On me let Thine anger fall;

238

      

Account2514 me man. I for his sake will leave

239

      

Thy bosom, and this glory next to Thee

240

      

Freely put off, and for him lastly2515 die

241

      

Well pleased. On me let Death wreak2516 all his rage.

242

      

Under his gloomy power I shall not long

243

      

Lie vanquished. Thou hast giv’n me to possess

244

      

Life in myself forever. By Thee I live,

245

      

Though now to Death I yield, and am his due2517

246

      

(All that of me can die), yet that debt paid,

247

      

Thou wilt not leave me in the loathsome grave

248

      

His prey, nor suffer my unspotted soul

249

      

Forever with corruption there to dwell,

250

      

But I shall rise victorious, and subdue

251

      

My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted 2518 spoil.

252

      

Death his Death’s wound shall then receive, and stoop2519

253

      

Inglorious, of his mortal sting disarmed.

254

      

I through the ample2520 air in triumph high

255

      

Shall lead Hell captive maugre2521 Hell, and show2522

256

      

The powers of darkness bound. Thou, at the sight

257

      

Pleased, out of Heaven shalt look down and smile,

258

      

While, by Thee raised, I ruin2523 all my foes,

259

      

Death last, and with his carcass glut2524 the grave.

260

      

Then with the multitude of my redeemed

261

      

Shall enter Heav’n, long absent, and return,

262

      

Father, to see Thy face, wherein no cloud

263

      

Of anger shall remain, but peace assured

264

      

And reconcilement. Wrath shall be no more,

265

      

Thenceforth, but in Thy presence joy entire.”2525

266

      

   His words here ended, but his meek aspect,

267

      

Silent, yet spoke, and breathed immortal love

268

      

To mortal men, above which only shone

269

      

Filial obedience. As a sacrifice

270

      

Glad to be offered, he attends the will

271

      

Of his great Father. Admiration2526 seized

272

      

All Heav’n, what this might mean, and whither tend,2527

273

      

Wond’ring. But soon2528 th’Almighty thus replied:

274

      

   “O thou, in Heav’n and earth the only peace

275

      

Found out for mankind under wrath, O thou

276

      

My sole complacence!2529 Well thou know’st how dear

277

      

To me are all my works, nor man the least,

278

      

Though last created, that for him I spare

279

      

Thee from my bosom and right hand, to save,

280

      

By losing thee a while, the whole race lost.

281

      

Thou, therefore, whom thou only canst redeem,2530

282

      

Their nature also to thy nature join,

283

      

And be thyself man among men on earth,

284

      

Made flesh, when time shall be, of virgin seed,

285

      

By wondrous birth. Be thou in Adam’s room2531

286

      

The head of all mankind, though Adam’s son.

287

      

As in him perish all men, so in thee,

288

      

As from a second root, shall be restored

289

      

As many as are restored, without thee none.

290

      

His crime makes guilty all his sons: thy merit,

291

      

Imputed,2532 shall absolve them2533 who renounce

292

      

Their own both righteous and unrighteous deeds,

293

      

And live in thee transplanted, and from thee

294

      

Receive new life. So man, as is most just,

295

      

Shall satisfy for man, be judged and die,

296

      

And dying rise, and rising with him raise

297

      

His brethren, ransomed with his own dear life.

298

      

So Heav’nly love shall outdo hellish hate,

299

      

Giving to death, and dying to redeem,

300

      

So dearly2534 to redeem what hellish hate

301

      

So easily destroyed, and still destroys

302

      

In those who, when they may, accept not grace.

303

      

Nor shalt thou, by descending to assume

304

      

Man’s nature, lessen or degrade thine own.

305

      

Because thou hast, though throned in highest bliss

306

      

Equal to God, and equally enjoying

307

      

Godlike fruition,2535 quitted2536 all, to save

308

      

A world from utter loss, and hast been found

309

      

By merit more than birthright Son of God,

310

      

Found worthiest to be so by being good,

311

      

Far more than great or high—because in thee

312

      

Love hath abounded more than glory abounds.

313

      

Therefore thy humiliation shall exalt

314

      

With thee thy manhood also to this throne.

315

      

Here shalt thou sit incarnate, 2537 here shalt reign

316

      

Both God and man, Son both of God and man,

317

      

Anointed universal King. All power

318

      

I give thee: reign forever, and assume

319

      

Thy merits.2538 Under thee, as head supreme,

320

      

Thrones, Princedoms, Powers, Dominions, I reduce. 2539

321

      

All knees to thee shall bow, of them that bide2540

322

      

In Heav’n, or earth, or under earth in Hell.

