PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

THE ARGUMENT.

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream: he likes it not, yet comforts her. They come forth to their daylabours: their morning-hymn, at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, 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, persuauing all but only Abdiel a seraph; who in argument disuades and opposes him, then forsakes him.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

Now morn, her rosy steps in the eastern clime
Advancing, sow'd the earth with orient pearl;
When Adam waked, so customed; for his sleep
Was airy-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 unwaken'd Eve,
With tresses discomposed, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest. He on his side
Leaning, half raised, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd; 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, whisper'd thus. "Awake,
My fairest, my espoused, my latest found,
Heaven's last best gift, my ever new delight,
Awake; the morning shines, and the fresh field
Calls us; we lose the prime, to mark how spring
Our tender 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 embracing, thus she spake.

"O sole, in whom my thoughts find all repose,
My glory, my perfection, glad I see
Thy face, and morn return'd; for I this night,
Such night till this I never pass'd, have dream'd,
If dream'd, not as I oft am wont, of thee,
Works of day past, or morrow's next design;
But of offence and trouble, which my mind
Knew never, till this irksome night. Methought,
Close at mine ear, one call'd me forth to walk,
With gentle voice; I thought it thine: it said,

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'Why sleep'st thou, Eve? now is the pleasant time,
The cool, the silent, save where silence yields
To the night-warbling bird, that now awake,
Tunes sweetest his love-labour'd song; now reigns
Full-orb'd the moon, and with more pleasing light
Shadowy sets off the face of things; in vain,
If none regard: Heaven wakes with all his eyes;
Whom to behold but thee, nature's desire?
In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment,
Attracted by thy beauty, still to gaze.'
I rose as at thy call, but found thee not;
To find thee I directed then my walk;
And on, methought, alone I pass'd through ways,
That brought me on a sudden to the tree
Of interdicted knowledge: fair it seem'd,
Much fairer to my fancy than by day:
And as I wondering look'd, beside it stood

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One shaped and wing'd like one of those from Heaven, 55
By us oft seen; his dewy locks distill'd
Ambrosia; on that tree he also gazed:
'And, O fair plant,' said he,' with fruit surcharged,
Deigns none to ease thy load, and taste thy sweet,
Nor God, nor Man? is knowledge so despised?
Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste?
Forbid who will, none shall from me withhold
Longer thy offer'd good; why else set here?'
This said; he paused not, but with venturous arm
He pluck'd, he tasted: me damp horror chill'd,
At such bold words, vouch'd with a deed so bold :
But he thus, overjoy'd; 'O fruit divine!
Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus cropp'd,
Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit
For gods, yet able to make gods of men :
And why not gods of men, since good, the more
Communicated, more abundant grows,
The author not impair'd, but honour'd more?
Here, happy creature, fair angelic Eve,
Partake thou also happy though thou art,
Happier thou may'st be, worthier canst not be:
Taste this, and be henceforth, among the gods,
Thyself a goddess; not to earth confined,
But sometimes in the air, as we, sometimes
Ascend to Heaven, by merit thine; and see
What life the gods live there, & such live thou.'
So saying, he drew nigh, and to me held,
Even to my mouth, of that same fruit, held part,
Which he had pluck'd: the pleasant savoury smeil

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So quicken'd appetite, that I, methought, Forthwith, up to the clouds, and underneath beheld.

Could not but taste.

With him I flew;
The earth outstretch'd, immense, a prospect wide
And various wondering at my flight and change
To this high exaltation; suddenly

My guide was gone, and I, methought, sunk down,
And fell asleep: but O how glad I waked,
To find this but a dream!" Thus Eve her night
Related, and thus Adam answer'd sad.
"Best image of myself, and dearer half,
The trouble of thy thoughts, this night in sleep,
Affects me equally: nor can I like
This uncouth dream, of evil sprung, I fear:
Yet evil whence? in thee can harbour none,
Created pure.
But know, that in the soul
Are many lesser faculties, that serve
Reason as chief; among these fancy next
Her office holds; of all external things,
Which the five watchful senses represent,
She forms imaginations, airy shapes,
Which reason joining, or disjoining, frames
All what we affirm, or what deny, and call
Our knowledge, or opinion; then retires,
Into her private cell, when nature rests.
Oft, in her absence, mimic fancy wakes
To imitate her; but misjoining shapes,
Wild work produces oft, and most in dreams;
Ill matching words and deeds, long past or late.
Some such resemblances, methinks, I find
Of our last evening's talk, in this thy dream,
But with addition strange; yet be not sad.
Evil into the mind of God or man
May come and go, so unapproved, and leave
No spot or blame behind: which gives me hope
That, what in sleep thou did'st abhor to dream,
Waking, thou never wilt consent to do.
Be not dishearten'd then, nor cloud those looks,
That wont to be. more cheerful and serene,
Than when fair morning first smiles on the world;
And let us to our fresh employments rise,
Among the groves, the fountains, and the flowers,
That open now their choicest boscm'd smells,
Reserved from night, and kept for thee in store."

So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd;

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But silently a gentle tear let fall
From either eye, and wiped them with her hair ;