The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

  Before his voice, or was she made thy guide,

  Superior, or but equal, that to her

  Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place

  Wherein God set thee above her made of thee,

  150 And for thee, whose perfection far excelled

  Hers in all real dignity: adorned

  She was indeed, and lovely to attract

  Thy love, not thy subjection, and her gifts

  Were such as under government well seemed,

  155 Unseemly to bear rule, which was thy part

  And person, hadst thou known thyself aright.

  So having said, he thus to Eve in few:

  Say woman, what is this which thou hast done?

  To whom sad Eve with shame nigh overwhelmed,

  160 Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge

  Bold or loquacious, thus abashed replied.

  The serpent me beguiled and I did eat.

  Which when the Lord God heard, without delay

  To judgement he proceeded on th’ accused

  165 Serpent though brute, unable to transfer

  The guilt on him who made him instrument

  Of mischief, and polluted from the end

  Of his creation; justly then accursed,

  As vitiated in nature: more to know

  170 Concerned not man (since he no further knew)

  Nor altered his offence; yet God at last

  To Satan first in sin his doom applied,

  Though in mysterious terms, judged as then best:

  And on the serpent thus his curse let fall.

  175 Because thou hast done this, thou art accursed

  Above all cattle, each beast of the field;

  Upon thy belly grovelling thou shalt go,

  And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life.

  Between thee and the woman I will put

  180 Enmity, and between thine and her seed;

  Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.

  So spake this oracle, then verified

  When Jesus son of Mary second Eve,

  Saw Satan fall like lightning down from Heav’n,

  185 Prince of the Air; then rising from his grave

  Spoiled Principalities and Powers, triúmphed

  In open show, and with ascension bright

  Captivity led captive through the air,

  The realm itself of Satan long usurped,

  190 Whom he shall tread at last under our feet;

  Ev’n he who now foretold his fatal bruise,

  And to the woman thus his sentence turned.

  Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply

  By thy conception; children thou shalt bring

  195 In sorrow forth, and to thy husband’s will

  Thine shall submit, he over thee shall rule.

  On Adam last thus judgement he pronounced.

  Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife,

  And eaten of the tree concerning which

  200 I charged thee, saying: Thou shalt not eat thereof,

  Cursed is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow

  Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy life;

  Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth

  Unbid, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field,

  205 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,

  Till thou return unto the ground, for thou

  Out of the ground wast taken; know thy birth,

  For dust thou art, and shalt to dust return.

  So judged he man, both Judge and Saviour sent,

  210 And th’ instant stroke of death denounced that day

  Removed far off; then pitying how they stood

  Before him naked to the air, that now

  Must suffer change, disdained not to begin

  Thenceforth the form of servant to assume,

  215 As when he washed his servants’ feet, so now

  As father of his family he clad

  Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain,

  Or as the snake with youthful coat repaid;

  And thought not much to clothe his enemies:

  220 Nor he their outward only with the skins

  Of beasts, but inward nakedness, much more

  Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness,

  Arraying covered from his Father’s sight.

  To him with swift ascent he up returned,

  225 Into his blissful bosom reassumed

  In glory as of old, to him appeased,

  All, though all-knowing, what had passed with man

  Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.

  Meanwhile ere thus was sinned and judged on earth,

  230 Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and Death,

  In counterview within the gates, that now

  Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame

  Far into Chaos, since the Fiend passed through,

  Sin opening, who thus now to Death began.

  235 O Son, why sit we here each other viewing

  Idly, while Satan our great author thrives

  In other worlds, and happier seat provides

  For us his offspring dear? It cannot be

  But that success attends him; if mishap,

  240 Ere this he had returned, with fury driv’n

  By his avengers, since no place like this

  Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.

  Methinks I feel new strength within me rise,

  Wings growing, and dominion giv’n me large

  245 Beyond this deep; whatever draws me on,

  Or sympathy, or some connatural force

  Powerful at greatest distance to unite

  With secret amity things of like kind

  By secretest conveyance. Thou my shade

  250 Inseparable must with me along:

  For Death from Sin no power can separate.

  But lest the difficulty of passing back

  Stay his return perhaps over this gulf

  Impassable, impervious, let us try

  255 Advent’rous work, yet to thy power and mine

  Not unagreeable, to found a path

  Over this main from Hell to that new world

  Where Satan now prevails, a monument

  Of merit high to all th’ infernal host,

  260 Easing their passage hence, for intercourse,

  Or transmigration, as their lot shall lead.

  Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn

  By this new felt attraction and instínct.

