John Milton(1608–1674)
Book 1 [The Invocation]
[TheInvocation]4
Of man's first disobedience, a n d the fruit
Of that forbidden tree 5 whose mortal 0 tastedeadly
Brought death into the world, a n d all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater M a n 6
Restore us, a n d regain the blissful seat,
Sing, Heavenly M u s e , 7 that, on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
T h a t shepherd who first taught the c h o s e n seed
In the beginning how the H e a v e n s a n d Earth
Rose out of Chaos: or, if Sion hill
Delight thee more, a n d Siloa's brook that flowed
F a s t by the oracle of G o d , I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song,
T h a t with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th' Aonian m o u n t , while it p u r s u e s
Things u n a t t e m p t e d yet in prose or rhyme.8
A n d chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
B e f o r e all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou f r o m the first
W a s t present, and, with mighty wings outspread ,
Dovelike sat'st brooding on the vast abyss,
And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark
Illumine; what is low, raise and support;
That, to the height of this great argument,theme
I ma y assert Eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of G o d to men.