PARADISE LOST. BOOK X. THE ARGUMENT. Man's transgression known, the guardian angels forsake Paradise, and return up to heaven to approve their vigi lance, and are approved; God declaring that the entrance of Satan could not be by them prevented He sends his Son to judge the transgressors; who descends and gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and death, sitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan in this new world, and the sin by man there commited,. resolve to sit no longer confined in hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of man: To make the way easier from hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the tract that Satan first made; then, preparing for earth, they meet him, proud of his success, returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into serpents, according to his doom given in Paradise; then, deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of sin and death; God foretels the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things but, for the present, commands his angels to make several alterations in the heavens and elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not: but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed shoula be revenged on the Serpent, and exhorts her with him to peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supe plication. seek MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act He, in the Serpent, had perverted Eve, Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit, Of man, with strength entire and free will arm'd, For still they knew, and ought to have still remenber'd, The high injunction, not to taste that fruit, With pity, violated not their bliss. About the new-arrived, in multitudes The ethereal people ran, to hear and know Assembled angels, and ye powers return'd rom unsuccessful charge, be not dismay'd, Or touch with lightest moment of impulse By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find Mercy colleague with Justice, sending thee, Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild H he Father eternal, thine is to decree; Mine, both in heaven and earth, to do thy will Supreme; that thou in me, thy Son beloved, Mayst ever rest well pleased. I go to judge On earth these thy transgressors; but thou tur know'st, Whoever judged, the worst on me must light, dere Com plea ere ents Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none Ca Those two; the third best absent is condemn'd, Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose powers, Princedom, and dominations ministrant, Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence Down he descended straight; the speed of Gods Now was the sun in western cadence low From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour, |