Paradise Lost

Was shee thy God, that her thou didst obey 
Before his voice, or was shee made thy guide, 
Superior, or but equal, that to her 
Thou did'st resigne thy Manhood, and the Place 
Wherein God set thee above her made of thee, 
And for thee, whose perfection farr excell'd 
Hers in all real dignitie: Adornd 
She was indeed, and lovely to attract 
Thy Love, not thy Subjection, and her Gifts 
Were such as under Government well seem'd, 
Unseemly to beare rule, which was thy part 
And person, had'st thou known thy self aright. 
  So having said, he thus to EVE in few: 
Say Woman, what is this which thou hast done? 
  To whom sad EVE with shame nigh overwhelm'd, 
Confessing soon, yet not before her Judge 
Bold or loquacious, thus abasht repli'd. 
  The Serpent me beguil'd and I did eate. 
  Which when the Lord God heard, without delay 
To Judgement he proceeded on th' accus'd 
Serpent though brute, unable to transferre 
The Guilt on him who made him instrument 
Of mischief, and polluted from the end 
Of his Creation; justly then accurst, 
As vitiated in Nature: more to know 
Concern'd not Man (since he no further knew) 
Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last 
To Satan first in sin his doom apply'd, 
Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then best: 
And on the Serpent thus his curse let fall. 
  Because thou hast done this, thou art accurst 
Above all Cattel, each Beast of the Field; 
Upon thy Belly groveling thou shalt goe, 
And dust shalt eat all the days of thy Life. 
Between Thee and the Woman I will put 
Enmitie, and between thine and her Seed; 
Her Seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel. 
  So spake this Oracle, then verifi'd 
When JESUS son of MARY second EVE, 
Saw Satan fall like Lightning down from Heav'n, 
Prince of the Aire; then rising from his Grave 
Spoild Principalities and Powers, triumpht 
In open shew, and with ascention bright 
Captivity led captive through the Aire, 
The Realme it self of Satan long usurpt, 
Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; 
Eevn hee who now foretold his fatal bruise, 
And to the Woman thus his Sentence turn'd. 
  Thy sorrow I will greatly multiplie 
By thy Conception; Children thou shalt bring 
In sorrow forth, and to thy Husbands will 
Thine shall submit, hee over thee shall rule. 
  On ADAM last thus judgement he pronounc'd. 
Because thou hast heark'nd to the voice of thy Wife, 
And eaten of the Tree concerning which 
I charg'd thee, saying: Thou shalt not eate thereof, 
Curs'd is the ground for thy sake, thou in sorrow 
Shalt eate thereof all the days of thy Life; 
Thornes also and Thistles it shall bring thee forth 
Unbid, and thou shalt eate th' Herb of th' Field, 
In the sweat of thy Face shalt thou eate Bread, 
Till thou return unto the ground, for thou 
Out of the ground wast taken, know thy Birth, 
For dust thou art, and shalt to dust returne. 
   So judg'd he Man, both Judge and Saviour sent, 
And th' instant stroke of Death denounc't that day 
Remov'd farr off; then pittying how they stood 
Before him naked to the aire, that now 
Must suffer change, disdain'd not to begin 
Thenceforth the forme of servant to assume, 
As when he wash'd his servants feet, so now 
As Father of his Familie he clad 
Thir nakedness with Skins of Beasts, or slain, 
Or as the Snake with youthful Coate repaid; 
And thought not much to cloath his Enemies: 
Nor hee thir outward onely with the Skins 
Of Beasts, but inward nakedness, much more 
Opprobrious, with his Robe of righteousness, 
Araying cover'd from his Fathers sight. 
To him with swift ascent he up returnd, 
Into his blissful bosom reassum'd 
In glory as of old, to him appeas'd 
All, though all-knowing, what had past with Man 
Recounted, mixing intercession sweet. 
Meanwhile ere thus was sin'd and judg'd on Earth, 
Within the Gates of Hell sate Sin and Death, 
In counterview within the Gates, that now 
Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame 
Farr into CHAOS, since the Fiend pass'd through, 
Sin opening, who thus now to Death began. 
  O Son, why sit we here each other viewing 
Idlely, while Satan our great Author thrives 
In other Worlds, and happier Seat provides 
For us his ofspring deare?  It cannot be 
But that success attends him; if mishap, 
Ere this he had return'd, with fury driv'n 
By his Avenger, since no place like this 
Can fit his punishment, or their revenge. 
Methinks I feel new strength within me rise, 
Wings growing, and Dominion giv'n me large