Book 10: Adam and Eve are judged

THE ARGUMENT.—Man’s transgression known, the guardian Angels forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved; God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented. He sends his Son to judge the Transgressors; who descends, and gives sentence accordingly; then, in pity, clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and Death, sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new World, and the sin by Man there committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan, their sire, up to the place of Man: to make the way easier from Hell to this World to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then, preparing for Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium; in full assembly relates, with boasting, his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed, with himself also, suddenly into Serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then, deluded with a shew of the Forbidden Tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the Fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the present, commands his Angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and Elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways; which he approves not, but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the Serpent, and exhorts her, with him, to seek peace of the offended Deity by repentance and supplication.

tl;dr God saw it all. God knew it all. And judgement happens. Just read it, this is also an important book.



Text

tl;dr
MEANWHILE the hainous and despiteful act

God obviously knew all about the bad news.  
Of Satan done in Paradise, and how

God knew about Satan
He, in the Serpent, had perverted Eve,

and how he had took the form of a snake to tempt Eve.
Her Husband she, to taste the fatal Fruit,

And God definitely knew that Adam would fall to temptation too. 
Was known in Heaven; for what can scape the eye
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You just can't hide anything from God.
Of God all—seeing, or deceive his heart

Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just,

He sees it all, 
Hindered not Satan to attempt the mind

but he still didn't do anything to stop anything from happening
Of Man, with strength entire and free will armed

because Adam and Eve have free will. 
Complete to have discovered and repulsed
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Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.

Free will is their biggest defense against all. 
For still they knew, and ought to have still remembered,

The high injunction not to taste that Fruit,

Whoever tempted; which they not obeying

Unfortunately, they still disobeyed God
Incurred (what could they less?) the penalty,
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and now they have to pay the price.
And, manifold in sin, deserved to fall.

Up into Heaven from Paradise in haste

A few guardian angels ascended
The Angelic Guards ascended, mute and sad

up to Heaven. They were sad because 
For Man; for of his state by this they knew,

of the fall of man.
Much wondering how the subtle Fiend had stolen
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They were also sad that Satan snuck right by them.
Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news

From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeased

Soon, every other angel in Heaven knew about the bad news. 
All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare

That time celestial visages, yet, mixed

With pity, violated not their bliss.
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About the new-arrived in multitudes,

A host of angels surrounded the guardian angels to 
The Ethereal People ran, to hear and know

learn more.
How all befell. They towards the Throne supreme,

Accountable, made haste, to make appear,

But the guardian angels were rushing straight to 
With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance,
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And easily approved; when the Most High,

God's throne to explain what happened.
Eternal Father, from his secret Cloud

God was understanding and reassuring,
Amidst, in thunder uttered thus his voice:—

he spoke,
  “Assembled Angels, and ye Powers returned

"Angels, 
From unsuccessful charge, be not dismayed
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you shouldn't feel so bad about what happened.
Nor troubled at these tidings from the Earth,

Which your sincerest care could not prevent,

Foretold so lately what would come to pass,

There was really nothing you could have done to stop anything. 
When first this Tempter crossed the gulf from Hell.

Remember back then, when Satan was on the move, I told you this was going to happen.
I told ye then he should prevail, and speed
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On his bad errand—Man should be seduced,

And flattered out of all, believing lies

And there was nothing I did that made a direct difference.
Against his Maker; no decree of mine,

Adam and Eve have free will. I have no influence on that. 
Concurring to necessitate his fall,

Or touch with lightest moment of impulse
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His free will, to her own inclining left

In even scale. But fallen he is; and now

Man has fallen. 
What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass

So we must pass the sentence on him,
On his transgression, Death denounced that day

which is death! 
Which he presumes already vain and void,
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Because not yet inflicted, as he feared,

They think death isn't coming at all because it didn't happen immediately, 
By some immediate stroke, but soon shall find

Forbearance no acquittance ere day end.

but it is coming. 
Justice shall not return, as bounty, scorned.

But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee,
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I wouldn't send anyone else down to judge them, but you my Son.
Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferred

All judgment, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell.

Because you have the power of Heaven, Earth, and Hell. 
Easy it may be seen that I intend

Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee,

By sending you down there to them, 
Man’s Friend, his Mediator, his designed
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it will be merciful. You are man's friend, and 
Both Ransom and Redeemer voluntary,

you have also volunteered to become man 
And destined Man himself to judge Man fallen.”

yourself one day and be mankind's savior."
  So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright

Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son

The Son appeared to the right side of God. 
Blazed forth unclouded deity. He full
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Resplendent all his Father manifest

Expressed, and thus divinely answered mild:—

The Son replied, 
  “Father Eternal, thine is to decree;

"Hey, whatever you want me to do... I'll do it. 
Mine both in Heaven and Earth to do thy will

I just want to please you. 
Supreme, that thou in me, thy Son beloved,
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May’st ever rest well pleased. I go to judge

I'll go down there and judge the
On Earth these thy transgressors; but thou know’st,

earthly sinners.
Whoever judged, the worst on me must light,

When time shall be; for so I undertook

But we both know that I'll suffer a punishment too in the future from mankind (crucifixion y'all...) 
Before thee, and, not repenting, this obtain
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I won't have 
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom

any regrets about it.
On me derived. Yet I shall temper so

Justice with mercy as may illustrate most

I will judge them fairly.
Them fully satisfied, and thee appease.

Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none
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And i will go alone.
Are to behold the judgment but the judged,

Those two; the third best absent is condemned,

Convict by flight, and rebel to all law;

Satan has already fled the scene, 
Conviction to the Serpent none belongs.”

and the reptile snake shouldn't be at fault."
  Thus saying, from his radiant Seat he rose
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Of high collateral glory. Him Thrones and Powers,

Princedoms, and Dominations ministrant,

Accompanied to Heaven-gate, from whence

Angels accompanied the Son to Heaven's gate, 
Eden and all the coast in prospect lay.

from there you couod see all of Eden.
Down he descended straight; the speed of Gods
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And in no time, 
Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes winged.

the Son arrived on earth. 
  Now was the Sun in western cadence low

The sun was setting.
From noon, and gentle airs due at their hour

To fan the Earth now waked, and usher in

The evening cool, when he, from wrauth more cool,
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Came, the mild Judge and Intercessor both,

The Son was ready to be judge and mediator in sentencing man. 
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,

And from his presence hid themselves among
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The thickest trees, both man and wife, till God,

Adam and Eve felt God's word and they hid in the trees. 
Approaching, thus to Adam called aloud:—

The Son called out, 
  “Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet

"Adam, where are you?
My coming, seen far off? I miss thee here,

you're usually so happy to see me!
Not pleased thus entertained, with solitude,
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Where obvious duty erewhile appeared unsought.

Or come I less conspicuous, or what change

Anyone there? Hello??
Absents thee, or what chance detains? Come forth!”

Come on out."
  He came, and with him Eve, more loth, though first

Adam came out along with Eve. 
To offend, discountenanced both, and discomposed.
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Love was not in their looks, either to God

They looked like a hot mess.
Or to each other, but apparent guilt,

And guilty.
And shame, and perturbation, and despair,

Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile.

They looked hopeless, full of shame and despair. 
Whence Adam, faltering long, thus answered brief:—
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Adam said, stuttering, 
  “I heard thee in the Garden, and, of thy voice

"I heard you in the Garden, 
Afraid, being naked, hid myself.” To whom

but I was scared to come out because I'm... naked."
The gracious Judge, without revile, replied:—

The Son calmly replied, 
  “My voice thou oft has heard, and hast not feared,

"But you heard my voice so many times before, 
But still rejoiced; how is it now become
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why are you so afraid now?
So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked who

And... who told you that you were naked?
Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the Tree

Did you eat the fruit from the forbidden tree?
Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?”

