Paradise Lost

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Paradise Lost
Albrecht Durer, Adam and Eve (1504)
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Paradise Lost, Book X
Synopsis of Book X In Heaven, God knows
immediately that Adam and Eve have
sinned Raphael and the other angels return to
report the failure God sends the Son to judge
Adam and Eve Satan returns to Hell on the way
he meets Sin and Death who have followed him to
Paradise Satan returns to Pandemonium in
triumph, but the triumph is short-lived Instead
of applause, he receives hisses, and all the
demons are turned into serpents
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Paradise Lost, Book X
Sin and Death arrive in Paradise to begin their
work God directs his angels to turn Earth on its
axis, so that humans will have to experience
extreme temperatures of hot and cold Animals
begin to prey upon each other and to threaten
humans Adam laments the change, and the trouble
he has brought upon his descendents Adam
continues to blame Eve she takes
responsibility Eve proposes suicide as a way to
avoid passing on their sin Adam rejects the
idea, and argues that they should learn from
their mistakes and move on
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Paradise Lost, Book X
Mean while the heinous and
despiteful act Of Satan, done in Paradise and
how   He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve,   
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit, 5  
Was known in Heaven for what can 'scape the eye
   Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart   
Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just,   
Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind    Of
Man, with strength entire and free will armed,
10   Complete to have discovered and repulsed
   Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.   
For still they knew, and ought to have still
remembered,    The high injunction, not to taste
that fruit,    Whoever tempted which they not
obeying, 15   (Incurred what could they less?)
the penalty
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   And, manifold in sin, deserved to fall.    Up
into Heaven from Paradise in haste    The
angelick guards ascended, mute, and sad,    For
Man for of his state by this they knew, 20  
Much wondering how the subtle Fiend had stolen
   Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news
   From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased
   All were who heard dim sadness did not spare
   That time celestial visages, yet, mixed 25 
With pity, violated not their bliss.    About
the new-arrived, in multitudes    The ethereal
people ran, to hear and know    How all befel
They towards the throne supreme,    Accountable,
made haste, to make appear, 30   With
righteous plea, their utmost vigilance
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   And easily approved when the Most High   
Eternal Father, from his secret cloud,    Amidst
in thunder uttered thus his voice.    Assembled
Angels, and ye Powers returned 35   From
unsuccessful charge be not dismayed,    Nor
troubled at these tidings from the earth,   
Which your sincerest care could not prevent   
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,   
When first this tempter crossed the gulf from
Hell. 40   I told ye then he should prevail, and
speed    On his bad errand Man should be
seduced,    And flattered out of all, believing
lies    Against his Maker no decree of mine   
Concurring to necessitate his fall, 45   Or
touch with lightest moment of impulse
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   His free will, to her own inclining left   
In even scale. But fallen he is and now    What
rests, but that the mortal sentence pass    On
his transgression,--death denounced that day?
50   Which he presumes already vain and void,
   Because not yet inflicted, as he feared,   
By some immediate stroke but soon shall find   
Forbearance no acquittance, ere day end.   
Justice shall not return as bounty scorned. 55  
But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee,  
Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferred   
All judgement, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or
Hell.    Easy it may be seen that I intend   
Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee 60  
Man's friend, his Mediator, his designed
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary,    And
destined Man himself to judge Man fallen.    So
spake the Father and, unfolding bright   
Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son 65  
Blazed forth unclouded Deity He full   
Resplendent all his Father manifest   
Expressed, and thus divinely answered mild.   
