Paradise Regained | Page 8

her Son, tracing the desert wild,?Sole, but with holiest meditations fed, 110 Into himself descended, and at once?All his great work to come before him set--?How to begin, how to accomplish best?His end of being on Earth, and mission high.?For Satan, with sly preface to return,?Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone?Up to the middle region of thick air,?Where all his Potentates in council sate.?There, without sign of boast, or sign of joy,?Solicitous and blank, he thus began:-- 120 "Princes, Heaven's ancient Sons, AEthereal Thrones--?Daemonian Spirits now, from the element?Each of his reign allotted, rightlier called?Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath?(So may we hold our place and these mild seats?Without new trouble!)--such an enemy?Is risen to invade us, who no less?Threatens than our expulsion down to Hell.?I, as I undertook, and with the vote?Consenting in full frequence was impowered, 130 Have found him, viewed him, tasted him; but find?Far other labour to be undergone?Than when I dealt with Adam, first of men,?Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell,?However to this Man inferior far--?If he be Man by mother's side, at least?With more than human gifts from Heaven adorned,?Perfections absolute, graces divine,?And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds.?Therefore I am returned, lest confidence 140 Of my success with Eve in Paradise?Deceive ye to persuasion over-sure?Of like succeeding here. I summon all?Rather to be in readiness with hand?Or counsel to assist, lest I, who erst?Thought none my equal, now be overmatched."?So spake the old Serpent, doubting, and from all?With clamour was assured their utmost aid?At his command; when from amidst them rose?Belial, the dissolutest Spirit that fell, 150 The sensualest, and, after Asmodai,?The fleshliest Incubus, and thus advised:--?"Set women in his eye and in his walk,?Among daughters of men the fairest found.?Many are in each region passing fair?As the noon sky, more like to goddesses?Than mortal creatures, graceful and discreet,?Expert in amorous arts, enchanting tongues?Persuasive, virgin majesty with mild?And sweet allayed, yet terrible to approach, 160 Skilled to retire, and in retiring draw?Hearts after them tangled in amorous nets.?Such object hath the power to soften and tame?Severest temper, smooth the rugged'st brow,?Enerve, and with voluptuous hope dissolve,?Draw out with credulous desire, and lead?At will the manliest, resolutest breast,?As the magnetic hardest iron draws.?Women, when nothing else, beguiled the heart?Of wisest Solomon, and made him build, 170 And made him bow, to the gods of his wives."?To whom quick answer Satan thus returned:--?"Belial, in much uneven scale thou weigh'st?All others by thyself. Because of old?Thou thyself doat'st on womankind, admiring?Their shape, their colour, and attractive grace,?None are, thou think'st, but taken with such toys.?Before the Flood, thou, with thy lusty crew,?False titled Sons of God, roaming the Earth,?Cast wanton eyes on the daughters of men, 180 And coupled with them, and begot a race.?Have we not seen, or by relation heard,?In courts and regal chambers how thou lurk'st,?In wood or grove, by mossy fountain-side,?In valley or green meadow, to waylay?Some beauty rare, Calisto, Clymene,?Daphne, or Semele, Antiopa,?Or Amymone, Syrinx, many more?Too long--then lay'st thy scapes on names adored,?Apollo, Neptune, Jupiter, or Pan, 190 Satyr, or Faun, or Silvan? But these haunts?Delight not all. Among the sons of men?How many have with a smile made small account?Of beauty and her lures, easily scorned?All her assaults, on worthier things intent!?Remember that Pellean conqueror,?A youth, how all the beauties of the East?He slightly viewed, and slightly overpassed;?How he surnamed of Africa dismissed,?In his prime youth, the fair Iberian maid. 200 For Solomon, he lived at ease, and, full?Of honour, wealth, high fare, aimed not beyond?Higher design than to enjoy his state;?Thence to the bait of women lay exposed.?But he whom we attempt is wiser far?Than Solomon, of more exalted mind,?Made and set wholly on the accomplishment?Of greatest things. What woman will you find,?Though of this age the wonder and the fame,?On whom his leisure will voutsafe an eye 210 Of fond desire? Or should she, confident,?As sitting queen adored on Beauty's throne,?Descend with all her winning charms begirt?To enamour, as the zone of Venus once?Wrought that effect on Jove (so fables tell),?How would one look from his majestic brow,?Seated as on the top of Virtue's hill,?Discountenance her despised, and put to rout?All her array, her female pride deject,?Or turn to reverent awe! For Beauty stands 220 In the admiration only of weak minds?Led captive; cease to admire, and all her plumes?Fall flat, and shrink into a trivial toy,?At every sudden slighting quite abashed.?Therefore with manlier objects we must try?His constancy--with such as have more shew?Of worth, of honour, glory, and popular praise?(Rocks whereon greatest men have oftest wrecked);?Or that which only seems to satisfy?Lawful desires of nature, not beyond. 230 And now I know he hungers, where no food?Is to be found, in the wide Wilderness:?The rest commit to me; I shall