You know.. the one we told you not to eat from?"
To whom thus Adam, sore beset, replied:—

Adam replied, 
  “O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand
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"...I don't know what to say...
Before my Judge—either to undergo

Myself the total crime, or to accuse

should I take the blame or 
My other self, the partner of my life,

accuse the person who I love? Eve, the one I should be protecting from everything.
Whose failing, while her faith to me remains,

I should conceal, and not expose to blame
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By my complaint. But strict necessity

I don't know what to do. 
Subdues me, and calamitous constraint,

I don't think I'm strong enough to bear the entire responsibility.
Lest on my head both sin and punishment,

However insupportable, be all

Devolved; though, should I hold my peace, yet thou
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There's no point anyway, in keeping things from you. 
Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.

This Woman, whom thou mad’st to be my help,

You made Eve to be my wife, the perfect individual, 
And gav’st me as thy perfect gift, so good,

and it seemed like she could do no wrong...
So fit, so acceptáble, so divine,

That from her hand I could suspect no ill,
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And what she did, whatever in itself,

but she gave me the fruit...
Her doing seemed to justify the deed—

She gave me of the Tree, and I did eat.”

and I ate it."
To whom the Sovran Presence thus replied:—

The Son replied,. 
  “Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey
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"Hmmm, sounds like you decided to obey her
Before his voice? or was she made thy guide,

rather than obeying me. 
Superior, or but equal, that to her

So is she your God now?
Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place

Or did you just give up your manhood
Wherein God set thee above her, made of thee

and let her become your master and conqueror? Did you forget that we made you to be master of all, to be her superior. 
And for thee, whose perfection far excelled
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Hers in all real dignity? Adorned

She was made to attract your love
She was indeed, and lovely, to attract

and affection, 
Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts

but not your obedience. 
Were such as under government well seemed—

She was made to obey you, not to become your leader. 
Unseemly to bear rule; which was thy part
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And person, hadst thou known thyself aright.”

You should have known your place, Adam. 
  So having said, he thus to Eve in few:—

Eve, explain yourself."
“Say, Woman, what is this which thou hast done?”

  To whom sad Eve, with shame nigh overwhelmed,

Eve replied, 
Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge
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Bold or loquacious, thus abashed replied:—

“The Serpent me beguiled, and I did eat.”

"The snake tricked me and I ate the fruit from the forbidden tree."
  Which when the Lord God heard, without delay

To judgment he proceeded on the accused

When God heard this, he put a curse on the snake. 
Serpent, though brute, unable to transfer
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The guilt on him who made him instrument

He deemed the snake to be unholy. 
Of mischief, and polluted from the end

Of his creation—justly then accursed,

As vitiated in nature. More to know

Concerned not Man (since he no further knew),
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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:—

God spoke to the snake, 
  “Because thou hast done this, thou art accursed
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"I curse you. 
Above all cattle, each beast of the field;

You will crawl below all other animals, 
Upon thy belly grovelling thou shalt go,

crawl on your belly and 
And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life.

eat dirt. 
Between thee and the Woman I will put

You will be enemies with man. 
Enmity, and between thine and her seed;
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Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel.”

If you bruise man's heel, man will bruise your head."
  So spake this oracle—then verified


When Jesus, son of Mary, second Eve,


Saw Satan fall like lightning down from Heaven,

Prince of the Air; then, rising from his grave,
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Spoiled Principalities and Powers, triumphed

In open shew, and, with ascension bright,

Captivity led captive through the Air,

The realm itself of Satan, long usurped,

Whom He shall tread at last under our feet,
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Even He who now foretold his fatal bruise,

And to the Woman thus his sentence turned:—

Then God/Son spoke to Eve, 
  “Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply

"You and future women will be in misery
By thy conception; children thou shalt bring

through the conception of all the children that come after. 
In sorrow forth, and to thy husband’s will
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Childbirth is going to suck for y'all now. 
Thine shall submit; he over thee shall rule.”

And you'll have to obey your husbands' rules. Future women will endure all of this."
  On Adam last thus judgment he pronounced:—

Then God/Son spoke to Adam, 
“Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife,

"As for you, since you listened to your wife and ate the fruit we told you not to eat...
And eaten of the Tree concerning which

I charged thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat thereof,
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Curs’d is the ground for thy sake; thou in sorrow

I'm going to curse the ground it grew out of.
Shalt eat thereof all the days of thy life;

From now on, you will be miserable...
Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth

Unbid; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

working hard and sweating, trying to grow food on your own. 
In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat bread,
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Till thou return unto the ground; for thou

Then when you finally die, you will return to what you were made from... the dirt."
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,

This was God's judgement. 
And the instant stroke of death, denounced that day,
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Instead of an instant stroke of death on man that day, 
Removed far off; then, pitying how they stood

man would not die until later on. 
Before him naked to the air, that now

God/Son felt bad for Adam and Eve for being shameful that they were naked, especially since the weather was getting grim. 
Must suffer change, disdained not to begin

Thenceforth the form of servant to assume.

As when he washed his servants’ feet, so now,
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As Father of his family, he clad

Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain,

He used the skins of beasts that were killed, and fur from 
Or, as the snake, with youthful coat repaid;

other animals that stayed alive—he just let them grow their fur right back. 
And thought not much to clothe his enemies.

He didn't mind clothing Adam and Eve even though they had betrayed him. 
Nor he their outward only with the skins
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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,

Then he left and went back. upto Heaven. 
Into his blissful bosom reassumed
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In glory as of old; to him, appeased,

All, though all-knowing, what had passed with Man

Even thought God knew everything that happened, the Son
Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.

told God everything anyway (weird right? since God and the Son are basically the same-ish).
  Meanwhile, ere thus was sinned and judged on Earth,

Meanwhile, 
Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and Death,
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at the gates of Hell were Sin and Death. 
In counterview within the gates, that now

Sin said to her son, 
Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame

Far into Chaos, since the Fiend passed through,

Sin opening; who thus now to Death began:—

  “O Son, why sit we here, each other viewing
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"Why are we sitting here, just staring?
Idly, while Satan, our great author, thrives

Satan went out there to find us a better world, 
In other worlds, and happier sent provides

and so far nothing has really happened.
For us, his offspring dear? It cannot be

But that success attends him; if mishap

If he ran into trouble, 
Ere this he had returned, with fury driven
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I'm sure he would have come back here... 
By his Avengers, since no place like this

there's no other place he'd be.
Can fit his punishment, or their revenge.

Methinks I feel new strength within me rise,

Besides, I'm feeling a new strength growing within me.
Wings growing, and dominion given me large

That tells me that Satan is okay.
Beyond this Deep—whatever draws me on,
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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

Inseparable, must with me along;
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I'm going to find and meet him, and you must come with me. 
For Death from Sin no power can separate.

But, lest the difficulty of passing back

It could be the difficulty of traveling through 
Stay his return perhaps over this gulf

the chaos of space that is slowing his arrival back. 
Impassable, impervious, let us try

(Adventrous work, yet to thy power and mine
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Let's work. oncreating a bridge, a pathway
Not unagreeable!) to found a path

Over this Main from Hell to that new World

from Hell to Earth. 
Where Satan now prevails—a monument

Of merit high to all the infernal Host,

Easing their passage hence, for intercourse
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We have the power to do this. This pathway helps Satan and other devils to travel swiftly. 
Or transmigration, as their lot shall lead.

Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn

By this new-felt attraction and instinct.”

Let's do this."
  Whom thus the meagre Shadow answered soon:—

Sin replied, 
“Go whither fate and inclination strong
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"I'm right behind you. I'll help. 
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.

I can almost taste all. theliving things just waiting for me."
Nor shall I do the work thou enterprisest
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Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.”

