280

289

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

301

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

305

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

pour

315

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

340

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

365

To sit and taste, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the sun more cool decline.

370

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.

400

Therefore what he gives

(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

410

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

[taste,

415

420

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

425

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