With dart and javelin, stones and sulphurous fire;

On each hand slaughter and gigantic deeds.
In other part the scepter'd heralds call

To council in the city gates: anon

Grey-headed men and grave, with warriors mix'd,

660

Assemble, and harangues are heard, but soon

In factious opposition, till at last

Of middle age one rising, eminent

665

In wise deport, spake much of right and wrong,
Of justice, of religion, truth and peace,

And judgment from above: him old and young
Exploded, and had seized with violent hands,

Had not a cloud descending snatch'd him thence
Unseen amid the throng: so violence

670

Proceeded, and oppression, and sword-law,

Through all the plain, and refuge none was found.
Adam was all in tears, and to his guide

"O what are these,

675

Lamenting turn'd full sad;

Death's ministers, not men,

who thus deal death

Inhumanly to men, and multiply

Ten thousandfold the sin of him who slew
His brother: for of whom such massacre

Make they but of their brethren, men of men?

But who was that just man, whom had not Heaven
Rescued, had in his righteousness been lost?"

To whom thus Michaël.

"These are the product

Of those ill-mated marriages thou saw'st ;

680

Where good with bad were match'd, who of themselves 685
Abhor to join; and, by imprudence mix'd,
Produce prodigious births of body' or mind.
Such were these giants, men of high renown;
For in those days might only shall be' admir'd,
And valour and heroic virtue call'd;

To overcome in battle, and subdue
Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite
Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch
Of human glory, and for glory done

699

Of triumph, to be stil❜d great conquerors,
Patrons of mankind, Gods, and sons of Gods,
Destroyers rightlier call'd, and plagues of men,
Thus fame shall be achiev'd, renown on earth,
And what most merits fame in silence hid.

695

But he, the sev'nth from thee, whom thou beheld'st
The only righteous in a world perverse,

700

And therefore hated, therefore so beset

With foes for daring single to be just,

And utter odious truth, that God would come

To judge them with his Saints; him the most High,
Rapt in a balmy cloud, with winged steeds

705

Did, as thou saw'st, receive, to walk with God
High in salvation, and the climes of bliss,
Exempt from death; to shew thee what reward
Awaits the good, the rest what punishment;
Which now direct thine eyes and soon behold.”

He look'd, and saw the face of things quite chang'd;
The brazen throat of war had ceas'd to roar ri

All now was turn'd to jollity and game,
To luxury and riot, feast and dance,
Marrying, or prostituting, as befel,

710

715

Rape or adultery, where passing fair

Allur'd them; thence from cups to civil broils.
At length a reverend sire among them came,
And of their doings great dislike declar'd,
And testify'd against their ways; he oft
Frequented their assemblies, whereso met,
Triumphs or festivals, and to them preach'd
Conversion and repentance, as to souls

720

In prison under judgments imminent;

725

But all in vain; which when he saw, he ceas'd

Contending, and remov'd his tents far off;

Then from the mountain hewing timber tall,

Began to build a vessel of huge bulk,

Measur'd by cubit, length, and breadth, and height,
Smear'd round with pitch, and in the side a door

730

Contriv'd, and of provisions laid in large

For man and beast: when, lo, a wonder strange!
Of every beast and bird and insect small

Came sev'ns, and pairs, and enter'd in, as taught
Their order: last the sire, and his three sons
With their four wives; and God made fast the door.
Meanwhile the south wind rose, and with black wings
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove
From under Heav'n; the hills to their supply

735

740

Vapour, and exhalation dusk and moist,

Sent up amain; and now the thicken'd sky

Like a dark ceiling stood; down rush'd the rain

And stabled; of mankind, so numerous late,
All left, in one small bottom swum imbark'd.
How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad,
Depopulation? thee another flood

755

Though comfortless, as when a father mourns
His children, all in view destroy'd at once;
And scarce to th' Angel utter'd thus thy plaint.
"O visions ill foreseen! better had I.

Of tears and sorrow', a flood thee also drown'd,
And sunk thee as thy sons; till gently rear'd
By th' Angel, on thy feet thou stood'st at last,

760

Liv'd ignorant of future, so had borne

My part of evil only, each day's lot

765

Enough to bear; those now, that were dispens'd
The burden of many ages, on me light
At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth

Abortive, to torment me ere their being,

With thought that they must be. Let no man seek
Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall

Him or his children; evil he may be sure,
Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,
And he the future evil shall no less

In apprehension than in substance feel
Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,
those few, escap'd

Man is not whom to warn ;

Famine and anguish, will at last consume

When violence was ceas'd, and war on earth,

Wand'ring that watʼry desert. I had hope,

770

775

780

All would have then gone well, peace would have crown'd,

With length of happy days, the race of man:

But I was far deceiv'd; for now I see

Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste.

How comes it thus ? unfold, celestial Guide,

785

And whether here the race of men will end."
To whom thus Michael, "Those whom last thou saw'st

In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they

First seen in acts of prowess eminent,

And great exploits, but of true virtue void;

790

Who, having spilt much blood, and done much waste,
Subduing nations, and achiev'd thereby

Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey,

Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth,

Surfeit, and lust, till wantonness and pride

795

Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace.

The conquer'd also, and enslav'd by war,

Shall with their freedom lost all virtue lose,

And fear of God, from whom their piety feign'd,

In sharp contest of battle, found no aid

809

Against invaders; therefore, cool'd in zeal,

Thenceforth shall practise how to live secure,

Worldly or dissolute, on what their lords

Shall leave them to enjoy; for th' earth shall bear

More than enough, that temp'rance may be try'd:

865

So all shall turn degenerate, all deprav'd,

Justice and temp'rance, truth and faith forgot;
One man except, the only son of light
In a dark age, against example good,
Against allurement, custom, and a world
Offended; fearless of reproach and scorn,
Or violence, he of their wicked ways

810

Shall them admonish, and before them set

The paths of righteousness, how much more safe,

And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come

815.

On their impenitence; and shall return

Of them derided, but of God observ'd

The one just man alive; by his command

Shall build a wond'rous ark, as thou beheldst,

To save himself and household from amidst

820

A world devote to universal wrack.

No sooner he with them of man and beast
Select for life shall in the ark be lodg'd,
And shelter'd round, but all the cataracts
Of Heav'n, set open on the earth, shall pour
Rain day and night; all fountains of the deep,
Broke up, shall heave the ocean to usurp
Beyond all bounds, till inundation rise
Above the highest hills: then shall this mount
Of Paradise by might of waves be mov'd
Out of his place, push'd by the horned flood,
With all his verdure spoil'd, and trees adrift,
Down the great river to the opening gulf,
And there take root an island salt and bare,

825

830

The haunt of seals, and orcs, and sea-mews clang:

835

To teach thee that God attributes to place

No sanctity, if none be thither brought
By men who there frequent, or therein dwell.
And now what further shall ensue, behold."

He look'd, and saw the ark hull on the flood,

840

Which now abated; for the clouds were fled,
Driv'n by a keen north-wind, that blowing dry