No more of talk where God of y
With Man, as with his friend, familiar d
To sit indulgent, and with him partake.
Rural repast, permitting hire the while.
Venial discourse unblam': 1 new must chery
Those notes to erotic, fout thrust, and
Disloyal on the part of Man,

And disobedience: on dept
Now alienatedy distance an

Anger and just table, wat

No more of talk where God or Angel guest
With Man, as with his friend, familiar us'd
To sit indulgent, and with him partake
Rural repast, permitting him the while

Venial discourse unblam'd: I now must change
Those notes to tragic; foul distrust, and breach
Disloyal on the part of Man, revolt,

And disobedience: on the part of Heaven
Now alienated, distance and distaste,

Anger and just rebuke, and judgment given,

FFF

That brought into this world a world of woe,
Sin and her shadow death, and Misery
Death's harbinger: sad task, yet argument
Not less but more heroic than the wrath
Of stern Achilles on his foe pursued
Thrice fugitive about Troy wall; or rage
Of Turnus for Lavinia disespous'd,
Or Neptune's ire, or Juno's, that so long
Perplex'd the Greek and Cytherea's son ;
If answerable style I can obtain

Of my celestial patroness, who deigns
Her nightly visitation unimplor'd,

And dictates to me slumbering, or inspires

Easy my unpremeditated verse:

Since first this subject for heroic song

Pleas'd me long choosing, and beginning late;

Not sedulous by nature to indite

Wars, hitherto the only argument

Heroic deem'd, chief mastery to dissect

With long and tedious havoc fabled knights,

In battels feign'd; the better fortitude
Of patience and heroic martyrdom

Unsung; or to describe races and games,