The Complete Poems (Penguin Classics)

  City of old or modern fame, the seat

  Of mightiest empire, from the destined walls

  Of Cambalu, seat of Cathayan Khan

  And Samarkand by Oxus, Temir’s throne,

  390 To Paquin of Sinaean kings, and thence

  To Agra and Lahore of Great Mogul

  Down to the golden Chersonese, or where

  The Persian in Ecbatan sat, or since

  In Hispahan, or where the Russian Czar

  395 In Moscow, or the Sultan in Bizance,

  Turkéstan-born; nor could his eye not ken

  Th’ empire of Negus to his utmost port

  Ercoco and the less marítime kings

  Mombaza, and Quiloa, and Melind,

  400 And Sofala thought Ophir, to the realm

  Of Congo, and Angola farthest south;

  Or thence from Niger flood to Atlas mount

  The kingdoms of Almansor, Fez and Sus,

  Morocco and Algiers, and Tremisen;

  405 On Europe thence, and where Rome was to sway

  The world: in spirit perhaps he also saw

  Rich Mexico the seat of Motezume,

  And Cusco in Peru, the richer seat

  Of Atabalipa, and yet unspoiled

  410 Guiana, whose great city Geryon’s sons

  Call El Dorado: but to nobler sights

  Michael from Adam’s eyes the film removed

  Which that false fruit that promised clearer sight

  Had bred; then purged with euphrasy and rue

  415 The visual nerve, for he had much to see;

  And from the Well of Life three drops instilled.

  So deep the power of these ingredients pierced,

  Even to the inmost seat of mental sight,

  That Adam now enforced to close his eyes,

  420 Sunk down and all his spirits became entranced:

  But him the gentle angel by the hand

  Soon raised, and his attention thus recalled.

  Adam, now ope thine eyes, and first behold

  Th’ effects which thy original crime hath wrought

  425 In some to spring from thee, who never touched

  Th’ excepted tree, nor with the snake conspired,

  Nor sinned thy sin, yet from that sin derive

  Corruption to bring forth more violent deeds.

  His eyes he opened, and beheld a field,

  430 Part arable and tilth, whereon were sheaves

  New reaped, the other part sheep-walks and folds;

  I’ th’ midst an altar as the landmark stood

  Rustic, of grassy sward; thither anon

  A sweaty reaper from his tillage brought

  435 First fruits, the green ear, and the yellow sheaf,

  Unculled, as came to hand; a shepherd next

  More meek came with the firstlings of his flock

  Choicest and best; then sacrificing, laid

  The inwards and their fat, with incense strewed,

  440 On the cleft wood, and all due rites performed.

  His off ’ring soon propitious fire from heav’n

  Consumed with nimble glance, and grateful steam;

  The other’s not, for his was not sincere;

  Whereat he inly raged, and as they talked,

  445 Smote him into the midriff with a stone

  That beat out life; he fell, and deadly pale

  Groaned out his soul with gushing blood effused.

  Much at that sight was Adam in his heart

  Dismayed, and thus in haste to th’ angel cried.

  450 O teacher, some great mischief hath befall’n

  To that meek man, who well had sacrificed;

  Is piety thus and pure devotion paid?

  T’ whom Michael thus, he also moved, replied.

  These two are brethren, Adam, and to come

  455 Out of thy loins; th’ unjust the just hath slain,

  For envy that his brother’s offering found

  From Heav’n acceptance; but the bloody fact

  Will be avenged, and th’ other’s faith approved

  Lose no reward, though here thou see him die,

  460 Rolling in dust and gore. To which our sire.

  Alas, both for the deed and for the cause!

  But have I now seen death? Is this the way

  I must return to native dust? O sight

  Of terror, foul and ugly to behold,

  465 Horrid to think, how horrible to feel!

  To whom thus Michael. Death thou hast seen

  In his first shape on man; but many shapes

  Of death, and many are the ways that lead

  To his grim cave, all dismal; yet to sense

  470 More terrible at th’ entrance than within.

  Some, as thou saw’st, by violent stroke shall die,

  By fire, flood, famine; by intemperance more

  In meats and drinks, which on the earth shall bring

  Diseases dire, of which a monstrous crew

  475 Before thee shall appear; that thou may’st know

  What misery th’ inabstinence of Eve

  Shall bring on men. Immediately a place

  Before his eyes appeared, sad, noisome, dark;

  A lazar-house it seemed, wherein were laid

  480 Numbers of all diseased, all maladies

  Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms

  Of heart-sick agony, all feverous kinds,

  Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs,

  Intestine stone and ulcer, colic pangs,

  485 Demoniac frenzy, moping melancholy

  And moon-struck madness, pining atrophy,

  Marasmus, and wide-wasting pestilence,

  Dropsies, and asthmas, and joint-racking rheums.

  Dire was the tossing, deep the groans; Despair

  490 Tended the sick busiest from couch to couch;

  And over them triumphant Death his dart

  Shook, but delayed to strike, though oft invoked

  With vows, as their chief good, and final hope.

