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��PARADISE LOST

��The pendulous round Earth with balanced

air 1000

In counterpoise, now ponders all events, Battles and realms. In these he put two

weights,

The sequel each of parting and of fight : The latter quick up flew, and kicked the

beam; Which Gabriel spying thus bespake the

Fiend: "Satan, I know thy strength, and thou

know'st mine, Neither our own, but given; what folly

then

��To boast what arms can do ! since thine no

more Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though

doubled now To trample thee as mire. For proof look

up, JOI

And read thy lot in yon celestial sign, Where thou art weighed, and shown how

light, how weak If thou resist." The Fiend looked up, and

knew

His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled Murmuring; and with him fled the shades

of Night.

��BOOK V

THE ARGUMENT

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her trou- blesome dream ; he likes it not, yet comforts her : they come forth to their day labours : their morning hymxi at the door of their bower. God, to render Man inex- cusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedi- ence, of his free estate, 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 Paradise ; his appearance described ; his coming discerned by Adam afar off, sitting at the door of his bower ; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise, got together by Eve ; their discourse at table. Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy ; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof ; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the North, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel, a seraph, who in argument dissuades and op- poses him, then forsakes him.

Now Morn, her rosy steps in the eastern

clime Advancing, sowed the earth with orient

pearl, When Adam waked, so customed; for his

sleep

Was aerie light, from pure digestion bred, And temperate vapours bland, which the

only sound

Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan, Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song Of birds on every bough. So much the

more

His wonder was to find unwakened Eve, With tresses discomposed, and glowing

cheek, 10

As through unquiet rest. He, on his side Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial

love

��Hung over her enamoured, and beheld Beauty which, whether waking or asleep, Shot forth peculiar graces ; then, with

voice

Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, Her hand soft touching, whispered thus :

" Awake,

My fairest, my espoused, my latest found, Heaven's last, best gift, my ever-new de- light ! Awake ! the morning shines, and the fresh

field 20

Calls us; we lose the prime to mark how

spring Our tended plants, how blows the citron

grove, What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy

reed,

How Nature paints her colours, how the bee

Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet."

Such whispering waked her, but with

startled eye On Adam; whom imbracing, thus she

spake : "O sole in whom my thoughts find all

repose,

My glory, my perfection ! glad I see Thy face, and morn returned; for I this

night 3

(Such night till this I never passed) have

dreamed,

If dreamed, not, as I oft am wont, of thee, Works of day past, or morrow's next de- sign;

But of offence and trouble, which my mind Knew never till this irksome night. Me-

thought Close at mine ear one called me forth to

walk

�� �