Paradise Lost (1667)

1 Paradise lost Return to Renascence Editions Paradise lost (1667)John MiltonNote on the e-text: this Renascence Editions text was transcribed by Judy Boss in Omaha, Nebraska, and is provided by Renascence Editions with her kind permission. This edition is in the public domain. Be aware that this is a text from the first edition of 1667, having ten books instead of the second edition's twelve, and that line numbers do not necessarily correspond with those in the textbook you were assigned. Content unique to this presentation is copyright 1997 The University of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses only. Send comments and corrections to the Publisher, rbear[at] (1 of 3)4/10/2005 7:17:55 AMParadise lost title page of 1667 edition, second imposition. See Milton's Poetical Works, Facsimile Edition (Fletcher, 1945) for a discussion of the title : (2 of 3)4/10/2005 7:17:55 AMParadise LostBOOK I. BOOK II. BOOK III. BOOK IV. BOOK V. BOOK VI. BOOK VII. BOOK VIII.

2 BOOK IX. BOOK etext was typed by Judy Boss in Omaha, Nebraska. HTML conversion by Bear, December 1997. Renascence Editions (3 of 3)4/10/2005 7:17:55 AMParadise lost : Book I (1667) Return toRenascence EditionsParadise lost : Book I. (1667)John MiltonNote on the e-text: this Renascence Editions text was transcribed by Judy Boss in Omaha, Nebraska, and is provided by Renascence Editions with her kind permission. This edition is in the public domain. Content unique to this presentation is copyright 1997 The University of Oregon. For nonprofit and educational uses only. Send comments and corrections to the Publisher, rbear[at] A R A D I S EL O S O O K Mans First Disobedience, and the FruitOf that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tastBrought Death into the World, and all our woe,With loss of Eden, till one greater ManRestore us, and regain the blissful Seat,Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret topOf Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspireThat Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth10 Rose out of Chaos.

3 Or if Sion HillDelight thee more, and Siloa's Brook that flow'dFast by the Oracle of God; I ~rbear/ (1 of 20)4/10/2005 7:18:27 AMParadise lost : Book I (1667)Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song,That with no middle flight intends to soarAbove th' Aonian Mount, while it pursuesThings unattempted yet in Prose or chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost preferBefore all Temples th' upright heart and pure,Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first20 Wast present, and with mighty wings outspreadDove-like satst brooding on the vast AbyssAnd mad'st it pregnant: What in me is darkIllumine, what is low raise and support;That to the highth of this great ArgumentI may assert th' Eternal Providence,And justifie the wayes of God to men. Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy viewNor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what causeMov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State,30 Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall offFrom their Creator, and transgress his WillFor one restraint, Lords of the World besides?

4 Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt?Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guileStird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'dThe Mother of Mankinde, what time his PrideHad cast him out from Heav'n, with all his HostOf Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiringTo set himself in Glory above his Peers,40He trusted to have equal'd the most High,If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aimAgainst the Throne and Monarchy of GodRais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proudWith vain attempt. Him the Almighty PowerHurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal SkieWith hideous ruine and combustion downTo bottomless perdition, there to dwellIn Adamantine Chains and penal Fire,Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to times the Space that measures Day and NightTo mortal men, he with his horrid crewLay vanquisht, rowling in the fiery GulfeConfounded though immortal: But his doomReserv'd him to more wrath; for now the thoughtBoth of lost happiness and lasting ~rbear/ (2 of 20)4/10/2005 7:18:27 AMParadise lost : Book I (1667)Torments him.

5 Round he throws his baleful eyesThat witness'd huge affliction and dismayMixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate:At once as far as Angels kenn he views60 The dismal Situation waste and wilde,A Dungeon horrible, on all sides roundAs one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flamesNo light, but rather darkness visibleServ'd only to discover sights of woe,Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peaceAnd rest can never dwell, hope never comesThat comes to all; but torture without endStill urges, and a fiery Deluge, fedWith ever-burning Sulphur unconsum'd:70 Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'dFor those rebellious, here their Prison ordain'dIn utter darkness, and their portion setAs far remov'd from God and light of Heav'nAs from the Center thrice to th' utmost how unlike the place from whence they fell!There the companions of his fall, o'rewhelm'dWith Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,He soon discerns, and weltring by his sideOne next himself in power, and next in crime,80 Long after known in Palestine, and nam'dBeelzebub.