Father Eternal, thine is to decree    Mine,
both in Heaven and Earth, to do thy will 70  
Supreme that thou in me, thy Son beloved,   
Mayest ever rest well pleased. I go to judge   
On earth these thy transgressours but thou
knowest,    Whoever judged, the worst on me must
light,    When time shall be for so I undertook
75   Before thee and, not repenting, this
obtain
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Of right, that I may mitigate their doom   
On me derived yet I shall temper so    Justice
with mercy, as may illustrate most    Them fully
satisfied, and thee appease. 80   Attendance
none shall need, nor train, where none    Are to
behold the judgement, but the judged,    Those
two the third best absent is condemned,   
Convict by flight, and rebel to all law   
Conviction to the serpent none belongs. 85  
Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose    Of
high collateral glory Him Thrones, and Powers,
   Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant,   
Accompanied to Heaven-gate from whence    Eden,
and all the coast, in prospect lay. 90   Down he
descended straight the speed of Gods
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes
winged.    Now was the sun in western cadence low
   From noon, and gentle airs, due at their
hour,    To fan the earth now waked, and usher
in 95   The evening cool when he, from wrath
more cool,    Came the mild Judge, and
Intercessour both,    To sentence Man The voice
of God they heard    Now walking in the garden,
by soft winds    Brought to their ears, while
day declined they heard, 100   And from his
presence hid themselves among    The thickest
trees, both man and wife till God,   
Approaching, thus to Adam called aloud.    Where
art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet    My
coming seen far off? I miss thee here, 105   Not
pleased, thus entertained with solitude,
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Where obvious duty ere while appeared
unsought    Or come I less conspicuous, or what
change    Absents thee, or what chance
detains?--Come forth!    He came and with him
Eve, more loth, though first 110   To offend
discountenanced both, and discomposed    Love
was not in their looks, either toGod,    Or to
each other but apparent guilt,    And shame,
and perturbation, and despair,    Anger, and
obstinacy, and hate, and guile. 115   Whence
Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief.    I
heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice   
Afraid, being naked, hid myself. To whom    The
gracious Judge without revile replied.    My
voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not feared,
120   But still rejoiced how is it now become
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who
   Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree,
   Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not
eat?    To whom thus Adam sore beset replied.
125   O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand
   Before my Judge either to undergo    Myself
the total crime, or to accuse    My other self,
the partner of my life    Whose failing, while
her faith to me remains, 130   I should conceal,
and not expose to blame    By my complaint but
strict necessity    Subdues me, and calamitous
constraint    Lest on my head both sin and
punishment,    However insupportable, be all
135   Devolved though should I hold my peace,
yet thou
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.   
This Woman, whom thou madest to be my help,   
And gavest me as thy perfect gift, so good,   
So fit, so acceptable, so divine, 140   That
from her hand I could suspect no ill,    And
what she did, whatever in itself,    Her doing
seemed to justify the deed    She gave me of
the tree, and I did eat.    To whom the Sovran
Presence thus replied. 145   Was she thy God,
that her thou didst obey    Before his voice? or
was she made thy guide,    Superiour, or but
equal, that to her    Thou didst resign thy
manhood, and the place    Wherein God set thee
above her made of thee, 150   And for thee,
whose perfection far excelled
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Hers in all real dignity? Adorned    She was
indeed, and lovely, to attract    Thy love, not
thy subjection and her gifts    Were such, as
under government well seemed 155   Unseemly to
bear rule which was thy part    And person,
hadst thou known thyself aright.    So having
said, he thus to Eve in few.    Say, Woman, what
is this which thou hast done?    To whom sad
Eve, with shame nigh overwhelmed, 160  
Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge   
Bold or loquacious, thus abashed replied.    The
Serpent me beguiled, and I did eat.    Which
when the Lord God heard, without delay    To
judgement he proceeded on the accused 165  
Serpent, though brute unable to transfer
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   The guilt on him, who made him instrument   
Of mischief, and polluted from the end    Of his
creation justly then accursed,    As vitiated
in nature More to know 170   Concerned not Man,
(since he no further knew)    Nor altered his
offence yet God at last    To Satan first in
sin his doom applied,    Though in mysterious
terms, judged as then best    And on the
Serpent thus his curse let fall. 175   Because
thou hast done this, thou art accursed    Above
all cattle, each beast of the field    Upon thy
belly groveling thou shalt go,    And dust shalt
eat all the days of thy life.    Between thee
and the woman I will put 180   Enmity, and
between thine and her seed
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise
his heel.    So spake this oracle, then verified
   When Jesus, Son of Mary, second Eve,    Saw
Satan fall, like lightning, down from Heaven,
185   Prince of the air then, rising from his
grave    Spoiled Principalities and Powers,
triumphed    In open show and, with ascension
bright,    Captivity led captive through the
air,    The realm itself of Satan, long usurped
190   Whom he shall tread at last under our
feet    Even he, who now foretold his fatal
bruise    And to the Woman thus his sentence
turned. The Judgement of Eve    Thy sorrow I
will greatly multiply    By thy conception
children thou shalt bring 195   In sorrow forth
and to thy husband's will
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Thine shall submit he over thee shall rule.
   On Adam last thus judgement he pronounced.
