

  And ye that live and move, fair creatures, tell,

  Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus, how here?

  Not of myself; by some great Maker then,

  In goodness and in power pre-eminent;

  Tell me, how may I know him, how adore,

  From whom I have that thus I move and live,281

  And feel that I am happier than I know282.’

  While thus I called, and strayed I knew not whither,

  From where I first drew air, and first beheld

  This happy light, when answer none returned,

  On a green shady bank profuse of flow’rs

  Pensive287 I sat me down; there gentle sleep

  First found me, and with soft oppression288 seized

  My drowsèd sense, untroubled, though I thought

  I then was passing to my former state

  Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve:

  When suddenly stood at my head a dream,

  Whose inward apparition gently moved

  My fancy to believe I yet had being,

  And lived: one came, methought, of shape divine,

  And said, ‘Thy mansion wants thee, Adam, rise,

  First man, of men innumerable ordained

  First father, called by thee I come thy guide

  To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepared.’

  So saying, by the hand he took me raised,

  And over fields and waters, as in air

  Smooth sliding without step, last led302 me up

  A woody mountain, whose high top was plain,

  A circuit wide, enclosed, with goodliest trees

  Planted, with walks, and bowers, that what I saw

  Of Earth before scarce pleasant seemed. Each tree

  Loaden with fairest fruit, that hung to the eye

  Tempting, stirred in me sudden appetite

  To pluck and eat; whereat I waked, and found

  Before mine eyes all real, as the dream

  Had lively shadowed: here had new begun

  My wand’ring, had not he who was my guide

  Up hither, from among the trees appeared

  Presence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe

  In adoration at his feet I fell

  Submiss: he reared me, and ‘Whom thou sought’st I am,’

  Said mildly, ‘Author of all this thou seest

  Above, or round about thee or beneath.

  This Paradise I give thee, count it thine

  To till and keep, and of the fruit to eat:

  Of every tree that in the garden grows

  Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth:

  But of the tree whose operation brings

  Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set

  The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith,

  Amid the garden by the Tree of Life,

  Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste,

  And shun the bitter consequence: for know,

  The day thou eat’st thereof, my sole command

  Transgressed, inevitably thou shalt die;

  From that day mortal331, and this happy state

  Shalt lose, expelled from hence into a world

  Of woe and sorrow.’ Sternly he pronounced

  The rigid interdiction, which resounds

  Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice

  Not to incur; but soon his clear aspect

  Returned and gracious purpose thus renewed.

  ‘Not only these fair bounds, but all the Earth

  To thee and to thy race I give; as lords

  Possess it, and all things that therein live,

  Or live in sea, or air, beast, fish, and fowl.

  In sign whereof each bird and beast behold

  After their kinds; I bring them to receive

  From thee their names, and pay thee fealty

  With low subjection; understand the same

  Of fish within their wat’ry residence,

  Not hither summoned, since they cannot change

  Their element to draw the thinner air.’

  As thus he spake, each bird and beast behold

  Approaching two and two350, these cow’ring low

  With blandishment, each bird stooped on his wing.

  I named them, as they passed, and understood

  Their nature, with such knowledge God endued

  My sudden apprehension: but in these

  I found not what methought I wanted still;

  And to the Heav’nly vision thus presumed.

  “ ‘O by what name, for thou above all these,

  Above mankind, or aught than mankind higher,

  Surpassest far my naming, how may I

  Adore thee, Author of this universe,

  And all this good to man, for whose well-being

  So amply, and with hands so liberal

  Thou hast provided all things: but with me

  I see not who partakes. In solitude

  What happiness, who can enjoy alone,

  Or all enjoying, what contentment find?’

  Thus I presumptuous; and the vision bright,

  As with a smile more brightened, thus replied.

  “ ‘What call’st thou solitude, is not the Earth

  With various living creatures, and the air

  Replenished, and all these at thy command

  To come and play before thee? Know’st thou not

  Their language373 and their ways? They also know,

  And reason not contemptibly; with these

  Find pastime, and bear rule; thy realm is large.’

  So spake the Universal Lord, and seemed

  So ordering. I with leave of speech implored,

  And humble deprecation thus replied.

  “ ‘Let not379 my words offend thee, Heav’nly power,

  My Maker, be propitious while I speak.

  Hast thou not made me here thy substitute,

  And these inferior far beneath me set?

