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05 - Paradise Lost - John Milton · Sacred Texts Archive

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Book four, Part one. Oh for that warning voice which he who saw
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the apocalypse heard cry in heaven aloud, than when the dragon put to second
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route, came furious down to be revenged on men. Woe to the inhabitants
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on earth, that now, while time was our first parents had been mourn'd
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the coming of their secret foe, and scap'd happily, So scap'd his mortal
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snare. For now Satan, now first, inflamed with rage, came down
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the tempter ere, the accuser of mankind, to wreck on innocent frail man
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his loss of that first battle and his flight to Hell. Yet, not
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rejoicing in his speed, though bold, far off and fearless, nor with
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cause to boast, begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth. Now
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rolling boils in his tumultuous breast, and like a devilish engine back recoils upon
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himself. Horror and doubt distract his troubled thoughts, and from the bottom stir
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the hell within him. For within him hell he brings, and round about
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him. Nor from Hell one step no more than from himself, can fly
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by change of place. Now conscience wakes despair that slumbered wakes the bitter memory
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of what he was, what is, and what must be worse. Of
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worse deeds, worse sufferings must ensue, sometimes towards Eden, which now in
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his view lay pleasant. His grieved look he fixes sad, sometimes towards Heaven
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and the full blazing Sun, which now sat high in his meridian tower.
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Then much revolving, thus in size, began O Thou, that, with
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surpassing glory, crowned lookest from thy sole dominion, like the god of this
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new world, at whose sight all the stars hide their diminished heads. To
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THEE, I call, but with no friendly voice, and add thy name,
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O Sun, to tell THEE how I hate thy beams that bring to
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my remembrance from what state I fell, how glorious once above thy sphere,
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till pride and worse ambition threw me down, warring in heaven against Heaven's matchless
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king Ah. Wherefore he deserved no such return from me, whom he created
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what I was, in that bright eminence, and with his good upbraid none.
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Nor was his service hard. What could be less than to afford him
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praise the easiest, recompensed, and pay him thanks. How do yet all
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his good proved ill in me and wrought, But malice lifted up so high.
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I feigned subjection, and thought one step higher would set me highest,
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and in a moment quit the debt immense of endless gratitude, so burdensome,
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still paying still to owe, forgetful what from him I still received, and
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understood not that a grateful mind by owing owes not but still pays at once
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indebted and discharged what burden? Then? Now had his powerful destiny ordained me
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some inferior angel I had stood then happy, no un bounded hope had raised
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ambition. Yet why not some other power as great might have aspired, and
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me, though mean, drawn to his part? But other powers as great,
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fell not, but stand unshaken from within or from without, to all
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temptations, armed, hadst thou the same free will and power to stand Thou
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hadst whom hast thou then? Or what to accuse? But Heaven's free love
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dealt equally to all. Be then his love accursed, Since love or hate
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to me alike it deals eternal woe. Nay cursed be thou, since against
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his thy will chose freely what it now so justly ruse me miserable. Which
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way shall I fly infinite wrath and infinite despair? Which way I fly?
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Is hell? Myself am hell? And in the lowest deep, A lower
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deep, still threatening to devour me, opens wide, to which the hell
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I suffer seems a heaven. Oh, then at last relent. Is there
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no place left for repentance, none for pardon left, None left but by
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submission, And that word disdain forbids me and my dread of shame among the
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spirits beneath whom I seduced with other promises and other vaunts, than to submit,
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boasting I could subdue the omnipotent I me. They little know how dearly
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I abide that boast, so vain under what torments inwardly I groan while they
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adore me on the throne of hell, with diadem and scepter, high advanced
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the lower still I fall only supreme in misery such joy ambition finds. But
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say I could repent, and could obtain by act of grace my former state.
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How soon would height recall high thoughts? How soon unsay what feigned submission
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swore ease would recant vows made in pain as violent and void? For never
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can true reconcilement grow where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep, which
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would but lead me to a worse relapse and heavier fall. So should I
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purchase dear short intermission bought with double smart This knows my punisher. Therefore,
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as far from granting he, as I from begging peace, all hope excluded.
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Thus behold instead of us outcast, exiled, his new delight Mankind created
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and for him this world. So farewell, hope, and with hope,
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farewell fear, farewell, remorse. All good to me is lost. Evil,
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be thou my good by thee at least divided empire with Heaven's king,
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I hold by thee, and more than half perhaps will reign as man ere
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long, and this new world shall know. Thus while he spake, each
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passion dimmed his face thrice changed with pale, ire, envy, and despair,
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which marred his borrowed visage and betrayed him counterfeit, if any eye beheld
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for heavenly minds from such distempers, foul are ever clear. Whereof he soon
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aware each perturbation smoothed with outward calm, artificer of fraud, and was the
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first that practiced falsehood under saintly show deep malice to conceal couched with revenge.
