The Complete Poetry of John Milton (81 page)

   740     
These troublesom disguises which wee wear,

               
Strait side by side were laid, nor turnd I ween

               
Adam
from his fair Spouse, nor
Eve
the Rites

               
Mysterious of connubial Love refus’d:

               
Whatever Hypocrites austerely talk

   745     
Of puritie and place and innocence,

               
Defaming as impure what God declares

               
Pure, and commands to som, leaves free to all.

               
Our Maker bids increase, who bids abstain

               
But our Destroyer, foe to God and Man?

   750     
Hail wedded Love, mysterious Law, true sourse

               
Of human ofspring, sole proprietie,

               
In Paradise of all things common else.

               
By thee adulterous lust was driv’n from men

               
Among the bestial herds to raunge, by thee

   755     
Founded in Reason, Loyal, Just, and Pure,

               
Relations dear, and all the Charities

               
Of Father, Son, and Brother first were known.

               
Farr be it, that I should write thee sin or blame,

               
Or think thee unbefitting holiest place,

   760     
Perpetual Fountain of Domestic sweets,

               
Whose bed is undefil’d and chast pronounc’t,

               
Present, or past, as Saints and Patriarchs us’d.

               
Here Love his golden shafts imploies, here lights

               
His constant Lamp, and waves his purple wings,

   765     
Reigns here and revels; not in the bought smile

               
Of Harlots, loveless, joyless, unindeard,

               
Casual fruition, nor in Court Amours

               
Mixt Dance, or wanton Mask, or Midnight Ball,

               
Or Serenate, which the starv’d Lover sings

   770     
To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain.

               
These lulld by Nightingales imbracing slept,

               
And on thir naked limbs the flowrie roof

               
Showrd Roses, which the Morn repair’d.
⁵⁴
Sleep on

               
Blest pair; and O yet happiest if ye seek

   775     
No happier state, and know to know no more.

           
      
       Now had night measur’d with her shaddowie Cone
⁵⁵

               
Half way up Hill this vast Sublunar Vault,

               
And from thir Ivorie Port the Cherubim

               
Forth issuing at th’ accustomd hour stood armd

   780     
To thir night watches in warlike Parade,

               
When
Gabriel
to his next in power thus spake.

           
      
       
Uzziel
,
⁵⁶
half these draw off, and coast the South

               
With strictest watch; these other wheel the North,

               
Our circuit meets full West. As flame they part

   785     
Half wheeling to the Shield,
⁵⁷
half to the Spear.
⁵⁸

               
From these, two strong and suttle Spirits he calld

               
That neer him stood, and gave them thus in charge.

           
      
       
Ithuriel
and
Zephon
,
⁶⁹
with wing’d speed

               
Search through this Garden, leav unsearcht no nook,

   790     
But chiefly where those two fair Creatures Lodge,

               
Now laid perhaps asleep secure of harm.

               
This Eevning from the Sun’s decline arriv’d

               
Who tells of som infernal Spirit seen

               
Hitherward bent (who could have thought?) escap’d

   795     
The barrs of Hell, on errand bad no doubt:

               
Such where ye find, seise fast, and hither bring.

           
      
       So saying, on he led his radiant Files,

               
Daz’ling the Moon; these to the Bower direct

               
In search of whom they sought: him there they found

   800     
Squat like a Toad, close at the ear of
Eve;

               
Assaying by his Devilish art to reach

               
The Organs of her Fancie, and with them forge

               
Illusions as he list, Phantasms and Dreams,

               
Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint

   805     
Th’ animal Spirits
⁶⁰
that from pure blood arise

               
Like gentle breaths from Rivers pure, thence raise

               
At least distemperd, discontented thoughts,

               
Vain hopes, vain aimes, inordinate desires

               
Blown up with high conceits ingendring pride.