  Among unequals383 what society

  Can sort384, what harmony or true delight?

  Which must be mutual, in proportion due

  Giv’n and received; but in disparity

  The one intense387, the other still remiss
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  Cannot well suit with either, but soon prove

  Tedious alike: of fellowship I speak

  Such as I seek, fit to participate

  All rational delight, wherein the brute

  Cannot be human consort; they rejoice

  Each with their kind, lion with lioness;

  So fitly them in pairs thou hast combined;

  Much less can bird with beast, or fish with fowl

  So well converse, nor with the ox the ape;

  Worse then can man with beast, and least of all.’

  “Whereto th’ Almighty answered, not displeased.

  ‘A nice399 and subtle happiness I see

  Thou to thyself proposest, in the choice

  Of thy associates, Adam, and wilt taste

  No pleasure, though in pleasure, solitary.

  What think’st thou then of me, and this my state,

  Seem I to thee sufficiently possessed

  Of happiness, or not? Who405 am alone

  From all eternity, for none I know

  Second to me or like, equal much less.

  How have I then with whom to hold converse

  Save with the creatures which I made, and those

  To me inferior, infinite descents

  Beneath what other creatures are to thee?’

  “He ceased, I lowly answered. ‘To attain

  The highth and depth of thy eternal ways

  All human thoughts come short, supreme of things;

  Thou in thyself art perfect, and in thee

  Is no deficience found; not so is man,

  But in degree417, the cause of his desire

  By conversation with his like to help,

  Or solace his defects. No need419 that thou

  Shouldst propagate, already infinite,

  And through all numbers absolute, though one;

  But man422 by number is to manifest

  His single imperfection, and beget

  Like of his like, his image multiplied,

  In unity defective, which requires

  Collateral426 love, and dearest amity.

  Thou in thy secrecy although alone,

  Best with thyself accompanied, seek’st not

  Social communication, yet so pleased,

  Canst raise thy creature to what highth thou wilt

  Of union or communion, deified;

  I by conversing cannot these erect

  From prone, nor in their ways complacence find.’

  Thus I emboldened spake, and freedom used

  Permissive435, and acceptance found, which gained

  This answer from the gracious voice divine.

  “ ‘Thus far to try thee, Adam, I was pleased,

  And find thee knowing not of beasts alone,

  Which thou hast rightly named, but of thyself,

  Expressing well the spirit within thee free,

  My image, not imparted to the brute,

  Whose fellowship therefore unmeet for thee

  Good reason was thou freely shouldst dislike,

  And be so minded still; I, ere thou spak’st,

  Knew it not good for man to be alone,445

  And no such company as then thou saw’st

  Intended thee, for trial only brought,

  To see how thou could’st judge of fit and meet:

  What next I bring shall please thee, be assured,

  Thy likeness, thy fit help, thy other self450,

  Thy wish exactly to thy heart’s desire.’

  “He ended, or I heard no more, for now

  My Earthly453 by his Heav’nly overpowered,

  Which it had long stood under454, strained to the highth

  In that celestial colloquy sublime,

  As with an object that excels the sense,

  Dazzled and spent, sunk down, and sought repair

  Of sleep, which instantly fell on me, called

  By nature as in aid, and closed mine eyes.

  Mine eyes he closed, but open left the cell

  Of fancy my internal sight, by which

  Abstract as in a trance methought I saw,462

  Though sleeping, where I lay, and saw the shape

  Still glorious before whom awake I stood,

  Who stooping opened my left side, and took

  From thence a rib, with cordial spirits466 warm,

  And life-blood streaming fresh; wide was the wound,

  But suddenly with flesh filled up and healed:

  The rib he formed and fashioned with his hands;

  Under his forming hands a creature grew,

  Manlike, but different sex, so lovely fair,

  That what seemed fair in all the world, seemed now

  Mean, or in her summed up, in her contained

  And in her looks, which from that time infused

  Sweetness into my heart, unfelt before,

  And into all things from her air inspired

  The spirit of love and amorous delight.

  She disappeared, and left me dark. I waked

  To find her, or forever to deplore

  Her loss, and other pleasures all abjure:

  When out of hope481, behold her, not far off,

  Such as I saw her in my dream, adorned

  With what all Earth or Heaven could bestow

  To make her amiable: on she came,

  Led by her Heav’nly Maker, though unseen,

  And guided by his voice, nor uninformed

  Of nuptial sanctity and marriage rites:

  Grace was in all her steps, heav’n in her eye,

  In every gesture dignity and love.