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Yet not enough had practiced to deceive. Uriel once warned, whose eye pursued
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him down the way he went, and on the Assyrian mount saw him disfigured
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more than could befall spirit of happy sort, his gestures fierce, he marked,
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and mad demeanor. Then alone, as he supposed, all observed unseen,
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So on he fares, and to the border comes of evil, where
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delicious Paradise now nearer crowns with her enclosure green as with a rural mound,
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the champagne head of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides, with thicket overgrown,
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grotesque and wild access denied, and overhead up grew insuperable height of loftiest
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shade, cedar and pine and fir and branching palm, a sylvan scene,
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and as the ranks ascend, shade above shade, a woody theater of stateliest
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view, yet higher than their tops, the verduous wall of Paradise upsprung,
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which to our general sire gave prospect large into his nether empire, neighboring round
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and higher than that wall, a circling row of goodliest trees, loaden with
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fairest fruit, blossoms and fruit at once of golden hue appeared with gay enameled
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colors mixed, on which the sun more glad impress'd his beams than in fair
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evening cloud or humid bow. When God hath showered the earth, so lovely
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seemed that landscape, and of pure now purer air meets his approach, and
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to the heart inspires vernal delight and joy, able to drive all sadness.
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But despare now gentle gales, fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense native perfumes and
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whisper whence they stole those balmy spoils, as when to them who sail beyond
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the Cape of Hope, and now are past Mozambique. Off at sea,
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northeast winds blow sabian odors from the spicy shore of Araby, the blest with
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such delay, well pleased, they slack their course, and many a league
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cheer'd the grateful smell old ocean smiles so entertained those odorous sweets. The fiend
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who came their bane, though with them, better pleased than as Modius with
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the fishy fume that drove him, though enamored from the spouse of Tobit's son,
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and with a vengeance sent from media post to Egypt. There fast bound
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now to the ascent of that steep savage hill, Satan had journeyed on pensive
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and slow, but further away found none so thick and twined as one continued
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to break the undergrowth of shrubs and tangling bushes, had perplexed all path of
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man or beast that passed that way. One gait there only was, and
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that looked east on the other side, which when the archvillain saw dew entrance,
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he disdays and in contempt at one slight bound high over, leaped all
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bound of hill or highest wall, and shear within lights on his feet.
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As when a prowling wolf whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey watching,
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where shepherds pen their flocks at eve in hurdled coats amid the field secure
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leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold, Or as a thief bent
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to unhoard the cash of some rich burgher whose substantial doors cross barred and bolted
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fast fear no assault in at the window climbs or o'er the tiles, so
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clumb this first grand thief into God's fold. So since into his church lewd
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hirelings climb fence up he flew, and on the tree of life, the
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middle tree and highest there that grew, sat like a cormorant. Yet not
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true life thereby regained, but sat, devising death to them who lived.
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Nor on the virtue thought of that life giving plant, but only used for
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prospect what well used had been the pledge of immortality. So little knows any
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but God alone to value right the good before him, but perverts best things
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to worst abuse, or to their meanest use. Beneath him with new wonder.
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Now he views to all delight of human sense exposed in narrow room,
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Nature's whole wealth. Yea more a heaven on earth for blissful paradise of God.
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The garden was by him in the east of Eden. Planted. Eden
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stretched her line from Arran eastward to the royal towers of Great Silutia, built
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by Grecian kings, or where the suns of Eden long before dwelt into Lasar.