  Sight so deform what heart of rock could long

  495 Dry-eyed behold? Adam could not, but wept

  Though not of woman born; compassion quelled

  His best of man, and gave him up to tears

  A space, till firmer thoughts restrained excess,

  And scarce recovering words his plaint renewed.

  500 O miserable mankind, to what fall

  Degraded, to what wretched state reserved!

  Better end here unborn. Why is life giv’n

  To be thus wrested from us? rather why

  Obtruded on us thus? who if we knew

  505 What we receive, would either not accept

  Life offered, or soon beg to lay it down,

  Glad to be so dismissed in peace. Can thus

  Th’ image of God in man created once

  So goodly and erect, though faulty since,

  510 To such unsightly sufferings be debased

  Under inhuman pains? Why should not man,

  Retaining still divine similitude

  In part, from such deformities be free,

  And for his Maker’s image sake exempt?

  515 Their Maker’s image, answered Michael, then

  Forsook them, when themselves they vilified

  To serve ungoverned appetite, and took

  His image whom they served, a brutish vice,

  Inductive mainly to the sin of Eve.

  520 Therefore so abject is their punishment,

  Disfiguring not God’s likeness, but their own,

  Or if his likeness, by themselves defaced

  While they pervert pure Nature’s healthful rules

  To loathsome sickness, worthily, since they

  525 God’s image did not reverence in themselves.

  I yield it just, said Adam, and submit.

  But is there yet no other way, besides

  These painful passages, how we may come

  To death, and mix with our co
nnatural dust?

  530 There is, said Michaël, if thou well observe

  The rule of Not too much, by temperance taught

  In what thou eat’st and drink’st, seeking from thence

  Due nourishment, not gluttonous delight,

  Till many years over thy head return:

  535 So may’st thou live, till like ripe fruit thou drop

  Into thy mother’s lap, or be with ease

  Gathered, not harshly plucked, for death mature:

  This is old age; but then thou must outlive

  Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty, which will change

  540 To withered weak and grey; thy senses then

  Obtuse, all taste of pleasure must forgo,

  To what thou hast, and for the air of youth

  Hopeful and cheerful, in thy blood will reign

  A melancholy damp of cold and dry

  545 To weigh thy spirits down, and last consume

  The balm of life. To whom our ancestor.

  Henceforth I fly not death, nor would prolong

  Life much, bent rather how I may be quit

  Fairest and easiest of this cumbrous charge,

  550 Which I must keep till my appointed day

  Of rend’ring up, and patiently attend

  My dissolution. Michael replied,

  Nor love thy life, nor hate; but what thou liv’st

  Live well, how long or short permit to Heav’n:

  555 And now prepare thee for another sight.

  He looked and saw a spacious plain, whereon

  Were tents of various hue; by some were herds

  Of cattle grazing: others, whence the sound

  Of instruments that made melodious chime

  560 Was heard, of harp and organ; and who moved

  Their stops and chords was seen: his volant touch

  Instinct through all proportions low and high

  Fled and pursued transverse the resonant fugue.

  In other part stood one who at the forge

  565 Labouring, two massy clods of iron and brass

  Had melted (whether found where casual fire

  Had wasted woods on mountain or in vale,

  Down to the veins of earth, thence gliding hot

  To some cave’s mouth, or whether washed by stream

  570 From underground); the liquid ore he drained

  Into fit moulds prepared; from which he formed

  First his own tools; then, what might else be wrought

  Fusile or grav’n in metal. After these,

  But on the hither side a different sort

  575 From the high neighbouring hills, which was their seat,

  Down to the plain descended: by their guise

  Just men they seemed, and all their study bent

  To worship God aright, and know his works

  Not hid, nor those things last which might preserve

  580 Freedom and peace to men: they on the plain

  Long had not walked, when from the tents behold

  A bevy of fair women, richly gay

  In gems and wanton dress; to the harp they sung

  Soft amorous ditties, and in dance came on:

  585 The men though grave, eyed them, and let their eyes

  Rove without rein, till in the amorous net

  Fast caught, they liked, and each his liking chose;

  And now of love they treat till th’ ev’ning star

  Love’s harbinger appeared; then all in heat

  590 They light the nuptial torch, and bid invoke

  Hymen, then first to marriage rites invoked;

  With feast and music all the tents resound.

  Such happy interview and fair event

  Of love and youth not lost, songs, garlands, flow’rs,

  595 And charming symphonies attached the heart

  Of Adam, soon inclined to admit delight,

  The bent of nature; which he thus expressed.

  True opener of mine eyes, prime angel blest,

  Much better seems this vision, and more hope

  600 Of peaceful days portends, than those two past;

  Those were of hate and death, or pain much worse,

  Here nature seems fulfilled in all her ends.

