BOOK FOURTH
��'43
��To the Ocean Isles, and in the ascending
scale Of Heaven the stars that usher evening
rose:
When Satan, still in gaze as first he stood, Scarce thus at length failed speech recov- ered sad : " O Hell ! what do mine eyes with grief
behold ?
Into our room of bliss thus high advanced Creatures of other mould Earth - born perhaps, 360
Not Spirits, yet to Heavenly Spirits bright Little inferior whom my thoughts pur- sue With wonder, and could love; so lively
shines
In them divine resemblance, and such grace The hand that formed them on their shape
hath poured.
Ah ! gentle pair, ye little think how nigh Your change approaches, when all these
delights
Will vanish, and deliver ye to woe More woe, the more your taste is now of
joy :
Happy, but for so happy ill secured 370 Long to continue, and this high seat, your
Heaven, 111 fenced for Heaven to keep out such a
foe
As now is entered; yet no purposed foe To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn, Though I unpitied. League with you I
seek,
And mutual amity, so strait, so close, That I with you must dwell, or you with
me, Henceforth. My dwelling, haply, may not
please, Like this fair Paradise, your sense; yet
Such 379
Accept your Maker's work; he gave it me, Which I as freely give. Hell shall unfold, To entertain you two, her widest gates, And send forth all her kings; there will be
room,
Not like these narrow limits, to receive Your numerous offspring; if no better place, Thank him who puts me, loath, to this re- venge On you, who wrong me not, for him who
wronged.
And, should I at your harmless innocence Melt, as I do, yet public reason just 389
��Honour and empire with revenge enlarged By conquering this new World compels
me now To do what else, though damned, I should
abhor."
So spake the Fiend, and with necessity, The tyrant's plea, excused his devilish
deeds. Then from his lofty stand on that high
tree
Down he alights among the sportful herd Of those four-footed kinds, himself now
one, Now other, as their shape served best his
end
Nearer to view his prey, and, unespied, To mark what of their state he more might
learn 4 oo
By word or action marked. About them
round
A lion now he stalks with fiery glare; Then as a tiger, who by chance hath spied In some pourlieu two gentle fawns at play, Straight crouches close; then rising, changes
oft His couchant watch, as one who chose his
ground, Whence rushing he might surest seize them
both Griped in each paw: when Adam, first of
men,
To first of women, Eve, thus moving speech, Turned him all ear to hear new utterance
flow : 4 10
" Sole partner and sole part of all these
joys.
Dearer thyself than all, needs must the
Power
That made us, and for us this ample World, I Be infinitely good, and of his good As liberal and free as infinite; That raised us from the dust, and placed
us here
In all this happiness, who at this hand Have nothing merited, nor can perform Aught whereof he hath need; he who re- quires
From us no other service than to keep 420 This one, this easy charge of all the trees In Paradise that bear delicious fruit So various, not to taste that only Tree Of Knowledge, planted by the Tree of
Life ;
So near grows Death to Life, whate'er Death is
�� �
