Page 29 of Paradise Lost


  That singing up to heaven gate ascend,

  Bear on your wings and in your notes his praise;

  Ye that in waters glide, and ye that walk

  The earth, and stately tread, or lowly creep;

  Witness if I be silent, morn or even,

  To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade

  Made vocal by my song, and taught his praise.

  Hail universal Lord, be bounteous still205

  To give us only good; and if the night

  Have gathered aught of evil or concealed,

  Disperse it, as now light dispels the dark.”

  So prayed they innocent, and to their thoughts

  Firm peace recovered soon and wonted calm.

  On to their morning’s rural work they haste

  Among sweet dews and flow’rs; where any row

  Of fruit trees over-woody reached too far

  Their pampered214 boughs, and needed hands to check

  Fruitless embraces215: or they led the vine

  To wed her elm; she spoused about him twines

  Her marriageable arms, and with her brings

  Her dow’r th’ adopted clusters, to adorn

  His barren leaves. Them thus employed beheld

  With pity Heav’n’s high King, and to him called

  Raphael221, the sociable spirit, that deigned

  To travel with Tobias, and secured

  His marriage with the seven-times-wedded maid.

  “Raphael,” said he, “thou hear’st what stir on Earth

  Satan from Hell scaped through the darksome gulf

  Hath raised in Paradise, and how disturbed

  This night the human pair, how he designs

  In them at once to ruin all mankind.

  Go therefore, half this day as friend with friend

  Converse with Adam, in what bow’r or shade

  Thou find’st him from the heat of noon retired,

  To respite his day-labor with repast,

  Or with repose; and such discourse bring on,

  As may advise him of his happy state,

  Happiness in his power left free to will,

  Left to his own free will, his will though free,

  Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware

  He swerve238 not too secure: tell him withal

  His danger, and from whom, what enemy

  Late fall’n himself from Heav’n is plotting now

  The fall of others from like state of bliss;

  By violence, no, for that shall be withstood,

  But by deceit and lies; this let him know,

  Lest willfully transgressing he pretend

  Surprisal, unadmonished, unforewarned.”

  So spake th’ eternal Father, and fulfilled

  All justice: nor delayed the wingèd saint

  After his charge received, but from among

  Thousand celestial ardors249, where he stood

  Veiled250 with his gorgeous wings, up springing light

  Flew through the midst of Heav’n; th’ angelic choirs

  On each hand parting, to his speed gave way

  Through all th’ empyreal253 road; till at the gate

  Of Heav’n arrived, the gate self-opened254 wide

  On golden hinges turning, as by work

  Divine the sov’reign architect had framed.

  From hence,257 no cloud, or, to obstruct his sight,

  Star interposed, however small he sees,

  Not unconform to259 other shining globes,

  Earth and the gard’n of God, with cedars crowned

  Above all hills. As when by night the glass

  Of Galileo, less assured, observes

  Imagined263 lands and regions in the moon:

  Or pilot from amidst the Cyclades264

  Delos or Samos first appearing kens265

  A cloudy spot. Down thither prone266 in flight

  He speeds, and through the vast ethereal sky

  Sails between worlds and worlds, with steady wing

  Now on the polar winds, then with quick fan

  Winnows the buxom air270; till within soar

  Of tow’ring eagles271, to all the fowls he seems

  A phoenix, gazed by all, as that sole bird

  When to enshrine his relics in the sun’s

  Bright temple, to Egyptian Thebes he flies.

  At once on th’ eastern cliff of Paradise

  He lights, and to his proper shape returns

  A Seraph winged; six wings277 he wore, to shade

  His lineaments divine; the pair that clad

  Each shoulder broad, came mantling279 o’er his breast

  With regal ornament; the middle pair

  Girt like a starry zone281 his waist, and round

  Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold

  And colors dipped in Heav’n; the third his feet

  Shadowed from either heel with feathered mail284

  Sky-tinctured285 grain. Like Maia’s son he stood,

  And shook his plumes, that Heav’nly fragrance filled

  The circuit wide. Straight knew him all the bands

  Of Angels under watch; and to his state288,

  And to his message high in honor rise;

  For on some message high they guessed him bound.

  Their glittering tents he passed, and now is come

  Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh,

  And flow’ring odors, cassia, nard, and balm293;

  A wilderness of sweets; for nature here

  Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will

  Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet296,

  Wild above rule or art297; enormous bliss.

