PARADISE LOST ~ MILTON'S ARGUMENTS

PARADISE LOST ~ MILTON'S ARGUMENTS

PARADISE LOST ~ MILTON'S ARGUMENTS
In 1667 poet bestowed (some beleaguered students might say 'inflicted') his great masterpiece, Paradise Lost, upon the planet. In 1674 the revised second edition was published, where he divided the initial ten books into twelve and added the subsequent introductory summaries or "Arguments" for every book at the request of confused early readers.

BOOK I

This first book proposes, first briefly, the entire subject: man's disobedience and therefore the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed; then touches the prime reason for his fall, the serpent, or rather Satan within the serpent, who, revolting from God and drawing to his side many legions of angels, was by the command of God driven out of heaven with all his crew into the good deep. Which action past over, the poem hasts into the midst of things, presenting Satan together with his angels now fallen into hell—described here, not within the center (for heaven and earth is also supposed heretofore not made, by no means yet accursed) but during a place of utter darkness, fitliest called chaos. Here Satan together with his angels lying on the burning Lake, thunder-struck and astonished, after a particular space recovers, as from confusion; calls up him who, next so as and dignity, lay by him; they confer of thir miserable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then within the same manner confounded. They rise; their numbers, array of battle, their chief leaders named, in keeping with the idols known afterwards in Canaan and also the countries adjoining. to those Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining heaven, but tells them lastly of a replacement world and new quite creature to be created, in step with an ancient prophesy or report in heaven; for that angels were long before this visible creation, was the opinion of the many ancient fathers. to seek out out the reality of this prophesy, and what to see thereon, he refers to a full council; what his associates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep; the infernal peers there sit in counsil.

BOOK II

The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle is to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven; some advise it, others dissuade. a 3rd proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to look the reality of that prophesy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another quite creature, equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this point to be created. Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage; is honored and applauded. The council thus ended, the remainder betake them several wayes and to many employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to hell gates, finds them shut, and who sat there to protect them; by whom at length they're opened, and see to him the good gulf between hell and heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by chaos, the ability of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.

BOOK III

God, sitting on his throne, sees Satan flying towards this world, then newly created; shows him to the Son, who sat at his right hand; foretells the success of Satan in perverting mankind; clears his own justice and wisdom from all imputation, having created man free and able enough to possess withstood his tempter; yet declares his purpose of grace towards him, in regard he fell not of his own malice, as did Satan, but by him seduced. The Son of God renders praises to his Father for the manifestation of his gracious purpose towards man; but God again declares, that grace can not be extended towards man without the satisfaction of divine justice; man hath offended the majesty of God by desiring to godhead, and so with all his progeny dedicated to death must die, unless someone is found sufficient to account his offence and undergo his punishment. The Son of God freely offers himself a ransom for man; the daddy accepts him, ordains his incarnation, pronounces his exaltation specifically names in heaven and earth; commands all the angels to adore him; they obey, and hymning to their harps fully choir, celebrate the daddy and therefore the Son. Meanwhile Satan alights upon the bare convex of this world's outermost orb, where wandering, he first finds an area since called the Limbo of Vanity; what persons and things fly up thither; thence involves the gate of heaven, described ascending by stairs, and also the waters above the firmament that flow about it. His passage thence to the orb of the sun, he finds there Uriel the regent of that orb, but first changes himself into the form of a meaner angel, and pretending a fanatical desire to behold the new creation and man whom God had placed here, inquires of him the place of his habitation, and is directed; alights first on Mount Niphates.

BOOK IV

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 plenty of passions, fear, envy, and despair; but at length confirms himself in evil, journeys on to Paradise, whose outward prospect and situation is described, overleaps the bounds, sits within the shape of a cormormant on the Tree of Life, as highest within the garden, to seem about him. The garden described; Satan's first sight of Adam and Eve; his wonder at their excellent form and happy state, but with resolution to figure their fall; overhears their discourse, thence gathers that the Tree of data was forbidden them to eat of under penalty of death; and thereon intends to found his temptation by seducing them to transgress; then leaves them ages, to understand further of their state by another means. Meanwhile Uriel, descending on a sunbeam, warns Gabriel, who had accountable the gate of Paradise, that some spirit had escaped the deep and passed at noon by his sphere within the shape of an honest angel, right down to Paradise, discovered after by his furious gestures within the mount. Gabriel promises to seek out him out ere morning. Night looming, Adam and Eve discourse of visiting thir rest; their bower described; their evening worship. Gabriel drawing forth his bands of night-watch to run the round of Paradise, appoints two strong angels to Adam's bower, lest the spirit should be there performing some harm to Adam or Eve sleeping. There they find him at the ear of Eve, tempting her in a very dream, and convey him, though unwilling, to Gabriel; by whom questioned, he scornfully answers, prepares resistance, but hindered by an indication from Heaven, flies out of Paradise.

BOOK V

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream. He likes it not, yet comforts her. they are available forth to their day labors; their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand—who he's, and why his enemy, and whatever else may avail Adam to understand. Raphael comes all the way down to Paradise; his appearance described; his coming discerned by Adam afar off, sitting at the door of his bower. He goes dead set meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table. Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and the way he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in heaven, and also the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading nearly only Abdiel, a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes him.

BOOK VI

Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his angels. the primary fight described; Satan and his powers retire under night. He calls a council; invents devilish engines, which, within the second day's fight, put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan. Yet, the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah, his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory. He, within the power of his father, coming to the place and causing all his legions to face still on either side, along with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them within the deep. Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.

BOOK VII

Raphael, at the request of Adam, relates how and wherefore this world was first created: that God, after the expelling of Satan and his angels out of heaven, declared his pleasure to make another world, and other creatures to dwell therein; sends his Son with glory and attendance of angels to perform the work of creation in six days; the angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his reascention into heaven.

BOOK VIII

Adam inquires concerning celestial motions, is doubtfully answered, and exhorted to look rather things more ought to have knowledge. Adam assents, and still wanting to detain Raphael, relates to him what he remembered since his own creation: his placing in Paradise, his talk with God concerning solitude and fit society, his first meeting and nuptials with Eve; his discourse with the angel thereupon, who, after admonitions repeated, departs.

BOOK IX

Satan, having compassed the planet, with meditated guile returns as a mist by night into Paradise; enters into the serpent sleeping. Adam and Eve within the morning go forth to their 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 forewarned should attempt her found alone; Eve, loath to be thought not circumspect or firm enough, urges her going apart, the rather eager to make trial of her strength; Adam eventually yields. The serpent finds her alone; his subtle approach, first gazing, then speaking, with much flattery extolling Eve in particular other creatures. Eve, wondering to listen to the serpent speak, asks how he attained to human speech and such understanding, not till now. The serpent answers that by tasting of a specific tree within the garden he attained both to speech and reason, till then barren of both. Eve requires him to bring her to it tree, and finds it to be the Tree of information forbidden. The Serpent, now grown bolder, with many wiles and arguments induces her at length to eat. She, pleased with the taste, deliberates ages whether to impart thereof to Adam or not; eventually brings him of the fruit; relates what persuaded her to eat thereof. Adam, initially amazed, but perceiving her lost, resolves through vehemence of affection to perish together with her, and, extenuating the trespass, eats also of the fruit. the consequences thereof in them both; they seek to hide thir nakedness; then fall to variance and accusation of 1 another.

BOOK X

Man's transgression known, the guardian angels forsake Paradise and return up to heaven to approve their vigilance, and are approved, God declaring that the doorway of Satan couldn't be by them prevented. He sends his Son to guage the transgressors, who descends and provides sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes them both, and reascends. Sin and Death sitting till then at the gates of hell, by wondrous sympathy feeling the success of Satan during this new world, and therefore the sin by man there committed, resolve to sit down not confined in hell, but to follow Satan, their Sire, up to the place of man. to form the way easier from hell to the present world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over chaos, consistent with the track that Satan first made; then preparing for earth, they meet him, happy with his success returning to hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium; fully assembly relates, with boasting, his success against man; rather than applause, is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed, with himself also, suddenly into serpents, consistent with his doom given in Paradise. Then, deluded with a show of the forbidden tree turning out before them, they, greedily about to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the ultimate victory of his Son over them, and therefore the renewing of all things; except for this commands his angels to form several alterations within the heavens and elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him; then to evade the curse likely to fall on their offspring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not, but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the serpent, and exhorts her with him to hunt peace of the offended deity, by repentance and supplication.

BOOK XI

The Son of God presents to his Father the prayers of our first parents now repenting, and intercedes for them. God accepts them, but declares that they have to not abide in Paradise; sends Michael with a band of cherubim to dispossess them, but first to give away to Adam future things; Michael's coming down. Adam shows to Eve certain ominous signs; he discerns Michael's approach; goes intent on meet him; the angel denounces their departure; Eve's lamentation. Adam pleads, but submits; the angel leads him up a high hill; sets before him in vision what shall happen till the flood.

BOOK XII

The angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what shall succeed; then, within the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to clarify who that seed of the lady shall be which was promised Adam and Eve within the fall; his incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension; the state of the church till his Second Coming. Adam, greatly satisfied and recomforted by these relations and promises, descends the Hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had slept, but with gentle dreams composed to quietness of mind and submission. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradise, the fiery sword waving behind them, and also the cherubim taking their stations to protect the place. .