No real connection to my life, except that we are reading it in English and I REALLY like it, even though it's so sad...

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Book 2

Satan debates whether another Battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: some advise it, others dissuade: A third proposal is preferr'd, mention'd before by Satan, to search the truth of that Prophecy or Tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created: Thir doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search: Satan thir chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honor'd and applauded...He passes on his Journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at length they are op'n'd, and discover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new World which he sought.

Book 4

Satan now in prospect of Eden, and nigh the place where he must now attempt the bold enterprise which he undertook alone against God and Man, falls into many doubts with himself, and many passions, fear, envy, and despair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradise...The Garden describ'd; Satan's first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at thir excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to work thir fall.

Then was not guilty shame: dishonest shame
Of Nature's works; honor dishonorable,
Sin-bred, how have ye troubl'd all mankind
With shows instead, mere shows of seeming pure,
And banisht from man's life his happiest life,
Simplicity and spotless innocence.
So pass'd they naked on, nor shunn'd the sight
Of God or Angel, for they thought no ill:
So hand in hand they pass'd, the loveliest pair
That ever since in love's imbraces met,
Adam the goodliest man of men since born
His Sons, the fairest of her Daughters Eve.

Book 5

Raphael comes down to Paradise...his coming discern'd by Adam far off sitting at the door of his Bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; thir discourse at the Table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates at Adam's request who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in Heaven.

Book 9

Satan having compast the Earth, with meditated guile returns as a mist by Night into Paradise, enters into the Serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve in the Morning go forth to the labors, which Eve proposes to divide in several places, each laboring apart: Adam consents not, alleging the danger, lest that Enemy, of whom they were forewarn'd, should attempt her found alone: Eve loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather desirous to make trial of her strength; Adam at last yields: The Seprent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve above all other Creatures. Eve wond'ring to hear the Serpent speak, asks how he attain'd to human speech and such understanding not till now; the Serpent answers, that by tasting of a certain Tree in the Garden he attain'd both to Speech and Reason, till then void of both: Eve requires him to bring her to that Tree, and finds it to be the Tree of Knowledge forbidden: The Serpent now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments, induces her at length to eat; she pleas'd with the taste deliberates awhile whether to impart thereof to Adam or not, at last brings him of the Fruit, relates what persuaded her to eat thereof: Adam at first amaz'd, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of love to perish with her; and extenuating the trespass, eats also of the Fruit.

How dies the Serpent? hee hath eat'n and lives,
And knows, and speaks, and reasons, and discerns,
Irrational till then...

What fear I then, rather what know to fear
Under this ignorance of Good and Evil,
Of God or Death, of Law or Penalty?
Here grows the Cure of all, this Fruit Divine,
Fair to the Eye, inviting to the Taste,
Of virtue to make wise: what hinders then
To reach, and feed at once both Body and Mind?
So saying, her rash hand in evil hour
Forth reaching to the Fruit, she pluck'd, she eat:
Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat
Sighing through all her Works gave signs of woe,
That all was lost.

...Adam the while
Waiting desirous her return, had wove
Of choicest Flow'rs a Garland to adorn
Her Tresses, and her rural labors crown,
As Reapers oft are wont thir Harvest Queen.
Great joy he promis'd to his thoughts, and new
Solace in her return, so long delay'd;
Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill,
Misgave him; hee the falt'ring measure felt;
And forth to meet her went, the way she took...

Thus Eve with Cout'nance blithe her story told;
But in her Cheek distemper flushing glow'd.
On th' other side, Adam, soon as he heard
The fatal Trespass done by Eve, amaz'd,
Astonied stood still and Blank, while horror chill
Ran through his veins, and all his joints relax'd;
From his slack hand the Garland wreath'd for Eve,
Down dropp'd, and all the faded Roses shed:
Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length
First to himself he inward silence broke.
O fairest of Creation, last and best
Of all God's Works, Creature in whom excell'd
Whatever can to sight or thought be form'd,
Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!
How art thou lost, how on a sudden lost,
Defac't, deflow'r'd, and now to death devote?
Rather how hast thou yielded to transgress
The strict forbiddance, how to violate
The sacred Fruit forbidd'n! some cursed fraud
Of Enemy hath beguil'd thee, yet unknown,
And mee with thee hath ruin'd, for with thee
Certain my resolution is to Die;
How can I live without thee, how forgo
Thy sweet Converse and Love so dearly join'd,
Should God create another Eve, and I
Another Rib afford, yet loss of thee
Would never from my heart; no, no, I feel
The Link of Nature draw me: Flesh of Flesh,
Bone of my Bone thou art, and from thy State
Mine shall never be parted, bliss or woe...

She embrac'd him, and for joy
Tenderly wept, much won that he his Love
Had so ennobl'd, as of choice to incur
Divine displeasure for her sake, or Death.
In recompense (for such compliance bad
Such recompense best merits) from the bough
She gave him of that fair enticing Fruit
With liberal hand: he scrupl'd not to eat
Against his better knowledge, not deceiv'd
But fondly overcome with Female charm.
Earth trembl'd from her entrails, as again
In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan,
Sky low'rd, and muttering Thunder, some sad drops
Wept at completing of the mortal Sin Original...

As with new Wine intoxicated both
They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel
Divinity within them breeding wings
Wherewith to scorn the Earth: but that false Fruit
Far other operation first display'd,
Carnal desire inflaming, hee on Eve
Began to cast lascivious Eyes, she him
As wantonly repaid; in Lust they burn:
Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move...

There they thir fill of Love and Love's disport
Took largely, of thir mutual guilt the Seal...

...Up they rose
As from unrest, and each other viewing,
Soon found thir Eyes how op'n'd, and thir minds
How dark�n�d; innocence, that as a veil
Had shadow�d them from knowing ill, was gone�

They sat them down to weep, nor only Tears
Rain�d at thir Eyes, but high Winds worse within
Began to rise, high Passions, Anger, Hate,
Mistrust, Suspicion, Discord, and shook sore
Thir inward State of Mind, calm Region once
And full of Peace, now toss�t and turbulent�

(My own interception: Adam says Eve should�ve listened when he said she should not have gone off on her own; Eve defends herself, saying she didn�t suspect the Serpent; and if he was supposed to be the Head, why didn�t he just stop her?)

Thus they in mutual accusation spent
The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning,
And of thir vain contest appear�d no end.

(More of my interception: The angels go to God, who already knows what�s happened; He sends His Son down to Paradise to pass the judgment on Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, and then clothe Adam and Eve. He then reascends to sit at the right hand of God, and the Angel Michael goes down to Adam and Eve to take them out of the Garden of Eden.)

Book 12

In either hand the hast�ning Angel caught
Our ling�ring Parents, and to th� Eastern Gate
Led them direct, and down the Cliff as fast
To the subjected Plain; then disappear�d.
They looking back, all th� Eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late thir happy seat,
Wav�d over by that flaming Brand, the Gate
With dreadful Faces throng�d and fiery Arms:
Some natural tears they dropp�d, but wip�d them soon;
The World was all before them, where to choose
Thir place of rest, and Providence their guide:
They hand in hand with wand�ring steps and slow,
Through Eden took thir solitary way.

The End.

-Stephanie