marriageable arms, and with her brings Her dower, the adopted clusters, to adorn His barren leaves. Them thus employed beheld With pity Heaven’s high King, and to him called Raphael, the sociable Spirit, that deigned To travel with Tobias, and secured His marriage with the seven-times-wedded maid.
“Raphael,” said he, “thou hear’st what stir on Earth Satan, from Hell scaped through the darksome gulf, Hath raised in Paradise, and how disturbed This night the human pair; how he designs In them at once to ruin all mankind. Go, therefore, half this day, as friend with friend, Converse with Adam, in what bower or shade Thou find’st him from the heat of noon retired To respite his day-labour with repast Or with repose; and such discourse bring on As may advise him of his happy state— Happiness in his power left free to will, Left to his own free will, his will though free Yet mutable; whence warn him to beware He swerve not, too secure. Tell him withal His danger, and from whom; what enemy, Late fallen himself from Heaven, is plotting now The fall of others from like state of bliss; By violence? no, for that shall be withstood; But by deceit and lies. This let him know, Lest wilfully transgressing he pretend Surprisal, unadmonished, unforewarned.”