Under whose lowly roof thou hast vouchsaf'd
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of angels, yet accepted so,
As that more willingly thou could'st not seem
At heaven's high feasts to have fed: yet what

465

compare?

To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd. O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom All things proceed, and up to him return, If not deprav'd from good, created all

470

Such to perfection, one first matter all,
Indu'd with various forms, various degrees

Of substance, and, in things that live, of life:
But more refin'd, more spirituous, and pure,
As nearer to him plac'd, or nearer tending,
Each in their several active spheres assign'd,
Till body up to spirit work, in bounds
Proportion'd to each kind. So from the root
Springs lighter the green stalk, from thence the
leaves

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More aery, last the bright consummate flower Spirits odorous breathes; flowers and their fruit, Man's nourishment, by gradual scale sublim'd,

To vital spirits aspire, to animal,

To intellectual, give both life and sense,
Fancy and understanding; whence the soul
Reason receives, and reason is her being,

485

Is oftest yours, the latter most is ours,
Differing but in degree, of kind the same.
Wonder not then, what God for you saw good

490

If I refuse not, but convert, as you,

To proper substance: time may come, when men

With angels may participate, and find

No inconvenient diet, nor too light fare:
And from these corporal nutriments perhaps

495

Your bodies may at last turn all to spirit,
Improv'd by tract of time, and wing'd ascend

Ethereal, as we, or may at choice
Here or in heavenly paradises dwell;
If ye be found obedient, and retain
Unalterably firm his love entire,
Whose progeny you are. Mean while enjoy
Your fill what happiness this happy state
Can comprehend, incapable of more.

To whom the patriarch of mankind reply'd.
O favourable spirit, propitious guest,

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505

Well hast thou taught the way that might direct

Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set

From center to circumference, whereon

510

In contemplation of created things

By steps we may ascend to GOD. But say, What meant that caution join'd, if ye be found

Obedient? Can we want obedience then

To him, or possibly his love desert,

515

Who form'd us from the dust and plac'd us here

Full to the utmost measure of what bliss

Human desires can seek or apprehend?

To whom the angel. Son of heav'n and earth

520

525

530

Attend: that thou art happy, owe to GOD;
That thou continu'st such, owe to thyself,
That is, to thy obedience; therein stand.
This was that caution giv'n thee; be advis'd.
GOD made thee perfect, not immutable;
And good he made thee, but to persevere
He left it in thy power, ordain'd thy will
By nature free, not over-rul'd by fate
Inextricable, or strict necessity:
Our voluntary service he requires,
Not our necessitated, such with him
Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how
Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve
Willing or no, who will but what they must
By destiny, and can no other choose?
My self and all th' angelic host, that stand
In sight of GOD enthron'd, our happy state
Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds;
On other surety none; freely we serve,
Because we freely love, as in our will
To love or not; in this we stand or fall.
And some are fall'n, to disobedience fall'n,
And so from heaven to deepest hell: O fall
From what high state of bliss into what woe!
To whom our great progenitor. Thy words
Attentive, and with more delighted ear,
Divine instructor, I have heard, than when
Cherubic songs by night from neighbouring hills
Aereal music send: nor knew I not

535

540

545 550

To be both will and deed created free;
Yet that we never shall forget to love
Our maker, and obey him whose command
Single is yet so just, my constant thoughts
Assur'd me, and still assure: though what thou tell'st
Hath past in heav'n, some doubt within me move,
But more desire to hear, if thou consent,
The full relation, which must needs be strange,
Worthy of sacred silence to be heard;

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560

And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun
Hath finish'd half his journey, and scarce begins
His other half in the great zone of heaven.
Thus Adam made request, and Raphael,
After short pause, assenting thus began.
High matter thou enjoin'st me, O prime of men,

Sad task and hard; for how shall I relate

Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good,

570

This is dispens'd, and what surmounts the reach

Of human sense I shall delineate so,

By lik'ning spiritual to corporal forms,

As may express them best; though what if earth

Be but the shadow of heaven; and things therein

Each to other like, more than on earth is thought? As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild

Reign'd where these heavens now roll, where earth

now rests

Upon her center pois'd, when on a day,

For time, though in eternity, apply'd

580

To motion, measures all things durable

By present, past, and future; on such day [host

As heav'n's great year brings forth, th' empyreal

Of angels, by imperial summons call'd, Innumerable before th' Almighty's throne Forthwith from all the ends of heaven appear'd; Under their hierarchs in orders bright

585

Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanc'd,
Standards and gonfalons twixt van and rear
Stream in the air, and for distinction serve
Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees:
Or in their glittering tissues bear imblaz'd
Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love
Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs
Of circuit inexpressible they stood,
Orb within orb, the Father infinite,
By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son,
Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake.
Hear all ye Angels, progeny of light,
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues,

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595

600