recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void— For never can true reconcilement grow Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep— Which would but lead me to a worse relapse And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear Short intermission, bought with double smart. This knows my Punisher; therefore as far From granting he, as I from begging, peace. All hope excluded thus, behold, instead Of us, outcast, exiled, his new delight, Mankind created, and for him this World! So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear, Farewell remorse! All good to me is lost; Evil, be thou my good: by thee at least Divided empire with Heaven’s King I hold, By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign; As Man ere long and this new World shall know.”
Thus while he spake, each passion dimmed his face, Thrice changed with pale—ire, envy, and despair; Which marred his borrowed visage, and betrayed Him counterfeit, if any eye beheld; For Heavenly minds from such distempers foul Are ever clear. Whereof he soon aware Each perturbation smoothed with outward calm, Artificer of fraud; and was the first That practised falsehood under saintly show, Deep malice to conceal, couched with revenge: Yet not enough had practised to deceive Uriel, once warned; whose eye pursued him down The way he went, and on the Assyrian mount Saw him disfigured, more than could befall Spirit of happy sort: his gestures fierce He marked and mad demeanour, then alone, As he supposed, all unobserved, unseen.
So on he fares, and to the border comes Of Eden, where delicious Paradise, Now nearer, crowns with her enclosure green, As with a rural mound, the champain head Of a steep wilderness, whose hairy sides With thicket overgrown, grotesque and wild, Access denied; and overhead up-grew Insuperable highth of loftiest shade, Cedar, and pine, and fir, and branching palm, A sylvan scene, and, as the ranks ascend Shade above shade, a woody theatre Of stateliest view. Yet higher than their tops The verdurous wall of Paradise up-sprung; Which to our general sire gave prospect large Into his nether empire neighbouring