BIBLIOTHECA

BA

ARONAKANIS

The ARGUMENT of Book VII.

Raphael, at the request of Adam, relates how and wherefore this world was firft created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his Angels out of heaven, declared his pleasure to create another world, and other creatures to dwell therein; fends his Son with glory and attendance of Angels to perform the work of creation in fix days: The angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his re-afcenfion into heaven.

VOL. II.

A

1

PARADISE LOST.

D

BOOK VII.

Efcend from Heav'n, Urania, by that name
If rightly thou art call'd, whofe voice divine
Following, above th' Olympian hill I foar,
Above the flight of Pegafean wing.

The meaning, not the name, I call: For thou
Nor of the Mufes nine, nor on the top

Of old Olympus dwell'ft; but heav'nly born,
Before the hills appear'd, or fountain flow'd,
Thou with eternal Wisdom didft converse,
Wisdom thy fifter, and with her didst play
In presence of th' almighty Father, pleas'd
With thy celeftial fong. Up led by thee
Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have prefum'd,
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
Thy temp'ring; with like fafety guided down,
Return me to my native element :

Left from this flying steed unrein'd, (as once
Bellerophon, though from a lower clime),
Difmounted, on th' Aleian field I fall,
Erroneous there to wander and forlorn.
Half yet remains unfung, but narrower bound
Within the visible diurnal fphere;

Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole,

More fafe I fing with mortal voice, unchang'd
To hoarfe or mute, though fall'n on evil days,
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkness and with dangers compafs'd round,
And folitude; yet not alone, while thou
Vifit'ft my flumbers nightly, or when morn
Purples the east: Still govern thou my fong,
Urania, and fit audience find, though few;
But drive far off the barbarous diffonance
Of Bacchus and his revellers, the race

Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard
In Rhodope, where woods and rocks had cars
To rapture, till the favage clamour drown'd
Both harp and voice; nor could the Mufe defend
Her fon. So fail not thou, who thee implores :
For thou art heav'nly, the an empty dream.
Say, Goddess, what enfued when Raphael,
The affable Arch-angel, had forewarn'd
Adam by dire example to beware
Apoftafy, by what befel in heav'n

To thofe apoftates, left the like befal
In Paradife to Adam or his race,

Charg'd not to touch the interdicted tree,

If they tranfgrefs, and flight that fole command,
So eafily obey'd amid the choice

Of all taftes elfe to please their appetite,

Though wand'ring. He with his conforted Eve

The story heard attentive, and was fill'd

With admiration and deep mufe, to hear

Of things fo high and ftrange, things to their thought So unimaginable as hate in Heav'n,

And war fo near the peace of God in bliss,

With fuch confusion: But the evil foon
Driv'n back redounded as a flood on those
From whom it fprung, impoffible to mix
With bleffednefs. Whence Adam foon repeal'd
The doubts that in his heart arofe: and now
Led on, yet finless, with defire to know
What nearer might concern him, how this world
Of Heav'n and Earth confpicuous first began,
When, and whereof created, for what cause,
What within Eden or without was done
Before his memory, as one whose drowth
Yet scarfe allay'd still eyes the current stream,
Whofe liquid murmur heard new thirft excites,
Proceeded thus to ask his heav'nly guest.

Great things, and full of wonder in our ears,
Far differing from this world, thou hast reveal'd,
Divine interpreter, by favour fent

Down from the empyrean to forewarn

Us timely of what might elfe have been our lofs
Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach :
For which to th' infinitely Good we owe
Immortal thanks, and his admonishment
Receive with folemn purpose to obferve
Immutably his fov'reign will, the end
Of what we are.

But fince thou haft vouchaf'd

Gently for our instruction to impart

Things above earthly thought, which yet concern'd
Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seem'd,

Deign to defcend now lower, and relate
What may no less perhaps avail us known,
How first began this heav'n which we behold
Distant so high, with moving fires adorn'd