The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Read Free Page B

Heav’n and earth to shake,
For His, etc.
     
    Who by His wisdom did create
    The painted 35 Heav’ns so full of state, 36
For His, etc.
     
    Who did the solid earth ordain
    To rise above the wat’ry plain,
For His, etc.
     
     
    Who by His all-commanding might
    Did fill the new-made world with light,
For His, etc.
     
    And caused the golden-tressèd sun
    All the day long his course to run,
For His, etc.
     
    The hornèd moon to shine by night,
    Amongst her spangled sisters bright,
For His, etc.
     
    He with His thunder-clasping hand
    Smote the first-born of Egypt land,
For His, etc.
     
    And in despite of Pharaoh fell, 37
    He brought from thence His Israel, 38
For His, etc.
     
    The ruddy waves He cleft in twain,
    Of the Erythraean main, 39
For His, etc.
     
    The floods stood still like walls of glass
    While the Hebrew bands did pass,
For His, etc.
     
    But full soon they did devour
    The tawny 40 king with all his power,
For His, etc.
     
     
    His chosen people He did bless
    In the wasteful 41 wilderness,
For His, etc.
     
    In bloody battle He brought down
    Kings of prowess and renown,
For His, etc.
     
    He foiled bold Seon and his host,
    That ruled the Amorrean 42 coast,
For His, etc.
     
    And large-limbed Og 43 He did subdue,
    With all his over-hardy 44 crew,
For His, etc.
     
    And to His servant Israel 45
    He gave their land, therein to dwell,
For His, etc.
     
    He hath with a piteous eye
    Beheld us in our misery,
For His, etc.
     
    And freed us from the slavery
    Of the invading enemy,
For His, etc.
     
    All living creatures He doth feed,
    And with full hand supplies their need,
For His, etc.
     
    Let us therefore warble 46 forth
    His mighty majesty and worth,
For His, etc.
     
    That His mansion hath on high,
    Above the reach of mortal eye,
For His mercies aye endure,
    Ever faithful, ever sure.

 
    ON THE DEATH OF A FAIR INFANT DYING OF A COUGH

     
    1625–26? 1628?
     
    I

    O fairest flower no sooner blown 47 but blasted, 48
    Soft silken primrose fading timelessly,
    Summer’s chief honor if thou hadst outlasted
    Bleak winter’s force, that made thy blossom dry,
    For he being amorous on that lovely dye
That did thy cheek envermeil, 49 thought to kiss,
    But killed, alas, and then bewailed his fatal bliss.
     
    II

    For since grim Aquilo, 50 his 51 charioteer,
    By boisterous 52 rape th’ Athenian damsel 53 got,
    He thought it touched 54 his deity full near
    If likewise he some fair one wedded not, 55
    Thereby to wipe away the infamous 56 blot
Of long-uncoupled bed and childless eld, 57
    Which ’mongst the wanton 58 gods a foul reproach was held.
     
    III

    So mounting up in icy-pearlèd car 59
    Through middle empire of the freezing air
    He wandered long, till thee he spied from far.
    There ended was his quest, there ceased his care:
    Down he descended from his snow-soft chair,
But all unwares with his cold-kind embrace
    Unhoused thy virgin soul from her fair biding 60 place.
     
    IV

    Yet art thou not inglorious 61 in thy fate,
    For so Apollo, with unweeting 62 hand,
     
     
    Whilom 63 did slay his dearly lovèd mate, 64
    Young Hyacinth, born on Eurotas’ strand, 65
    Young Hyacinth, the pride of Spartan land,
But then transformed him to a purple flower:
    Alack, that so to change thee winter had no power.
     
    V

    Yet can I not persuade me thou art dead
    Or that thy corpse corrupts in earth’s dark womb,
    Or that thy beauties lie in wormy bed,
    Hid from the world in a low-delved 66 tomb.
    Could Heav’n, for pity, thee so strictly doom?
Oh no! for something in thy face did shine
    Above mortality that showed thou wast divine.
     
    VI

    Resolve 67 me, then, O soul most surely blest
    (If so it be that thou these plaints 68 dost hear)!
    Tell me, bright spirit, where’er thou hoverest,
    Whether above that high, first-moving sphere
    Or in the Elysian fields (if such there were),
Oh say me true if thou were mortal wight 69
    And why from us so quickly thou didst take thy flight.
     
    VII

    Were thou some star which from