Therefore from this high pitch let us descend A lower flight, and speak of things at hand Useful, whence haply mention may arise Of something not unseasonable to ask By sufferance, and thy wonted favour deign'd. Thee I have heard relating what was done Ere my remembrance: now hear me relate My story, which pèrhaps thou hast not heard; And day is yet not spent; till then thou seest How subtly to detain thee I devise, Inviting thee to hear while I relate,
Fond, were it not in hope of thy reply:
For while I sit with thee, I seem in Heaven, 210 And sweeter thy discourse is to my ear Than fruits of palm-tree pleasantest to thirst And hunger both, from labour, at the hour Of sweet repast; they satiate, and soon fill Though pleasant, but thy words with grace divine Imbued, bring to their sweetness no satiety. To whom thus Raphael answer'd heav'nly meek. Nor are thy lips ungraceful, Sire of men, Nor tongue ineloquent; for God on thee Abundantly his gifts hath also pour'd Inward and outward both, his image fair: Speaking or mute all comeliness and grace Attends thee, and each word, each motion forms į Nor less think we in Heav'n of thee on Earth Than of our fellow servant, and enquire Gladly into the ways of God with Man : For God we see hatlı honour'd thee, and set
On Man his equal love: say therefore on; For I that day was absent, as befel, Bound on a voyage uncouth and obscure, Far on excursion tow'ard the gates of Hell; Squar'd in full legion (such command we had) To see that none thence issued forth a spy, Or enemy, while God was in his work, Lest he incens'd at such eruption bold, Destruction with creation might have mix'd. Not that they durst without his leave attempt, But us he sends upon his high behests For state, as Sov'reign King, and to inure Our prompt obedience. Fast we found, fast shut The dismal gates, and barricado'd strong; But long ere our approaching heard within Noise, other than the sound of dance or song, Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. Glad we return'd up to the coasts of light Ere sabbath evening: so we had in charge. But thy relation now; for I attend,
Pleas'd with thy words no less than thou with mine. So spake the Godlike Pow'r, and thus our Sire. For Man to tell how humnan life began
Is hard; for who himself beginning knew? Desire with thee still longer to converse Induc'd me. As new wak'd from soundest sleep Soft on the flow'ry herb I found me laid In balmy sweat, which with his beams the sun Soon dry'd, and on the reaking moisture fed. Straight toward Heav'n my wond'ring eyes I turn'd
And gaz'd a while the ample sky, till rais'd By quick instinctive motion up I sprung, As thitherward endeavouring, and upright Stood on my feet; about me round I saw Hill, dale, and shady woods, and sunny plains, And liquid lapse of murm'ring streams; by these, Creatures that liv'd and mov'd, and walk'd, or flew, Birds on the branches warbling; all things smil'd, With fragance and with joy my heart o'erflow'd. Myself I then perus'd, and limb by limb
Survey'd, and sometimes went, and sometimes ran With supple joints, as lively vigour led:
But who I was, or where, or from what cause, 270 Knew not; to speak I try'd, and forthwith spake; My tongue obey'd, and readily could name
Whate'er I saw. Thou Sun, said I, fair light, And thou enlighten'd Earth, so fresh and gay, Ye Hills, and Dales, ye Rivers, Woods, and Plains, And ye that live and move, fair Creatures tell, Tell, if ye saw, how came I thus, how here? Not of myself; by some great Maker then, In goodness and in pow'r pre-eminent; Tell me how may I know him, how adore, From whom I have that thus I move and live, And feel that I am happier than I know. While thus I call'd, and stray'd I knew not whither, From where I first drew air, and first beheld This happy light, when answer none return'd, On a green shady bank profuse of flowr's Pensive I sat me down; there gentle sleep
First found me, and with soft oppression seiz'd My droused sense, untroubled, though I thought I then was passing to my former state Insensible, and forthwith to dissolve:
When suddenly stood at my head a dream, Whose inward apparition gently mov'd My fancy to believe I yet had being,
And liv'd: One came, methought, of shape divine, And said, Thy mansion wants thee, Adam, rise, First Man, of men innumerable ordain'd First Father, call'd by thee I come thy guide To the garden of bliss, thy seat prepar'd. So saying, by the hand he took me rais'd, And over fields and waters, as in air Smooth sliding without step, last led me up A woody mountain; whose high top was plain, A circuit wide, inclos'd, with goodliest trees Planted, with walks, and bow'rs, that what I saw Of earth before scarce pleasant seem'd. Each tree Loaden with fairest fruit, that hung to th' eye Tempting, stirr'd in me sudden appetite To pluck and eat: whereat I wak'd, and found Before mine eyes all real, as the dream Had lively shadow'd: Here had new begun My wand'ring, had not he who was my guide Up hither, from among the trees appear'd, Presence divine. Rejoicing, but with awe, In adoration at his feet I fell
Submiss he rear'd me, and whom thou sought'st I
Said mildly, Author of all this thou seest Above, or round about thee, or beneath. This Paradise I give thee, count it thine To till and keen, and of the fruit to ent: Of every tree that in the garden grows
Eat freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth; But of the tree whose operation brings Knowledge of good and ill, which I have set The pledge of thy obedience and thy faith, Amid the garden by the tree of life, Remember what I warn thee, shun to taste, And shun the bitter consequence: for know, The day thou eat'st thereof, my sole command Transgress'd, inevitably thou shalt die, From that day mortal, and this happy state Shalt lose, expell'd from hence into a world Of woe and sorrow. Sternly he pronounc'd The rigid interdiction, which resounds Yet dreadful in mine ear, though in my choice Not to incur; but soon his clear aspéct Return'd, and gracious purpose thus renew'd. Not only these fair bounds, but all the earth To thee and to thy race I give; as lords Possess it, and all things that therein live, Or live in sea, or air, beast, fish, and fowl. In sign whereof each bird and beast behold After their kinds; I bring them to receive From thee their names, and pay the feälty With low subjection; understand the same Of fish within their wat❜ry residence,
« AnteriorContinuar » |