This Paradise I give thee, count it thine
To Till and keep, and of the Fruit to eate: [ 320 ]
Of every Tree that in the Garden growes
Eate freely with glad heart; fear here no dearth:
But of the Tree whose operation brings
Knowledg of good and ill, which I have set
The Pledge of thy Obedience and thy Faith, [ 325 ]
Amid the Garden by the Tree of Life,
Remember what I warne thee, shun to taste,
And shun the bitter consequence: for know,
The day thou eatst thereof, my sole command
Transgrest, inevitably thou shalt dye; [ 330 ]
From that day mortal, and this happie State
Shalt loose, expelld from hence into a World
Of woe and sorrow. Sternly he pronouncd
The rigid interdiction, which resounds
Yet dreadful in mine eare, though in my choice [ 335 ]
Not to incur; but soon his cleer aspect
Returnd and gracious purpose thus renewd.
Not onely these fair bounds, but all the Earth
To thee and to thy Race I give; as Lords
Possess it, and all things that therein live, [ 340 ]
Or live in Sea, or Aire, Beast, Fish, and Fowle.
In signe whereof each Bird and Beast behold
After thir kindes; I bring them to receave
From thee thir Names, and pay thee fealtie
With low subjection; understand the same [ 345 ]
Of Fish within thir watry residence,
Not hither summond, since they cannot change
Thir Element to draw the thinner Aire.
As thus he spake, each Bird and Beast behold
Approaching two and two, These cowring low [ 350 ]
With blandishment, each Bird stoopd on his wing.
I namd them, as they passd, and understood
Thir Nature, with such knowledg God endud
My sudden apprehension: but in these
I found not what me thought I wanted still; [ 355 ]
And to the Heavnly vision thus presumd.