  So saying, with delight he snuffed the smell

Sin was like a hungry vulture, 
Of mortal change on Earth. As when a flock

Of ravenous fowl, though many a league remote,

Against the day of battle, to a field
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that could smell 
Where armies lie encamped come flying, lured

living armies marching to battle
With scent of living carcases designed

For death the following day in bloody fight;

and knowing with excitement that they will be dead.
So scented the grim Feature, and upturned

His nostril wide into the murky air,
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Sagacious of his quarry from so far.

Then both, from out Hell-gates, into the waste

Both Sin and Death
Wide anarchy of Chaos, damp and dark,

flew into the Chaos
Flew diverse, and, with power (their power was great)

and used their great power to 
Hovering upon the waters, what they met
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Solid or slimy, as in raging sea

Tossed up and down, together crowded drove,

From each side shoaling, towards the mouth of Hell;

create a foundation to connect Hell to Earth. 
As when two polar winds, blowing adverse

It looked like mountains of ice being pushed together. 
Upon the Cronian sea, together drive
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Mountains of ice, that stop the imagined way

Beyond Petsora eastward to the rich

Cathaian coast. The aggregated soil

Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry,

Death used a trident
As with a trident smote, and fixed as firm
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to turn it all to stone.
As Delos, floating once; the rest his look

Bound with Gorgonian rigour not to move,

And with asphaltic slime; broad as the gate,

It was like asphalt.
Deep to the roots of Hell the gathered beach

This foundation was rooted in Hell, 
They fastened, and the mole immense wraught on
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Over the foaming Deep high-arched, a bridge

and they both built an arched highway
Of length prodigious, joining to the wall

that led to Earth.
Immovable of this now fenceless World,

Forfeit to Death—from hence a passage broad,

Smooth, easy, inoffensive, down to Hell.
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So, if great things to small may be compared,

Xerxes, the liberty of Greece to yoke,

From Susa, his Memnonian palace high,

Came to the sea, and, over Hellespont

Bridging his way, Europe with Asia joined,
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And scourged with many a stroke the indignant waves.

Now had they brought the work by wondrous art

They admired their work, 
Pontifical—a ridge of pendent rock a great stone bridge
Over the vexed Abyss, following the track

suspended through the chaos.
Of Satan, to the self-same place where he
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First lighted from his wing and landed safe

From out of Chaos—to the outside bare

Of this round World. With pins of adamant

And chains they made all fast, too fast they made

And durable; and now in little space
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Much like Heaven had a short connection to Earth, 
The confines met of empyrean Heaven

And of this World, and on the left hand Hell,

there was this long connection to Hell. 
With long reach interposed; three several ways

Each of the three places was connected to the other two in a way. 
In sight of each of these three places led.

And now their way to Earth they had described,
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Son and Death were on their way to Earth, 
To Paradise first tending, when, behold

Satan, in likeness of an Angel bright,

until they saw Satan disguised as a good angel. 
Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering

His zenith, while the Sun in Aries rose!

Disguised he came; but those his children dear
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Sin and Death knew it was him right away. 
Their parent soon discerned, though in disguise.

He, after Eve seduced, unminded slunk

After Satan tempted Eve, he
Into the wood fast by, and, changing shape

hid in the woods 
To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act

to observe Eve tempting Adam. 
By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded
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Upon her husband—saw their shame that sought

Vain covertures; but, when he saw descend

When the 
The Son of God to judge them, terrified

Son of God went down to Earth to judge them, 
He fled, not hoping to escape, but shun

Satan fled. 
The present—fearing, guilty, what his wrauth
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Satan ran away in fear of what God/Son might do to him. 
Might suddenly inflict; that past, returned

By night, and, listening where the hapless pair

Sat in their sad discourse and various plaint,

Thence gathered his own doom; which understood

Not instant, but of future time, with joy
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And tidings fraught, to Hell he now returned,

And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot

At the new bridge, Satan met up with his children Sin and Death.
Of this new wondrous pontifice, unhoped

Met who to meet him came, his offspring dear.

He was in awe of the bridge. 
Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight
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Of that stupendious bridge his joy increased.

Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair

Sin said to Satan, 
Inchanting daughter, thus the silence broke:—

  “O Parent, these are thy magnific deeds,

"This is all because of you. 
Thy trophies! which thou view’st as not thine own;
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We knew you would be successful in your plan on Earth. 
Thou art their Author and prime Architect.

For I no sooner in my heart divined

(My heart, which by a secret harmony

Still moves with thine, joined in connexion sweet)

That thou on Earth hadst prospered, which thy looks
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Now also evidence, but straight I felt—

Though distant from thee worlds between, yet felt—

That I must after thee with this thy son;

Such fatal consequence unites us three.

Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds,
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Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds, 
Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure

and the chaos of space couldn't stop us. 
Detain from following thy illustrious track.

Thou hast achieved our liberty, confined

Satan, you have won freedom for us. 
Within Hell-gates till now; thou us impowered

That's why we were able to build this bridge. 
To fortify thus far, and overlay
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With this portentous bridge the dark Abyss.

Thine now is all this World; thy virtue hath won

Now the world is yours. 
What thy hands builded not; thy wisdom gained,

With odds, what war hath lost, and fully avenged

Our foil in Heaven. Here thou shalt Monarch reign,
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If you can't be king in Heaven, you will be king on earth." 
There didst not; there let him still victor sway,

As battle hath adjudged, from this new World

Retiring, by his own doom alienated,

And henceforth monarchy with thee divide

Of all things, parted by the empyreal bounds,
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His quadrature, from thy orbicular World,

Or try thee now more dangerous to his Throne.”

  Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answered glad:—

Satan replied, 
“Fair daughter, and thou, son and grandchild both,

"Sin, my daughter
High proof ye now have given to be the race
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and you Death, my Son...
Of Satan (for I glory in the name,

you have proven yourselves worthy. 
Antagonist of Heaven’s Almighty King),

Amply have merited of me, of all

The Infernal Empire, that so near Heaven’s door

I'm glad that we could meet here on this bridge, 
Triumphal with triumphal act have met,
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so close to Heaven and Earth. 
Mine with this glorious work, and made one realm

Hell and this World—one realm, one continent

It's as if you've made Hell, Heaven, and Earth a single place!
Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore, while I

Descend through Darkness, on your road with ease,

I'm on my way back. to Hell, 
To my associate Powers, them to acquaint
        395
With these successes, and with them rejoice

You two this way, among these numerous orbs,

I want the both of you to go to earth, it's all yours. 
All yours, right down to Paradise descend;

There dwell and reign in bliss; thence on the Earth

You will dwell there, 
Dominion exercise and in the air,
        400
enslave mankind, 
Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declared;

Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.

and then kill him and all the generations after.
My substitutes I send ye, and create

Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might

Issuing from me. On your joint vigour now
        405
My hold of this new kingdom all depends,

Through Sin to Death exposed by my exploit.

If your joint power prevail, the affairs of Hell

As long as Sin and Death can stay strong, nothing can stop us."
No detriment need fear; go, and be strong.”

  So saying, he dismissed them; they with speed
        410
Sin and Death made their way to Earth, the stars dimmed as they passed them by. 
Their course through thickest constellations held,

Spreading their bane; the blasted stars looked wan,

And planets, planet-strook, real eclipse

Then suffered. The other way Satan went down

Satan went the other way toward Hell. 
The causey to Hell-gate; on either side
        415
Disparted Chaos overbuilt exclaimed,

And with rebounding surge the bars assailed,

That scorned his indignation. Through the gate,

Wide open and unguarded, Satan passed,

He arrived to the gate of Hell, it was unguarded.
And all about found desolate; for those
        420
Appointed to sit there had left their charge,

Everyone was deep inside
Flown to the upper World; the rest were all

Far to the inland retired, about the walls

Of Pandemonium, city and proud seat

at the city of Pandemonium. 
Of Lucifer, so by allusion called
        425
Of that bright star to Satan paragoned.

