Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained: By John Milton – Illustrated

yet to glory aspires

Vain-glorious, and through infamy seeks fame:

Therefore eternal silence be their doom.

At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven

To heavenly souls had been all one; but now

I see that most through sloth had rather serve,

Ministring Spirits, trained up in feast and song!

Such hast thou armed, the minstrelsy of Heaven,

Servility with freedom to contend,

As both their deeds compared this day shall prove

now learn too late

How few sometimes may know, when thousands err.’

in word mightier than they in arms;

For soon expect to feel

His thunder on thy head, devouring fire.

Then who created thee lamenting learn,

When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.’

But he thus, overjoyed; ‘O fruit divine,

Sweet of thyself, but much more sweet thus cropt,

Forbidden here, it seems, as only fit

For Gods, yet able to make Gods of Men:

And why not Gods of Men; since good, the more

Communicated, more abundant grows,

The author not impaired, but honoured more?

“O sole in whom my thoughts find all repose,

Gabriel, thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of wise,

And such I held thee; but this question asked

Puts me in doubt.

with eyes

Of conjugal attraction unreproved,

yet no purposed foe

To you, whom I could pity thus forlorn,

Though I unpitied: League with you I seek,

And mutual amity, so strait, so close,

That I with you must dwell, or you with me

Henceforth