152
��PARADISE LOST
��The pendulous round Earth with balanced
air 1000
In counterpoise, now ponders all events, Battles and realms. In these he put two
weights,
The sequel each of parting and of fight : The latter quick up flew, and kicked the
beam; Which Gabriel spying thus bespake the
Fiend: "Satan, I know thy strength, and thou
know'st mine, Neither our own, but given; what folly
then
��To boast what arms can do ! since thine no
more Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though
doubled now To trample thee as mire. For proof look
up, JOI
And read thy lot in yon celestial sign, Where thou art weighed, and shown how
light, how weak If thou resist." The Fiend looked up, and
knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled Murmuring; and with him fled the shades
of Night.
��BOOK V
THE ARGUMENT
Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her trou- blesome dream ; he likes it not, yet comforts her : they come forth to their day labours : their morning hymxi at the door of their bower. God, to render Man inex- cusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedi- ence, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise ; his appearance described ; his coming discerned by Adam afar off, sitting at the door of his bower ; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise, got together by Eve ; their discourse at table. Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy ; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven, and the occasion thereof ; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the North, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel, a seraph, who in argument dissuades and op- poses him, then forsakes him.
Now Morn, her rosy steps in the eastern
clime Advancing, sowed the earth with orient
pearl, When Adam waked, so customed; for his
sleep
Was aerie light, from pure digestion bred, And temperate vapours bland, which the
only sound
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan, Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song Of birds on every bough. So much the
more
His wonder was to find unwakened Eve, With tresses discomposed, and glowing
cheek, 10
As through unquiet rest. He, on his side Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial
love
��Hung over her enamoured, and beheld Beauty which, whether waking or asleep, Shot forth peculiar graces ; then, with
voice
Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, Her hand soft touching, whispered thus :
" Awake,
My fairest, my espoused, my latest found, Heaven's last, best gift, my ever-new de- light ! Awake ! the morning shines, and the fresh
field 20
Calls us; we lose the prime to mark how
spring Our tended plants, how blows the citron
grove, What drops the myrrh, and what the balmy
reed,
How Nature paints her colours, how the bee
Sits on the bloom extracting liquid sweet."
Such whispering waked her, but with
startled eye On Adam; whom imbracing, thus she
spake : "O sole in whom my thoughts find all
repose,
My glory, my perfection ! glad I see Thy face, and morn returned; for I this
night 3
(Such night till this I never passed) have
dreamed,
If dreamed, not, as I oft am wont, of thee, Works of day past, or morrow's next de- sign;
But of offence and trouble, which my mind Knew never till this irksome night. Me-
thought Close at mine ear one called me forth to
walk
�� �
