.1011111PIN 140 PARADISE LOST4 BOOK V. Affur'd me, and Rill affure; though what thou tell'ft Hath pall in heav'n, fome doubt within me move, But more defire to hear (if thou content) 555 The full relation ; which mull needs be ftrange, Worthy of facred filence to be heard : And we have yet large day, for fcarce the fun Hach finifh'd half his journey, and fcarce begins His other half in the great zone of heav'n. 56o Thus Adam made requeff, and Raphael Alter fhort paufe affenting, thus began. High matter thou injoin'11 me, 0 prime of men ! Sad task and hard ! For how than I relate To human lenfe th' invifible exploits 565 Of warring Ipirits ? How, without rernorfe, The ruin of to many, glorious once, And perfe&, while they flood ? how, WI, unfold The fecrets of another world, perhaps Not lawful to reveal ? Yet for thy good, 57o This is difpens'd : and what furmounts the reach 01 human fent; 1 fhall delineare fo, By lik'ning fpiritual to corporeal forms, As may cxprcfs them belt o though, what if earth Be but the fhadow of heav'n ; and things therein 575 Each t'other like, more than on earth is thought As yet this world was not, and Chaos wild Reign'd where thefe heavens now rowl, where earth Upon her centre pois'd ; when on a day [now refts For time, though in eternity, apply'd 58o (To motion, meafures all things durable By preterit, paft, and future) on fuck day As heaven's great year brings forth, th' empyreal hoft 9f Angels by imperial furnmons call'd, Inumerable
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