6 To whom th' Arch- enemy ,And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold wordsBreaking the horrid silence thus began. If thou beest he; But O how fall'n! how chang'dFrom him, who in the happy Realms of LightCloth'd with transcendent brightnes didst outshineMyriads though bright: If he whom mutual league,United thoughts and counsels, equal hope,And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,90 Joynd with me once, now misery hath joyndIn equal ruin: into what Pit thou seestFrom what highth fal'n, so much the stronger provdHe with his Thunder: and till then who knewThe force of those dire Arms? yet not for thoseNor what the Potent Victor in his rageCan else inflict do I repent or change,Though chang'd in outward lustre; that fixt mindAnd high disdain, from sence of injur'd merit, ~rbear/ (3 of 20)4/10/2005 7:18:27 AMParadise lost : Book I (1667)That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend,100 And to the fierce contention brought alongInnumerable force of Spirits arm'dThat durst dislike his reign, and me preferring,His utmost power with adverse power oppos'dIn dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n,And shook his throne.

7 What though the field be lost ?All is not lost ; the unconquerable Will,And study of revenge, immortal hate,And courage never to submit or yield:And what is else not to be overcome?110 That Glory never shall his wrath or mightExtort from me. To bow and sue for graceWith suppliant knee, and deifie his powerWho from the terrour of this Arm so lateDoubted his Empire, that were low indeed,That were an ignominy and shame beneathThis downfall; since by Fate the strength of GodsAnd this Empyreal substance cannot fail,Since through experience of this great eventIn Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc't,120We may with more successful hope resolveTo wage by force or guile eternal WarrIrreconcileable, to our grand Foe,Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joySole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n. So spake th' Apostate Angel, though in pain,Vaunting aloud, but rackt with deep despare:And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer. O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers,That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr130 Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deedsFearless, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King.

8 And put to proof his high Supremacy,Whether upheld by strength, or Chance, or Fate,Too well I see and rue the dire event,That with sad overthrow and foul defeatHath lost us Heav'n, and all this mighty HostIn horrible destruction laid thus low,As far as Gods and Heav'nly EssencesCan Perish: for the mind and spirit remains140 Invincible, and vigour soon returns,Though all our Glory extinct, and happy ~rbear/ (4 of 20)4/10/2005 7:18:27 AMParadise lost : Book I (1667)Here swallow'd up in endless what if he our Conquerour, (whom I nowOf force believe Almighty, since no lessThen such could hav orepow'rd such force as ours)Have left us this our spirit and strength intireStrongly to suffer and support our pains,That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,Or do him mightier service as his thralls150By right of Warr, what e're his business beHere in the heart of Hell to work in Fire,Or do his Errands in the gloomy Deep;What can it then avail though yet we feelStrength undiminisht, or eternal beingTo undergo eternal punishment?

9 Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-fiend reply'd. Fall'n Cherube, to be weak is miserableDoing or Suffering: but of this be sure,To do ought good never will be our task,160 But ever to do ill our sole delight,As being the contrary to his high willWhom we resist. If then his ProvidenceOut of our evil seek to bring forth good,Our labour must be to pervert that end,And out of good still to find means of evil;Which oft times may succeed, so as perhapsShall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturbHis inmost counsels from their destind see the angry Victor hath recall'd170 His Ministers of vengeance and pursuitBack to the Gates of Heav'n: The Sulphurous HailShot after us in storm, oreblown hath laidThe fiery Surge, that from the PrecipiceOf Heav'n receiv'd us falling, and the Thunder,Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage,Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases nowTo bellow through the vast and boundless us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn,Or satiate fury yield it from our thou yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wilde,The seat of desolation, voyd of light,Save what the glimmering of these livid flamesCasts pale and dreadful?

10 Thither let us tendFrom off the tossing of these fiery waves, ~rbear/ (5 of 20)4/10/2005 7:18:27 AMParadise lost : Book I (1667)There rest, if any rest can harbour there,And reassembling our afflicted Powers,Consult how we may henceforth most offendOur enemy , our own loss how repair,How overcome this dire Calamity,190 What reinforcement we may gain from Hope,If not what resolution from despare. Thus Satan talking to his neerest MateWith Head up-lift above the wave, and EyesThat sparkling blaz'd, his other Parts besidesProne on the Flood, extended long and largeLay floating many a rood, in bulk as hugeAs whom the Fables name of monstrous size,Titanian, or Earth-Born, that warr'd on Jove,Briarios or Typhon, whom the Den200By ancient Tarsus held, or that Sea-beastLeviathan, which God of all his worksCreated hugest that swim th' Ocean stream:Him haply slumbring on the Norway foamThe Pilot of some small night-founder'd Skiff,Deeming some Island, oft, as Sea-men tell,With fixed Anchor in his skaly rindMoors by his side under the Lee, while NightInvests the Sea, and wished Morn delayes.