The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

  Or as a thief bent to unhoard the cash

  Of some rich burgher, whose substantial doors,

  190 Cross-barred and bolted fast, fear no assault,

  In at the window climbs, or o’er the tiles;

  So clomb this first grand thief into God’s fold:

  So since into his Church lewd hirelings climb.

  Thence up he flew, and on the Tree of Life,

  195 The middle tree and highest there that grew,

  Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life

  Thereby regained, but sat devising death

  To them who lived; nor on the virtue thought

  Of that life-giving plant, but only used

  200 For prospect, what well used had been the pledge

  Of immortality. So little knows

  Any, but God alone, to value right

  The good before him, but perverts best things

  To worst abuse, or to their meanest use.

  205 Beneath him with new wonder now he views

  To all delight of human sense exposed

  In narrow room Nature’s whole wealth, yea more,

  A Heav’n on earth, for blissful Paradise

  Of God the garden was, by him in the east

  210 Of Eden planted; Eden stretched her line

  From Auran eastward to the royal towers

  Of great Seleucia, built by Grecian kings,

  Or where the sons of Eden long before

  Dwelt in Telassar: in this pleasant soil

  215 His far more pleasant garden God ordained;

  Out of the fertile ground he caused to grow

  All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste;

  And all amid them stood the Tree of Life,

  High eminent, blooming ambrosial fruit

  220 Of vegetable gold; and next to life

  Our death the Tree of Knowledge grew fast by,

  Knowledge of Good bought dear by knowing ill.

  Southward through Eden went a river large,

  Nor changed his course, but through the shaggy hill

  225 Passed underneath ingulfed, for God had thrown

  That mountain as his garden mould high raised

  Upon the rapid current, which through veins

  Of porous earth with kindly thirst up drawn,

  Rose a fresh fountain, and with many a rill

  230 Watered the garden; thence united fell

  Down the steep glade, and met the nether flood,

  Which from his darksome passage now appears,

  And now divided into four main streams,

  Runs diverse, wand’ring many a famous realm

  235 And country whereof here needs no account,

  But rather to tell how, if art could tell,

  How from that sapphire fount the crispèd brooks,

  Rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold,

  With mazy error under pendent shades

  240 Ran nectar, visiting each plant, and fed

  Flow’rs worthy of Paradise which not nice art

  In beds and curious knots, but Nature boon

  Poured forth profuse on hill and dale and plain,

  Both where the morning sun first warmly smote

  245 The open field, and where the unpierced shade

  Embrowned the noontide bowers: thus was this place,

  A happy rural seat of various view;

  Groves whose rich trees wept odorous gums and balm,

  Others whose fruit burnished with golden rind

  250 Hung amiable, Hesperian fables true,

  If true, here only, and of delicious taste:

  Betwixt them lawns, or level downs, and flocks

  Grazing the tender herb, were interposed,

  Or palmy hillock, or the flow’ry lap

  255 Of some irriguous valley spread her store,

  Flow’rs of all hue, and without thorn the rose:

  Another side, umbrageous grots and caves

  Of cool recess, o’er which the mantling vine

  Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps

  260 Luxuriant; meanwhile murmuring waters fall

  Down the slope hills, dispersed, or in a lake,

  That to the fringèd bank with myrtle crowned,

  Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams.

  The birds their choir apply; airs, vernal airs,

  265 Breathing the smell of field and grove, attune

  The trembling leaves, while universal Pan

  Knit with the Graces and the Hours in dance

  Led on th’ eternal spring. Not that fair field

  Of Enna, where Prosérpine gath’ring flow’rs

  270 Herself a fairer flow’r by gloomy Dis

  Was gathered, which cost Ceres all that pain

  To seek her through the world; nor that sweet grove

  Of Daphne by Orontes, and th’ inspired

  Castalian spring, might with this Paradise

  275 Of Eden strive; nor that Nyseian isle

  Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham,

  Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove,

  Hid Amalthea and her florid son

  Young Bacchus from his stepdame Rhea’s eye;

  280 Nor where Abássin kings their issue guard,

  Mount Amara, though this by some supposed

  True Paradise under the Ethiop line

  By Nilus’ head, enclosed with shining rock,

  A whole day’s journey high, but wide remote

  285 From this Assyrian garden, where the Fiend

  Saw undelighted all delight, all kind

  Of living creatures new to sight and strange:

  Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,

  Godlike erect, with native honour clad

  290 In naked majesty seemed lords of all,

  And worthy seemed, for in their looks divine

  The image of their glorious Maker shone,

  Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure,

  Severe, but in true filial freedom placed;

  295 Whence true authority in men; though both

  Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed;

  For contemplation he and valour formed,

  For softness she and sweet attractive grace,

  He for God only, she for God in him:

  300 His fair large front and eye sublime declared

  Absolute rule; and hyacinthine locks

  Round from his parted forelock manly hung

  Clust’ring, but not beneath his shoulders broad:

  She as a veil down to the slender waist

  305 Her unadornèd golden tresses wore

  Dishevelled, but in wanton ringlets waved

  As the vine curls her tendrils, which implied

  Subjection, but required with gentle sway,

  And by her yielded, by him best received,

  310 Yielded with coy submission, modest pride,

  And sweet reluctant amorous delay.

  Nor those mysterious parts were then concealed;

  Then was not guilty shame, dishonest shame

  Of nature’s works, honour dishonourable,

  315 Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind

  With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,

  And banished from man’s life his happiest life,

  Simplicity and spotless innocence.

  So passed they naked on, nor shunned the sight

  320 Of God or angel, for they thought no ill:

  So hand in hand they passed, the loveliest pair

  That ever since in love’s embraces met,

  Adam the goodliest man of men since born

  His sons, the fairest of her daughters Eve.

  325 Under a tuft of shade that on a green

  Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain side

  They sat them down, and after no more toil

  Of their sweet gard’ning labour than sufficed

  To recommend cool Zephyr, and made ease

  330
More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite

  More grateful, to their supper fruits they fell,

  Nectarine fruits which the compliant boughs

  Yielded them, sidelong as they sat recline

  On the soft downy bank damasked with flow’rs:

  335 The savoury pulp they chew, and in the rind

  Still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream;

  Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles

  Wanted, nor youthful dalliance as beseems

  Fair couple, linked in happy nuptial league,

  340 Alone as they. About them frisking played

  All beasts of th’ earth, since wild, and of all chase

  In wood or wilderness, forest or den;

  Sporting the lion ramped, and in his paw

  Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces, pards

  345 Gambolled before them, th’ unwieldy elephant

  To make them mirth used all his might, and wreathed

  His lithe proboscis; close the serpent sly

  Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine

  His braided train, and of his fatal guile

  350 Gave proof unheeded; others on the grass

  Couched, and now filled with pasture gazing sat,

  Or bedward ruminating: for sun

  Declined was hasting now with prone career

  To th’ Ocean Isles, and in th’ ascending Scale

  355 Of Heav’n the stars that usher evening rose:

  When Satan still in gaze, as first he stood,

  Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered sad.

  O Hell! What do mine eyes with grief behold,

  Into our room of bliss thus high advanced

  360 Creatures of other mould, earth-born perhaps,

  Not Spirits, yet to Heav’nly Spirits bright

  Little inferior; whom my thoughts pursue

  With wonder, and could love, so lively shines

  In them divine resemblance, and such grace

  365 The hand that formed them on their shape hath poured.

  Ah gentle pair, ye little think how nigh

  Your change approaches, when all these delights

  Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,

  More woe, the more your taste is now of joy;

  370 Happy, but for so happy ill secured

  Long to continue, and this high seat your Heav’n

  Ill fenced for Heav’n to keep out such a foe

  As now is entered; yet no purposed foe

  To you whom I could pity thus forlorn

  375 Though I unpitied: league with you I seek,

  And mutual amity so strait, so close,

  That I with you must dwell, or you with me

  Henceforth; my dwelling haply may not please

  Like this fair Paradise, your sense, yet such

  380 Accept your Maker’s work; he gave it me,

  Which I as freely give; Hell shall unfold,

  To entertain you two, her widest gates,

  And send forth all her kings; there will be room,

  Not like these narrow limits, to receive

  385 Your numerous offspring; if no better place,

  Thank him who puts me loath to this revenge

  On you who wrong me not for him who wronged.

  And should I at your harmless innocence

  Melt, as I do, yet public reason just,

  390 Honour and empire with revenge enlarged,

  By conquering this new world, compels me now

  To do what else though damned I should abhor.

  So spake the Fiend, and with necessity,

  The tyrant’s plea, excused his devilish deeds.

