Paradise Lost
Unbid, and thou shalt eate th’ Herb of th’ Field,
In the sweat of thy Face shalt thou eate 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 returne.
So judg’d he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent,
And th’ instant stroke of Death denounc’t that day
Remov’d farr off; then pittying how they stood
Before him naked to the aire, that now
Must suffer change, disdain’d not to begin
Thenceforth the forme of servant to assume,
As when he wash’d his servants feet, so now
As Father of his Familie he clad
Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts, or slain,
Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid;
And thought not much to cloath his Enemies:
Nor hee thir outward onely with the Skins
Of Beasts, but inward nakedness, much more
Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteousness,
Araying cover’d from his Fathers sight.
To him with swift ascent he up returnd,
Into his blissful bosom reassum’d
In glory as of old, to him appeas’d
All, though all-knowing, what had past with Man
Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.
Meanwhile ere thus was sin’d and judg’d on Earth,
Within the Gates of Hell sate Sin and Death,
In counterview within the Gates, that now
Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame
Farr into _Chaos_, since the Fiend pass’d through,
Sin opening, who thus now to Death began.
O Son, why sit we here each other viewing
Idlely, while Satan our great Author thrives
In other Worlds, and happier Seat provides
For us his ofspring deare? It cannot be
But that success attends him; if mishap,
Ere this he had return’d, with fury driv’n
By his Avenger, 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
Beyond this Deep; whatever drawes me on,
Or sympathie, or som connatural force
Powerful at greatest distance to unite
With secret amity things of like kinde
By secretest conveyance. Thou my Shade
Inseparable must with mee along:
For Death from Sin no power can separate.
But least the difficultie of passing back
Stay his returne perhaps over this Gulfe
Impassable, impervious, let us try
Adventrous work, yet to thy power and mine
Not unagreeable, to found a path
Over this Maine from Hell to that new World
Where Satan now prevailes, a Monument
Of merit high to all th’ infernal Host,
Easing thir passage hence, for intercourse,
Or transmigration, as thir lot shall lead.
Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn
By this new felt attraction and instinct.
Whom thus the meager Shadow answerd soon.
Goe whither Fate and inclination strong
Leads thee, I shall not lag behinde, nor erre
The way, thou leading, such a sent I draw
Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste
The savour of Death from all things there that live:
Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest
Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.
So saying, with delight he snuff’d the smell
Of mortal change on Earth. As when a flock
Of ravenous Fowl, though many a League remote,
Against the day of Battel, to a Field,
Where Armies lie encampt, come flying, lur’d
With sent of living Carcasses design’d
For death, the following day, in bloodie fight.
So sented the grim Feature, and upturn’d
His Nostril wide into the murkie Air,
Sagacious of his Quarrey from so farr.
Then Both from out Hell Gates into the waste
Wide Anarchie of _Chaos_ damp and dark
Flew divers, & with Power (thir Power was great)
Hovering upon the Waters; what they met
Solid or slimie, as in raging Sea
Tost up and down, together crowded drove
From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell.
As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse
Upon the _Cronian_ Sea, together drive
Mountains of Ice, that stop th’ imagin’d way
Beyond _Petsora_ Eastward, to the rich
_Cathaian_ Coast. The aggregated Soyle
Death with his Mace petrific, cold and dry,
As with a Trident smote, and fix’t 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 gather’d beach
They fasten’d, and the Mole immense wraught on
Over the foaming deep high Archt, a Bridge
Of length prodigious joyning to the Wall
Immoveable of this now fenceless world
Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad,
Smooth, easie, inoffensive down to Hell.
So, if great things to small may be compar’d,
_Xerxes_, the Libertie of _Greece_ to yoke,
From _Susa_ his _Memnonian_ Palace high
Came to the Sea, and over _Hellespont_
Bridging his way, _Europe_ with _Asia_ joyn’d,
And scourg’d with many a stroak th’ indignant waves.
Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art
Pontifical, a ridge of pendent Rock
Over the vext Abyss, following the track
Of _Satan_, to the selfsame place where hee
First lighted from his Wing, and landed safe
From out of _Chaos_ to the outside bare
Of this round World: with Pinns of Adamant
And Chains they made all fast, too fast they made
And durable; and now in little space
The Confines met of Empyrean Heav’n
And of this World, and on the left hand Hell
With long reach interpos’d; three sev’ral wayes
In sight, to each of these three places led.
And now thir way to Earth they had descri’d,
To Paradise first tending, when behold
_Satan_ in likeness of an Angel bright
Betwixt the _Centaure_ and the _Scorpion_ stearing
His _Zenith_, while the Sun in _Aries_ rose:
Disguis’d he came, but those his Children dear
Thir Parent soon discern’d, though in disguise.
Hee, after _Eve_ seduc’t, unminded slunk
Into the Wood fast by, and changing shape
To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act
By _Eve_, though all unweeting, seconded
Upon her Husband, saw thir shame that sought
Vain covertures; but when he saw descend
The Son of God to judge them, terrifi’d
Hee fled, not hoping to escape, but shun
The present, fearing guiltie what his wrauth
Might suddenly inflict; that past, return’d
By Night, and listning where the hapless Paire
Sate in thir sad discourse, and various plaint,
Thence gatherd his own doom, which understood
Not instant, but of future time. With joy
And tidings fraught, to Hell he now return’d,
And at the brink of _Chaos_, neer the foot
Of this new wondrous Pontifice, unhop’t
Met who to meet him came, his Ofspring dear.
