Against a rumour'd war, the smutty grain
With fudden blaze diffus'd, inflames the air ;
So started up in his own fhape the fiend.
Back stept those two fair angels, half amaz’d
So fudden to behold the grifly king;

Yet thus, unmov'd with fear, accost him soon.
Which of those rebel sp’rits adjudg’d to hell
Com't thou, efcap'd thy prifon? and transform'd,
Why fatt't thou like an enemy in wait,

Here watching at the head of these that sleep?
Know ye not then, said Satan, fill'd with scorn,
Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate
For you, there fitting where ye durft not foar:
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown,
The lowest of your throng; or if ye knew,
Why afk ye, and fuperfluous begin

Your meffage, like to end as much in vain ?

820

825

830

835

840

To whom thus Zephon, anfwering fcorn with fcorn. Think not, revolted fp'rit, thy shape the fame Or undiminish'd brightness to be known, As when thou ftood'st in heav'n upright and pure; That glory then, when thou no more waft good, Departed from thee; and thou resembl'st now Thy fin and place of doom obfcure and foul. But come, for thou, be sure, shalt give account To him who fent us, whofe charge is to keep This place inviolable, and these from harm. So fpake the Cherub; and his grave rebuke, Severe in youthful beauty, added grace Invincible: abash'd the devil stood, And felt how awful goodnefs is, and faw Virtue in her fhape how lovely; faw, and pin'd His lofs: but chiefly to find here observ'd His luftre vifibly impair'd; yet feem'd Undaunted. If I must contend, said he, Peft with the best, the fender not the fent, 11 at once more glory will be won, be loft. Thy fear, faid Zephon bold,

845

850

ve us trial what the leaft can do

855

gainst the wicked, and thence weak.

end reply'd not, overcome with rage;

860

But like a proud fteed rein'd, went haughty on,
Champing his iron curb: to strive or fly
He held it vain; awe from above had quell'd
His heart, nor elfe difmay'd. Now drew they nigh
The western point, where thofe half-rounding guards
Juft met, and clofing stood in fquadron join'd,
Awaiting next command. To whom their chief,
Gabriel from the front thus call'd aloud.

O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hafting this way, and now by glimpfe difcern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the fhade;
And with them comes a third of regal port,
But faded splendor wan; who by his gait
And fierce demeanor, feems the prince of hell,
Not likely to part hence without conteft;
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.

865

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880

He fcarce had ended, when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found, How bufied, in what form and posture couch'd. 876 To whom with ftern regard thus Gabriel fpake. Why haft thou, Satan, broke the bounds prefcrib'd To thy tranfgreffions, and disturb'd the charge Of others, who approve not to tranfgrefs By thy example, but have pow'r and right To queftion thy bold entrance on this place; Employ'd, it feems, to violate fleep, and those Whofe dwellings God hath planted here in blifs? To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow, 885 Gabriel, thou hadst in heav'n th' esteem of wife, And fuch I held thee; but this question afk'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell, Tho' thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyfelf, no doubt, And boldly venture to whatever place Fartheft from pain, where thou might'll hope to change Torment with ease, and foonest recompenfe Dole with delight, which in this place I fought; To thee no reafon, who know't only good, But evil haft not try'd, and wilt object His will who bound us: let him furer bar His iron gates, if he intends our stay

891

895

Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends

Her bearded groves of ears, which way the wind
Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting ftands,
Left on the threshing floor his hopeful fheaves
Prove chaff. On th' other fide, Satan alarm'd
Collecting all his might, dilated ftood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:

985

His ftature reach'd the sky, and on his creft

Sat horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp

What feem'd both spear and shield. Now dreadful deeds Might have enfu’'d; not only Paradise

991

In this commotion, but the starry cope

Of heav'n perhaps, or all the elements,

At least had gone to wrack, disturb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not foon
Th' Eternal, to prevent fuch horrid fray,
Hung forth in heav'n his golden fcales, yet feen
Betwixt Aftrea and the Scorpion sign,
Wherein all things created firft he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth with balanc'd air
In counterpoife, now ponders all events,
Battles and realms: In thefe he put two weights,
The fequel each of parting and of fight;

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1000

The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam;
Which Gabriel fpying, thus bespoke the fiend. 1005
Satan, I know thy ftrength, and thou know'st mine,
Neither our own, but giv'n; what folly then
To boast what arms can do ? fince thine no more
Than heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celestial fign,

1010

Where thou art weigh'd, and fhewn how light, how weak,

If thou refift. The fiend look'd up, and knew

His mounted scale aloft: no more; but fled

Murm'ring, and with him fled the fhades of night. 1015

END OF THE FOURTH BOOK.

PARADISE LOST.

воок

THE ARGUMENT.

V.

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her: they come forth to their day-labours: their morning hymn at the door of their bower: God, to render man inexcufable, fends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free eftate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradife, his appearance defcribed, his coming difcerned by Adam afar off, fitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choiceft fruits of Paradife got together by Eve; their difcourfe at table: Raphael performs his message; minds Adam of his fiate and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be fo, beginning from his firft revolt in heaven, and the occafion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, perfuading all but only Abdiel a Seraph, who in argument diffuades and oppofes him, then forfakes him.

NOW

OW Morn, her rofy steps in th' eastern clime Advancing, fow'd th' earth with orient pearl, When Adam wak'd; fo custom'd; for his fleep Was airy light from pure digeftion bred,

And temp'rate vapours bland, which th' only found
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly difpers'd, and the fhrill mating fong
Of birds on ev'ry bough; so much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With treffes difcompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet reft: he, on his fide

6

10

Leaning half rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which whether waking or afleep
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand foft touching, whisper'd thus. Awake,
My faireft, my efpous'd, my latest found,
Heav'n's laft beft gift, my ever new delight,
Awake: the morning fhines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lofe the prime, to mark how fpring
Our tended plants, how blows the citron grove,
What drops the mirrh, and what the balmy reed,
How nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid fweet.

Such whisp'ring wak'd her, but with startled eye
On Adam; whom embracing, thus fhe fpake.

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20

25

30

O fole in whom my thoughts find all repose,
My glory, my perfection, glad I fee
Thy face, and morn return'd: for I this night
(Such night till this I never pafs'd) have dream'd,
If dream'd, not, as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day paft, or morrow's next defign;
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
Knew never till this irkfome night: methought 35
Clofe at mine ear one call'd me forth to walk
With gentle voice: I thought it thine: it faid,
Why fleep'st thou Eve? now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the filent, fave where filence yields
To the night warbling bird, that now awake
Tunes fweeteft his love-labour'd fong; now reigns
Full orb'd the moon, and with more pleafing light
Shadowy fets off the face of things; in vain,
If none regard: heav'n wakes with all his eyes;
Whom to behold but thee, Nature's defire?
In whofe fight all things joy, with ravishment
Attracted by thy beauty ftill to gaze.

I rofe as at thy call, but found thee not;
To find thee I directed then my walk;

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45

And on, methought, alone I pafs'd through ways 50
That brought me on a fudden to the tree
Of interdicted knowledge: fair it seem'd,