Chapter 4 3
O Sons, like one of us Man is become
To know both Good and Evil, since his taste [ 85 ]
Of that defended Fruit; but let him boast
His knowledge of Good lost, and Evil got,
Happier, had sufficed him to have known
Good by itself, and Evil not at all.
He regrets now, repents, and prays contrite, [ 90 ]
My motions in him, longer then they move,
His heart I know, how variable and vain
Self-left. Least therefore his now bolder hand
Reach also of the Tree of Life, and eat,
And live for ever, dream at least to live [ 95 ]
For ever, to remove him I decree,
And send him from the Garden forth to Till
The Ground when he was taken, fitter soil.
Michael, this my behest have thou in charge,
Take to thee from among the Cherubim [ 100 ]
Thy choice of flaming Warriors, least the Fiend
Or in behalf of Man, or to invade
Vacant possession som new trouble raise:
Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God
Without remorse drive out the sinful pair, [ 105 ]
From hallowed ground th unholie, and denounce
To them and to thir Progenie from thence
Perpetual banishment. Yet least they faint
At the sad Sentence rigorously urgd,
For I behold them softnd and with tears [ 110 ]
Bewailing thir excess, all terror hide.
If patiently thy bidding they obey,
Dismiss them not disconsolate; reveale
To Adam what shall come in future days,
As I shall thee enlighten, intermix [ 115 ]
My Covnant in the womens seed renewed;
So send them forth, though sorrowing, yet in peace:
And on the East side of the Garden place,
Where entrance up from Eden easiest climbes,
Cherubic watch, and of a Sword the flame [ 120 ]
Wide waving, all approach farr off to fright,
And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:
Least Paradise a receptacle proved
To Spirits foule, and all my Trees thir prey,
With whose stoln Fruit Man once more to delude. [ 125 ]
He ceasd; and th Archangelic Power prepard
For swift descent, with him the Cohort bright
Of watchful Cherubim; four faces each
Had, like a double Janus, all thir shape
Spangld with eyes more numerous then those [ 130 ]
Of Argus, and more wakeful then to drouze,
Charmd with Arcadian Pipe, the Pastoral Reed
Of Hermes, or his opiate Rod. Mean while
To resalute the World with sacred Light
Leucothea wakd, and with fresh dews imbalmd [ 135 ]
The Earth, when Adam and first Matron Eve
Had ended now thir Orisons, and found,
Strength added from above, new hope to spring
Out of despair, joy, but with fear yet linkt;
Which thus to Eve his welcome words renewed. [ 140 ]
Eve, easily may Faith admit, that all
The good which we enjoy, from Heavn descends;
But that from us ought should ascend to Heavn
So prevalent as to concern the mind
Of God high-blest, or to incline his will, [ 145 ]
Hard to belief may seem; yet this will Prayer,
Or one short sigh of humane breath, up-borne
Evn to the Seat of God. For since I saught
By Prayer th offended Deitie to appease,
Kneeld and before him humbld all my heart, [ 150 ]
Methought I saw him placable and mild,
Bending his eare; perswasion in me grew
That I was heard with favor; peace return
Home to my brest, and to my memory
His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe; [ 155 ]
Which then not minded in dismay, yet now
Assures me that the bitterness of death
Is past, and we shall live. Whence Haile to thee,
Eve rightly called, Mother of all Mankind,
Mother of all things living, since by thee [ 160 ]
Man is to live, and all things live for Man.
To whom thus Eve with sad demeanour meek.