  To whom thus Michael. Judge not what is best

  By pleasure, though to nature seeming meet,

  605 Created, as thou art, to nobler end

  Holy and pure, conformity divine.

  Those tents thou saw’st so pleasant, were the tents

  Of wickedness, wherein shall dwell his race

  Who slew his brother; studious they appear

  610 Of arts that polish life, inventors rare,

  Unmindful of their Maker, though his Spirit

  Taught them, but they his gifts acknowledged none.

  Yet they a beauteous offspring shall beget;

  For that fair female troop thou saw’st, that seemed

  615 Of goddesses, so blithe, so smooth, so gay,

  Yet empty of all good wherein consists

  Woman’s domestic honour and chief praise;

  Bred only and completed to the taste

  Of lustful appetence, to sing, to dance,

  620 To dress, and troll the tongue, and roll the eye.

  To these that sober race of men whose lives

  Religious titled them the sons of God,

  Shall yield up all their virtue, all their fame

  Ignobly, to the trains and to the smiles

  625 Of these fair atheists, and now swim in joy,

  (Erelong to swim at large) and laugh; for which

  The world erelong a world of tears must weep.

  To whom thus Adam of short joy bereft.

  O pity and shame, that they who to live well

  630 Entered so fair, should turn aside to tread

  Paths indirect, or in the mid-way faint!

  But still I see the tenor of man’s woe

  Holds on the same, from woman to begin.

  From man’s effeminate slackness it begins,

  635 Said th’ angel, who should better hold his place

  By wisdom, and superior gifts received.

  But now prepare thee for another scene.

  He looked and saw wide territory spread

  Before him, towns, and rural works between,

  640 Cities of men with lofty gates and tow’rs,

  Concourse in arms, fierce faces threat’ning war,

  Giants of mighty bone, and bold emprise;

  Part wield their arms, part curb the foaming steed,

  Single or in array of battle ranged

  645 Both horse and foot, nor idly must’ring stood;

  One way a band select from forage drives

  A herd of beeves, fair oxen and fair kine

  From a fat meadow ground; or fleecy flock,

  Ewes and their bleating lambs over the plain,

  650 Their booty; scarce with life the shepherds fly,

  But call in aid, which makes a bloody fray;

  With cruel tournament the squadrons join;

  Where cattle pastured late, now scattered lies

  With carcasses and arms th’ ensanguined field

  655 Deserted: others to a city strong

  Lay siege, encamped; by battery, scale, and mine,

  Assaulting; others from the wall defend

  With dart and jav’lin, stones and sulphurous fire;

  On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.

  660 In other part the sceptred heralds call

  To council in the city gates: anon

  Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mixed,

  Assemble, and harangues are heard, but soon

  In factious opposition, till at last

  665 Of middle age one rising, eminent

  In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong,

  Of justice, of religion, truth and peace,

  And judgement from above: him old and young

  Exploded, and had seized with
violent hands,

  670 Had not a cloud descending snatched him thence

  Unseen amid the throng: so violence

  Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law

  Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.

  Adam was all in tears, and to his guide

  675 Lamenting turned full sad; O what are these,

  Death’s ministers, not men, who thus deal death

  Inhumanly to men, and multiply

  Ten thousandfold the sin of him who slew

  His brother; for of whom such massacre

  680 Make they but of their brethren, men of men?

  But who was that just man, whom had not Heav’n

  Rescued, had in his righteousness been lost?

  To whom thus Michael. These are the product

  Of those ill-mated marriages thou saw’st:

  685 Where good with bad were matched, who of themselves

  Abhor to join; and by imprudence mixed,

  Produce prodigious births of body or mind.

  Such were these giants, men of high renown;

  For in those days might only shall be admired,

  690 And valour and heroic virtue called;

  To overcome in battle, and subdue

  Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite

  Manslaughter, shall be held the highest pitch

  Of human glory, and for glory done

  695 Of triumph, to be styled great conquerors,

  Patrons of mankind, gods, and sons of gods,

  Destroyers rightlier called and plagues of men.

  Thus fame shall be achieved, renown on earth,

  And what most merits fame in silence hid.

  700 But he the seventh from thee, whom thou beheld’st

  The only righteous in a world perverse,

  And therefore hated, therefore so beset

  With foes for daring single to be just,

  And utter odious truth, that God would come

  705 To judge them with his saints: him the Most High

  Rapt in a balmy cloud with wingèd steeds

  Did, as thou saw’st, receive to walk with God

  High in salvation and the climes of bliss,

  Exempt from death, to show thee what reward

  710 Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;

  Which now direct thine eyes and soon behold.

  He looked, and saw the face of things quite changed;

  The brazen throat of war had ceased to roar,

  All now was turned to jollity and game,

  715 To luxury and riot, feast and dance,

  Marrying or prostituting, as befell,

  Rape or adultery, where passing fair

  Allured them; thence from cups to civil broils.

  At length a reverend sire among them came,

  720 And of their doings great dislike declared,

  And testified against their ways; he oft