  395 Then from his lofty stand on that high tree

  Down he alights among the sportful herd

  Of those four-footed kinds, himself now one,

  Now other, as their shape served best his end

  Nearer to view his prey, and unespied

  400 To mark what of their state he more might learn

  By word or action marked: about them round

  A lion now he stalks with fiery glare,

  Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied

  In some purlieu two gentle fawns at play,

  405 Straight couches close, then rising changes oft

  His couchant watch, as one who chose his ground

  Whence rushing he might surest seize them both

  Gripped in each paw: when Adam first of men

  To first of women Eve thus moving speech,

  410 Turned him all ear to hear new utterance flow.

  Sole partner and sole part of all these joys,

  Dearer thyself than all; needs must the power

  That made us, and for us this ample world

  Be infinitely good, and of his good

  415 As liberal and free as infinite,

  That raised us from the dust and placed us here

  In all this happiness, who at his hand

  Have nothing merited, nor can perform

  Aught whereof he hath need, he who requires

  420 From us no other service than to keep

  This one, this easy charge, of all the trees

  In Paradise that bear delicious fruit

  So various, not to taste that only Tree

  Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life,

  425 So near grows death to life, whate’er death is,

  Some dreadful thing no doubt; for well thou know’st

  God hath pronounced it death to taste that Tree,

  The only sign of our obedience left

  Among so many signs of power and rule

  430 Conferred upon us, and dominion giv’n

  Over all other creatures that possess

  Earth, air, and sea. Then let us not think hard

  One easy prohibition, who enjoy

  Free leave so large to all things else, and choice

  435 Unlimited of manifold delights:

  But let us ever praise him, and extol

  His bounty, following our delightful task

  To prune these growing plants, and tend these flow’rs,

  Which were it toilsome, yet with thee were sweet.

  440 To whom thus Eve replied. O thou for whom

  And from whom I was formed flesh of thy flesh,

  And without whom am to no end, my guide

  And head, what thou hast said is just and right.

  For we to him indeed all praises owe,

  445 And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy

  So far the happier lot, enjoying thee

  Pre-eminent by so much odds, while thou

  Like consort to thyself canst nowhere find.

  That day I oft remember, when from sleep

  450 I first awaked, and found myself reposed

  Under a shade of flow’rs, much wond’ring where

  And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

  Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

  Of waters issued from a cave and spread

  455 Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved

  Pure as th’ expanse of heav’n; I thither went

  With unexperienced thought, and laid me down

  On the green bank, to look into the clear

  Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky.

  460 As I bent down to look, just opposite,

  A shape within the wat’ry gleam appeared

  Bending to look on me: I started back,

  It started back, but pleased I soon returned,

  Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks

  465 Of sympathy and love; there I had fixed

  Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire,

  Had not a voice thus warned me, What thou seest,

  What there thou seest fair creature is thyself,

  With thee it came and goes: but follow me,

  470 And I will bring thee where no shadow stays

  Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he

  Whose i
mage thou art, him thou shall enjoy

  Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear

  Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called

  475 Mother of human race: what could I do,

  But follow straight, invisibly thus led?

  Till I espied thee, fair indeed and tall,

  Under a platan, yet methought less fair,

  Less winning soft, less amiably mild,

  480 Than that smooth wat’ry image; back I turned,

  Thou following cried’st aloud, Return, fair Eve;

  Whom fli’st thou? Whom thou fli’st, of him thou art,

  His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent

  Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart

  485 Substantial life, to have thee by my side

  Henceforth an individual solace dear;

  Part of my soul I seek thee, and thee claim

  My other half: with that thy gentle hand

  Seized mine, I yielded, and from that time see

  490 How beauty is excelled by manly grace

  And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.

  So spake our general mother, and with eyes

  Of conjugal attraction unreproved,

  And meek surrender, half embracing leaned

  495 On our first father; half her swelling breast

  Naked met his under the flowing gold

  Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight

  Both of her beauty and submissive charms

  Smiled with superior love, as Jupiter

  500 On Juno smiles, when he impregns the clouds

  That shed May flowers; and pressed her matron lip

  With kisses pure: aside the Devil turned

  For envy, yet with jealous leer malign

  Eyed them askance, and to himself thus plained.

  505 Sight hateful, sight tormenting! Thus these two

  Imparadised in one another’s arms

  The happier Eden, shall enjoy their fill

  Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust,

  Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,

  510 Among our other torments not the least,

  Still unfulfilled with pain of longing pines;

  Yet let me not forget what I have gained

  From their own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:

  One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge called,

  515 Forbidden them to taste: knowledge forbidd’n?

  Suspicious, reasonless. Why should their Lord

  Envy them that? Can it be sin to know,

  Can it be death? And do they only stand

  By ignorance, is that their happy state,

  520 The proof of their obedience and their faith?

  O fair foundation laid whereon to build

  Their ruin! Hence I will excite their minds

  With more desire to know, and to reject

  Envious commands, invented with design

  525 To keep them low whom knowledge might exalt