PARADISE LOST. EXCERPT

Larry Delano Coleman 5 hrs · "Here, in close recess, with flowers, garlands, and sweet smelling herbs, Espoused Eve , decked her first nuptial bed; and heavenly quires the hymenaean sung, What day the genial Angel to our sire Brought her in naked beauty more adorned, more lovely, than Pandora, whom the Gods Endowed with all their gifts, and O! too like in sad event, when to the unwiser son Of Japhet brought by Hermes, she ensnared Mankind with her fair looks, to be avenged On him who had stole Jove's authentic fire. Thus, at their shady grove arrived, both stood, Both turned, and under open sky adored The God that made both sky, air, earth , and heaven, Which they beheld, the moon's resplendent globe, And starry pole: Thou also madest the night, Maker Omnipotent, and thou the day , Which we, in our appointed work employed, Have finished, happy in our mutual help And mutual love, the crown of all our bliss Ordained by thee; and this delicious place For us too large, where thy abundance wants Partakers, and uncropt falls to the ground, But thou has promised from us two a race to fill the earth, who shall with us extol Thy goodness infinite, both when we wake, And when we seek, as now, thy gift of sleep. This said unanimous , and other rites observing none, but adoration pure Which God likes best, into their inmost bower Handed they went; and eased the putting off These troublesome disguises which we wear, Straight side by side were laid, nor turned, I ween, Adam from his fair spouse , nor Eve the rites Mysterious of connubial love refused: Whatever hypocrites austerely talk Of purity, and place, and innocence, Defaming as impure what God declares Pure, and commands to some, leaves free to all. Our Maker bids encrease; who bids abstain But our Destroyer, foe to God and Man? Hail wedded Love, mysterious law, true source Of human offspring, sole propriety in Paradise of all things common else." P.44, PARADISE LOST by John Milton (1664, 2015)