Poetry
Of man's first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste 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, heavenly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai,...
In either hand the hastening angel caught Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast To the subjected plain; then disappeared. Th...
2. Chapter 2The Sun was sunk, and after him the star Of Hesperus, whose office is to bring Twilight upon the Earth, short arbiter 'Twixt day and night, and now from end to end Night's hemis...
3. Chapter 3Thus they, in lowliest plight, repentant stood Praying; for from the mercy-seat above Prevenient grace descending had removed The stony from their hearts, and made new flesh Reg...
10. Chapter 10What I have heard, Is plain, thou say'st: but wherefore God this way For our redemption chose, eludes my search. "Brother! no eye of man not perfected, Nor fully ripened in the...
11. Chapter 11And lo! forthwith there rose up round about A lustre, over that already there; Of equal clearness, like the brightening up Of the horizon. As at evening hour Of twilight, new ap...
9. Chapter 9Now was the sun so stationed, as when first His early radiance quivers on the heights, Where streamed his Maker's blood; while Libra hangs Above Hesperian Ebro; and new fires, M...
12. Chapter 12In fashion, as a snow-white rose, lay then Before my view the saintly multitude, Which is his own blood Christ espoused. Meanwhile, That other host, that soar aloft to gaze And...
1. Chapter 1Of man's first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restor...
6. Chapter 6When I was freed From all those spirits, who prayed for others' prayers To hasten on their state of blessedness; Straight I began: "O thou, my luminary! It seems expressly in th...
7. Chapter 7"O thou Almighty Father! who dost make The heavens thy dwelling, not in bounds confined, But that, with love intenser, there thou view'st Thy primal effluence; hallowed be thy n...
8. Chapter 8"Ye, who live, Do so each cause refer to heaven above, E'en as its motion, of necessity, Drew with it all that moves. If this were so, Free choice in you were none; nor justice...
5. Chapter 5"Through me you pass into the city of woe: Through me you pass into eternal pain: Through me among the people lost for aye. Justice the founder of my fabric moved: To rear me wa...