The Judgement of Adam    Because thou hast
hearkened to the voice of thy wife,    And eaten
of the tree, concerning which 200   I charged
thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat thereof   
Cursed is the ground for thy sake thou in sorrow
   Shalt eat thereof, all the days of thy life
   Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee
forth    Unbid and thou shalt eat the herb of
the field 205   In the sweat of thy face shalt
thou eat bread,    Till thou return unto the
ground for thou    Out of the ground wast
taken, know thy birth,    For dust thou art, and
shalt to dust return.    So judged he Man, both
Judge and Saviour sent 210   And the instant
stroke of death, denounced that day,
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Removed far off then, pitying how they stood
   Before him naked to the air, that now   
Must suffer change, disdained not to begin   
Thenceforth the form of servant to assume 215  
As when he washed his servants feet so now,   
As father of his family, he clad    Their
nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain,    Or
as the snake with youthful coat repaid    And
thought not much to clothe his enemies 220  
Nor he their outward only with the skins    Of
beasts, but inward nakedness, much more.   
Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness,   
Arraying, covered from his Father's sight.    To
him with swift ascent he up returned, 225   Into
his blissful bosom reassumed
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   In glory, as of old to him appeased    All,
though all-knowing, what had passed with Man    
Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.    Mean
while, ere thus was sinned and judged on
Earth, 230   Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and
Death,    In counterview within the gates, that
now    Stood open wide, belching outrageous
flame    Far into Chaos, since the Fiend passed
through,    Sin opening who thus now to Death
began. 235   O Son, why sit we here each other
viewing    Idly, while Satan, our great author,
thrives    In other worlds, and happier seat
provides    For us, his offspring dear? It
cannot be    But that success attends him if
mishap, 240   Ere this he had returned, with
fury driven
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   By his avengers since no place like this   
Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.   
Methinks I feel new strength within me rise,   
Wings growing, and dominion given me large 245  
Beyond this deep whatever draws me on,    Or
sympathy, or some connatural force,    Powerful
at greatest distance to unite,    With secret
amity, things of like kind,    By secretest
conveyance. Thou, my shade 250   Inseparable,
must with me along    For Death from Sin no
power can separate.    But, lest the difficulty
of passing back    Stay his return perhaps over
this gulf    Impassable, impervious let us try
255   Adventurous work, yet to thy power and mine
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Not unagreeable, to found a path    Over this
main from Hell to that new world,    Where Satan
now prevails a monument    Of merit high to all
the infernal host, 260   Easing their passage
hence, for intercourse,    Or transmigration, as
their lot shall lead.    Nor can I miss the way,
so strongly drawn    By this new-felt attraction
and instinct.    Whom thus the meager Shadow
answered soon. 265   Go, whither Fate, and
inclination strong,    Leads thee I shall not
lag behind, nor err    The way, thou leading
such a scent I draw    Of carnage, prey
innumerable, and taste    The savour of death
from all things there that live 270   Nor shall
I to the work thou enterprisest ,
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Paradise Lost, Book X
   Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.    So
saying, with delight he snuffed the smell    Of
mortal change on earth. As when a flock    Of
ravenous fowl, though many a league remote,
275   Against the day of battle, to a field,   
Where armies lie encamped, come flying, lured   
With scent of living carcasses designed    For
death, the following day, in bloody fight    So
scented the grim Feature, and upturned 280   His
nostril wide into the murky air    Sagacious of
his quarry from so far.    Then both from out
Hell-gates, into the waste    Wide anarchy of
Chaos, damp and dark,    Flew diverse and with
power (their power was great) 285   Hovering upon
the waters, what they met
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Paradise Lost, Book X
286   Solid or slimy, as in raging sea 287  
Tost up and down, together crouded drove, 288  
From each side shoaling towards the mouth of
Hell 289   As when two polar winds, blowing
adverse 290   Upon the Cronian sea, together
drive 291   Mountains of ice, that stop the
imagined way 292   Beyond Petsora eastward, to
the rich 293   Cathaian coast. The aggregated
soil 294   Death with his mace petrifick, cold
and dry, 295   As with a trident, smote and
fixed as firm 296   As Delos, floating once the
rest his look 297   Bound with Gorgonian rigour
not to move 298   And with Asphaltick slime,
