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��PARADISE LOST
��Where good with bad were matched; who
of themselves
Abhor to join, and, by imprudence mixed, Produce prodigious births of body or mind. Such were these Giants, men of high re- nown;
For in those days might only shall be ad- mired,
And valour and heroic virtue called. 690 To overcome in battle, and subdue Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite Manslaughter, shall be held the highest
pitch
Of human glory, and, for glory done, Of triumph to be styled great conquerors, Patrons of mankind, gods, and sons of
gods Destroyers rightlier called, and Plagues of
men. Thus fame shall be achieved, renown on
earth,
And what most merits fame in silence hid. But he, the seventh from thee, whom thou beheld'st 700
The only righteous in a world perverse, And therefore hated, therefore so beset With foes, for daring single to be just, And utter odious truth, that God would
come To judge them with his Saints him the
Most High,
Rapt in a balmy cloud, with winged steeds, Did, as thou saw'st, receive, to walk with
God
High in salvation and the climes of bliss, Exempt from death, to show thee what re- ward
Awaits the good, the rest what punish- ment; 710 Which now direct thine eyes and soon be- hold." He looked, and saw the face of things
quite changed. The brazen throat of war had ceased to
roar;
All now was turned to jollity and game, To luxury and riot, feast and dance, Marrying or prostituting, as befell, Rape or adultery, where passing fair Allured them; thence from cups to civil
broils.
At length a reverend Sire among them came, 719
And of their doings great dislike declared, And testified against their ways. He oft
��Frequented their assemblies, whereso met, Triumphs or festivals, and to them preached Conversion and repentance, as to souls In prison, under judgments imminent; But all in vain. Which when he saw, he
ceased
Contending, and removed his tents far off; Then, from the mountain hewing timber
tall,
Began to build a Vessel of huge bulk, Measured by cubit, length, and breadth,
and highth, 730
Smeared round with pitch, and in the side
a door
Contrived, and of provisions laid in large For man and beast: when lo ! a wonder
strange !
Of every beast, and bird, and insect small, Came sevens and pairs, and entered in, as
taught Their order; last, the Sire and his three
sons, With their four wives; and God made fast
the door. Meanwhile the South-wind rose, and, with
black wings Wide - hovering, all the clouds together
drove From under heaven; the hills to their
supply 74 o
Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist, Sent up amain; and now the thickened
sky Like a dark ceiling stood: down rushed the
rain
Impetuous, and continued till the earth No more was seen. The floating Vessel
swum
Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow Rode tilting o'er the waves; all dwellings
else Flood overwhelmed, and them with all
their pomp
Deep under water rowled ; sea covered sea, Sea without shore: and in their palaces, 750 Where luxury late reigned, sea-monsters
whelped And stabled: of mankind, so numerous
late, All left in one small bottom swum im-
barked.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to be- hold
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad, Depopulation ! Thee another flood,
�� �
