Of all his works. Therefore the Omnipotent
Eternal Father (for where is not He
Present?) thus to his Son audibly spake :-
'Let us make now Man in our image, Man
In our similitude, and let them rule
Over the fish and fowl of sea and air,
Beast of the field, and over all the earth,
And every creeping thing that creeps the ground!'
This said, he formed thee, Adam, thee, O Man,
Dust of the ground, and in thy nostrils breathed
The breath of life; in his own image he
Created thee, in the image of God
Express, and thou becam'st a living soul.
Male he created thee, but thy consort
Female, for race; then blessed mankind, and said,
'Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the Earth;
Subdue it, and throughout dominion hold
Over fish of the sea, and fowl of the air,
And every living thing that moves on the Earth!'
Wherever thus created - for no place
Is yet distinct by name thence, as thou know'st,
He brought thee into this delicious grove,
This Garden, planted with the trees of God,
Delectable both to behold and taste,
And freely all their pleasant fruit for food
Gave thee. All sorts are here that all the earth yields,
Variety without end; but of the tree
Which tasted works knowledge of good and evil
Thou may'st not; in the day thou eat'st, thou diest.
Death is the penalty imposed; beware,
And govern well thy appetite, lest Sin
Surprise thee, and her black attendant, Death.
"Here finished He, and all that he had made
Viewed, and, behold! all was entirely good.
So even and morn accomplished the sixth Day;
Yet not till the Creator, from his work
Desisting, though unwearied, up returned,
Up to the Heaven of Heavens, his high abode,
Thence to behold this new-created World,
The addition of his empire, how it showed
In prospect from his throne, how good, how fair,
Answering his great idea. Up he rode,
Followed with acclamation, and the sound
Symphonious of ten thousand harps, that tuned
Angelic harmonies. The Earth, the Air
Resounded (thou remember'st, for thou heard'st),
The heavens and all the constellations rung,
The planets in their stations listening stood,
While the bright pomp ascended jubilant.
Open, ye everlasting gates!' they sung;
'Open, ye Heavens, your living doors! let in The great Creator, from his work returned Magnificent, his six days' work, a World !'"
[Adam prolongs the conversation with questions regarding the structure of the World, and with accounts of his own experiences since he waked to life at the Creator's bidding (Book VIII.). Satan, entering into the body of the Serpent, beguiles Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Adam shares her guilt, whereupon both are smitten with shame and consciousness of guilt (Book IX.). Satan, returning to Hell with news of his success, meets Sin and Death, who have just completed a broad and firm pathway from Hell to the World (see II. 1023+). He proceeds to Pandemonium, and announces to the chiefs (who have reassembled there) his victory over Man and the stratagem by which it was won, ending with the words
"What remains, ye gods,
But up, and enter now into full bliss." — ED.]
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