broad as the gate, 299   Deep to the roots of
Hell the gathered beach 300   They fastened, and
the mole immense wrought on
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Paradise Lost, Book X
301   Over the foaming deep high-arched, a
bridge 302   Of length prodigious, joining to
the wall 303   Immoveable of this now fenceless
world, 304   Forfeit to Death from hence a
passage broad, 305   Smooth, easy, inoffensive,
down to Hell. 306   So, if great things to small
may be compared, 307   Xerxes, the liberty of
Greece to yoke, 308   From Susa, his Memnonian
palace high, 309   Came to the sea and, over
Hellespont 310   Bridging his way, Europe with
Asia joined, 311   And scourged with many a
stroke the indignant waves. 312   Now had they
brought the work by wonderous art 313  
Pontifical, a ridge of pendant rock, 314   Over
the vexed abyss, following the track 315   Of
Satan to the self-same place where he
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Paradise Lost, Book X
316   First lighted from his wing, and landed
safe 317   From out of Chaos, to the outside
bare 318   Of this round world With pins of
adamant 319   And chains they made all fast, too
fast they made 320   And durable! And now in
little space 321   The confines met of empyrean
Heaven, 322   And of this World and, on the
left hand, Hell 323   With long reach
interposed three several ways 324   In sight,
to each of these three places led. 325   And now
their way to Earth they had descried, 326   To
Paradise first tending when, behold! 327  
Satan, in likeness of an Angel bright, 328  
Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering
329   His zenith, while the sun in Aries rose
330   Disguised he came but those his children
dear
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Paradise Lost, Book X
331   Their parent soon discerned, though in
disguise. 332   He, after Eve seduced, unminded
slunk 333   Into the wood fast by and, changing
shape, 334   To observe the sequel, saw his
guileful act 335   By Eve, though all unweeting,
seconded 336   Upon her husband saw their shame
that sought 337   Vain covertures but when he
saw descend 338   The Son of God to judge them,
terrified 339   He fled not hoping to escape,
but shun 340   The present fearing, guilty,
what his wrath 341   Might suddenly inflict
that past, returned 342   By night, and
listening where the hapless pair 343   Sat in
their sad discourse, and various plaint, 344  
Thence gathered his own doom which understood
345   Not instant, but of future time, with joy
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Paradise Lost, Book X
346   And tidings fraught, to Hell he now
returned 347   And at the brink of Chaos, near
the foot 348   Of this new wonderous pontifice,
unhoped 349   Met, who to meet him came, his
offspring dear. 350   Great joy was at their
meeting, and at sight 351   Of that stupendious
bridge his joy encreased. 352   Long he admiring
stood, till Sin, his fair 353   Enchanting
daughter, thus the silence broke. 354   O
Parent, these are thy magnifick deeds, 355   Thy
trophies! which thou viewest as not thine own
356   Thou art their author, and prime architect
357   For I no sooner in my heart divined,
358   My heart, which by a secret harmony 359  
Still moves with thine, joined in connexion
sweet, 360   That thou on earth hadst prospered,
which thy looks
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361   Now also evidence, but straight I felt,
362   Though distant from thee worlds between,
yet felt, 363   That I must after thee, with this
thy son 364   Such fatal consequence unites us
three! 365   Hell could no longer hold us in our
bounds, 366   Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure
367   Detain from following thy illustrious
track. 368   Thou hast achieved our liberty,
confined 369   Within Hell-gates till now thou
us impowered 370   To fortify thus far, and
overlay, 371   With this portentous bridge, the
dark abyss. 372   Thine now is all this world
thy virtue hath won 373   What thy hands builded
not thy wisdom gained 374   With odds what war
hath lost, and fully avenged 375   Our foil in
Heaven here thou shalt monarch reign,
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Or Sex, and apprehended nothing high 376   There
didst not there let him still victor sway,
377   As battle hath adjudged from this new
world 378   Retiring, by his own doom alienated
379   And henceforth monarchy with thee divide
380   Of all things, parted by the empyreal
bounds, 381   His quadrature, from thy orbicular
world 382   Or try thee now more dangerous to
his throne. 383   Whom thus the Prince of
darkness answered glad. 384   Fair Daughter, and
thou Son and Grandchild both 385   High proof ye
now have given to be the race 386   Of Satan
(for I glory in the name, 387   Antagonist of
Heaven's Almighty King,) 388   Amply have
merited of me, of all 389   The infernal empire,
that so near Heaven's door 390   Triumphal with
triumphal act have met,
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Paradise Lost, Book X
391   Mine, with this glorious work and made one
realm, 392   Hell and this world, one realm, one
continent 393   Of easy thorough-fare.
