142
��PARADISE LOST
��Girt with the river Triton, where old Cham, Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan
Jove,
Hid Amalthea, and her florid son, Young Bacchus, from his stepdame Rhea's eye; 279
Nor, where Abassin kings their issue guard, Mount Amara (though this by some sup- posed
True Paradise) under the Ethiop line By Nilus' head, enclosed with shining rock, A whole day's journey high, but wide re- mote From this Assyrian garden, where the
Fiend
Saw undelighted all delight, all kind Of living creatures, new to sight and
strange.
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, God-like erect, with native honour clad In naked majesty, seemed lords of all, 290 And worthy seemed; for in their looks di- vine
The image of their glorious Maker shon, Truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and
pure
Severe, but in true filial freedom placed, Whence true authority in men : though both Not equal, as their sex not equal seemed; For contemplation he and valour formed, For softness she and sweet attractive grace ; He for God only, she for God in him. His fair large front and eye sublime de- clared 300 Absolute rule; and Hyacinthin locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders
broad :
She, as a veil down to the slender waist, Her unadorned golden tresses wore Dishevelled, but in wanton ringlets waved As the vine curls her tendrils which im- plied
Subjection, but required with gentle sway, And by her yielded, by him best received Yielded, with coy submission, modest pride, And sweet, reluctant, amorous delay. 311 Nor those mysterious parts were then con- cealed; Then was not guilty shame. Dishonest
shame
Of Nature's works, honour dishonourable, Sin-bred, how have ye troubled all mankind With shews instead, mere shews of seem- ing pure,
��And banished from man's life his happiest
life,
Simplicity and spotless innocence ! So passed they naked on, nor shunned the sight 319
Of God or Angel; for they thought no
ill: So hand in hand they passed, the loveliest
pair
That ever since in love's imbraces met Adam the goodliest man of men since born His sons ; the fairest of her daughters Eve. Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whispering soft, by a fresh fountain- side, They sat them down; and, after no more
toil
Of their sweet gardening labour than suf- ficed
To recommend cool Zephyr, and make ease More easy, wholesome thirst and appetite More grateful, to their supper-fruits they fell 331
Nectarine fruits, which the compliant
boughs
Yielded them, sidelong as they sat recline On the soft downy bank damasked with
flowers. The savoury pulp they chew, and in the
rind, Still as they thirsted, scoop the brimming
stream ;
Nor gentle purpose, nor endearing smiles Wanted, nor youthful dalliance, as beseems Fair couple linked in happy nuptial league, Alone as they. About them frisking played All beasts of the earth, since wild, and of all chase 341
In wood or wilderness, forest or den. Sporting the lion ramped, and in his paw Dandled the kid; bears, tigers, ounces,
pards,
Gambolled before them; the unwieldy ele- phant, To make them mirth, used all his might,
and wreathed
His lithe proboscis; close the serpent sly, Insinuating, wove with Gordian twine His breaded train, and of his fatal guile 349 Gave proof unheeded. Others on the grass Couched, and, now filled with pasture, gaz- ing sat,
Or bed ward ruminating; for the sun, Declined, was hastening now with prone career
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