Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/268

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��PARADISE LOST

��My motions in him ; longer than they move, His heart I know how variable and vain, Self-left. Lest, therefore, his now bolder

hand

Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat, And live for ever, dream at least to live For ever, to remove him I decree, And send him from the Garden forth, to

till

The ground whence he was taken, fitter soil. Michael, this my behest have thou in charge : Take to thee from among the Cherubim :oo Thy choice of flaming warriors, lest the

Fiend,

Or in behalf of Man, or to invade Vacant possession, some new trouble raise; Haste thee, and from the Paradise of God Without remorse drive out the sinful pair, From hallowed ground the unholy, and de- nounce

To them, and to their progeny, from thence Perpetual banishment. Yet, lest they faint At the sad sentence rigorously urged (For I behold them softened, and with

tears 1 10

Bewailing their excess), all terror hide. If patiently thy bidding they obey, Dismiss them not disconsolate ; reveal To Adam what shall come in future days, As I shall thee enlighten ; intermix My covenant in the Woman's seed re- newed. So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet

in peace;

And on the east side of the Garden place, Where entrance up from Eden easiest

climbs, 1 19

Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame Wide-waving, all approach far off to fright, And guard all passage to the Tree of Life; Lest Paradise a receptacle prove To Spirits foul, and all my trees their prey, With whose stolen fruit Man once more to

delude." He ceased, and the Archangelic Power

prepared For swift descent; with him the cohort

bright

Of watchful Cherubim. Four faces each Had, like a double Janus; all their shape Spangled with eyes more numerous than

those 130

Of Argus, and more wakeful than to drowse, Charmed with Arcadian pipe, the pastoral

reed

��Of Hermes, or his opiate rod. Meanwhile, To resalute the World with sacred light, Leucothea waked, and with fresh dews im-

balmed The Earth, when Adam and first matron

Eve

Had ended now their orisons, and found Strength added from above, new hope to

spring

Out of despair, joy, but with fear yet linked; Which thus to Eve his welcome words re- newed: 140 " Eve, easily may faith admit that all The good which we enjoy from Heaven de- scends; But that from us aught should ascend to

Heaven

So prevalent as to concern the mind Of God high-blest, or to incline his will, Hard to belief may seem. Yet this will

prayer,

Or one short sigh of human breath, up- borne Even to the seat of God. For, since I

sought

By prayer the offended Deity to appease, Kneeled and before him humbled all my heart, 150

Methought I saw him placable and mild, Bending his ear; persuasion in me grew That I was heard with favour; peace re- turned

Home to my breast, and to my memory His promise that thy seed shall bruise our

Foe; Which, then not minded in dismay, yet

now

Assures me that the bitterness of death Is past, and we shall live. Whence hail to

thee !

Eve rightly called, Mother of all Mankind,

Mother of all things living, since by thee 160

Man is to live, and all things live for Man."

To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour

meek:

" Ill-worthy I such title should belong To me transgressor, who, for thee ordained A help, became thy snare; to me reproach Rather belongs, distrust and all dispraise. But infinite in pardon was my Judge, That I, who first brought death on all, am

graced

The source of life ; next favourable thou, Who highly thus to entitle me voutsaf 'st, 170 Far other name deserving. But the field

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