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In this pleasant soil his far more pleasant garden God ordained out of the
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fertile ground he caused to grow all trees of noblest kind for sight, smell,
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taste, and all amid them stood the tree of life, high,
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eminent, blooming, ambrosial frut of vegetable gold, and next to life our
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death. The tree of knowledge grew fast by knowledge of good, bought deer
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by knowing ill. Southward through Eden went a river large, nor changed his
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course, but through the shaggy hill passed underneath, engulfed. For God had
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thrown that mounta mountain as his garden moled high raysed upon the rapid current,
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which, through veins of porous earth, with kindly thirst up drawn, rose
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a fresh fountain, and with many a rill watered the garden. Thence united,
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fell down the steep glade and met the nether flood, which, from
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his darksome passage now appears, and now divided into four main streams, runs
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diverse, wandering many a famous realm and country, whereof here needs no account,
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but rather to tell how, if art could tell how From that sapphire
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fount, the crisped brooks, rolling on orient pearl and sands of gold,
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with maizy error under pendent shades ran nectar visiting each plant and fed flowers worthy
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of paradise, which not nice art in beds and curious nights, but nature
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boon powered forth profuse on hill and dale and plain, both where the morning
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sun first warmly smote the open field, and where the unpierced shade imbrown'd the
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noontide bowers. Thus was this place a happy rural seat of various view groves,
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whose rich trees wept, odorous gums and balm, others whose fruit burnish'd
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with golden rind, hung amiable Hesperian fables true if true here only, and
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of delicious taste betwixt them. Lawns or level downs, and flocks grazing the
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tender herb were interposed, or palmy hillock, or the flowery lap of some
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irriguous valley spread her store flowers of all hue and without thorn, the rose
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another side umbrigeous grots, and caves of cool recess, or which the mantling
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vine lays forth her purple grape and gently creeps luxuriant. Meanwhile, murmuring waters
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fall down the slope hills dispersed, or in a lake that to the fringed
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bank, with myrtle crowned her crystal mirror holds unite their streams, the birds
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their choir, apply airs, vernal airs, breathing the smell of field and
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grove attune their trembling leaves, while universal pan knit with the graces and the
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hours in dance led on the eternal spring. Not that fair field of Anna,
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where proserpine gathering flowers herself a fairer flower by gloomy dis was gathered,
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which cost Series all that pain to seek her through the world. Nor that
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sweet grove of Daphne, by orants and the inspired Castalian spring might with this
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paradise of Eden's drive, Nor that Nician isle girt with the river Triton,
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where old cham whom gentiles Amon call and Libyan jove hid Amalthea and her florid
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sun young Bacchus from his step Dame Rhea's eye. Nor were abysin kings their
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issue guard Mount Amora, though this by some supposed true paradise under the ethiop
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line by Nilis's head, enclos'd with shining rock, a whole day's journey high
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but wide, remote from this Assyrian garden where the fiend saw undelighted all delight,
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all kind of living creatures new to sight and strange, two of far
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nobler shape, erect and tall, godlike, erect, with native honor,
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clad in naked majesty, seem'd lords of all and worthy, seemed for in
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their looks divine the image of their glorious maker, shone truth, wisdom,
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sanctitude, severe and pure, severe, but in true filial freedom placed whence
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true authority in men, though both not equal as their sex, not equal,
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seem'd for contemplation, he and valor formed for softness, she and sweet
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attractive grace, He for God only, she for God In him. His
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fair, large front and eye sublime declared absolute rule, and hyacinthine locks round
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from his parted forelock, manly hung, clustering, but not beneath his shoulders.
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Broad, she as a veil down to the slender waist. Her unadorned
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golden tresses wore dishevel'd, but in wanton ringlets, waved as the vine curls
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her tendrils, which implied subjection, but requir'd with gentle sway, and by
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her yielded by him best receiv'd, yielded with coy submission, modest pride,
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and sweet reluctant amorous delay, nor those mysterious parts were then conceal'd. Then
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was not guilty shame, dishonest, shame of nature's works, honor, dishonorable
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sin bread. How have ye troubled all mankind with shows? Instead mere shows
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of seeming pure and banished from man's life his happiest life, simplicity and spotless
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innocence. So passed they naked on, nor shunn'd the sight of God or
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Angel, for they thought no ill. So hand in hand they passed the
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loveliest pair that ever since, in love's embraces, met Adam, the goodliest
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man of men since born his sons, the fairest of her daughter's eve,
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under a tuft of shade that on a green stood whispering soft by a fresh
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fountain side. They sat them down, and, after no more toil of
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their sweet gardening labor than sufficed to recommend Cool's effort, and made ease more
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easy, wholesome, thirst and appetite more grateful to their supper fruits, they
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fell nectarin fruits, which the compliant boughs yielded them side long as they sat
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recline on the soft, downy bank, damasked with flowers, the savory pulp
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they chew, and in the rind still as they thirsted scoop the brimming stream.
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Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as
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Bessiem's fair couple linked in happy nuptial league alone as they about them frisking played
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all beasts of the earth since wild, and of all chas in wood or
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wilderness, forest or den sporting. The lion ramped and in his paw dandled
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the kid bears, tigers, ounces, pards, gamboled before them the unwieldy
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elephant to make them mirth, used all his might and wreathed his lithe proboscis
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close. The serpent sly insinuating, wove with Gordian twine his bearded train,
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and of his fatal guile gave proof unheeded. Others on the grass, couched
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and now filled with pasture, grazing sat or bedward, ruminating for the sun
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declined. Was hasting, now with prone career to the ocean aisles, and
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in the ascending scale of heaven the stars that usher evening rose when Satan still
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in gaze, as first he stood scarce, thus at length failed speech recovered
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sad, Oh, Hell, what do mine eyes with grief behold into our
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room of bliss? Thus high advanced creatures of other mold earth born, perhaps
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not spirits yet to heavenly spirits, bright little inferior, whom my thoughts pursue
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with wonder and could love so lively, shines in them divine resemblance, and
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such grace the hand that formed them on their shape hath poured. Ah,
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gentle pair, Ye little think how nigh your chain approaches, when all these
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delights will vanish and deliver ye to woe, more woe, the more your
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taste is now of joy, happy, but for so happy, ill secured,
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long to continue, And this high seat your heaven, ill fenced for
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heaven to keep out such a foe as now is enter'd. Yet no purposed
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foe to you, whom I could pity. Thus forlorn, though I unpitied,
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league with you I seek, and mutual amity so straight, so close,
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that I with you must dwell, or you with me. Henceforth,
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my dwelling, haply may not please like this fair paradise your sense, Yet
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such except your maker's work He gave it me, which I as freely give
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Hell shall un unfolds to entertain you to her widest gaits, and send forth
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all her kings. There will be room, not like these narrow limits,
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to receive your numerous offspring, if no better place. Thank him who puts
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me loath to this revenge on you who wronged me, not for him who
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wronged And should I, at your harmless innocence melt as I do yet public
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reason, just honor and empire, with revenge enlarged by conquering this new world,
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compels me now to do what else, Though damned I should abhor,
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So spake the fiend, and with necessity the tyrants plea excused his devilish deeds.