There kept their watch the legions, while the Grand

In council sat, solicitous what chance

Might intercept their Emperor sent; so he

Departing gave command, and they observed.
        430
As when the Tartar from his Russian foe,

By Astracan, over the snowy plains,

Retires, or Bactrian Sophi, from the horns

Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste beyond

The realm of Aladule, in his retreat
        435
To Tauris or Casbeen; so these, the late

Heaven-banished host, left desert utmost Hell

Many a dark league, reduced in careful watch

Round their Metropolis, and now expecting

Each hour their great Adventurer from the search
        440
Of foreign worlds. He through the midst unmarked,

Satan entered the palace of Pandemonium
In shew plebeian Angel militant

Of lowest order, passed, and, from the door

disguised as a low-rank soldier of Hell. 
Of that Plutonian hall, invisible

Ascended his high Throne, which, under state
        445
He went up to his throne, 
Of richest texture spread, at the upper end

nobody noticed him. 
Was placed in regal lustre. Down a while

He sat, and round about him saw, unseen.

He sat. 
At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head

Until he showed off his true self. 
And shape star-bright appeared, or brighter, clad
        450
With what permissive glory since his fall

Everyone around was startled by 
Was left him, or false glitter. All amazed

his bright light. 
At that so sudden blaze, the Stygian throng

Bent their aspect, and whom they wished beheld,

Their mighty Chief returned: loud was the acclaim.
        455
Forth rushed in haste the great consulting Peers,

They all flocked to him and cheered.
Raised from their dark Divan, and with like joy

Congratulant approached him, who with hand

Silence, and with these words attention, won:—

Satan raised his hand to silence them, 
  “Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers!—
        460
"Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers!
For in possession such, not only of right,

That's right, I'm callin gyou all by your old titles again,
I call ye, and declare ye now, returned,

because you deserve to be called by them. 
Successful beyond hope, to lead ye forth

I have succeeded.
Triumphant out of this infernal Pit

Abominable, accursed, the house of woe,
        465
I will lead you out of this damned place
And dungeon of our tyrant! Now possess,

to another one as 
As lords, a spacious World, to our native Heaven

beautiful as Heaven. And it will be all ours.
Little inferior, by my adventure hard

With peril great achieved. Long were to tell

What I have done, what suffered, with what pain
        470
I've had a long journey. 
Voyaged the unreal, vast, unbounded Deep

It is a long way through the chaos of space. 
Of horrible confusion—over which

By Sin and Death a broad way now is paved,

But Sin and Death have made the path easier for all of you. 
To expedite your glorious march; but I

Toiled out my uncouth passage, forced to ride
        475
Before that easy path. 
The untractable Abyss, plunged in the womb

I had to navigate the abyss of chaos myself, 
Of unoriginal Night and Chaos wild,

That, jealous of their secrets, fiercely opposed

My journey strange, with clamorous uproar

Protesting Fate supreme; thence how I found
        480
until I found God's newly created world. 
The new-created World, which fame in Heaven

Long had foretold, a fabric wonderful,

Of absolute perfection; therein Man

Man lives there. 
Placed in a Paradise, by our exile

Made happy. Him by fraud I have seduced
        485
But I was able to get Man
From his Creator, and, the more to increase

to disobey his creator God. 
Your wonder, with an apple! He, thereat

With an apple!
Offended—worth your laughter!—hath given up

Both his beloved Man and all his World

Here's the kicker, God was so offended that he gave up his beloved Man to Sin and Death. And to us!
To Sin and Death a prey, and so to us,
        490
Without our hazard, labour, or alarm,

We are free to roam Earth
To range in, and to dwell, and over Man

To rule, as over all he should have ruled.

without fear.
True is, me also he hath judged; or rather

Me not, but the brute Serpent, in whose shape
        495
My only punishment
Man I deceived. That which to me belongs

is that man will be my enemy forever.
Is enmity, which he will put between

Me and Mankind: I am to bruise his heel;

There was something said about I will bruise man's heel, and man will bruise my head...
His seed—when is not set—shall bruise my head!

whatever... something like that!
A world who would not purchase with a bruise,
        500
Or much more grievous pain? Ye have the account

Of my performance; what remains, ye Gods,

Anyway, what do y'all think?"
But up and enter now into full bliss?”

  So having said, a while he stood, expecting

Their universal shout and high applause
        505
Satan stood up expecting cheers and applause.
To fill his ear; when, contrary, he hears,

On all sides, from innumerable tongues

Instead he heard hissing. 
A dismal universal hiss, the sound

Of public scorn. He wondered, but not long

Had leisure, wondering at himself now more.
        510
(FUN FACT read the original lines aloud, and there's a lot of S words to make it sound like you're hissing.)
His visage drawn he felt to sharp and spare,

The next thing Satan knew, he felt his 
His arms clung to his ribs, his legs entwining

arms sticking to his ribs and sides and his legs wrapping
Each other, till, supplanted, down he fell,

around each other. He fell down.
A monstrous serpent on his belly prone,

He turned into a snake. 
Reluctant, but in vain; a greater power
        515
God turned him back into the shape he was
Now ruled him, punished in the shape he sinned,

when he sinned.
According to his doom. He would have spoke,

But hiss for hiss returned with forkèd tongue

He tried to speak, but all he could do was hiss
To forkèd tongue; for now were all transformed

like the rest of the fallen angels in the palace.
Alike, to serpents all, as accessories
        520
To his bold riot. Dreadful was the din

Of hissing through the hall, thick-swarming now

With complicated monsters, head and tail—

(This part just compares the snakes to mythical ones...)
Scorpion, and Asp, and Amphisbæna dire,

Cerastes horned, Hydrus, and Ellops drear,
        525
And Dipsas (not so thick swarmed once the soil

Bedropt with blood of Gordon, or the isle

Ophiusa); but still greatest the midst,

Now Dragon grown, larger than whom the Sun

Ingendered in the Phythian vale on slime,
        530
Huge Python; and his power no less he seemed

Satan was the biggest snake. of them all. 
Above the rest still to retain. They all

Him followed, issuing forth to the open field,

All the snakes followed him outside, 
Where all yet left of that revolted rout,

where more angel soldiers were. They were expecting a 
Heaven-fallen, in station stood or just array,
        535
king to come out...
Sublime with expectation when to see

instead it was an army of silly snakes. 
In triumph issuing forth their glorious Chief.

They saw, but other sight instead—a crowd

The rest of the angel soldiers also turned into snakes. 
Of ugly serpents! Horror on them fell,

And horrid sympathy; for what they saw
        540
They felt themselves now changing. Down their arms,

Like a wave of disease, 
Down fell both spear and shield; down they as fast,

bodies were falling to the ground 
And the dire hiss renewed, and the dire form

transforming into snakes.
Catched by contagion, like in punishment

As in their crime. Thus was the applause they meant
        545
Turned to exploding hiss, triumph to shame

The collective hissing grew louder and louder.
Cast on themselves from their own mouths. There stood

A grove hard by, sprung up with this their change,

God then made a 
His will who reigns above, to aggravate

grove of trees from below
Their penance, laden with fair fruit, like that
        550
because he wasn't done torturing them yet. 
Which grew in Paradise, the bait of Eve

The trees were like the ones you would find in Eden.
Used by the Tempter. On that prospect strange

Their earnest eyes they fixed, imagining

For one forbidden tree a multitude

Now risen, to work them further woe or shame;
        555
Yet, parched with scalding thirst and hunger fierce

All the snakes grew hungry and thirsty, 
Though to delude them sent, could not abstain,

But on they rowled in heaps, and, up the trees

so they all swarmed toward the trees
Climbing, sat thicker than the snaky locks

climbing up the trunks and 
That curled Megæra. Greedily they plucked
        560
The fruitage fair to sight, like that which grew

lunging at the delicious fruits. 
Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flamed;

This, more delusive, not the touch, but taste

But whenever the snakes would bite
Deceived; they fondly thinking to allay

at the 
Their appetite with gust, instead of fruit
        565
Chewed bitter ashes, which the offended taste

fruit, their mouths would be filled with ash. 
With spattering noise rejected. Off they assayed,

They spit it out, 
Hunger and thirst constraining; drugged as oft,

but they were still so hungry
With hatefulest disrelish writhed their jaws

they continued to eat the fruit
With soot and cinder filled; so oft they fell
        570
which would still turn to ash in their mouths. 
Into the same illusion, not as Man

It's similar to the temptation that Man fell for once, 
Whom they triumphed’ once lapsed. Thus were they plagued,

And, worn with famine, long and ceaseless hiss,

but the devils-turned-snakes would fall for temptation over and over again. 
Till their lost shape, permitted, they resumed—

God allowed this to happen for a long while, 
Yearly enjoined, some say, to undergo
        575
This annual humbling certain numbered days,

until he turned them back into their normal forms. 
To dash their pride, and joy for Man seduced.

