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The only sign of our obedience left Among so many signes of power and rule Conferrd upon us, and Dominion giv'n 430 Over all other Creatures that possesse Earth, Aire, and Sea. Then let us not think hard One easie prohibition, who enjoy Free leave so large to all things else, and choice Unlimited of manifold delights: But let us ever praise him, and extoll His bountie, following our delightful task To prune these growing Plants, & tend these Flours, Which were it toilsom, yet with thee were sweet. To whom thus Eve repli'd. O thou for whom 440 And from whom I was formd flesh of thy flesh, And without whom am to no end, my Guide And Head, what thou hast said is just and right. For wee to him indeed all praises owe, And daily thanks, I chiefly who enjoy So farr the happier Lot, enjoying thee Preeminent by so much odds, while thou Like consort to thy self canst no where find. That day I oft remember, when from sleep I first awak't, and found my self repos'd 450 Under a shade on flours, much wondring where And what I was, whence thither brought, and how. Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound Of waters issu'd from a Cave and spread Into a liquid Plain, then stood unmov'd Pure as th' expanse of Heav'n; I thither went With unexperienc't thought, and laid me downe On the green bank, to look into the cleer Smooth Lake, that to me seemd another Skie. As I bent down to look, just opposite, 460 A Shape within the watry gleam appeerd Bending to look on me, I started back, It started back, but pleasd I soon returnd, Pleas'd it returnd as soon with answering looks Of sympathie and love, there I had fixt Mine eyes till now, and pin'd with vain desire, Had not a voice thus warnd me, What thou seest, What there thou seest fair Creature is thy self, With thee it came and goes: but follow me, And I will bring thee where no shadow staies 470 Thy coming, and thy soft imbraces, hee Whose image thou art, him thou shall enjoy Inseparablie thine, to him shalt beare
Multitudes like thy self, and thence be call'd Mother of human Race: what could I doe, But follow strait, invisibly thus led? Till I espi'd thee, fair indeed and tall, Under a Platan, yet methought less faire, Less winning soft, less amiablie milde, Then that smooth watry image; back I turnd, 480 Thou following cryd'st aloud, Return fair Eve, Whom fli'st thou? whom thou fli'st, of him thou art, His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent Out of my side to thee, neerest my heart Substantial Life, to have thee by my side Henceforth an individual solace dear; Part of my Soul I seek thee, and thee claim My other half: with that thy gentle hand Seisd mine, I yeilded, and from that time see How beauty is excelld by manly grace 490 And wisdom, which alone is truly fair. So spake our general Mother, and with eyes Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd, And meek surrender, half imbracing leand On our first Father, half her swelling Breast Naked met his under the flowing Gold Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight Both of her Beauty and submissive Charms Smil'd with superior Love, as Jupiter On Juno smiles, when he impregns the Clouds 500 That shed May Flowers; and press'd her Matron lip With kisses pure: aside the Devil turnd For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plaind. Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two Imparadis't in one anothers arms The happier Eden, shall enjoy thir fill Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust, Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire, Among our other torments not the least, 510 Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines; Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd >From thir own mouths; all is not theirs it seems: One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge call'd, Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidd'n? Suspicious, reasonless. Why should thir Lord Envie them that? can it be sin to know, Can it be death? and do they onely stand By Ignorance, is that thir happie state,
- Page 133 and 134: door Expos'd a Matron 1674. 530 fai
- Page 135 and 136: The Prison of his Tyranny who Reign
- Page 137 and 138: Devoid of sense and motion? and who
- Page 139 and 140: Forc't Halleluiah's; while he Lordl
- Page 141 and 142: Inflicted? and what peace can we re
- Page 143 and 144: Satan, whom now transcendent glory
- Page 145 and 146: Heard farr and wide, and all the ho
- Page 147 and 148: Medusa with Gorgonian terror guards
- Page 149 and 150: Strange horror seise thee, and pang
