LITMIR.BIZ

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he is who seeth in a dream,

       And after dreaming the imprinted passion

       Remains, and to his mind the rest returns not,

      Even such am I, for almost utterly

       Ceases my vision, and distilleth yet

       Within my heart the sweetness born of it;

      Even thus the snow is in the sun unsealed,

       Even thus upon the wind in the light leaves

       Were the soothsayings of the Sibyl lost.

      O Light Supreme, that dost so far uplift thee

       From the conceits of mortals, to my mind

       Of what thou didst appear re-lend a little,

      And make my tongue of so great puissance,

       That but a single sparkle of thy glory

       It may bequeath unto the future people;

      For by returning to my memory somewhat,

       And by a little sounding in these verses,

       More of thy victory shall be conceived!

      I think the keenness of the living ray

       Which I endured would have bewildered me,

       If but mine eyes had been averted from it;

      And I remember that I was more bold

       On this account to bear, so that I joined

       My aspect with the Glory Infinite.

      O grace abundant, by which I presumed

       To fix my sight upon the Light Eternal,

       So that the seeing I consumed therein!

      I saw that in its depth far down is lying

       Bound up with love together in one volume,

       What through the universe in leaves is scattered;

      Substance, and accident, and their operations,

       All interfused together in such wise

       That what I speak of is one simple light.

      The universal fashion of this knot

       Methinks I saw, since more abundantly

       In saying this I feel that I rejoice.

      One moment is more lethargy to me,

       Than five and twenty centuries to the emprise

       That startled Neptune with the shade of Argo!

      My mind in this wise wholly in suspense,

       Steadfast, immovable, attentive gazed,

       And evermore with gazing grew enkindled.

      In presence of that light one such becomes,

       That to withdraw therefrom for other prospect

       It is impossible he e'er consent;

      Because the good, which object is of will,

       Is gathered all in this, and out of it

       That is defective which is perfect there.

      Shorter henceforward will my language fall

       Of what I yet remember, than an infant's

       Who still his tongue doth moisten at the breast.

      Not because more than one unmingled semblance

       Was in the living light on which I looked,

       For it is always what it was before;

      But through the sight, that fortified itself

       In me by looking, one appearance only

       To me was ever changing as I changed.

      Within the deep and luminous subsistence

       Of the High Light appeared to me three circles,

       Of threefold colour and of one dimension,

      And by the second seemed the first reflected

       As Iris is by Iris, and the third

       Seemed fire that equally from both is breathed.

      O how all speech is feeble and falls short

       Of my conceit, and this to what I saw

       Is such, 'tis not enough to call it little!

      O Light Eterne, sole in thyself that dwellest,

       Sole knowest thyself, and, known unto thyself

       And knowing, lovest and smilest on thyself!

      That circulation, which being thus conceived

       Appeared in thee as a reflected light,

       When somewhat contemplated by mine eyes,

      Within itself, of its own very colour

       Seemed to me painted with our effigy,

       Wherefore my sight was all absorbed therein.

      As the geometrician, who endeavours

       To square the circle, and discovers not,

       By taking thought, the principle he wants,

      Even such was I at that new apparition;

       I wished to see how the image to the circle

       Conformed itself, and how it there finds place;

      But my own wings were not enough for this,

       Had it not been that then my mind there smote

       A flash of lightning, wherein came its wish.

      Here vigour failed the lofty fantasy:

       But now was turning my desire and will,

       Even as a wheel that equally is moved,

      The Love which moves the sun and the other stars.

Paradise Lost

       (John Milton)

       Table of Contents

       BOOK I.

       BOOK II.

       BOOK III.

       BOOK IV.

       BOOK V.

       BOOK VI.

       BOOK VII.

       BOOK VIII.

       BOOK IX.

       BOOK X.

BOOK I.

       Table of Contents

      Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit

       Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast

       Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,

       With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth Rose out of Chaos: Or if Sion Hill Delight thee more, and Siloa’s Brook that flow’d Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song, That with no middle flight intends to soar Above th’ Aonian Mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime. And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that

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