Satan
has been spying on Adam and Eve disguised as a cormorant, sitting atop the Tree
of Life. He watches them until evening, speechless, then recovers himself and
says:
"O Hell! What do mine eyes
with grief behold,
Into our room of bliss thus high
advanced
Creatures of other mold, earth-born
perhaps,
Not spirits, yet to Heav'nly
spirits bright
Little inferior; whom my thoughts
pursue
With wonder, and could love, so
lively shines
In them divine resemblance, and such
grace
The hand that formed them on their
shape hath poured.
Ah gentle pair, ye little think how
nigh
Your change approaches, when all
these delights
Will vanish and deliver ye to woe,
More woe, the more your taste is
now of joy;
Happy, but for so happy ill secured
Long to continue, and this high
seat your Heav'n
Ill fenced for Heav'n to keep out
such a foe
As now is entered; yet no purposed
foe
To you whom I could pity thus
forlorn
Though I unpitied: league with you
I seek,
And mutual amity so strait, so
close,
That I with you must dwell, or you
with me
Henceforth; my dwelling haply may
not please
Like this fair Paradise, your
sense, yet such
Accept your Maker's work; he gave
it me,
Which I as freely give; Hell shall
unfold,
To entertain you two, her widest
gates,
And send forth all her kings; there
will be room,
Not like these narrow limits, to
receive
Your numerous offspring; if no
better place,
Thank him who puts me loath to this
revenge
On you who wrong me not for him who
wronged.
And should I at your harmless
innocence
Melt, as I do, yet public reason
just,
Honor and empire with revenge
enlarged,
By conquering this new world,
compels me now
To do what else though damned I
should abhor."
So spake the fiend, and with
necessity,
The tyrant's plea, excused his
devilish deeds.
No comments:
Post a Comment