Therefore, while I 394   Descend through
darkness, on your road with ease, 395   To my
associate Powers, them to acquaint 396   With
these successes, and with them rejoice 397  
You two this way, among these numerous orbs,
398   All yours, right down to Paradise descend
399   There dwell, and reign in bliss thence on
the earth 400   Dominion exercise and in the air,
401   Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declared
402   Him first make sure your thrall, and
lastly kill. 403   My substitutes I send ye, and
create 404   Plenipotent on earth, of matchless
might 405   Issuing from me on your joint
vigour now
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406   My hold of this new kingdom all depends,
407   Through Sin to Death exposed by my
exploit. 408   If your joint power prevail, the
affairs of Hell 409   No detriment need fear
go, and be strong! 410   So saying he dismissed
them they with speed 411   Their course through
thickest constellations held, 412   Spreading
their bane the blasted stars looked wan, 413  
And planets, planet-struck, real eclipse 414  
Then suffered. The other way Satan went down
415   The causey to Hell-gate On either side
416   Disparted Chaos overbuilt exclaimed,
417   And with rebounding surge the bars
assailed, 418   That scorned his indignation
Through the gate, 419   Wide open and unguarded,
Satan passed, 420   And all about found
desolate for those,
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421   Appointed to sit there, had left their
charge, 422   Flown to the upper world the rest
were all 423   Far to the inland retired, about
the walls 424   Of Pandemonium city and proud
seat 425   Of Lucifer, so by allusion called
426   Of that bright star to Satan paragoned
427   There kept their watch the legions, while
the Grand 428   In council sat, solicitous what
chance 429   Might intercept their emperour
sent so he 430   Departing gave command, and
they observed. 431   As when the Tartar from his
Russian foe, 432   By Astracan, over the snowy
plains, 433   Retires or Bactrin Sophi, from
the horns 434   Of Turkish crescent, leaves all
waste beyond 435   The realm of Aladule, in his
retreat
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436   To Tauris or Casbeen So these, the late
437   Heaven-banished host, left desart utmost
Hell 438   Many a dark league, reduced in
careful watch 439   Round their metropolis and
now expecting 440   Each hour their great
adventurer, from the search 441   Of foreign
worlds He through the midst unmarked, 442   In
show plebeian Angel militant 443   Of lowest
order, passed and from the door 444   Of that
Plutonian hall, invisible 445   Ascended his
high throne which, under state 446   Of richest
texture spread, at the upper end 447   Was
placed in regal lustre. Down a while 448   He
sat, and round about him saw unseen 449   At
last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head 4 500 
And shape star-bright appeared, or brighter clad
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451   With what permissive glory since his fall
52   Was left him, or false glitter All amazed
453   At that so sudden blaze the Stygian throng
454   Bent their aspect, and whom they wished
beheld, 455   Their mighty Chief returned loud
was the acclaim 456   Forth rushed in haste the
great consulting peers, 457   Raised from their
dark Divan, and with like joy 458   Congratulant
approached him who with hand 459   Silence, and
with these words attention, won. 460   Thrones,
Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers 461  
For in possession such, not only of right, 462  
I call ye, and declare ye now returned 463  
Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth 464  
Triumphant out of this infernal pit 465  
Abominable, accursed, the house of woe,
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466   And dungeon of our tyrant Now possess,
467   As Lords, a spacious world, to our native
Heaven 468   Little inferiour, by my adventure
hard 469   With peril great achieved. Long were
to tell 470   What I have done what
sufferedwith what pain 471   Voyaged th' unreal,
vast, unbounded deep 472   Of horrible
confusion over which 473   By Sin and Death a
broad way now is paved, 474   To expedite your
glorious march but I 475   Toiled out my
uncouth passage, forced to ride 476   The
untractable abyss, plunged in the womb 477   Of
unoriginal Night and Chaos wild 478   That,
jealous of their secrets, fiercely opposed 479  
My journey strange, with clamorous uproar 480  
Protesting Fate supreme thence how I found
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481   The new created world, which fame in Heaven
482   Long had foretold, a fabrick wonderful
483   Of absolute perfection! therein Man 484  
Placed in a Paradise, by our exile 485   Made
happy Him by fraud I have seduced 486   From
his Creator and, the more to encrease 487  
Your wonder, with an apple he, thereat 488  
Offended, worth your laughter! hath given up
489   Both his beloved Man, and all his world,
490   To Sin and Death a prey, and so to us,
491   Without our hazard, labour, or alarm
492   To range in, and to dwell, and over Man
493   To rule, as over all he should have ruled.
494   True is, me also he hath judged, or rather
495   Me not, but the brute serpent in whose
shape