  Whom thus the meagre Shadow answered soon.

  265 Go whither Fate and inclination strong

  Leads thee, I shall not lag behind, nor err

  The way, thou leading, such a scent I draw

  Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste

  The savour of death from all things there that live:

  270 Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest

  Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.

  So saying, with delight he snuffed the smell

  Of mortal change on earth. As when a flock

  Of ravenous fowl, though many a league remote,

  275 Against the day of battle, to a field,

  Where armies lie encamped, come flying, lured

  With scent of living carcasses designed

  For death, the following day, in bloody fight.

  So scented the grim feature, and upturned

  280 His nostril wide into the murky air,

  Sagacious of his quarry from so far.

  Then both from out Hell gates into the waste

  Wide anarchy of Chaos damp and dark

  Flew diverse, and with power (their power was great)

  285 Hovering upon the waters; what they met

  Solid or slimy, as in raging sea

  Tossed up and down, together crowded drove

  From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell.

  As when two polar winds blowing adverse


  290 Upon the Cronian Sea, together drive

  Mountains of ice, that stop th’ imagined way

  Beyond Petsora eastward, to the rich

  Cathayan coast. The aggregated soil

  Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry,

  295 As with a trident smote, and fixed as firm

  As Delos floating once; the rest his look

  Bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move,

  And with asphaltic slime; broad as the gate,

  Deep to the roots of Hell the gathered beach

  300 They fastened, and the mole immense wrought on

  Over the foaming deep high arched, a bridge

  Of length prodigious joining to the wall

  Immovable of this now fenceless world

  Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad,

  305 Smooth, easy, inoffensive down to Hell.

  So, if great things to small may be compared,

  Xerxes, the liberty of Greece to yoke,

  From Susa his Memnonian palace high

  Came to the sea, and over Hellespont

  310 Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joined,

  And scourged with many a stroke th’ indignant waves.

  Now had they brought the work by wondrous art

  Pontifical, a ridge of pendent rock

  Over the vexed abyss, following the track

  315 Of Satan, to the selfsame place where he

  First lighted from his wing, and landed safe

  From out of Chaos to the outside bare

  Of this round world: with pins of adamant

  And chains they made all fast, too fast they made

  320 And durable; and now in little space

  The confines met of empyréan Heav’n

  And of this world, and on the left hand Hell

  With long reach interposed; three several ways

  In sight, to each of these three places led.

  325 And now their way to earth they had descried,

  To Paradise first tending, when behold

  Satan in likeness of an angel bright

  Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering

  His zenith, while the sun in Aries rose:

  330 Disguised he came, but those his children dear

  Their parent soon discerned, though in disguise.

  He, after Eve seduced, unminded slunk

  Into the wood fast by, and changing shape

  To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act

  335 By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded

  Upon her husband, saw their shame that sought

  Vain covertures; but when he saw descend

  The Son of God to judge them, terrified

  He fled, not hoping to escape, but shun

  340 The present, fearing guilty what his wrath

  Might suddenly inflict; that past, returned

  By night, and list’ning where the hapless pair

  Sat in their sad discourse, and various plaint,

  Thence gathered his own doom, which understood

  345 Not instant, but of future time. With joy

  And tidings fraught, to Hell he now returned,

  And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot

  Of this new wondrous pontifice, unhoped

  Met who to meet him came, his offspring dear.

  350 Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight

  Of that stupendous bridge his joy increased.

  Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair

  Enchanting daughter, thus the silence broke.

  O parent, these are thy magnific deeds,

  355 Thy trophies, which thou view’st as not thine own;

  Thou art their author and prime architect:

  For I no sooner in my heart divined,

  My heart, which by a secret harmony

  Still moves with thine, joined in connection sweet,

  360 That thou on earth hadst prospered, which thy looks

  Now also evidence, but straight I felt

  Though distant from thee worlds between, yet felt

  That I must after thee with this thy son;

  Such fatal consequence unites us three:

  365 Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds,

  Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure

  Detain from following thy illustrious track.

  Thou hast achieved our liberty, confined

  Within Hell gates till now, thou us empow’red

  370 To fortify thus far, and overlay

  With this portentous bridge the dark abyss.

  Thine now is all this world, thy virtue hath won

  What thy hands builded not, thy wisdom gained

  With odds what war hath lost, and fully avenged

  375 Our foil in Heav’n; here thou shalt monarch reign,

  There didst not; there let him still victor sway,

  As battle hath adjudged, from this new world

  Retiring, by his own doom alienated,

  And henceforth monarchy with thee divide

  380 Of all things, parted by th’ empyreal bounds,

  His quadrature, from thy orbicular world,

  Or try thee now more dang’rous to his throne.

  Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answered glad.

  Fair daughter, and thou son and grandchild both,

  385 High proof ye now have giv’n to be the race

  Of Satan (for I glory in the name,

  Antagonist of Heav’n’s Almighty King)

  Amply have merited of me, of all

  Th’ infernal empire, that so near Heav’n’s door

  390 Triumphal with triumphal act have met,

  Mine with this glorious work, and made one realm

  Hell and this world, one realm, one continent

  Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore while I

  Descend through darkness, on your road with ease

  395 To my associate Powers, them to acquaint

  With these successes, and with them rejoice,

  You two this way, among these numerous orbs

  All yours, right down to Paradise descend;

  There dwell and reign in bliss; thence on the earth

  400 Dominion exercise and in the air,

  Chiefly on man, sole lord of all declared;

  Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.

  My substitutes I send ye, and create

  Plenipotent on earth, of matchless might

  405 Issuing from me: on your joint vigour now

  My hold of this new kingdom all depends,

  Through Sin to Death exposed by my explóit.

  If your joint power prevail, th’ affairs of Hell

  No detriment need fear; go and be strong.

  410 So saying he dismissed them, they with speed

  Their course through thickest constellations held

  Spreading their bane; the blasted stars looked wan,

  And planets, planet-strook, real eclipse

  Then suffered. Th’ other way Satan went down

  415 The causey to Hell gate; on either side

  Disparted Chaos overbuilt exclaimed,

  And with rebounding surge the bars assailed,

  That scorned his indignation: through the gate,

  Wide open and unguarded, Satan passed,

  420 And all about found desolate; for those

  Appointed to sit there, had left their charge,

  Flown to the upper world; the rest were all

  Far to the inland retired, about the walls

  Of Pandaemonium, city and proud seat

  425 Of Lucifer, so by allusion called,

  Of that bright star to Satan paragoned.

  There kept their watch the legions, while the grand

  In council sat, solicitous what chance

  Might intercept their Emperor sent; so he

  430 Departing gave command, and they observed.

  As when the Tartar from his Russian foe

  By Astrakhan over the snowy pl
ains

  Retires, or Bactrian Sophy from the horns

  Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste beyond

  435 The realm of Aladule, in his retreat

  To Tauris or Casbeen. So these the late

  Heav’n-banished host, left desert utmost Hell

  Many a dark league, reduced in careful watch

  Round their metropolis, and now expecting

  440 Each hour their great adventurer from the search

  Of foreign worlds: he through the midst unmarked,

  In show plebeian angel militant

  Of lowest order, passed; and from the door

  Of that Plutonian hall, invisible

  445 Ascended his high throne, which under state

  Of richest texture spread, at th’ upper end

  Was placed in regal lustre. Down a while

  He sat, and round about him saw unseen:

  At last as from a cloud his fulgent head

  450 And shape star-bright appeared, or brighter, clad

  With what permissive glory since his Fall

  Was left him, or false glitter: all amazed

  At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng

  Bent their aspéct, and whom they wished beheld,

  455 Their mighty chief returned: loud was th’ acclaim:

  Forth rushed in haste the great consulting Peers,

  Raised from their dark Divan, and with like joy

  Congratulant approached him, who with hand

  Silence, and with these words attention won.

  460 Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,

  For in possession such, not only of right,

  I call ye and declare ye now, returned

  Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth

  Triumphant out of this infernal pit

  465 Abominable, accursed, the house of woe,

  And dungeon of our Tyrant. Now possess,

  As lords, a spacious world, to our native Heaven

  Little inferior, by my adventure hard

  With peril great achieved. Long were to tell

  470 What I have done, what suffered, with what pain

  Voyaged th’ unreal, vast, unbounded deep

  Of horrible confusion, over which

  By Sin and Death a broad way now is paved

  To expedite your glorious march; but I

  475 Toiled out my uncouth passage, forced to ride

  Th’ untractable abyss, plunged in the womb

  Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wild,

  That jealous of their secrets fiercely opposed

  My journey strange, with clamorous uproar

  480 Protesting Fate supreme; thence how I found

  The new created world, which fame in Heav’n

  Long had foretold, a fabric wonderful

  Of absolute perfection, therein man

  Placed in a Paradise, by our exíle

  485 Made happy: him by fraud I have seduced