Let pure devotion's fire the foul poffefs, And give the heart and hand a kindred force. Then shalt thou hear, how, when the world begun, Thy life-producing voice gave myriads birth Call'd forth from nothing all in heav'n and earth, Blefs'd in thy light as eagles in the fun. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE THE SECOND. LUCIFER. WHO from my dark abyss но Calls me to gaze on this excess of light? Show'ft thou to me, O God? Art thou then tired of refidence in Heav'n? • Why haft thou raifed on earth This lovely Paradife, And wherefore placed in it Two earthly demi-gods of human mould? Say, thou vile archited, Forming thy works of deft, What will befal this naked helplofa man, The fole inhabitant of gene and woode Does he then dream di vending on the fund V' aggiunga e luna, e fole, Per far di novo il ciel lucido adorno, E'l mio forte pensiero, In moftrarmi implacabile, e fevero, Contra il ciel, contra l' uom, l' angelo, e Dio. AT TO TERZ O. SCENA PRIM A. ADAMO, EVA. OMIA compagna amata, O di questa mia vita Vero cor, cara vita; Si frettolofa adunque ali vibrando Peregrina inceffante Per ritrovar Adamo, Solinga andavi errando? Eccolo; che l'imponi? Parla omai Tanto indugi? deh chiede; O Dio, che fai? Star upon ftar, moon, fun, And let his Godhead toil To re-adorn and re-illume his heav'n; Shall prove his works, and all his efforts, vain; For Lucifer alone was that full light, Which scatter'd radiance o'er the plains of Heav'm But these his present fires are shade and smoke, Base counterfeits of my more potent beams; I reck not what he means to make his heav'n; Nor care I what this creature man may be, Too obftinate and firm Is my undaunted thought In proving that I am implacable, 'Gainft heav'n, 'gainft man, the angels,and their God. My belov'd companion, O thou of my existence The very heart and foul, Haft thou, with fuch excefs of tender hafte, With ceaseless pilgrimage, To find again thy Adam Thus folitary wandered? Behold him, speak, what are thy gentle orders? Why doft thou paufe? O God, what art thou doing? O cariffimo Adamo, EVA. O mia fcorta, o mio duce Ch' a rallegrar ch'a folazzar m'induce; Sol' io te defiava, E tra fi grati orrori, Solo te ricercava. ADAMO. Poichè ti lice Adamo (Belliffima compagna) Del tuo gioir nomar radice, e fonte, Or t' aggrada, moftrarti amica, intendo Cofa sì vaga, che per maraviglia Mira, fpofa gentile, in quella parte La dove appunto quelle due si bianche Ivi appunto vedrai (o maraviglia) Un vivo umore, il qual con torto passo E fuggendo t' alletta, Ch'è forza dir; ferma bel rivo, afpetta: Quindi vago in feguirlo Tu pur il fegui, ed ei come s' aveffe EVE. Adam, my best beloved, My guardian and my guide, Thou fource of all my comfort, all my joy, And in these pleafing horrors Thee only have I fought. ADAM. Since thou may'st call thy Adam (Moft beautiful companion) The fource and happy fountain of thy joy, Eve; if to walk with me It now may please thee, I will fhow thee, love, A fight thou haft not seen, A fight so lovely, that in wonder thou Wilt arch thy graceful brow; Look thou, my gentle bride, towards that path Of this fo intricate and verdant grove, Where fit the birds embower'd; Juft there, where now, with soft and snowy plumes, Two focial doves have spread their wings for flight; A living ftream, that with a winding courfe And as it flies allures, And tempts you to exclaim, fweet river ftay; Hence, eager in pursuit, You follow, and the stream, as if it had |