Sole Victor from th' expulsion of his Foes

MESSIAH his triumphal Chariot turnd:

To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood

Eye witnesses of his Almightie Acts,

With Jubilie advanc'd; and as they went,

Shaded with branching Palme, each order bright,

Sung Triumph, and him sung Victorious King,

Son, Heire, and Lord, to him Dominion giv'n,

Worthiest to Reign: he celebrated rode

Triumphant through mid Heav'n, into the Courts

And Temple of his mightie Father Thron'd

On high; who into Glorie him receav'd,

Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.

Thus measuring things in Heav'n by things on Earth

At thy request, and that thou maist beware

By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd

What might have else to human Race bin hid;

The discord which befel, and Warr in Heav'n

Among th' Angelic Powers, and the deep fall

Of those too high aspiring, who rebelld

With SATAN, hee who envies now thy state,

Who now is plotting how he may seduce

Thee also from obedience, that with him

Bereavd of happiness thou maist partake

His punishment, Eternal miserie;

Which would be all his solace and revenge,

As a despite don against the most High,

Thee once to gaine Companion of his woe.

But list'n not to his Temptations, warne

Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard

By terrible Example the reward

Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,

Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress.

Descend from Heav'n URANIA, by that name

If rightly thou art call'd, whose Voice divine

Following, above th' OLYMPIAN Hill I soare,

Above the flight of PEGASEAN wing.

The meaning, not the Name I call: for thou

Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top

Of old OLYMPUS dwell'st, but Heav'nlie borne,

Before the Hills appeerd, or Fountain flow'd,

Thou with Eternal wisdom didst converse,

Wisdom thy Sister, and with her didst play

In presence of th' Almightie Father, pleas'd

With thy Celestial Song. Up led by thee

Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have presum'd,

An Earthlie Guest, and drawn Empyreal Aire,

Thy tempring; with like safetie guided down

Return me to my Native Element:

Least from this flying Steed unrein'd, (as once

BELLEROPHON, though from a lower Clime)

Dismounted, on th' ALEIAN Field I fall

Erroneous, there to wander and forlorne.

Half yet remaines unsung, but narrower bound

Within the visible Diurnal Spheare;

Standing on Earth, not rapt above the Pole,

More safe I Sing with mortal voice, unchang'd

To hoarce or mute, though fall'n on evil dayes,

On evil dayes though fall'n, and evil tongues;

In darkness, and with dangers compast rouud,

And solitude; yet not alone, while thou

Visit'st my slumbers Nightly, or when Morn

Purples the East: still govern thou my Song,

URANIA, and fit audience find, though few.

But drive farr off the barbarous dissonance

Of BACCHUS and his Revellers, the Race

Of that wilde Rout that tore the THRACIAN Bard

In RHODOPE, where Woods and Rocks had Eares

To rapture, till the savage clamor dround

Both Harp and Voice; nor could the Muse defend

Her Son. So fail not thou, who thee implores:

For thou art Heav'nlie, shee an empty dreame.

Say Goddess, what ensu'd when RAPHAEL,

The affable Arch-angel, had forewarn'd

ADAM by dire example to beware

Apostasie, by what befell in Heaven

To those Apostates, least the like befall

In Paradise to ADAM or his Race,

Charg'd not to touch the interdicted Tree,

If they transgress, and slight that sole command,

So easily obeyd amid the choice

Of all tasts else to please thir appetite,

Though wandring. He with his consorted EVE

The storie heard attentive, and was fill'd

With admiration, and deep Muse to heare

Of things so high and strange, things to thir thought

So unimaginable as hate in Heav'n,

And Warr so neer the Peace of God in bliss

With such confusion: but the evil soon

Driv'n back redounded as a flood on those

From whom it sprung, impossible to mix

With Blessedness. Whence ADAM soon repeal'd

The doubts that in his heart arose: and now

Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know

What neerer might concern him, how this World

Of Heav'n and Earth conspicuous first began,

When, and whereof created, for what cause,

What within EDEN or without was done

Before his memorie, as one whose drouth

Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current streame,

Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites,

Proceeded thus to ask his Heav'nly Guest.

Great things, and full of wonder in our eares,

Farr differing from this World, thou hast reveal'd

Divine Interpreter, by favour sent

Down from the Empyrean to forewarne

Us timely of what might else have bin our loss,

Unknown, which human knowledg could not reach:

For which to the infinitly Good we owe

Immortal thanks, and his admonishment

Receave with solemne purpose to observe

Immutably his sovran will, the end

Of what we are. But since thou hast voutsaf't

Gently for our instruction to impart

Things above Earthly thought, which yet concernd

Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seemd,

Deign to descend now lower, and relate

What may no less perhaps availe us known,

How first began this Heav'n which we behold

Distant so high, with moving Fires adornd

Innumerable, and this which yeelds or fills

All space, the ambient Aire wide interfus'd

Imbracing round this florid Earth, what cause

Mov'd the Creator in his holy Rest

Through all Eternitie so late to build

In CHAOS, and the work begun, how soon

Absolv'd, if unforbid thou maist unfould

What wee, not to explore the secrets aske

Of his Eternal Empire, but the more

To magnifie his works, the more we know.

And the great Light of Day yet wants to run

Much of his Race though steep, suspens in Heav'n

Held by thy voice, thy potent voice he heares,

And longer will delay to heare thee tell

His Generation, and the rising Birth

Of Nature from the unapparent Deep:

Or if the Starr of Eevning and the Moon

Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring

Silence, and Sleep listning to thee will watch,

Or we can bid his absence, till thy Song

End, and dismiss thee ere the Morning shine.

Thus ADAM his illustrous Guest besought:

And thus the Godlike Angel answerd milde.

This also thy request with caution askt

Obtaine: though to recount Almightie works

What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice,

Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?

Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve

To glorifie the Maker, and inferr

Thee also happier, shall not be withheld

Thy hearing, such Commission from above

I have receav'd, to answer thy desire

Of knowledge within bounds; beyond abstain

To ask, nor let thine own inventions hope

Things not reveal'd, which th' invisible King,

Onely Omniscient, hath supprest in Night,

To none communicable in Earth or Heaven:

Anough is left besides to search and know.

But Knowledge is as food, and needs no less

Her Temperance over Appetite, to know

In measure what the mind may well contain,

Oppresses else with Surfet, and soon turns

Wisdom to Folly, as Nourishment to Winde.

Know then, that after LUCIFER from Heav'n

(So call him, brighter once amidst the Host

Of Angels, then that Starr the Starrs among)