The Complete Poetry of John Milton by John Milton

farr,
                    There ended was his quest, there ceast his care.
                    Down he descended from his Snow-soft chair,
    20
      20                  But all unwares with his cold-kind embrace
                    Unhous’d thy Virgin Soul from her fair biding place.
    IV
                    Yet art thou not inglorious in thy fate;
                    For so
Apollo
, with unweeting 4 hand
                    Whilom 5 did slay his dearly-loved mate
    25
       25         Young
Hyacinth
born on
Eurotas
strand,
                    Young
Hyacinth
the pride of
Spartan
land;
      20                  But then transform’d him to a purple flower; 6
                    Alack that so to change thee winter had no power.
    V
                    Yet can I not perswade me thou art dead
    30
       30         Or that thy corse corrupts in earths dark womb,
                    Or that thy beauties lie in wormie bed,
                    Hid from the world in a low delved tomb;
                    Could Heav’n for pittie thee so strictly doom?
      20                  Oh no! for something in thy face did shine
    35
       35         Above mortalitie that shew’d thou wast divine.
    VI
                    Resolve me then oh Soul most surely blest
                    (If so it be that thou these plaints dost hear)
                    Tell me bright Spirit where e’re thou hoverest
                    Whether above that high first-moving Sphear 7
    40
       40         Or in th’ Elisian fields (if such there were).
      20                  Oh say me true if thou wert mortal wight
                    And why from us so quickly thou didst take thy flight.
    VII
                    Wert thou some Starr which from the ruin’d roof
                    Of shak’t Olympus by mischance didst fall;
    45
       45         Which carefull
Jove
in natures true behoof
                    Took up, and in fit place did reinstall?
                    Or did of late earths Sons 8 besiege the wall
      20                  Of sheenie Heav’n, and thou some goddess fled
                    Amongst us here below to hide thy nectar’d head?
    VIII
    50
       50         Or wert thou that just Maid 9 who once before
                    Forsook the hated earth, O tell me sooth
                    And cam’st again to visit us once more?
                    Or wert thou Mercy that sweet smiling Youth?
                    Or that crown’d Matron sage white-robed truth?
    55
      55                  Or any other of that heav’nly brood
                    Let down in clowdie throne to do the world some good?
    IX
                    Or wert thou of the golden-winged hoast,
                    Who having clad thy self in human weed
                    To earth from thy prefixed 10 seat didst poast,
    60
       60         And after short abode flie back with speed,
                    As if to shew what creatures Heav’n doth breed,
                      Thereby to set the hearts of men on fire
                    To scorn the sordid world, and unto Heav’n aspire?
    X
                    But oh why didst thou not stay here below
    65
       65         To bless us with thy heav’n-lov’d innocence,
                    To slake his wrath whom sin hath made our foe
                    To turn Swift-rushing black perdition hence,
                    Or drive away