And worship God supreme, who made him chief 515 Eternal Father (for where is not he Present?) thus to his Son audibly spake, ""Let us make now Man in our image, Man In our similitude, and let them rule 520 Over the fish and fowl of sea and air, Beast of the field, and over all the Earth, 525 Female for race; then bless'd mankind, and said, 530 And every living thing that moves on the earth. 535 Is yet distinct by name) thence, as thou know'st, Delectable both to behold and taste; And freely all their pleasant fruit for food 540 Gave thee, all sorts are here that all th' Earth yields, Variety without end; but of the tree, Which tasted works knowledge of good and evil, Thou may'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou di'st; Death is the penalty impos'd, beware, 545 And govern well thy appetite, lest Sin Surprise thee, and her black attendant Death. 'Here finish'd he, and all that he had made 550 Up to the Heav'n of Heav'ns, his high abode, 555 In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair, Symphonious of ten thousand harps that tun'd 560 Resounded (thou remember'st, for thou heardst) 66 66 Open, ye everlasting gates," they sung, Open, ye Heav'ns, your living doors; let in 565 570 The glorious train ascending: he through Heav'n, 575 A broad and ample road, whose dust is gold Which nightly as a circling zone thou seest 580 Powder'd with stars. And now on Earth the seventh Ev'ning arose in Eden, for the sun Was set, and twilight from the east came on, 585 Of Heav'ns high-seated top, th' imperial throne Hath Omnipresence) and the work ordain'd, 590 Author and end of all things, and from work Now resting, bless'd and hallow'd the sev'nth day, All sounds on fret by string or golden wire 595 600 ""Great are thy works, Jehovah! infinite Thy power; what thought can measure thee or tongue Relate thee? greater now in thy return Than from the giant angels; thee that day 605 Thy thunders magnifi'd; but to create Is greater than created to destroy. Who can impair thee, mighty King, or bound Of spirits apostate and their counsels vain 610 Thou hast repell'd, while impiously they thought : 615 On the clear hyaline, the glassy sea; Of amplitude almost immense, with stars 620 Their pleasant dwelling-place. Thrice happy men, And worship him, and in reward to rule 625 Over his works, on earth, in sea, or air, 630 And thy request think now fulfill'd, that ask'd 635 From the beginning, that posterity Inform'd by thee might know; if else thou seek'st 640 BOOK VIII. THE ARGUMENT. Adam enquires concerning celestial motions, is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to search rather things more worthy of knowledge: Adam assents; and still desirous to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remembered since his own creation; his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve; his discourse with the angel thereupon; who, after admonitions repeated departs. THE angel ended; and in Adam's ear So charming left his voice, that he awhile Thought him still speaking, still stood fixt to hear; 'What thanks sufficient, or what recompense Equal have I to render thee, divine Things else by me unsearchable, now heard When I behold this goodly frame, this World 5 ΙΟ 15 |