  Him through the spicy forest onward come

  Adam discerned, as in the door he sat

  Of his cool bow’r, while now300 the mounted sun

  Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm

  Earth’s inmost womb, more warmth than Adam needs;

  And Eve within, due at her hour prepared

  For dinner savory fruits, of taste to please

  True appetite, and not disrelish305 thirst

  Of nectarous306 draughts between, from milky stream,

  Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam called.

  “Haste hither Eve, and worth thy sight behold

  Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape

  Comes this way moving; seems another morn

  Ris’n on mid-noon; some great behest from Heav’n

  To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe

  This day to be our guest. But go with speed,

  And what thy stores contain, bring forth and pour

  Abundance, fit to honor and receive

  Our Heav’nly stranger; well we may afford

  Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow

  From large bestowed, where nature multiplies

  Her fertile growth, and by disburd’ning319 grows

  More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare.”

  To whom thus Eve. “Adam, earth’s hallowed mold321

  Of God inspired, small store will serve, where store,

  All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk;

  Save what by frugal324 storing firmness gains

  To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes:

  But I will haste and from each bough and brake,

  Each plant and juiciest gourd will pluck such choice

  To entertain our angel guest, as he

  Beholding shall confess that here on Earth

  God hath dispensed his bounties as in Heav’n.”

  So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste

  She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent

  What choice333 to choose for delicacy best,

  What order, so contrived as not to mix

  Tastes, not well joined, inelegant, but bring

  Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change,

  “Eastward among those trees, what g
lorious shape / Comes this way moving” (5.309–10). (illustration credit 5.1)

  Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk

  Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields

  In India339 east or west, or middle shore

  In Pontus or the Punic Coast, or where

  Alcinous341 reigned, fruit of all kinds, in coat,

  Rough, or smooth rined, or bearded husk, or shell

  She gathers, tribute large, and on the board

  Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape

  She crushes, inoffensive must, and meathes345

  From many a berry, and from sweet kernels pressed346

  She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold

  Wants her fit vessels pure, then strews the ground

  With rose and odors from the shrub unfumed349.

  Meanwhile our primitive350 great sire, to meet

  His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train

  Accompanied than with his own complete

  Perfections, in himself was all his state353,

  More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits

  On princes, when their rich retinue long

  Of horses led, and grooms besmeared with gold356

  Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all agape.

  Nearer his presence Adam though not awed,

  Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek,

  As to a superior nature, bowing low,

  Thus said. “Native of Heav’n, for other place

  None can than Heav’n such glorious shape contain;

  Since by descending from the thrones above,

  Those happy places thou hast deigned a while

  To want, and honor these, vouchsafe with us

  Two only, who yet by sov’reign gift possess

  This spacious ground, in yonder shady bow’r

  To rest, and what the garden choicest bears

  To sit and taste, till this meridian heat

  Be over, and the sun more cool decline.”

  Whom thus the angelic Virtue371 answered mild.

  “Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such

  Created, or such place hast here to dwell,

  As may not oft invite, though spirits of Heav’n

  To visit thee; lead on then where thy bow’r

  O’ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise

  I have at will.” So to the sylvan lodge

  They came, that like Pomona’s arbor378 smiled

  With flow’rets decked and fragrant smells; but Eve

  Undecked, save with herself more lovely fair

  Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess381 feigned

  Of three that in Mount Ida naked strove,

  Stood to entertain her guest from Heav’n; no veil

  She needed, virtue-proof384, no thought infirm

  Altered her cheek. On whom the angel “Hail385”

  Bestowed, the holy salutation used

  Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.

  “Hail mother of mankind, whose fruitful womb

  Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons

  Than with these various fruits the trees of God

  Have heaped this table.” Raised of grassy turf

  Their table was, and mossy seats had round,

  And on her ample square from side to side

  All autumn piled, though spring and autumn here

  Danced hand in hand. A while discourse they hold;

  No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began

  Our author397. “Heav’nly stranger, please to taste

  These bounties which our Nourisher, from whom

  All perfect good unmeasured out descends,

  To us for food and for delight hath caused

  The earth to yield; unsavory food perhaps

  To spiritual natures; only this I know,

  That one celestial father gives to all.”

  To whom the angel. “Therefore what he gives

  (Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part

  Spiritual, may of purest spirits be found

  No ingrateful food; and food alike those pure

  Intelligential substances408 require

  As doth your rational; and both contain

  Within them every lower faculty

  Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste,

  Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate412,

  And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

  For know, whatever was created, needs

  To be sustained and fed; of elements

  The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea,

  Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires

  Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon;

  Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurged419

  Vapors not yet into her substance turned.

  Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale

  From her moist continent to higher orbs.

  The Sun that light imparts to all, receives

  From all his alimental recompense

  In humid exhalations, and at even

  Sups with the ocean: though in Heav’n the trees

  Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines

  Yield nectar, though from off the boughs each morn

  We brush mellifluous429 dews, and find the ground

  Covered with pearly grain430: yet God hath here

  Varied his bounty so with new delights,

  As may compare with Heaven; and to taste

  Think not I shall be nice433.” So down they sat,

  And to their viands fell, nor seemingly434

  The angel, nor in mist435, the common gloss

  Of theologians, but with keen dispatch

  Of real hunger, and concoctive heat437

  To transubstantiate438; what redounds, transpires

  Through spirits with ease; nor wonder439; if by fire

  Of sooty coal the empiric440 alchemist

  Can turn, or holds it possible to turn

  Metals of drossiest ore to perfect gold

  As from the mine. Meanwhile at table Eve

  Ministered naked, and their flowing cups

  With pleasant liquors crowned445: O innocence

  Deserving Paradise! if ever446, then,

  Then had the sons of God excuse to have been

  Enamored at that sight; but in those hearts

  Love unlibidinous449 reigned, nor jealousy

  Was understood, the injured lover’s hell.

  Thus when with meats and drinks they had sufficed,

  Not burdened nature, sudden mind arose

  In Adam, not to let th’ occasion pass

  Given him by this great conference to know

  Of things above his world, and of their being

  Who dwell in Heav’n, whose excellence he saw

  Transcend his own so far, whose radiant forms

  Divine effulgence, whose high power so far

  Exceeded human, and his wary speech

  Thus to th’ empyreal minister he framed.

  “Inhabitant with God, now know I well

  Thy favor, in this honor done to man,

  Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsafed

  To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,

  Food not of angels, yet accepted so,

  As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

  As Heav’n’s high feasts to have fed: yet what compare?467”

  To whom the wingèd hierarch replied.

  “O469 Adam, one Almighty is, from whom

  All things proceed, and up to him return,

  If not depraved from good, created all

  Such to perfection, one first matter all472,

  Endued with various forms, various degrees

  Of substance, and in things that live, of life;

  But more refined, more spiritous, and pure,

  As nearer to him placed or nearer tending

  Each in their several active spheres
assigned,

  Till body up to spirit work, in bounds478

  Proportioned to each kind. So from the root

  Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the leaves

  More airy, last the bright consummate flow’r

  Spirits odorous breathes: flow’rs and their fruit

  Man’s nourishment,483 by gradual scale sublimed

  To vital spirits aspire, to animal,

  To intellectual, give both life and sense,

  Fancy and understanding, whence the soul

  Reason receives, and reason is her being,

  Discursive, or intuitive; discourse

  Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours,

  Differing but490 in degree, of kind the same.

  Wonder not then, what God for you saw good

  If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

  To proper substance; time may come when men

  With angels may participate, and find

  No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare:

  And from these corporal nutriments perhaps

  Your bodies497 may at last turn all to spirit,

  Improved by tract498 of time, and winged ascend

  Ethereal, as we, or may at choice499

  Here or in Heav’nly paradises dwell;

  If ye be found obedient, and retain

  Unalterably firm his love entire

  Whose progeny you are. Meanwhile enjoy

  Your fill what happiness this happy state

  Can comprehend, incapable505 of more.”

  To whom the patriarch of mankind replied.

  “O favorable spirit, propitious guest,

  Well hast thou taught the way that might direct

  Our knowledge, and the scale of nature509 set

  From center to circumference, whereon

  In contemplation of created things

  By steps we may ascend to God. But say,

  What meant that caution joined, ‘If ye be found

  Obedient’? Can we want obedience then

  To him, or possibly his love desert

  Who formed us from the dust, and placed us here

  Full to the utmost measure of what bliss

  Human desires can seek or apprehend?”

  To whom the Angel. “Son of Heav’n and Earth,

  Attend: that thou are happy, owe to God;

  That thou continu’st such, owe to thyself,

  That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.

  This was that caution giv’n thee; be advised.

  God made thee perfect, not immutable;

  And good he made thee, but to persevere

  He left it in thy power, ordained thy will

  By nature free, not overruled by fate

  Inextricable, or strict necessity;

  Our voluntary service he requires,

  Not our necessitated, such with him

  Finds no acceptance, nor can find, for how

  Can hearts, not free, be tried whether they serve