From thy empyreal mansion thus alone, To witness with thine eyes what some perhaps, That brought them forth, but hid their causes deep? Look downward on that globe, whose hither side Timely interposes, and her monthly round Still ending, still renewing,2 through mid Heaven, 1 The four elements hasted to their quarters, but this fifth essence flew upward. It should be "this," as it is in Milton's own editions; and not "the ethereal quintessence," as it is in Bentley's, Fenton's, and some other editions; for the angel who speaks is in the sun, and therefore says "this," as the sun was a part of this ethereal quint essence. And this notion our author borrowed from Aristotle and others of the ancient philosophers, who supposed that, besides the four elements, there was likewise an ethereal quintessence, or fifth essence, out of which the stars and heavens were formed, and its motion was orbicular.-Newton. 2 Increasing with horns toward the east, decreasing with horns toward the west, and at the full. And in her pale dominion checks the night. 1 1 A mountain in the borders of Armenia, not far from the spring of Tigris, as Xenophon affirms upon his own knowledge. The poet lands Satan on this mountain, because it borders on Mesopotamia, in which the most judicious describers of Paradise place it.-Hume. END OF THE THIRD BOOK. BOOK IV. THE ARGUMENT. Satan, now in prospect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprise which he undertook alone against God and man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions, fear, envy, and despair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradise, whose outward prospect and situation is described, overleaps the bounds, sits in the shape of a cormorant on the tree of life, as highest in the garden, to look about him. The garden described; Satan's first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to work their fall; overhears their discourse, thence gathers that the tree of knowledge was forbidden them to eat of, under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his temptation, by seducing them to transgress; then leaves them a while, to know further of their state by some other means. Meanwhile, Uriel, descending on a sunbeam, warns Gabriel, who had in charge the gate of Paradise, that some evil spirit had escaped the deep, and passed at noon by his sphere in the shape of a good angel down to Paradise, discovered after by his furious gestures in the mount. Gabriel promises to find him ere morning. Night coming on, Adam and Eve discourse of going to their rest: their bower described; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to walk the round of Paradise, appoints two strong angels to Adam's bower, lest the evil spirit should be there doing some harm to Adam or Eve sleeping; there they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a dream, and bring him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom questioned, he scornfully answers, prepares resistance, but, hindered by a sign from Heaven, flies out of Paradise. Oн for that warning voice, which he who saw 1 Rev. xii. 12. The coming of their secret foe, and 'scaped, Of what he was, what is, and what must be 1 Rev. xii. 10. 2 At noon the sun is lifted up as in a tower. So Spenser, in his translation of Virgil's Culex: "The fiery sun was mounted now on hight Up to the heavenly towers." -Richardson. 3 Satan being now within prospect of Eden, and looking round upon the glories of the creation, is filled with sentiments different from those which he discovered while he was in Hell. The place inspires him with thoughts more adapted to it: he reflects upon the happy condi tion from whence he fell, and breaks forth into a speech that is softened with several transient touches of remorse and self-accusation; but at length he confirms himself in impenitence, and in his design of drawing man into his own state of guilt and misery. This conflict of passions is raised with a great deal of art, as the opening of his speech to the sun is very bold and noble. This speech is, I think, the finest that is ascribed to Satan in the whole poem.-Addison. But with no friendly voice, and add thy name, In that bright eminence, and with his good Then happy; no unbounded hope had raised Hadst thou the same free will and power to stand? Nay, cursed be thou; since against his thy will Me miserable! which way shall I fly 1 Disdained, from the Italian sdegnare. 2 This is connected with "I sdeined," in 1. 50. |