- Page 151 and 152: These yelling Monsters that with ce
- Page 153 and 154: With Horse and Chariots rankt in lo
- Page 155 and 156: Possesses lately, thither to arrive
- Page 157 and 158: THE ARGUMENT. God sitting on his Th
- Page 159 and 160: About him all the Sanctities of Hea
- Page 161 and 162: Fall circumvented thus by fraud, th
- Page 163 and 164: Life in my self for ever, by thee I
- Page 165 and 166: And after all thir tribulations lon
- Page 167 and 168: Though distant farr som small refle
- Page 169 and 170: Who after came from Earth, sayling
- Page 171 and 172: Of colour glorious and effect so ra
- Page 173 and 174: Had in remembrance alwayes with del
- Page 175 and 176: Far off and fearless, nor with caus
- Page 177 and 178: Of us out-cast, exil'd, his new del
- Page 179 and 180: To them who liv'd; nor on the vertu
- Page 181 and 182: In naked Majestie seemd Lords of al
- Page 183: To entertain you two, her widest Ga
- Page 187 and 188: More of th' Almighties works, and c
- Page 189 and 190: This glorious sight, when sleep hat
- Page 191 and 192: Haile wedded Love, mysterious Law,
- Page 193 and 194: To him who sent us, whose charge is
- Page 195 and 196: Through wayes of danger by himself
- Page 197 and 198: BOOK V. THE ARGUMENT. Morning appro
- Page 199 and 200: Forbidd'n here, it seems, as onely
- Page 201 and 202: Angels, for yee behold him, and wit
- Page 203 and 204: Through all th' Empyreal road; till
- Page 205 and 206: She crushes, inoffensive moust, and
- Page 207 and 208: Of real hunger, and concoctive heat
- Page 209 and 210: Our voluntarie service he requires,
- Page 211 and 212: Of Planets and of fixt in all her W
- Page 213 and 214: Among the sons of Morn, what multit
- Page 215 and 216: The current of his fury thus oppos'
- Page 217 and 218: His Loyaltie he kept, his Love, his
- Page 219 and 220: Fearless assault, and to the brow o
- Page 221 and 222: All are not of thy Train; there be
- Page 223 and 224: Of Battel, open when, and when to c
- Page 225 and 226: All his right side; then Satan firs
- Page 227 and 228: Not to be overpowerd, Companions de
- Page 229 and 230: Th' originals of Nature in thir cru
- Page 231 and 232: And to thir foes a laughter; for in
- Page 233 and 234: Warr wearied hath perform'd what Wa
Multitudes like thy self, and thence be call'd<br />
Mother of human Race: what could I doe,<br />
But follow strait, invisibly thus led?<br />
Till I espi'd thee, fair indeed and tall,<br />
Under a Platan, yet methought less faire,<br />
Less winning soft, less amiablie milde,<br />
Then that smooth watry image; back I turnd, 480<br />
Thou following cryd'st aloud, Return fair Eve,<br />
Whom fli'st thou? whom thou fli'st, of him thou art,<br />
His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent<br />
Out of my side to thee, neerest my heart<br />
Substantial Life, to have thee by my side<br />
Henceforth an individual solace dear;<br />
Part of my Soul I seek thee, and thee claim<br />
My other half: with that thy gentle hand<br />
Seisd mine, I yeilded, and from that time see<br />
How beauty is excelld by manly grace 490<br />
And wisdom, which alone is truly fair.<br />
So spake our general Mother, and with eyes<br />
Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,<br />
And meek surrender, half imbracing leand<br />
On our first Father, half her swelling Breast<br />
Naked met his under the flowing Gold<br />
Of her loose tresses hid: he in delight<br />
Both of her Beauty and submissive Charms<br />
Smil'd with superior Love, as Jupiter<br />
On Juno smiles, when he impregns the Clouds 500<br />
That shed May Flowers; and press'd her Matron lip<br />
With kisses pure: aside the Devil turnd<br />
For envie, yet with jealous leer maligne<br />
Ey'd them askance, and to himself thus plaind.<br />
Sight hateful, sight tormenting! thus these two<br />
Imparadis't in one anothers arms<br />
The happier Eden, shall enjoy thir fill<br />
Of bliss on bliss, while I to Hell am thrust,<br />
Where neither joy nor love, but fierce desire,<br />
Among our other torments not the least, 510<br />
Still unfulfill'd with pain of longing pines;<br />
Yet let me not forget what I have gain'd<br />
>From thir own mouths; all is not theirs it seems:<br />
One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge call'd,<br />
Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidd'n?<br />
Suspicious, reasonless. Why should thir Lord<br />
Envie them that? can it be sin to know,<br />
Can it be death? and do they onely stand<br />
By Ignorance, is that thir happie state,