4

Subjected to his service Angel wings, [ 155 ]

And flaming Ministers to watch and tend

Thir earthy Charge: Of these the vigilance

I dread, and to elude, thus wrapt in mist

Of midnight vapor glide obscure, and prie

In every Bush and Brake, where hap may finde [ 160 ]

The Serpent sleeping, in whose mazie foulds

To hide me, and the dark intent I bring.

O foul descent! that I who erst contended

With Gods to sit the highest, am now constraind

Into a Beast, and mixt with bestial slime, [ 165 ]

This essence to incarnate and imbrute,

That to the hight of Deitie aspird;

But what will not Ambition and Revenge

Descend to? who aspires must down as low

As high he soard, obnoxious first or last [ 170 ]

To basest things. Revenge, at first though sweet,

Bitter ere long back on it self recoiles;

Let it; I reck not, so it light well aimd,

Since higher I fall short, on him who next

Provokes my envie, this new Favorite [ 175 ]

Of Heavn, this Man of Clay, Son of despite,

Whom us the more to spite his Maker raisd

From dust: spite then with spite is best repaid.

So saying, through each Thicket Danck or Drie,

Like a black mist low creeping, he held on [ 180 ]

His midnight search, where soonest he might finde

The Serpent: him fast sleeping soon he found

In Labyrinth of many a round self-rowld,

His head the midst, well stord with suttle wiles:

Not yet in horrid Shade or dismal Den, [ 185 ]

Nor nocent yet, but on the grassie Herbe

Fearless unfeard he slept: in at his Mouth

The Devil enterd, and his brutal sense,

In heart or head, possessing soon inspird

With act intelligential; but his sleep [ 190 ]

Disturbd not, waiting close th approach of Morn.

Now when as sacred Light began to dawne

In Eden on the humid Flours, that breathd

Thir morning incense, when all things that breath,

From th Earths great Altar send up silent praise [ 195 ]

To the Creator, and his Nostrils fill

With grateful Smell, forth came the human pair

And joind thir vocal Worship to the Quire

Of Creatures wanting voice, that done, partake

The season, prime for sweetest Sents and Aires: [ 200 ]

Then commune how that day they best may ply

Thir growing work: for much thir work outgrew

The hands dispatch of two Gardning so wide.

And Eve first to her Husband thus began.