Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey Before his voice, or was she made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place Wherein God set thee above her, made of thee, And for thee, whose perfection far excell’d Hers in all real dignity? Adorn’d She was indeed, and lovely to attract Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts Were such as under government well seem’d, Unseemly to bear rule, which was thy part And person, hadst thou known thyself aright. (X, 145–156)
Thou my shade Inseparable, must with me along: For Death from Sin no power can separate. But lest the difficulty of passing back Stay his return perhaps over this gulf Impassable, impervious, let us try Advent’rous work, yet to thy power and mine Not agreeable, to found a path Over this main from hell to that new world Where Satan now prevails, a monument Of merit high to all th’infernal host, Easing their passage hence, for intercourse Or transmigration, as their lot shall lead. (X, 249–261)
Down awhile He sat, and round about him saw unseen: At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head And shape star-bright appear’d, or brighter clad, With what permissive glory since his fall Was left him, or false glitter. All amaz’d At that so sudden blaxe, the Stygian throng Bent their aspect, and whom they wish’d beheld, Their mighty chief return’d … (X, 447–455)
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