323

      

When thou, attended gloriously from Heav’n

324

      

Shalt in the sky appear, and from thee send

325

      

The summoning Arch-Angels to proclaim

326

      

Thy dread tribunal, forthwith from all winds

327

      

The living, and forthwith the cited 2541 dead

328

      

Of all past ages, to the general doom2542

329

      

Shall hasten. Such a peal2543 shall rouse their sleep.

330

      

Then all thy Saints assembled, thou shalt judge

331

      

Bad men and Angels. They, arraigned,2544 shall sink

332

      

Beneath thy sentence. Hell, her numbers full,

333

      

Thenceforth shall be forever shut. Meanwhile

334

      

The world shall burn, and from her ashes spring

335

      

New Heav’n and earth, wherein the just shall dwell

336

      

And after all their tribulations long

337

      

See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds,

338

      

With joy and peace triumphing, and fair truth.

339

      

Then thou thy regal scepter shalt lay by,

340

      

For regal scepter then no more shall need:

341

      

God shall be all in all. But all ye gods,

342

      

Adore him, who to compass2545 all this dies,

343

      

Adore the Son, and honor him as me.

344

      

   No sooner had the Almighty ceased, but all

345

      

The multitude of Angels, with a shout

346

      

Loud as from numbers without number, sweet

347

      

As from blest voices, uttering joy, Heav’n rung

348

      

With jubilee, 2546 and loud hosannas2547 filled

349

      

The eternal regions. Lowly reverent

350

      

Towards either throne they bow, and to the ground

351

      

With solemn adoration down they cast

352

      

Their crowns inwove with amarant2548 and gold,

353

      

Immortal amarant, a flower which once

354

      

In Paradise, fast by the Tree of Life,

355

      

Began to bloom, but soon for man’s offence

356

      

To Heav’n removed, where first it grew, there grows,

357

      

And flow’rs aloft, shading the Fount of Life,

358

      

And where the river of bliss through midst of Heav’n

359

      

Rolls o’er Elysian flow’rs her amber stream.

360

      

With these that never fade the Spirits elect 2549

361

      

Bind their resplendent locks inwreathed with beams,

362

      

Now in loose garlands thick thrown off, the bright

363

      

Pavement,2550 that like a sea of jasper shone,

364

      

Impurpled with celestial roses smiled.

365

      

Then, crowned again, their golden harps they took,

366

      

Harps ever tuned, that glittering by their side

367

      

Like quivers hung, and with preamble sweet

368

      

Of charming symphony 2551 they introduce

369

      

Their sacred song, and waken raptures high.

370

      

No voice exempt, no voice but well could join

371

      

Melodious part, such concord2552 is in Heav’n.

372

      

   Thee, Father, first they sung Omnipotent,

373

      

Immutable, Immortal, Infinite,

374

      

Eternal King, Thee Author of all being,

375

      

Fountain of light, Thyself invisible

376

      

Amidst the glorious brightness where Thou sit’st

377

      

Throned inaccessible, but 2553 when Thou shad’st

378

      

The full blaze of thy beams and, through a cloud

379

      

Drawn round about Thee like a radiant shrine,

380

      

Dark with excessive bright Thy skirts2554 appear,

381

      

Yet2555 dazzle Heav’n, that brightest Seraphim

382

      

Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes.

383

      

Thee2556 next they sang of all creation first,

384

      

Begotten Son, Divine Similitude,

385

      

In whose conspicuous2557 count’nance, without cloud

386

      

Made visible, the Almighty Father shines,

387

      

Whom else no creature can behold. On thee

388

      

Impressed2558 the effulgence2559 of His glory abides,

389

      

Transfused on thee His ample2560 Spirit rests.

390

      

He Heav’n of Heav’ns and all the Powers therein

391

      

By thee created; and by thee threw down

392

      

Th’ aspiring Dominations.2561 Thou that day

393

      

Thy Father’s dreadful thunder didst not spare,

394

      

Nor stop thy flaming chariot-wheels, that shook

395

      

Heav’n’s everlasting frame, while o’er the necks

396

      

Thou drov’st of warring Angels disarrayed.

397

      

Back from pursuit, thy Powers2562 with loud acclaim

398

      

Thee only extolled, Son of thy Father’s might,

399

      

To execute fierce vengeance on His foes,

400

      

Not so on man. Him through their2563 malice fallen,

401

      

Father of mercy and grace, Thou didst not doom2564

402

      

So strictly, but much more to pity inclined.

