With length of happy days the race of man:
But I was far deceived; for now I see
Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste.
How comes it thus ? unfold, celestial guide,
And whether here the race of man will end."

785

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 achieved 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
Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace.

795

The conquered also and enslaved by war
Shall, with their freedom lost, all virtue lose
And fear of God, from whom their piety feigned
In sharp contést of battle found no aid
Against invaders; therefore cooled in zeal
Thenceforth shall practise how to live secure,
Worldly or dissolute, on what their lords

Shall leave them to enjoy; for the earth shall bear
More than enough, that temperance may be tried.
So all shall turn degenerate, all depraved,
Justice and temperance, 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

784. That peace corrupts no less than war wastes.

785. unfold, explain; declare how it comes to be thus.

789. First, previously.

796. in peace, in time of peace. 802. shall practise. For the

800

806

810

subject of this verb, see line 797.

808. except, excepted. 809. against example good, good notwithstanding the ample of evil about him. V. 900-902.

ex

See

Offended; fearless of reproach and scorn,
Or violence, he of their wicked ways

Shall them admonish, and before them set
The paths of righteousness how much more safe
And full of peace, denouncing wrath to come
On their impenitence; and shall return
Of them derided, but of God observed
The one just man alive; by his command
Shall build a wondrous ark, as thou beheld'st,
To save himself and household from amidst
A world devote to universal wrack.
No sooner he, with them of man and beast
Select for life, shall in the ark be lodged
And sheltered round, but all the cataracts
Of heaven 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 moved
Out of his place, pushed by the hornéd flood,
With all his verdure spoiled and trees adrift,
Down the great river to the opening gulf,
And there take root an island salt and bare,
The haunt of seals, and orcs, and sea-mews' clang:
To teach thee that God áttributes to place

815. full of peace. "All her paths are peace." Proverbs iii. 17.

815

820

825

830

836

Scriptures. The poet seems also to have had in mind the common meaning of the word.

826. all fountains. "All the fountains of the great deep." Genesis vii. 11.

831. his, its. -horned. This epithet was applied by the ancients to rivers. Virgil gives the rushing Po the head and horns of a bull.

835. orcs, animals of the cetaor whale order; gramclang. See VII, 422.

ceous

puses.

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

840

He looked, and saw the ark hull on the flood, Which now abated; for the clouds were fled, Driven by a keen north wind, that blowing dry Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed; And the clear sun on his wide watery glass Gazed hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew As after thirst, which made their flowing shrink From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole With soft foot towards the deep, who now had stopped

His sluices, as the heaven his windows shut.

The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground,
Fast on the top of some high mountain fixed.
And now the tops of hills as rocks appear;
With clamor thence the rapid currents drive
Towards the retreating sea their furious tide.
Forthwith from out the ark a raven flies,
And after him, the surer messenger,

A dove, sent forth once and again to spy
Green tree or ground whereon his foot may light;
The second time returning in his bill
An olive-leaf he brings, pacific sign.

Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark
The ancient sire descends with all his train;
Then with uplifted hands and eyes devout,
Grateful to Heaven, over his head beholds
A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow,

838. there frequent, thither resort or throng.

840-867. See Genesis viii. 840. hull, float as a hull.

843. as decayed, as if decayed. 844. his, its, referring to face. 846. their, of the

waves.

wave

or

845

849

855

860

865

849. shut, had shut. 860. pacific sign, emblem of peace.

865. a bow. "I do set my bow in the cloud." See Genesis ix. 12-16.

Conspicuous with three listed colors gay,
Betokening peace from God and covenant new.
Whereat the heart of Adam, erst so sad,
Greatly rejoiced, and thus his joy broke forth:

"O thou who future things canst represent
As present, heavenly instructor, I revive
At this last sight, assured that man shall live
With all the creatures, and their seed preserve.
Far less I now lament for one whole world
Of wicked sons destroyed, than I rejoice
For one man found so perfect and so just,
That God vouchsafes to raise another world
From him, and all his anger to forget.

870

875

880

But say, what mean those colored streaks in heaven,
Distended as the brow of God appeased?
Or serve they as a flowery verge to bind
The fluid skirts of that same watery cloud,
Lest it again dissolve and shower the earth?"

To whom the Archangel:

aim'st;

66

Dextrously thou

So willingly doth God remit his ire,

Though late repenting him of man depraved,
Grieved at his heart when looking down he saw
The whole earth filled with violence, and all flesh
Corrupting each their way; yet, those removed,
Such grace shall one just man find in his sight,
That he relents not to blot out mankind,

866. three, red, yellow, blue. -listed, in stripes.

880. Distended, spread. as it were; like.

as,

881. serve they, serve they only. 884. Dexterously thou aimest, rightly thou dost guess.

886. repenting him of, repent

885

890

887. Grieved. "And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Genesis vi. 6.

889. removed, having been removed.

891. relents not to blot, gives up

ing that he had made.-depraved, his purpose of blotting. now fallen from innocence.

And makes a covenant never to destroy

896

The earth again by flood, nor let the sea
Surpass his bounds, nor rain to drown the world
With man therein or beast; but when he brings
Over the earth a cloud, will therein set
His triple-colored bow, whereon to look,
And call to mind his covenant: day and night,
Seed-time and harvest, heat and hoary frost,
Shall hold their course, till fire purge all things new,
Both heaven and earth, wherein the just shall dwell.”

899

892. a covenant. See Genesis and summer and winter, and day ix. 8-17.

893. let, to let. 894. nor, nor let.

897. whereon to look, on which he may look. See Genesis ix. 16. 898. day and night. "While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat,

and night, shall not cease." Genesis viii. 22.

900. till fire purge all things. See 2 Peter iii. 12, 13.-new, to make them new; "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."