Great joy was at thir meeting, and at sight
Of that stupendious Bridge his joy encreas’d.
Long hee admiring stood, till Sin, his faire
Inchanting Daughter, thus the silence broke.
O Parent, these are thy magnific deeds,
Thy Trophies, which thou view’st as not thine own,
Thou art thir Author and prime Architect:
For I no sooner in my Heart divin’d,
My Heart, which by a secret harmonie
Still moves with thine, joyn’d in connexion sweet,
That thou on Earth hadst prosper’d, 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:
Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds,
Nor this unvoyageable Gulf obscure
Detain from following thy illustrious track.
Thou hast atchiev’d our libertie, confin’d
Within Hell Gates till now, thou us impow’rd
To fortifie thus farr, and overlay
With this portentous Bridge the dark Abyss.
Thine now is all this World, thy vertue hath won
What thy hands builded not, thy Wisdom gain’d
With odds what Warr hath lost, and fully aveng’d
Our foile in Heav’n; here thou shalt Monarch reign,
There didst not; there let him still Victor sway,
As Battel hath adjudg’d, from this new World
Retiring, by his own doom alienated,
And henceforth Monarchie with thee divide
Of all things, parted by th’ Empyreal bounds,
His Quadrature, from thy Orbicular World,
Or trie thee now more dang’rous to his Throne.
Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answerd glad.
Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both,
High proof ye now have giv’n to be the Race
Of _Satan_ (for I glorie in the name,
Antagonist of Heav’ns Almightie King)
Amply have merited of me, of all
Th’ Infernal Empire, that so neer Heav’ns dore
Triumphal with triumphal act have met,
Mine with this glorious Work, & made one Realm
Hell and this World, one Realm, one Continent
Of easie thorough-fare. Therefore while I
Descend through Darkness, on your Rode with ease
To my associate Powers, them to acquaint
With these successes, and with them rejoyce,
You two this way, among those numerous Orbs
All yours, right down to Paradise descend;
There dwell & Reign in bliss, thence on the Earth
Dominion exercise and in the Aire,
Chiefly on Man, sole Lord of all declar’d,
Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.
My Substitutes I send ye, and Create
Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might
Issuing from mee: on your joynt vigor now
My hold of this new Kingdom all depends,
Through Sin to Death expos’d by my exploit.
If your joynt power prevaile, th’ affaires of Hell
No detriment need feare, goe and be strong.
So saying he dismiss’d them, they with speed
Thir course through thickest Constellations held
Spreading thir bane; the blasted Starrs lookt wan,
And Planets, Planet-strook, real Eclips
Then sufferd. Th’ other way _Satan_ went down
The Causey to Hell Gate; on either side
Disparted _Chaos_ over built exclaimd,
And with rebounding surge the barrs assaild,
That scorn’d his indignation: through the Gate,
Wide open and unguarded, _Satan_ pass’d,
And all about found desolate; for those
Appointed to sit there, had left thir charge,
Flown to the upper World; the rest were all
Farr to the inland retir’d, about the walls
Of _Pandemonium_, Citie and proud seate
Of _Lucifer_, so by allusion calld,
Of that bright Starr to _Satan_ paragond.
There kept thir Watch the Legions, while the Grand
In Council sate, sollicitous what chance
Might intercept thir Emperour sent, so hee
Departing gave command, and they observ’d.
As when the _Tartar_ from his _Russian_ Foe
By _Astracan_ over the Snowie Plaines
Retires, or _Bactrian_ Sophi from the hornes
Of _Turkish_ Crescent, leaves all waste beyond
The Realme of _Aladule_, in his retreate
To _Tauris_ or _Casbeen_. So these the late
Heav’n-banisht Host, left desert utmost Hell
Many a dark League, reduc’t in careful Watch
Round thir Metropolis, and now expecting
Each hour their great adventurer from the search
Of Forrein Worlds: he through the midst unmarkt,
In shew plebeian Angel militant
Of lowest order, past; and from the dore
Of that _Plutonian_ Hall, invisible
Ascended his high Throne, which under state
Of richest texture spred, at th’ upper end
Was plac’t in regal lustre. Down a while
He sate, and round about him saw unseen:
At last as from a Cloud his fulgent head
And shape Starr bright appeer’d, or brighter, clad
With what permissive glory since his fall
Was left him, or false glitter: All amaz’d
At that so sudden blaze the _Stygian_ throng
Bent thir aspect, and whom they wish’d beheld,
Thir mighty Chief returnd: loud was th’ acclaime:
Forth rush’d in haste the great consulting Peers,
Rais’d from thir dark _Divan_, and with like joy
Congratulant approach’d him, who with hand
Silence, and with these words attention won.
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers,
For in possession such, not onely of right,
I call ye and declare ye now, returnd
Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth
Triumphant out of this infernal Pit
Abominable, accurst, the house of woe,
And Dungeon of our Tyrant: Now possess,
As Lords, a spacious World, to our native Heaven
Little inferiour, by my adventure hard
With peril great atchiev’d. Long were to tell
What I have don, what sufferd, with what paine
Voyag’d the unreal, vast, unbounded deep
Of horrible confusion, over which
By Sin and Death a broad way now is pav’d
To expedite your glorious march; but I