However, some tradition they dispersed

Among the Heathen of their purchase got,

And fabled how the Serpent, whom they called
        580
Ophion, with Eurynome (the wide—

Encroaching Eve perhaps), had first the rule

Of high Olympus, thence by Saturn driven

And Ops, ere yet Dictæan Jove was born.

  Meanwhile in Paradise the Hellish pair
        585
Meanwhile, 
Too soon arrived—Sin, there in power before

Sin and 
Once actual, now in body, and to dwell

Habitual habitant; behind her Death,

Death arrived in Paradise.
Close following pace for pace, not mounted yet


On his pale horse; to whom Sin thus began:—
        590
Sin spoke to Death, 
  “Second of Satan sprung, all-conquering Death!

"So, what do you think of your new home?"
What think’st thou of our empire now? though earned

With travail difficult, not better far

Than still at Hell’s dark threshold to have sat watch,

Unnamed, undreaded, and thyself half-starved?”
        595
  Whom thus the Sin-born Monster answered soon:—

Death replied, 
“To me, who with eternal famine pine,

"Hmmm, 
Alike is Hell, or Paradise, or Heaven—

Hell, Paradise, Heaven...
There best where most with ravin I may meet:

it is all the same to me.
Which here, though plenteous, all too little seems
        600
To stuff this maw, this vast unhide-bound corpse.”

I'll go wherever I can eat."
  To whom the incestuous Mother thus replied:—

Sin said, 
“Thou, therefore, on these herbs, and fruits, and flowers,

"Well, in that case, 
Feed first; on each beast next, and fish, and fowl—

go ahead and start with these flowers, 
No homely morsels; and whatever thing
        605
fruits, beasts, fish, and birds.
The scythe of Time mows down devour unspared;

Till I, in Man residing through the race,

His thoughts, his looks, words, actions, all infect,

And season him thy last and sweetest prey.”

Then mankind will be your last and most satisfying meal."
  This said, they both betook them several ways,
        610
Both Sin and Death went their separate ways
Both to destroy, or unimmortal make

to wreak havoc on life
All kinds, and for destruction to mature

and remove any sense of immortality
Sooner or later; which the Almighty seeing,

so that everything would inevitably die
From his transcendent Seat the Saints among,

sooner or later. 
To those bright Orders uttered thus his voice:—
        615
God was watching all of this happening, he said, 
  “See with what heat these dogs of Hell advance

"Look at those dogs of Hell walking around
To waste and havoc yonder World, which I

laying waste and ruining this world that I made.
So fair and good created, and had still

Kept in that state, had not the folly of Man

They think that I would
Let in these wasteful furies, who impute
        620
Folly to me (so doth the Prince of Hell

just give away the world to them
And his adherents), that with so much ease

so easily. 
I suffer them to enter and possess

A place so heavenly, and, conniving, seem

To gratify my scornful enemies,
        625
That laugh, as if, transported with some fit

They think I just gave up on everything because 
Of passion, I to them had quitted all,

I was being emotional. 
At random yielded up to their misrule;

And know not that I called and drew them thither,

They have no idea that 
My Hell-hounds, to lick up the draft and filth
        630
I indirectly sent both of them there
Which Man’s polluting sin with taint hath shed

to remove all the tainted things
On what was pure; till, crammed and gorged, nigh burst

because of man's sin.
With sucked and glutted offal, at one sling

Of thy victorious arm, well-pleasing Son,

My son, when they are finished doing that...
Both Sin and Death, and yawning Grave, at last
        635
you will toss them 
Through Chaos hurled, obstruct the mouth of Hell

back into Hell.
For ever, and seal up his ravenous jaws.

And their bodies will seal the entrance of Hell forever.
Then Heaven and Earth, renewed, shall be made pure

Then the earth will be pure again."
To sanctity that shall receive no stain:

Till then the curse pronounced on both precedes.”
        640
  He ended, and the Heavenly Audience loud

The angels in Heaven cheered
Sung Halleluiah, as the sound of seas,

and sang about how nobody could undermine God and his work,
Through multitude that sung:—“Just are thy ways,

and how the Son would restore the earth to its former glory. 
Righteous are thy decrees on all thy works;

Who can extenuate thee? Next, to the Son,
        645
Destined restorer of Mankind, by whom

New Heaven and Earth shall to the ages rise,

Or down from Heaven descend.” Such was their song,

While the Creator, calling forth by name

God called together a few certain angels 
His mighty Angels, gave them several charge,
        650
As sorted best with present things. The Sun

to make some changes on earth. 
Had first his precept so to move, so shine,

He tasked the angels to command the sun to 
As might affect the Earth with cold and heat

shine on earth in a certain way: the weather would be cold in the winter
Scarce tolerable, and from the north to call

and hot in the summer. 
Decrepit winter, from the south to bring
        655
Solstitial summer’s heat. To the blanc Moon

And the position of the moon and planets in the sky would 
Her office they prescribed; to the other five

affect conditions on Earth. 
Their planetary motions and aspects,

In sextile, square, and trine, and opposite,

Of noxious efficacy, and when to join
        660
In synod unbenign; and taught the fixed

Their influence malignant when to shower—

Which of them, rising with the Sun or falling,

Should prove tempestuous. To the winds they set

The winds were to create 
Their corners, when with bluster to confound
        665
Sea, air, and shore; the thunder when to roll

storms and 
With terror through the dark aerial hall.

cause the seas to become violent. 
Some say he bid his Angels turn askance

Some say that this is when God had
The poles of Earth twice ten degrees and more

the Angels tilt the axis of the Earth. 
From the Sun’s axle; they with labour pushed
        670
Oblique the centric Globe: some say the Sun

That's how the seasons would change in the way that they do. 
Was bid turn reins from the equinoctial road

Like distant breadth—to Taurus with the seven

Atlantic Sisters, and the Spartan Twins,

Up to the Tropic Crab; thence down amain
        675
By Leo, and the Virgin, and the Scales,

As deep as Capricorn; to bring in change

Of seasons to each clime. Else had the spring

Perpetual smiles on Earth with vernant flowers,

Equal in days and nights, except to those
        680
Beyond the polar circles; to them day

At the poles, the sun would
Had unbenighted shon, while the low Sun,

be low across the horizon and always shine throughout the day, with no night time. 
To recompense his distance, in their sight

Had rounded still the horizon, and not known

Or east or west—which had forbid the snow
        685
From cold Estotiland, and south as far

Beneath Magellan. At that tasted Fruit,

The Sun, as from Thyestean banquet, turned

His course intended; else how had the world

Inhabited, though sinless, more than now
        690
Avoided pinching cold and scorching heat?

All these changes would influence dangerous conditions on land and sea. 
These changes in the heavens, though slow, produced

Like change on sea and land—sidereal blast,

Vapour, and mist, and exhalation hot,

Corrupt and pestilent. Now from the north
        695
Of Norumbega, and the Samoed shore,

Bursting their brazen dungeon, armed with ice,

And snow, and hail, and stormy gust and flaw,

Boreas and Cæcias and Argestes loud

And Thrascias rend the woods, and seas upturn;
        700
With adverse blasts upturns them from the south

Notus and Afer, black with thundrous clouds

From Serraliona; thwart of these, as fierce

Forth rush the Levant and the Ponent winds,

Eurus and Zephyr, with their lateral noise,
        705
Sirocco and Libecchio. Thus began

Outrage from lifeless things; but Discord first,

Discord was Sin's first daughter, 
Daughter of Sin, among the irrational

and she would work with Death to 
Death introduced through fierce antipathy.

make animals fight among themselves. 
Beast now with beast ’gan war, and fowl with fowl,
        710
And fish with fish. To graze the herb all leaving

Instead of minding their own business and grazing on the fields, 
Devoured each other; nor stood much in awe

animals would start hunting and preying on each other. 
Of Man, but fled him, or with countenance grim

They would also be wary of man, and flee whenever he would come close. 
Glared on him passing. These were from without

The growing miseries; which Adam saw
        715
Adam noticed all these changes happening around him. 
Already in part, though hid in gloomiest shade,

To sorrow abandoned, but worse felt within,

And, in a troubled sea of passion tost,

Thus to disburden sought with sad complaint:—

He spoke to himself, 
  “O miserable of happy! Is this the end
        720
"Is this where happiness ends?
Of this new glorious World, and me so late

The glory of that glory? who now, become

Will I ever see God again?
Accursed of blessèd, hide me from the face

Of God, whom to behold was then my highth

I guess I deserve this, 
Of happiness! Yet well, if here would end
        725
The misery! I deserved it, and would bear

but I'm sure it doesn't end here. 
My own deservings. But this will not serve:

All that I eat or drink, or shall beget,

I remember he blessed us and said 
Is propagated curse. O voice, once heard

Delightfully, ’Encrease and multiply,’
        730
'Increase and multiply'
Now death to hear! for what can I encrease

but now that feels like a curse. 
Or multiply but curses on my head?

The only thing multiplying are the curses and negate emotions in my mind. 
Who, of all ages to succeed, but, feeling

The evil on him brought by me, will curse

My head? ‘Ill fare our Ancestor impure!
        735
Now all of my ancestors will have me 
For this we may thank Adam!’ but his thanks

to thank for all of their struggles and misery. 
Shall be the execration. So, besides

Mine own that bide upon me, all from me

Shall with a fierce reflux on me redound—

On me, as on their natural centre, light;
        740
Heavy, though in their place. O fleeting joys

It's like the small joys of Paradise were exchanged
Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes!

for long-lasting misery. 
Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay

I didn't ask for any of this, I didn't even ask to be born. 
To mould me Man? Did I solicit thee

From darkness to promote me, or here place
        745
God, you made me and put me in this Paradise
In this delicious Garden? As my will

Concurred not to my being, it were but right

And equal to reduce me to my dust,

Your simply commands were too hard for me, 
Desirous to resign and render back

All I received, unable to perform
        750
So please. goahead and just turn me back into dust!
Thy term too hard, by which I was to hold

The good I sought not. To the loss of that,

Would that be enough?
Sufficient penalty, why hast thou added

Why should I suffer and make everyone else suffer too?
The sense of endless woes? Inexplicable

Thy justice seems. Yet, to say truth, too late
        755
This doesn't make much sense to me. 
I thus contest; then should have been refused

Those terms, whatever, when they were proposed.

Thou didst accept them: wilt thou enjoy the good,

And now it's too late. I accept these terms I guess...
Then cavil the conditions? And, though God

Made thee without thy leave, what if thy son
        760
Like... what if I had a son, that got into trouble, then he said the excuse of 'I didn't ask to be born...'
Prove disobedient, and, reproved, retort,

I don't think I'd accept that excuse either. 
‘Wherefore didst thou beget me? I sought it not!’

Wouldst thou admit for his contempt of thee

That proud excuse? yet him not thy election,

But natural necessity, begot.
        765
God made thee of choice his own, and of his own

God chose to make me, and
To serve him; thy reward was of his grace;

reward me when I was good, 
Thy punishment, then, justly is at his will.

it's fair that he punishes me when I am bad. 
Be it so, for I submit; his doom is fair,

That dust I am, and shall to dust return.
        770
If you are going to turn be back into dust, then so be it. 
O welcome hour whenever! Why delays

What's taking so long?
His hand to execute what his decree

Fixed on this day? Why do I overlive?

Why do I have to suffer any longer?
Why am I mocked with death, and lengthened out

I'd be happy to just die.
To deathless pain? How gladly would I meet
        775
Mortality, my sentence, and be earth

Insensible! how glad would lay me down

This voice inside my head is anguish. 
As in my mother’s lap! There I should rest,

And sleep secure; his dreadful voice no more

I don't want to live because I don't want to feel what is going to happen to my descendants. 
Would thunder in my ears; no fear of worse
        780
To me and to my offspring would torment me

One thing that scares me...
With cruel expectation. Yet one doubt

Pursues me still—lest all I cannot die;

is what if I can't die at all!
Lest that pure breath of life, the Spirit of Man

What if my spirit will live on, 
Which God inspired, cannot together perish
        785

With this corporeal clod. Then, in the grave,

and once my body dies, I'll still feel alive?!
Or in some other dismal place, who knows

But I shall die a living death? O thought

Horrid, if true! Yet why? It was but breath

That would be a nightmare.
Of life that sinned: what dies but what had life
        790
It was my soul that sinned, not just my body. 
And sin? The body properly hath neither.

All of me should die. 
All of me, then, shall die: let this appease

The doubt, since human reach no further knows.

There's no other way. 
For, though the Lord of all be infinite,

God is infinite, but man is not. 
Is his wrauth also? Be it, Man is not so,
        795
But mortal doomed. But can he exercise

Would God be angry at man forever?
Wrauth without end on Man, whom death must end? How could God punish man forever, if death would end man?
Can he make deathless death? That were to make

Strange contradiction; which to God himself

Does death live forever? None of this makes sense. 
Impossible is held, as argument
       800
Of weakness, not of power. Will he draw out,

What if God would make sure man is punished after death...
For anger’s sake, finite to infinite
In punished Man, to satisfy his rigour

Satisfied never? That were to extend
His sentence beyond dust and Nature’s law;
805
By which all causes else according still
To the reception of their matter act,

Not to the extent of their own sphere. But say
That death be not one stroke, as I supposed,

Maybe death is not a one time affair. 
Bereaving sense, but endless misery 810 It could be endless misery from that point forward. 
From this day onward, which I feel begun

Like how it feels right now. 
Both in me and without me, and so last
To perpetuity——Ay me! that fear

Comes thundering back with dreadful revolution Which leads me to the thought of how death lives forever. 
On my defenceless head! Both Death and I
815
Am found eternal, and incorporate both:
Nor I on my part single; in me all

And that curse isn't just for me, it's
Posterity stands cursed. Fair patrimony
That I must leave ye, sons! Oh, were I able

for all my descendants. I am sorry my sons...
To waste it all myself, and leave ye none! 820 I wish I could take all that pain and misery for myself
So disinherited, how would ye bless

so you wouldn't have to suffer.
Me, now your curse! Ah, why should all Mankind,
For one man’s fault, thus guiltless be condemned?

Why must all of mankind suffer
If guiltless! But from me what can proceed for one man's sin?
But all corrupt—both mind and will depraved
825
All of mankind is and should be innocent!
Not to do only, but to will the same
With me? How can they, then, acquitted stand

Why must they inherit my sin? 
In sight of God? Him, after all disputes,
Forced I absolve. All my evasions vain

There's no point in arguing against God's plan. 
And reasonings, though through mazes, lead me still 830
But to my own conviction: first and last

I'm just going around in circles with these questions. 
On me, me only, as the source and spring
Of all corruption, all the blame lights due.

So might the wrauth! Fond wish! could’st thou support
That burden, heavier than the Earth to bear—
835
Than all the world much heavier, though divided
With that bad Woman? Thus, what thou desir’st,

And what thou fear’st, alike destroys all hope
Of refuge, and concludes thee miserable
Beyond all past example and future’—
840
I'm going to be stuck with these dark thoughts forever."
To Satan only like, both crime and doom.
O Conscience! into what abyss of fears

And horrors hast thou driven me; out of which
I find no way, from deeper to deeper plunged!”

  Thus Adam to himself lamented loud 845
Through the still night—not now, as ere Man fell,

Throughout the night, Adam was crying out loud. 
Wholesome and cool and mild, but with black air It was a night that was black
Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom;

damp and gloomy. 
Which to his evil conscience represented
All things with double terror. On the ground
850
Adam was lying 
Outstretched he lay, on the cold ground, and oft on the cold ground
Cursed his creation; Death as oft accused

Of tardy execution, since denounced and cried some more, 
The day of his offence. “Why comes not Death,”

"Why don't I just die?!
Said he, “with one thrice-acceptáble stroke 855
To end me? Shall Truth fail to keep her word,

Justice divine not hasten to be just?
But Death comes not at call; Justice divine
Mends not her slowest pace for prayers or cries.

Death never comes when you want it to..."
O woods, O fountains, hillocks, dales, and bowers! 860
With other echo late I taught your shades

To answer, and resound far other song.”
Whom thus afflicted when sad Eve beheld,

Eve was sitting nearby, 
Desolate where she sat, approaching nigh, it was breaking her heart to see Adam act like this. 
Soft words to his fierce passion she assayed;
865
But her, with stern regard, he thus repelled:— She walked over to try and comfort him, but Adam shouted
  “Out of my sight, thou Serpent! That name best

"Get the fuck out of here you snake!
Befits thee, with him leagued, thyself as false The only thing that is different between you and Satan is your shape.
And hateful: nothing wants, but that thy shape

You have a heavenly form 
Like his, and colour serpentine, may shew 870
Thy inward fraud, to warn all creatures from thee

that takes advantage of others. 
Henceforth, lest that too heavenly form, pretended
To hellish falsehood, snare them. But for thee

I had persisted happy, had not thy pride It's because of you that I am unhappy. 
And wandering vanity, when least was safe,
875
You didn't listen, 
Rejected my forewarning, and disdained you had to be the center of attention, 
Not to be trusted—longing to be seen,
Though by the Devil himself; him overweening

even if it was with the devil himself.
To overreach; but, with the Serpent meeting,
Fooled and beguiled; by him thou, I by thee,
880
He fooled you and you fooled me. 
To trust thee from my side, imagined wise, I truested you!
Constant, mature, proof against all assaults,

I thought you were smart and intelligent,
And understood not all was but a shew, but it was all just a joke. 
Rather than solid virtue, all but a rib

Crooked by nature—bent, as now appears, 885
More to the part sinister—from me drawn;

Well if thrown out, as supernumerary
To my just number found! O, why did God

Why did God create such a defective creature like you?
Creator wise, that peopled highest Heaven
With Spirits masculine, create at last
890
He should have filled the earth with more men like me. 
This novelty on Earth, this fair defect
Of Nature, and not fill the World at once

With men as Angels, without fiminine; Like he did with the angels.
Or find some other way to generate

Mankind? This mischief had not then befallen, 895 He could have found another way for men to reproduce. 
And more that shall befall—innumerable
Disturbances on Earth through female snares,

That would save us all the trouble." 
And strait conjunction with this sex. For either
He never shall find out fit mate, but such

As some misfortune brings him, or mistake; 900
Or whom he wishes most shall seldom gain,

Through her perverseness, but shall see her gained
By a far worse, or, if she love, withheld

By parents; or his happiest choice too late
Shall meet, already linked and wedlock—bound 905
To a fell adversary, his hate or shame:
Which infinite calamity shall cause
To human life, and household peace confound.”
  He added not, and from her turned; but Eve, Adam turned away, 
Not so repulsed, with tears that ceased not flowing, 910
And tresses all disordered, at his feet

but none of this scared Eve from trying to console him.
Fell humble, and, imbracing them, besought
His peace, and thus proceeded in her plaint:—

In tears, she put her arms around Adam and said
  “Forsake me not thus, Adam! witness Heaven "Don't turn away from me Adam!
What love sincere and reverence in my heart 915 Heaven knows how much I love you, 
I bear thee, and unweeting have offended,

and I never meant to hurt you like this. 
Unhappily deceived! Thy suppliant
I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not

Whereon I live, they gentle looks, thy aid, You can't leave me.
Thy counsel in this uttermost distress,
920
My only strength and stay. Forlorn of thee, You are my strength
Whither shall I betake me, where subsist?

and without you
While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps, where would I be?
Between us two let there be peace; both joining,

We're still alive now, 
As joined in injuries, one enmity 925
Against a Foe by doom express assigned us.

and even if it's for a short while, please let there be peace between us. 
That cruel Serpent. On me exercise not We have a shared enemy, the snake. 
Thy hatred for this misery befallen—

Please don't hate me, I'm as miserable as you are. 
On me already lost, me than thyself
More miserable. Both have sinned; but thou
930
We both sinned the same way, 
Against God only; I against God and thee, but you sinned against God
And to the place of judgment will return,

whereas I sinned against God AND you. I'll go back to the place where God judged us and beg him to let you off the hook. All the blame should be on me."
There with my cries impor’tune Heaven, that all
The sentence, from thy head removed, may light
On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe,
935
Me, me only, just object of His ire.”
  She ended, weeping; and her lowly plight,

Eve cried, and Adam was emotionally moved. 
Immovable till peace obtained from fault
Acknowledged and deplored, in Adam wraught

He could not stand to see the woman he loved in so much pain. 
Commiseration. Soon his heart relented 940
Towards her, his life so late, and sole delight,

Now at his feet submissive in distress—
Creature so fair his reconcilement seeking,

His counsel whom she had displeased, his aid.
As one disarmed, his anger all he lost,
945
But then Adam lost his anger. 
And thus with peaceful words upraised her soon:— He replied to Eve, 
“Unwary, and too desirous, as before

"There you go again, 
So now, of what thou know’st not, who desir’st ready to walk off and do things you know nothing about. 
The punishment all on thyself! Alas!

You want to take on all of God's anger on yourself, 
Bear thine own first, ill able to sustain 950 when you can't even stand me being angry with you. 
His full wrauth whose thou feel’st as yet least part,

And my displeasure bear’st so ill. If prayers If begging and prayers did anything, 
Could alter high decrees, I to that place

I'd be the first to go. toGod and ask him what you are asking for. 
Would speed before thee, and be louder heard,
That on my head all might be visited,
955
Thy frailty and infirmer sex forgiven,
To me committed, and by me exposed.

