O Sons, like one of us Man is bee
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 sufficd him to have known
Good by it self, and Evil not at all.
He sorrows now, repents, and prayes trite, [ 90 ]
My motions in him, lohen 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, a,
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 whence he was taken, fitter soile.
Michael, this my behest have thou in charge,
Take to thee from among the Cherubim [ 100 ]
Thy choice of flaming Warriours, least the Fiend
Or in behalf of Man, or to invade
Vat possession som rouble raise:
Hast thee, and from the Paradise of God
Without remorse drive out the sinful Pair, [ 105 ]
From hallowd 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 dissolate; reveale
To Adam what shall e in future dayes,
As I shall thee enlighten, intermix [ 115 ]
My ant in the womans seed renewd;
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 tht,
And guard all passage to the Tree of Life:
Least Paradise a receptacle prove
To Spirits foule, and all my Trees thir prey,
With whose stoln Fruit Man once more to delude. [ 125 ]
He ceasd; and th Argelic Power prepard
For swift dest, 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 ]
us, 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 t
Out of despaire, joy, but with fear yet linkt;
Which thus to Eve his wele words renewd. [ 140 ]
Eve, easily may Faith admit, that all
The good which we enjoy, from Heavn desds;
But that from us ought should asd to Heavn
So prevalent as to e the mind
Of God high-blest, or to ine 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 favour; peace returnd
Home to my brest, and to my memorie
His promise, that thy Seed shall bruise our Foe; [ 155 ]
Which