The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (119 page)

702

      

Notus,
⁵⁵⁵⁶
and Afer,
⁵⁵⁵⁷
black with thund’rous clouds

703

      

From Serraliona.
⁵⁵⁵⁸
Thwart of
⁵⁵⁵⁹
these, as
⁵⁵⁶⁰
fierce,

704

      

Forth rush the Levant
⁵⁵⁶¹
and the Ponent
⁵⁵⁶²
winds,

705

      

Eurus and Zephyr, with their lateral
⁵⁵⁶³
noise,
⁵⁵⁶⁴

706

      

Sirocco
⁵⁵⁶⁵
and Libecchio.
⁵⁵⁶⁶

Thus began

707

      

Outrage
⁵⁵⁶⁷
from lifeless things, but Discord first,

708

      

Daughter of Sin, among th’ irrational
⁵⁵⁶⁸

709

      

Death introduced, through fierce antipathy.
⁵⁵⁶⁹

710

      

Beast now with beast ’gan war, and fowl with fowl,

711

      

And fish with fish. To graze the herb all leaving,
⁵⁵⁷⁰

712

      

Devoured each other, nor stood much in awe

713

      

Of man, but fled him or, with count’nance grim,
⁵⁵⁷¹

714

      

Glared on him passing.

These were from without
⁵⁵⁷²

715

      

The growing miseries, which Adam saw

716

      

Already in part, though hid in gloomiest shade,

717

      

To sorrow abandoned, but worse felt within,

718

      

And in a troubled sea of passion tossed,

719

      

Thus to disburden sought
⁵⁵⁷³
with sad complaint:

720

      

   
“O miserable of
⁵⁵⁷⁴
happy! Is this the end

721

      

Of this new glorious world, and me so late
⁵⁵⁷⁵

722

      

The glory of that glory, who now become

723

      

Accursed, of
⁵⁵⁷⁶
blessèd? Hide me from the face

724

      

Of God, whom to behold was then my height

725

      

Of happiness! Yet well,
⁵⁵⁷⁷
if here would end

726

      

The misery. I deserved it, and would
⁵⁵⁷⁸
bear

727

      

My own deservings. But this will not serve:
⁵⁵⁷⁹

728

      

All that I eat or drink, or shall beget,

729

      

Is propagated
⁵⁵⁸⁰
curse. O voice, once heard

730

      

Delightfully, ‘Increase and multiply,

731

      

Now death to hear! For what can I increase

732

      

Or multiply, but curses on my head?

733

      

Who of all ages to succeed,
⁵⁵⁸¹
but feeling

734

      

The evil on him brought by me, will curse

735

      

My head? ‘Ill fare our ancestor impure,

736

      

For this we may thank Adam!’ But his thanks

737

      

Shall be the execration.
⁵⁵⁸²
So, besides

738

      

Mine own
⁵⁵⁸³
that bide
⁵⁵⁸⁴
upon me, all from me

739

      

Shall with a fierce reflux
⁵⁵⁸⁵
on me redound—
⁵⁵⁸⁶

740

      

On me, as on their natural center, light
⁵⁵⁸⁷

741

      

Heavy, though in their place.
⁵⁵⁸⁸
O fleeting joys

742

      

Of Paradise, dear bought with lasting woes!

743

      

Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay

744

      

To mould me man? Did I solicit Thee

745

      

From darkness to promote
⁵⁵⁸⁹
me, or here place

746

      

In this delicious
⁵⁵⁹⁰
garden? As my will

747

      

Concurred
⁵⁵⁹¹
not to my being, it were but right

748

      

And equal to reduce me to my dust,

749

      

Desirous to resign
⁵⁵⁹²
and render back

750

      

All I received, unable to perform

751

      

Thy terms too hard, by which I was to hold

752

      

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

753

      

Sufficient penalty: why hast Thou added

754

      

The sense of endless woes? Inexplicable

755

      

Thy Justice seems. Yet to say truth, too late

756

      

I thus contest. Then should have been refused

757

      

Those terms whatever, when they were proposed.

758

      

Thou
⁵⁵⁹³
didst accept them. Wilt thou
⁵⁵⁹⁴
enjoy the good,

759

      

Then cavil
⁵⁵⁹⁵
the conditions? And though God

760

      

Made thee without thy leave,
⁵⁵⁹⁶
what if thy
⁵⁵⁹⁷
son

761

      

Prove disobedient, and reproved, retort,

762

      

‘Wherefore did’st thou beget me? I sought it not.

763

      

Would’st thou admit
⁵⁵⁹⁸
for his contempt of thee

764

      

That proud excuse? Yet him not thy election
⁵⁵⁹⁹

765

      

But natural necessity begot.
⁵⁶⁰⁰

766

      

God made thee of choice His own, and of His own

767

      

To serve Him: thy reward was of His grace,

768

      

Thy punishment then justly is at His will.

769

      

   
“Be it so, for I submit: His doom
⁵⁶⁰¹
is fair,

770

      

That dust I am, and shall to dust return.

771

      

O welcome hour whenever! Why delays

772

      

His hand to execute what His decree

773

      

Fixed
⁵⁶⁰²
on this day?
⁵⁶⁰³
Why do I overlive,
⁵⁶⁰⁴

774

      

Why am I mocked with death, and lengthened out

775

      

To deathless pain? How gladly would I meet

776

      

Mortality, my sentence, and be earth

777

      

Insensible!
⁵⁶⁰⁵
How glad would lay me down

778

      

As in my mother’s lap! There I should rest,

779

      

And sleep secure.
⁵⁶⁰⁶
His dreadful voice no more

780

      

Would thunder in my ears. No fear of worse

781

      

To me, and to my offspring, would torment me

782

      

With cruel expectation.

 

      

“Yet one doubt

783

      

Pursues me still, lest all
⁵⁶⁰⁷
I cannot die,

784

      

Lest that pure breath of life, the spirit of man

785

      

Which God inspired, cannot together perish

786

      

With this corporeal clod.
⁵⁶⁰⁸
Then in the grave,

787

      

Or in some other dismal place, who knows