But rise; let us no more contend, nor blame Get up now, 
Each other, blamed enough elsewhere, but strive

we're done fighting and blaming. 
In offices of love how we may lighten 960 We need to be supporting each other
Each other’s burden in our share of woe;

through this trouble and misery. 
Since this day’s death denounced, if aught I see, Death won't come for us yet, 
Will prove no sudden, but a slow—paced evil,

so we're here to suffer for the meantime."
A long day’s dying, to augment our pain,
And to our seed (O hapless seed!) derived.”
965
  To whom thus Eve, recovering heart, replied:— Eve felt a little better, 
“Adam, by sad experiment I know

she replied, "Adam, I don't blame you if 
How little weight my words with thee can find, you don't want to listen to me anymore
Found so erroneous, thence by just event

there's just something on my mind and I want to say it.
Found so unfortunate. Nevertheless, 970
Restored by thee, vile as I am, to place

Of new acceptance, hopeful to regain
Thy love, the sole contentment of my heart,

I love you so much,
Living or dying from thee I will not hide and I want this misery to leave us.
What thoughts in my unquiet breast are risen,
975
Tending to some relief of our extremes,
Or end, though sharp and sad, yet tolerable,

As in our evils, and of easier choice.
If care of our descent perplex us most,

We both don't want to bring our descendants 
Which must be born to certain woe, devoured 980 into this world
By Death at last (and miserable it is

that is full of pain
To be to others cause of misery,
Our own begotten, and of our loins to bring

and sorrow.
Into this cursed world a woeful race,
That, after wretched life, must be at last
985
Food for so foul a Monster), in thy power
It lies, yet ere conception, to prevent

The race unblest, to being yet unbegot. We both have the power to prevent this, 
Childless thou art; childless remain. So Death

so we don't have to have any children. 
Shall be deceived his glut, and with us two 990
Be forced to satisfy his ravenous maw. And if we can't stand the thought
But, if thou judge it hard and difficult,

Conversing, looking, loving, to abstain of living together
From love’s due rites, nuptial imbraces sweet,

and never being able to have sex again
And with desire to languish without hope 995
Before the present object languishing

With like desire—which would be misery then we can end it
And torment less than none of what we dread—

Then, both our selves and seed at once to free right now. 
From what we fear for both, let us make short;
1000
Let us seek Death, or, he not found, supply Let's go look for Death, 
With our own hands his office on ourselves.

and if we can't find him
Why stand we longer shivering under fears
That shew no end but death, and have the power,

then I don't think we need him. 
Of many ways to die the shortest choosing, 1005 We can just kill ourselves. 
Destruction with destruction to destroy?”

Why should we put up with so much suffering that is only going to end with death anyway?"
  She ended here, or vehement despair
Broke off the rest; so much of death her thoughts

Had entertained as dyed her cheeks with pale.
But Adam, with such counsel nothing swayed, 1010 Adam was thinking a little bit more clearly now. 
To better hopes his more attentive mind

Labouring had raised, and thus to Eve replied:— He said to Eve, 
  “Eve, thy contempt of life and pleasure seems

"Eve, it is wise of you
To argue in thee something more sublime to think that there are things more important than life
And excellent than what thy mind contemns:
1015
But self-destruction therefore sought refutes but killing ourselves is not the way. 
That excellence thought in thee, and implies

Not thy contempt, but anguish and regret It says to me that 
For loss of life and pleasure overloved.

you love pleasure so much and you can't stand to lose it. You can't handle that. 
Or, if thou covet death, as utmost end 1020
Of misery, so thinking to evade

The penalty pronounced, doubt not but God God is smarter than us. 
Hath wiselier armed his vengeful ire than so

It'd be even worse if we just kill ourselves on our own, 
To be forestalled. Much more I fear lest death He'd make our suffering much worse.
So snatched will not exempt us from the pain
1025
We are by doom to pay; rather such acts
Of contumacy will provoke the Highest

To make death in us live. Then let us seek
Some safer resolution—which methinks I think there's a better solution, 
I have in view, calling to mind with heed
1030
Part of our sentence, that thy seed shall bruise Remember when God said something about 'bruising the snake's head'?
The Serpent’s head. Piteous amends! unless

Be meant whom I conjecture, our grand foe,
Satan, who in the Serpent hath contrived

Maybe it has something to do about Satan. 
Against us this deceit. To crush his head 1035
Would be revenge indeed—which will be lost

By death brought on ourselves, or childless days If we kill ourselves, or never have children, 
Resolved as thou proposest; so our foe

we'll lose any chance to get back at Satan.
Shall scape his punishment ordained, and we If we remove ourselves from the equation, then Satan escapes his punishment. 
Instead shall double ours upon our heads.
1040
No more be mentioned, then, of violence
Against ourselves, and wilful barrenness

That cuts us off from hope, and savours only
Rancour and pride, impatience and despite,

Reluctance against God and his just yoke 1045
Laid on our necks. Remember with what mild

God was gentle when he judged us. And now that I think of it, the sentence isn't that bad. 
And gracious temper he both heard and judged,
Without wrauth or reviling. We expected
Immediate dissolution, which we thought

Was meant by death that day; when, lo! to thee 1050
Pains only in child-bearing were foretold,

You will only experience pain in childbirth, 
And bringing forth, soon recompensed with joy, but joy will come 
Fruit of thy womb. On me the curse aslope

when the baby is born. 
Glanced on the ground. With labour I must earn For me I would have to sweat and toil to earn a living doing hard work, 
My bread; what harm? Idleness had been worse;
1055
My labour will sustain me; and, lest cold but that doesn't sound so bad
Or heat should injure us, his timely care because I'd be bored doing nothing anyway. God even clothed us, to protect us from the elements.
Hath, unbesought, provided, and his hands
Clothed us unworthy, pitying while he judged. God was still kind to us when he judged us.
How much more, if we pray him, will his ear
1060
I am sure he would listen to us if we pray. 
Be open, and his heart to pity incline,
And teach us further by what means to shun Maybe he'll show pity on us. 
The inclement seasons, rain, ice, hail, and snow!
Which now the sky, with various face, begins
To shew us in this mountain, while the winds 1065
Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful locks

Of these fair spreading trees; which bids us seek
Some better shroud, some better warmth to cherish It's getting late now, we must find warmth because it's cold now. 
Our limbs benumbed—ere this diurnal star

Leave cold the night, how we his gathered beams 1070 I wonder if there's a way
Reflected may with matter sere foment,
Or by collision of two bodies grind to create a fire for us... I think God will show us how. 
The air attrite to fire, as late the clouds,
Justling, or pushed with winds, rude in their shock, I've seen
Time the slant lightning, whose thwart flame, driven down, 1075 how lightning would strike trees to set them on fire. 
Kindles the gummy bark of fir or pine,

And sends a comfortable heat from far, That could be a way to give us warmth.
Which might supply the Sun. Such fire to use,
And what may else be remedy or cure

To evils which our own misdeeds have wrought, 1080
He will instruct us praying, and of grace God will help us with anything, I think we just need to have faith in prayer. 
Beseeching him; so as we need not fear
To pass commodiously this life, sustained The more we pray, the less we have to be afraid.
By him with many comforts, till we end
In dust, our final rest and native home.
1085
What better can we do than, to the place So for now, let's go back to 
Repairing where he judged us, prostrate fall where he judged us
Before him reverent, and there confess and kneel and pray. 
Humbly our faults, and pardon beg, with tears
Watering the ground, and with our sighs the air 1090
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign He was so angry, but still showed us kindness. 
Of sorrow unfeigned and humiliation meek? He will give us mercy
Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn
From his displeasure, in whose look serene,
When angry most he seemed and most severe, 1095
What else but favour, grace, and mercy shon?” as long as we pray from our hearts."
  So spake our Father penitent; nor Eve
Felt less remorse. They, forthwith to the place
Repairing where he judged them, prostrate fell
Before him reverent, and both confessed 1100 And so they kneeled, and prayed
Humbly their faults, and pardon begged, with tears and cried their hearts out to God. 
Watering the ground, and with their sighs the air
Frequenting, sent from hearts contrite, in sign
Of sorrow unfeigned and humiliation meek.

11 comments:

  1. I'm taking a class on Milton this coming semester and this kind of plain-language "Satan getting up to some s---" notes is exactly my kind of notetaking. You're a saint.

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  2. there might be a mistake at line 264 "sin replied", I believe it is death replying to sin.

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  3. youve made this story so enjoyable to me

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  4. Love you too, homes

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  5. Thank you. Seriously.

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  6. This was crazy helpful thanks! Also nice music.

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