Michael, this my behest have thou in charge,

The Earth, when Adam and first Matron Eve

Man is to live, and all things live for Man.

To Adam what shall come in future dayes,

Home to my brest, and to my memorie

Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat,

Of Hermes, or his opiate Rod. Mean while

The Ground whence he was taken, fitter soile.

And send him from the Garden forth to Till

So prevalent as to concerne the mind

His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe; [ 155 ]

Which then not minded in dismay, yet now

To them and to thir Progenie from thence

My Covnant in the w

九九藏书

omans seed renewd;

Bewailing thir excess, all terror hide.

Of that defended Fruit; but let him boast

Least Paradise a receptacle prove

Kneeld and before him humbld all my heart, [ 150 ]

Which thus to Eve his welcome words renewd. [ 140 ]

At the sad Sentence rigorously urgd,

By Prayer th offended Deitie to appease,

Assures me that the bitterness of death

To Spirits foule, and all my Trees thir prey,

That I was heard with favour; peace returnd

Strength added from above, new hope to spring

Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each

To whom thus Eve with sad demehｔｔp://ｗｗw•9９ｌｉｂ•ｎetanour meek.

So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace:

Of God high-blest, or to incline his will, [ 145 ]

For I behold them softnd and with tears [ 110 ]

Self-left. Least therefore his now bolder hand

Take to thee from among the Cherubim [ 100 ]

As I shall thee enlighten, intermix [ 115 ]

Is past, and we shall live. Whence Haile to thee,

For swift descent, with him the Cohort bright

Thy choice of flaming Warriours, least the Fiend

And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:

Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbes,

Perpetual banishment. Yet leas99lｉｂ•nett they faint

Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveale

His knowledge of Good lost, and Evil got,

Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God

He sorrows now, repents, and prayes contrite, [ 90 ]

Evn to the Seat of God. For since I saught

Hard to belief may seem; yet this will Prayer,

Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair, [ 105 ]

And live for ever, dream at least to live [ 95 ]

Had, like a double Janus, all thir shape

Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame [ 120 ]

Had ended now thir Orisons, and found,

Charmd with Arcadian Pipe, the Pastoral Reed

Methought I saw him placabl九九藏书e and mild,

Eve rightly calld, Mother of all Mankind,

Happier, had sufficd him to have known

Or in behalf of Man, or to invade

To know both Good and Evil, since his taste [ 85 ]

Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright,

My motions in him, longer then they move,

From hallowd ground th unholie, and denounce

Leucothea wakd, and with fresh dews imbalmd [ 135 ]

Bending his eare; perswasion in me grew

Spangld with eyes more numerous then those [ 130 ]

Mother of all things living, since by thee [ 160 ]

If patiently thy bidding they obey,

The good which we enjoy, from Heavn descends九九藏书;

Of Argus, and more wakeful then to drouze,

But that from us ought should ascend to Heavn

Or one short sigh of humane breath, up-borne

Eve, easily may Faith admit, that all

His heart I know, how variable and vain

With whose stoln Fruit Man once more to delude. [ 125 ]

He ceasd; and th Archangelic Power prepard

And on the East side of the Garden place,

To resalute the World with sacred Light

Vacant possession som new trouble raise:

Good by it self, and Evil not at all.

Out of despaire, joy, but with fear yet linkt;

For ever, to remove him I decree,

O Sons, like one of us Man is become