403

      

No sooner did Thy dear and only Son

404

      

Perceive Thee purposed not to doom frail man

405

      

So strictly, but much more to pity inclined,

406

      

He to appease Thy wrath, and end the strife

407

      

Of mercy and justice in Thy face discerned,

408

      

Regardless of the bliss wherein he sat

409

      

Second to Thee, offered himself to die

410

      

For man’s offence. O unexampled love,

411

      

Love nowhere to be found less than Divine!

412

      

Hail, Son of God, Savior of men! Thy name

413

      

Shall be the copious matter of my song

414

      

Henceforth, and never shall my heart thy praise

415

      

Forget, nor from thy Father’s praise disjoin.2565

416

      

   Thus they in Heav’n, above the starry sphere,

417

      

Their happy hours in joy and hymning spent.

418

      

   Meanwhile, upon the firm opacious2566 globe

419

      

Of this round world, whose first convex2567 divides

420

      

The luminous inferior orbs, enclosed 2568

421

      

From Chaos and th’ inroad 2569 of Darkness old,

422

      

Satan alighted walks. A globe far off

423

      

It seemed, now seems a boundless continent

424

      

Dark, waste, and wild, under the frown of Night

425

      

Starless exposed, and ever-threat’ning storms

426

      

Of Chaos blust’ring round, inclement 2570 sky,

427

      

Save on that side which from the wall of Heav’n,

428

      

Though distant far, some small reflection gains

429

      

Of glimmering air less vexed with tempest loud.

430

      

Here walked the fiend at large2571 in spacious field.

431

      

As when a vulture on Imaus2572 bred,

432

      

Whose snowy ridge the roving Tartar bounds,2573

433

      

Dislodging2574 from a region scarce of prey

434

      

To gorge the flesh of lambs or yeanling2575 kids,

435

      

On hills where flocks are fed, flies toward the springs2576

436

      

Of Ganges or Hydaspes, Indian streams,

437

      

But in2577 his way lights2578 on the barren plains

438

      

Of Sericana,2579 where Chineses drive

439

      

With sails and wind their cany2580 waggons light.2581

440

      

So on this windy sea of land, the fiend

441

      

Walked up and down alone, bent on his prey—

442

      

Alone, for other creature in this place,

443

      

Living or lifeless, to be found was none,

444

      

None yet, but store2582 hereafter from the earth

445

      

Up hither like aereal vapors flew

446

      

Of all things transitory and vain, when Sin

447

      

With vanity had filled the works of men:

448

      

Both all things vain, and all who in vain things

449

      

Built their fond hopes of glory or lasting fame,

450

      

Or2583 happiness in this or th’ other life,

451

      

All who have their reward on earth, the fruits

452

      

Of painful superstition and blind zeal,

453

      

Nought seeking but the praise of men, here find

454

      

Fit retribution, empty as their deeds.

455

      

All th’ unaccomplished 2584 works of Nature’s hand,

456

      

Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly2585 mixed,

457

      

Dissolved on earth, fleet2586 hither, and in vain,

458

      

Till final dissolution, wander here,

459

      

Not in the neighboring moon, as some have dreamed.

460

      

Those argent2587 fields’ more likely habitants,

461

      

Translated2588 Saints,2589 or middle Spirits hold

462

      

Betwixt th’ angelical and human kind.

463

      

Hither of ill-joined sons and daughters born

464

      

First from the ancient world those giants came,

465

      

With many a vain exploit, though then renowned.

466

      

The builders next of Babel on the plain

467

      

Of Sennaär, 2590 and still with vain design,

468

      

New Babels, had 2591 they wherewithal,2592 would build.

469

      

Others came single:2593 he, 2594 who to be deemed2595

470

      

A god, leaped fondly2596 into Aetna’s flames,

471

      

Empedocles; and he, 2597 who to enjoy

472

      

Plato’s Elysium,2598 leaped into the sea,

473

      

Cleombrotus; and many more too long, 2599

474

      

Embryos and idiots, eremites,2600 and friars

475

      

White, 2601 black, 2602 and gray, 2603 with all their trumpery. 2604

476

      

Here pilgrims roam, that strayed so far to seek

477

      

In Golgotha2605 him dead who lives in Heav’n,

478

      

And they who to be sure of Paradise,

479

      

Dying, put on the weeds2606 of Dominick,2607

480

      

Or in Franciscan2608 think to pass disguised.

481

      

They pass the planets seven, and pass the fixed,

482

      

And that crystalline sphere whose balance weighs

483

      

The trepidation talked,2609 and that first moved.2610

484

      

And now Saint Peter at Heav’n’s wicket2611 seems

485

      

To wait 2612 them with his keys, and now at foot

486

      

Of Heav’n’s ascent they lift their feet, when lo!

487

      

A violent2613 cross wind from either coast

488

      

Blows them transverse, 2614 ten thousand leagues2615 awry2616

489

      

Into the devious2617 air. Then might ye see

490

      

Cowls, hoods, and habits, with their wearers, tossed

491

      

And fluttered into rags, then relics, beads,

492

      

Indulgences, dispenses,2618 pardons, bulls,

493

      

The sport of winds. All these, upwhirled aloft,

494

      

Fly o’er the backside2619 of the world far off

495

      

Into a limbo large and broad, since called

496

      

The Paradise of Fools, to few unknown

497

      

Long after, now unpeopled, and untrod.

498

      

   All this dark globe the fiend found as he passed,

499

      

And long he wandered, till at last a gleam

500

      

Of dawning light2620 turned thitherward in haste

501

      

His travelled steps. Far distant he descries,2621

502

      

Ascending by degrees2622 magnificent

503

      

Up to the wall of Heav’n, a structure high

504

      

At top whereof, but far more rich, appeared

505

      

The work as of a kingly palace-gate,

506

      

With frontispiece2623 of diamond and gold

507

      

Embellished. Thick with sparkling orient2624 gems

508

      

The portal 2625 shone, inimitable on earth

509

      

By model or by shading2626 pencil drawn.

510

      

These stairs were such as whereon Jacob saw

511

      

Angels ascending and descending, bands

512

      

Of guardians bright, when he from Esau fled

513

      

To Padan-Aram,2627 in the field of Luz,2628

514

      

Dreaming by night under the open sky

515

      

And waking cried, “This is the gate of Heav’n!

516

      

Each stair mysteriously 2629 was meant, nor stood

517

      

There always, but drawn up2630 to Heav’n sometimes,

518

      

Viewless.2631 And underneath a bright sea flowed

519

      

Of jasper, or of liquid pearl, whereon

520

      

Who after came from earth, sailing arrived,

521

      

Wafted by Angels, or flew o’er the lake

522

      

Rapt2632 in a chariot drawn by fiery steeds.

523

      

The stairs were then let down, whether to dare

524

      

The fiend by easy ascent, or aggravate2633

525

      

His sad exclusion from the doors of bliss,

526

      

Direct against which opened from beneath,

527

      

Just o’er the blissful seat of Paradise,

528

      

A passage down to th’ earth, a passage wide,

529

      

Wider by far than that of after-times

530

      

Over Mount Sion and, though that were large,

531

      

Over the Promised Land, to God so dear,

532

      

By which, to visit oft those happy tribes,

533

      

On high behests2634 His Angels to and fro

534

      

Passed frequent, and His eye with choice regard2635

535

      

From Paneas,2636 the fount 2637 of Jordan’s flood,2638

536

      

To Beersaba,2639 where the Holy Land

537

      

Borders on Egypt and th’Arabian shore.

538

      

So wide the op’ning seemed, where bounds were set

539

      

To darkness, such as bound the ocean wave.

540

      

Satan from hence, now on the lower stair

541

      

That scaled by steps of gold to Heav’n-gate,

542

      

Looks down with wonder at the sudden view

543

      

Of all this world at once. As when a scout,2640

544

      

Through dark and desert ways with peril gone

545

      

All night, at last by break of cheerful dawn

546

      

Obtains the brow of some high-climbing hill,

547

      

Which to his eye discovers2641 unaware

548

      

The goodly 2642 prospect 2643 of some foreign land

549

      

First seen, or some renowned metropolis

550

      

With glistering spires and pinnacles adorned,

551

      

Which now the rising sun gilds with his beams,

552

      

Such wonder seized, though after Heaven seen,

553

      

The Spirit malign, but much more envy seized,

554

      

At sight of all this world beheld so fair.

555

      

Round he surveys (and well might, where he stood

556

      

So high above the circling canopy

557

      

Of Night’s extended shade), from eastern point

558

      

Of Libra2644 to the fleecy star 2645 that bears

559

      

Andromeda 2646 far off Atlantic seas

560

      

Beyond th’ horizon.