Command me absolutely not to go, Going into such danger as thou saidst? Too facile then thou didst not much gainsay, Hadst thou been firm and fix'd in thy dissent, 1160 1; To whom then first incens'd, Adam replied: 1165 It seems in my restraint: what could I more? 1170 I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold That lay in wait; beyond this had been force, And force upon free will hath here no place. 1175 Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps I also err'd in overmuch admiring What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought No evil durst attempt thee, but I rue 1180 That error now, which is become my crime, And thou th' accuser. Thus it shall befall' Him who to worth in woman overtrusting Lets her will rule; restraint she will not brook, And left to herself, if evil thence ensue, 1185 She first his weak indulgence will accuse." Thus they in mutual accusation spent END OF BOOK NINTH, PARADISE LOST. BOOK X. THE ARGUMENT. Sin Man's transgression known, the guardian angels forsake Paradise, and return up to heaven to approve their vigilance; and are approved; God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the transgressors, who descends and gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and reascends. and Death, sitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous sympathy, feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of man. To make the way easier from hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then preparing for earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium; in full assembly relates, with boast ing, his success against man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise: then, deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death. God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the present commands his angels to make several alterations in the heavens and elements. Adam, more 7 and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails; rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the Serpent, and exhorts her, with him, to seek peace with the of fended Deity by repentance and supplication. MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act Was known in heaven; for what can scape the eye 5 Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just, Of man, with strength entire, and free-will arm'a 10 For still they knew, and ought to have still remember'd, The high injunction not to taste that fruit, 15 Up into heaven from Paradise in haste Th' angelic guards ascended, mute and sad For man, for of his state by this they knew, Much wond'ring how the subtle fiend had stol'n 20 Entrar ce unseen. Soon as th' unwelcome news From earth arriv'd at heaven-gate, displeas'd All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare With pity, violated not their bliss. 25 About the new-arriv'd in multitudes The ethereal people ran, to hear and know How all befell: they towards the throne supreme 30 Eternal Father, from his secret cloud, "Assembled angels, and ye powers return'd Or touch with lightest moment of impulse What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass 35 40 45 In even scale. But fallen he is; and now On his transgression, death denounc'd that day? 50 By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find Justice shall not return as bounty scorn'd. But whom send I to judge them? Whom but thee, Vicegerent Son? to thee I have transferr'd 56 All judgment, whether in heaven, or earth, or hell. Easy it may be seen that I intend Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee Man's friend, his mediator, his design'd 60 Both ransom and redeemer voluntary, And destin'd man himself to judge man fallen." So spake the Father, and unfolding bright Toward the right hand his glory, on the Sen Blaz'd forth unclouded Deity; he full Resplendent all his Father manifest Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild: "Father Eternal, thine is to decree, Mine both in heaven and earth to do thy will Supreme, that thou in me thy Son belov'd May'st ever rest well pleas'd. I go to judge On earth these thy transgressors, but thou know's, Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light, 65 70 When time shall be, for so I undertook 78 Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none 80 Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd, Those two; the third best absent is condemn'd, Convict by flight, and rebel to all law : Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose Of high collateral glory: him, thrones and powers, 85 Down he descended straight; the speed of gods 96 Time counts not, tho' with swiftest minutes wing'd. Now was the sun in western cadence low From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour The evening cool, when he from wrath more cool 95 To sentence man: the voice of God they heard, 100 Brought to their cars, while day declin'd; they heard, 105 "Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming seen far off! I miss thee here, Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with solitude, Where obvious duty ere while appear'd unsought: Or come I less conspicuous, or what change Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth.' He care, and with him Eve, more loath, tho' first To offend, discount'nanc'd both, and discompos'd; Love was not in their looks, either to God Or to each other, but apparent guilt, 111 And shame, and perturba.ion, and despair, Whence Adam falt'ring long, thus answer'd brief |