  I overjoyed could not forbear aloud.

  “ ‘This turn hath made amends; thou hast fulfilled

  Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign,

  Giver of all things fair, but fairest this

  Of all thy gifts, nor enviest494. I now see

  Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, my self

  Before me; woman is her name, of man

  Extracted; for this cause he shall forgo

  Father and mother, and to his wife adhere;

  And they shall be one flesh, one heart, one soul499.’

  “She heard me thus, and though divinely brought,

  Yet innocence and virgin modesty,

  Her virtue and the conscience502 of her worth,

  That would be wooed, and not unsought be won,

  Not obvious, not obtrusive, but retired,

  The more desirable, or to say all,

  Nature herself, though pure of sinful thought,

  Wrought in her so, that seeing me, she turned;

  I followed her, she what was honor knew,

  And with obsequious509 majesty approved

  My pleaded reason. To the nuptial bow’r

  I led her blushing511 like the morn: all heav’n,

  And happy constellations on that hour

  Shed their selectest influence513; the earth

  Gave sign of gratulation, and each hill;

  Joyous the birds; fresh gales and gentle airs

  Whispered it to the woods, and from their wings

  Flung rose, flung odors from the spicy shrub,

  Disporting, till the amorous bird of night

  Sung spousal, and bid haste the ev’ning star519

  On his hill top, to light the bridal lamp.

  Thus I have told thee all my state, and brought

  My story to the sum of earthly bliss

  Which I enjoy, and must confess to find

  In all things else delight indeed, but such

  As used or not, works in the mind no change,

  Nor vehement desire, these delicacies

  I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flow’rs,

  Walks, and the melody of birds; but here

  Far otherwise, transported I behold,

  Transported touch; here passion first I felt,

  Commotion strange, in all enjoyments else

  Superior and532 unmoved, here only weak
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  Against the charm of beauty’s powerful glance.

  Or nature failed in me, and left some part

  Not proof enough such object to sustain,

  Or from my side subducting536, took perhaps

  More than enough; at least on her bestowed537

  Too much of ornament, in outward show

  Elaborate, of inward less exact.

  For well I understand in the prime end

  Of nature her th’ inferior, in the mind

  And inward faculties, which most excel,

  In outward also her resembling less

  His image who made both, and less expressing

  The character of that dominion giv’n

  O’er other creatures; yet when I approach

  Her loveliness, so absolute547 she seems

  And in herself complete, so well to know

  Her own, that what she wills to do or say,

  Seems wisest, virtuousest, discreetest, best;

  All higher knowledge in her presence falls

  Degraded, wisdom in discourse with her

  Looses553 discount’nanced, and like folly shows;

  Authority and reason on her wait,

  As one intended first555, not after made

  Occasionally556; and to consummate all,

  Greatness of mind and nobleness their seat

  Build in her loveliest, and create an awe

  About her, as a guard angelic placed559.”

  To whom the Angel with contracted brow.

  “Accuse not nature, she hath done her part;

  Do thou but thine, and be not diffident562

  Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not, if thou

  Dismiss not her when most thou need’st her nigh,

  By attributing overmuch to things

  Less excellent, as thou thyself perceiv’st.

  For what admir’st thou, what transports thee so,

  An outside? Fair no doubt, and worthy well

  Thy cherishing, thy honoring, and thy love,

  Not thy subjection: weigh with her thyself;

  Then value: ofttimes nothing profits more

  Than self-esteem572, grounded on just and right

  Well managed; of that skill the more thou know’st,

  The more she will acknowledge thee her head574,

  And to realities yield all her shows575:

  Made so adorn576 for thy delight the more,

  So awful577, that with honor thou may’st love

  Thy mate, who sees when thou art seen least wise.

  But if the sense of touch whereby mankind

  Is propagated seem such dear delight

  Beyond all other, think the same vouchsafed

  To cattle and each beast; which would not be

  To them made common and divulged583, if aught

  Therein enjoyed were worthy to subdue

  The soul of man, or passion in him move.

  What higher in her society thou find’st

  Attractive, human, rational, love still;