MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act
Of Satan, done in paradise; and how
He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve,
Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit,
Was known in heaven; for what can 'scape
Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart
Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just,
Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind
Of man, with strength entire, and free will arm'd;
Complete to have discover'd and repuls'd
Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.
For still they knew, and ought to have still remember'd
The high injunction, not to taste that fruit,
Whoever tempted; which they not obeying,
Incurr'd (what could they less?) the penalty;
And, manifold in sin, deserv'd to fall.
Up into heaven from paradise in haste
The' angelic guards ascended, mute, and sad,
For man; for of his state by this they knew,
Much wondering how the subtle fiend had stol'n
Entrance unseen. Soon as the' unwelcome news
From earth arriv'd at heaven-gate, displeas'd
SATAN étoit vainqueur: sa trame criminelle, lui trompée, Adam séduit par elle, L'Éternel a tout su; car comment échapper
A ce regard perçant que rien ne peut tromper?
Bon, mais juste, il permit qu'à l'homme qu'il protége,
Pour éprouver sa foi, Satan tendît un piège.
Armé par la sagesse, et maître de son cœur,
L'homme de ce combat pouvoit sortir vainqueur,
Éviter le danger et repousser l'atteinte
Ou de la force ouverte ou d'une amitié feinte.
Dieux même avoit parlé; Dieu de ce fruit mortel
Leur avoit interdit l'usage criminel:
Complices tous les deux, tous les deux sont victimes
D'un crime qui doit seul enfanter tous les crimes :
Rien ne peut les sauver. Alors du triste Éden
Les milices du ciel désertent le jardin;
Amis zélés de l'homme et muets de tristesse,
Ils quittent pour les cieux l'objet de leur tendresse;
Ils ne conçoivent pas quel art insidieux
A pu cacher Satan et son piège à leurs yeux.
Ils arrivent : déja, dans la cour immortelle,
Les avoit précédés la fatale nouvelle.
All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare
That time celestial visages, yet, mix'd
With pity, violated not their bliss.
About the new-arriv'd, in multitudes
The' ethereal people ran, to hear and know
How all befel: they towards the throne supreme,
Accountable, made haste, to make appear,
With righteous plea, their utmost vigilance,
And easily approv'd; when the Most High
Eternal Father, from his secret cloud
Amidst, in thunder utter'd thus his voice:
« Assembled angels, and ye powers return'd
From unsuccessful charge; be not dismay'd,
Nor troubled at these tidings from the earth,
Which your sincerest care could not prevent;
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,
When first this tempter cross'd the gulf from hell.
I told ye then, ye should prevail, and speed
On his bad errand; man should be seduc'd,
And flatter'd out of all, believing lies
Against his Maker; no decree of mine
Concurring to necessitate his fall,
Or touch with lightest moment of impulse
His free will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall'n he is; and now
What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass
On his transgression, death denounc'd that day?
Les anges des humains déploroient le malheur.
Mais leurs traits ne sont point flétris par la douleur, Et, dans les saints plaisirs où leur ame se noie,
A travers la pitié laissent briller la joie :
Tous, brûlant de savoir comment l'homme a péri,
Accourent s'informer de ce couple chéri.
Mais un soin plus pressant au maître du tonnerre
Conduit les purs esprits députés sur la terre:
Ils partent, et, brûlant de lui prouver leur foi,
Courent se prosterner au trône de leur roi.
De la profonde nuit que la flamme environne,
En ces mots foudroyants tout-à-coup sa voix tonne:
« Chérubins, séraphins, que vos cœurs généreux
Soient affligés pour l'homme, et non pas malheureux.
L'homme est tombé; mais vous, bannissez la tristesse :
Son sort peut-il des cieux exiler l'alégresse?
Le jour même où Satan s'échappa des enfers,
Des fragiles humains j'ai prédit les revers:
Qu'ils ne se plaignent point; l'homme fut créé libre;
Lui seul de la raison a rompu l'équilibre.
Ils ont cru, quand sur eux j'ai suspendu mes coups,
Pouvoir impunément rire de mon courroux;
Mais, si la terre a vu ma clémence outragée,
Ma justice, du moins, en reviendra vengée.
Pars; c'est à toi, mon fils, de soutenir tes droits :
L'air, la terre, et l'enfer reconnoissent tes lois.
Which he presumes already vain and void,
Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,
By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find
Forbearance no acquittance, ere day end.
Justice shall not return as bounty scorn'd.
But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee, Vicegerent Son? to thee I have transferr'd
All judgment, whether in heaven, or earth, or hell.
Easy it may be seen that I intend
Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee
Man's friend, his mediator, his design'd
Both ransom and redeemer voluntary,
And destin❜d man himself to judge man fall'n. »
So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright
Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son
Blaz'd forth unclouded Deity: he full
Resplendent all his Father manifest
Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild:
« Father Eternal, thine is to decree;
Mine, both in heaven and earth, to do thy will
Supreme; that thou in me, thy Son belov'd,
May'st ever rest well pleas'd. I go to judge
On earth these thy transgressors; but thou know'st,
Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light,
When time shall be; for so I undertook
Before thee; and, not repenting, this obtain
Of right, that I may mitigate their doom
On me deriv'd; yet I shall temper so
|