PARADISE LOST. BOOK X. The Argument. MAN's tranfgreffion known, the guardian angels forfake Paradife, and return up to heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved, God declar ing that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He fends his son to judge the tranfgreffors, who defcends, and gives fentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and re-afcends. Sin and Death, fitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous fympathy feeling the fuccefs of Satan in this new world, and the fin by man there committed, refove to fit no longer confin'd in hell, but to follow Satan their fire up to the place of Man: to make the way eafier, from hell to this world, to and fro, they pave a broad high-way or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then preparing for Earth, they meet him proud of his fuccefs, returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full affembly relates with boafting his fuccefs against Man; instead of applaufe, is entertained with a general hifs by all his audience, transform'd with himfelf alfo fuddenly into ferpents, according to his doom given in Paradife; then deluded with a fhew of the forbidden tree fpringing up before them, they greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew duft and bitter afhes. The proceedings of sin and Death; God foretel's the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the prefent, commands his angels to make feveral alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; the perfifts, and at length appeafes him: then, to evade the curfe likely to fall on their offspring, propofes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not, but conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promife made them, that her feed fhould be revenged on the ferpent, and exhorts her with him to feek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and fupplication. Mor Satan done in Paradife, and how EAN while the heinous and defpiteful act He and the ferpent had perverted Eve, Her husband fhe, to taste the fatal fruit, Was known in heav'n; for what can scape the eye 5 Omniscient? who, in all things wife and just, Of man, with strength entire, and free-will arm'd 10 For ftill they knew, and ought t' have still remember'd For man; for of his fate by this they knew, Affembled angels, and ye pow'rs return'd Or touch with lightest moment of impulse By fome immediate stroke; but soon shall find 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 But whom fend I to judge them? whom but thee, 55 All judgment, whether in heav'n, or earth, or hell, |