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Then, from his lofty stand on that high tree, down he alights
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among the sportful, heard of those four footed kinds, himself now one now
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other, as their shape serv'd best his end nearer to view his prey,
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and unespied to mark what of their state he more might learn by word or
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action, mark'd about them round a lion. Now he stalks with fiery glare,
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Then as a tiger who by chance hath spied in some purlieu. Two
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gentle fawns at play, straight couches close then rising changes oft his couchant watch
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as one who chose his ground, whence rushing he might surest seize them both
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gripp'd in each paw, when adam first of men to first of women,
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eve, thus moving speech turn'd him all ear to hear new utterance flow.
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Soul, partner and sole part of all these joys. Dearer thyself than all
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needs, must the power that made us and for us this ample world,
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be infinitely good, and of His good, as liberal and free, as
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infinite, that raised us from the dust and placed us here in all this
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happiness, who at his hand have nothing merited, nor can perform aught.
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Whereof he hath need he who requires from us no other service than to keep
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this one, this easy charge. Of all the trees in Paradise that bear
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delicious fruit, so various, not to taste that only tree of knowledge,
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planted by the Tree of life, so near grows death to life, whate'er
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death is some dreadful thing, no doubt, for well thou know'st God hath
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pronounced it. Death to taste that tree the only sign of our obedience left
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among so many signs of power and rule conferred upon us, and dominion given
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over all other creatures that possess earth, air, and sea. Then let
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us not think hard one easy prohibition, who enjoy free leave so large to
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all things else, and choice unlimited of manifold delights. But let us ever
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praise him and extol his bounty, following our delightful task to prune these growing
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plants and tend these flowers, which were it toilsome, yet with THEE were
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sweet to whom. Thus Eve replied, O thou, for whom and from
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whom I was form'd flesh of thy flesh, and without whom am to no
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end my guide and head. What thou hast said is just and right for
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we to him. Indeed, all praises O and daily thanks, I chiefly,
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who enjoy so far the happier lot, enjoying THEE pre eminent by so
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much odds, While thou, like concert to thyself, canst nowhere find that
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day. I oft remember when from sleep I first awaked and found myself reposed
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under a shade on flowers, much wondering where and what I was, whence
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thither brought, and how not distant? Far from thence a murmuring sound of
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waters issued from a cave, and spread into a liquid plain, then stood
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unmoved, pure as the expense of heaven. I thither went with unexperienced thought,
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and laid me down on the green bank to look into the clear,
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smooth lake that to me seemed another sky. As I bent down to look,
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just opposite, a shape within the watery gleam appeared, bending to look
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on me. I started back. It started back, but pleased I soon
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returned. Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks of sympathy and love.
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There I had fixed mine eyes till now and pined with vain desire, had
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not a voice. Thus warned me, what thou seest, What there thou
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seest? Fair creature is thyself with THEE it came and goes. But follow
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me, and I will bring THEE where no shadow stays thy coming, and
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thy soft embraces he whose image thou art him. Thou shalt enjoy inseparably thine
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to him, shalt bear multitudes like thyself, And thence be call'd mother of
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human race. What could I do but follow straight invisibly, Thus led till
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I espied THEE fair indeed and tall under a platon, Yet methought less,
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fair less, winning soft, less amiably mild than that smooth, watery image.
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Back. I turn'd thou, following criest aloud, Return, fair Eve,
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whom fliest thou, whom thou fliest of him, Thou art his flesh,
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his bone, to give THEE. Being, I leant out of my
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side to THEE nearest my heart, substantial life, to have THEE by my
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side, henceforth an individual solace, dear part of my soul. I seek
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THEE, and THEE claim my other half. With that thy gentle hand seized
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mine I yielded. And from that time see how beauty is excell'd by manly
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grace and wisdom, which alone is truly fair. End of Book four, Part one