With regal ornament; the middle pair Girt like a starry zone his waist, and round Skirted his loins and thighs with downy gold And colors dipt in Heav'n; the third his feet Shadow'd from either heel with feather'd mail, Sky-tinctur'd grain. Like Maia's son he stood, 285 And shook his plumes, that heav'nly fragrance fill'd The circuit wide. Strait knew him all the bands Of angels under watch; and to his state, And to his message high in honor rise; For on some message high they guess'd him bound. Their glittering tents he pass'd, and now is come Into the blissful field, through groves of myrrh, And flow'ring odors, cassia, nard, and balm; A wilderness of sweets; for Nature here Wanton'd as in her prime, and play'd at will 295 Her virgin fancies, pouring forth more sweet, Wild above rule or art; enormous bliss. Him through the spicy forest onward come Adam discern'd, as in the door he sat
Of his cool bower, while now the mounted sun Shot down direct his fervid rays to warm
Earth's inmost womb, more warmth than Adam And Eve within, due at her hour prepar'd [needs: For dinner savory fruits, of taste to please True appetite, and not disrelish thirst
Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape: to whom thus Adam call'd.
Haste hither Eve, and worth thy sight behold Eastward among those trees, what glorious shape
Comes this way moving; seems another morn 310 Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from Heav'n To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchsafe This day to be our guest. But go with speed, And what thy stores contain, bring forth, and Abundance, fit to honor and receive
Our heav'nly stranger: well we may afford Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow From large bestow'd, when Nature multiplies Her fertile growth, and by disburd'ning grows More fruitful, which instructs us not to spare. 320 To whom thus Eve. Adam, Earth's hallow'd mould,
Of God inspir'd, small store will serve, where store, All seasons, ripe for use hangs on the stalk; Save what by frugal storing firmness gains To nourish, and superfluous moist consumes: 325 But I will haste, and from each bough and brake, Each plant and juiciest gourd, will pluck such choice To entertain our angel guest, as he
Beholding shall confess, that here on earth God hath dispens'd his bounties as in heav'n. 330 So saying, with dispatchful looks in haste She turns, on hospitable thoughts intent What choice to chuse for delicacy best, What order, so contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd, inelegant, but bring 335 Taste after taste upheld with kindliest change; Bestirs her then, and from each tender stalk Whatever Earth all-bearing mother yields
In India East or West, or middle shore
In Pontus or the Punic coast, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough or smooth rin'd, or bearded husk, or shell, She gathers, tribute large, and on the board Heaps with unsparing hand; for drink the grape She crushes, inoffensive must, and meaths 345 From many a berry', and from sweet kernels press'd She tempers dulcet creams, nor these to hold Wants her fit vessels pure, then strows the ground With rose and odors from the shrub unfum'd.
Mean while our primitive great Sire, to meet 350 His god-like guest, walks forth, without more train Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his state,' More solemn than the tedious pomp that waits On princes, when their rich retínue long 355 Of horses led, and grooms besmear'd with gold, Dazzles the crowd, and sets them all a-gape.. Nearer his presence Adam though not aw'd, Yet with submiss approach and reverence meek, As to' a superior nature, bowing low, 360 Thus said. Native of Heav'n! for other place None can than Heav'n such glorious shape contain; Since by descending from the thrones above, Those happy places thou hast deign'd a while To want, and honor these, vouchsafe with us Two' only, who yet by sovran gift possess This spacious ground, in yonder shady bower To rest, and what the garden choicest bears
To sit and taste, till this meridian heat Be over, and the sun more cool decline.
Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild. Adam, I therefore came, nor art thou such Created, or such place hast here to dwell, As may not oft invite, though spirits of Heav'n To visit thee; lead on then where thy bower 375 O'ershades; for these mid-hours, till evening rise, I have at will. So to the sylvan lodge
They came, that like Pomona's arbor smil'd With flow'rets deck'd and fragrant smells; but Eve Undeck'd save with herself, more lovely fair 380 Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feign'd Of three that in Mount Ida naked strove,
Stood to' entertain her guest from Heav'n; no veil She needed, Virtue-proof; no thought infirm Alter'd her cheek. On whom the angel Hail 385 Bestow'd, the holy salutation us'd
Long after to blest Mary, second Eve.
Hail, Mother of Mankind! whose fruitful womb Shall fill the world more numerous with thy sons, Than with these various fruits the trees of God 390 Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of grassy turf Their table was, and mossy seats had round, And on her ample square from side to side All Autumn pil'd, though Spring and Autumn here Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold; No fear lest dinner cool; when thus began 396 Our Author. Heav'nly stranger, please to taste These bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom
All perfect good, unmeasur'd out, descends, To us for food and for delight hath caus'd The earth to yield; unsavory food perhaps To spiritual natures; only this I know, That one celestial Father gives to all. To whom the angel.
(Whose praise be ever sung) to man in part 405 Spiritual, may of purest spi'rits be found
No' ingrateful food: and food alike those pure Intelligential substances require,
As doth your rational; and both contain
Within them every lower faculty
Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch,
And corporeal to incorporeal turn.
Tasting concoct, digest, assimilate,
For know, whatever was created, needs To be sustain'd and fed; of elements
The grosser feeds the purer, earth the sea, Earth and the sea feed air, the air those fires Ethereal, and as lowest first the moon; Whence in her visage round those spots, unpurg'd Vapours not yet into her substance turn'd. Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale From her moist continent to higher orbs. The sun, that light imparts to all, receives From all his alimental recompense
In humid exhalations, and at even
Sups with the ocean. Though in Heaven the trees
Of life ambrosial fruitage bear, and vines
Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn
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