   810     
Him thus intent
Ithuriel
with his Spear

               
Touch’d lightly; for no falshood can endure

               
Touch of Celestial temper, but returns

               
Of force to its own likeness: up he starts

               
Discoverd and surpriz’d. As when a spark

   815     
Lights on a heap of nitrous Powder, laid

               
Fit for the Tun som Magazin to store

               
Against a rumord Warr, the Smuttie grain

               
With sudden blaze diffus’d, inflames the Air:

               
So started up in his own shape the Fiend.

   820     
Back stept those two fair Angels half amaz’d

               
So sudden to behold the grieslie King;

               
Yet thus, unmov’d with fear, accost him soon.

           
      
       Which of those rebell Spirits adjudg’d to Hell

               
Com’st thou, escap’d thy prison, and transform’d,

   825     
Why satst thou like an enemie in wait

               
Here watching at the head of these that sleep?

           
      
       Know ye not then said
Satan
, fill’d with scorn,

               
Know ye not mee? ye knew me once no mate

               
For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar;

   830     
Not to know mee argues your selves unknown,

               
The lowest of your throng; or if ye know,

               
Why ask ye, and superfluous begin

               
Your message, like to end as much in vain?

               
To whom thus
Zephon
, answering scorn with scorn.

   835     
Think not, revolted Spirit, thy shape the same,

               
Or undiminisht brightness, to be known

               
As when thou stoodst in Heav’n upright and pure;

               
That Glorie then, when thou no more wast good,

               
Departed from thee, and thou resembl’st now

   840     
Thy sin and place of doom obscure and foul.

               
But come, for thou, be sure, shalt give account

               
To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep

               
This place inviolable, and these from harm.

           
      
       So spake the Cherub, and his grave rebuke

   845     
Severe in youthful beautie, added grace

               
Invincible: abasht the Devil stood,

               
And felt how awful goodness is, and saw

               
Vertue in her shape how lovely, saw, and pin’d

               
His loss; but chiefly to find here observ’d

   850     
His lustre visibly impar’d; yet seemd

               
Undaunted. If I must contend, said he,

               
Best with the best, the Sender not the sent,

               
Or all at once; more glorie will be wonn,

               
Or less be lost. Thy fear, said
Zephon
bold,

   855     
Will save us trial what the least can doe

               
Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.

           
      
       The Fiend repli’d not, overcome with rage;

               
But like a proud Steed reind, went hautie on,

               
Chaumping his iron curb: to strive or flie

   860     
He held it vain; awe from above had quelld

               
His heart, not else dismai’d. Now drew they nigh

               
The western Point, where those half-rounding guards

               
Just met, and closing stood in squadron joind

               
Awaiting next command. To whom thir Chief

   865     
Gabriel
from the Front thus calld aloud.

           
      
       O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet

               
Hasting this way, and now by glimps discern

               
Ithuriel
and
Zephon
through the shade,

               
And with them comes a third of Regal port,

   870     
But faded splendor wan; who by his gate

               
And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of Hell,

               
Not likely to part hence without contest;

               
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.

           
      
       He scarce had ended, when those two approach’d

   875     
And brief related whom they brought, wher found,

               
How busied, in what form and posture coucht.

           
      
       To whom with stern regard thus
Gabriel
spake.

               
Why hast thou,
Satan
, broke the bounds prescrib’d

               
To thy transgressions, and disturb’d the charge

   880     
Of others, who approve not to transgress

               
By thy example, but have power and right

               
To question thy bold entrance on this place;

               
Imploi’d it seems to violate sleep, and those

               
Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?

   885  
      
       To whom thus
Satan
, with contemptuous brow.

               
Gabriel
, thou hadst in Heav’n th’ esteem of wise,

               
And such I held thee; but this question askt

               
Puts me in doubt. Lives ther who loves his pain?

               
Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,

   890     
Though thither doomd? Thou wouldst thy self, no doubt,

               
And boldly venture to whatever place

               
Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change

               
Torment with ease, and soonest recompence

               
Dole with delight, which in this place I sought;