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With thought that they must be.  Let no man seek 
Henceforth to be foretold, what shall befall 
Him or his children; evil he may be sure, 
Which neither his foreknowing can prevent; 
And he the future evil shall no less 
In apprehension than in substance feel, 
Grievous to bear: but that care now is past, 
Man is not whom to warn: those few escaped 
Famine and anguish will at last consume, 
Wandering that watery desart:  I had hope, 
When violence was ceased, and war on earth, 
All would have then gone well; peace would have crowned 
With length of happy days the race of Man; 
But I was far deceived; for now I see 
Peace to corrupt no less than war to waste. 
How comes it thus? unfold, celestial Guide, 
And whether here the race of Man will end. 
To whom thus Michael.  Those, whom last thou sawest 
In triumph and luxurious wealth, are they 
First seen in acts of prowess eminent 
And great exploits, but of true virtue void; 
Who, having spilt much blood, and done much wast 
Subduing nations, and achieved thereby 
Fame in the world, high titles, and rich prey; 
Shall change their course to pleasure, ease, and sloth, 
Surfeit, and lust; till wantonness and pride 
Raise out of friendship hostile deeds in peace. 
The conquered also, and enslaved by war, 
Shall, with their freedom lost, all virtue lose 
And fear of God; from whom their piety feigned 
In sharp contest of battle found no aid 
Against invaders; therefore, cooled in zeal, 
Thenceforth shall practice how to live secure, 
Worldly or dissolute, on what their lords 
Shall leave them to enjoy; for the earth shall bear 
More than enough, that temperance may be tried: 
So all shall turn degenerate, all depraved; 
Justice and temperance, truth and faith, forgot; 
One man except, the only son of light 
In a dark age, against example good, 
Against allurement, custom, and a world 
Offended: fearless of reproach and scorn, 
The grand-child, with twelve sons encreased, departs 
From Canaan, to a land hereafter called 
Egypt, divided by the river Nile; 
See where it flows, disgorging at seven mouths 
Into the sea:  To sojourn in that land 
He comes, invited by a younger son 
In time of dearth; a son, whose worthy deeds 
Raise him to be the second in that realm 
Of Pharaoh:  There he dies, and leaves his race 
Growing into a nation, and now grown 
Suspected to a sequent king, who seeks 
To stop their overgrowth, as inmate guests 
Or violence, he of their wicked ways 
Shall them admonish; and before them set 
The paths of righteousness, how much more safe 
And full of peace; denouncing wrath to come 
On their impenitence; and shall return 
Of them derided, but of God observed 
The one just man alive; by his command 
Shall build a wonderous ark, as thou beheldst, 
To save himself, and houshold, from amidst 
A world devote to universal wrack. 
No sooner he, with them of man and beast 
Select for life, shall in the ark be lodged, 
And sheltered round; but all the cataracts 
Of Heaven set open on the Earth shall pour 
Rain, day and night; all fountains of the deep, 
Broke up, shall heave the ocean to usurp 
Beyond all bounds; till inundation rise 
Above the highest hills:  Then shall this mount 
Of Paradise by might of waves be moved 
Out of his place, pushed by the horned flood, 
With all his verdure spoiled, and trees adrift, 
Down the great river to the opening gulf, 
And there take root an island salt and bare, 
The haunt of seals, and orcs, and sea-mews' clang: 
To teach thee that God attributes to place 
No sanctity, if none be thither brought 
By men who there frequent, or therein dwell. 
And now, what further shall ensue, behold. 
He looked, and saw the ark hull on the flood, 
Which now abated; for the clouds were fled, 
Driven by a keen north-wind, that, blowing dry, 
Wrinkled the face of deluge, as decayed; 
And the clear sun on his wide watery glass 
Gazed hot, and of the fresh wave largely drew, 
As after thirst; which made their flowing shrink 
From standing lake to tripping ebb, that stole 
With soft foot towards the deep; who now had stopt 
His sluces, as the Heaven his windows shut. 
The ark no more now floats, but seems on ground, 
Fast on the top of some high mountain fixed. 
And now the tops of hills, as rocks, appear; 
With clamour thence the rapid currents drive, 
Towards the retreating sea, their furious tide. 
Forthwith from out the ark a raven flies, 
And after him, the surer messenger, 
A dove sent forth once and again to spy 
Green tree or ground, whereon his foot may light: 
The second time returning, in his bill 
An olive-leaf he brings, pacifick sign: 
Anon dry ground appears, and from his ark 
The ancient sire descends, with all his train; 
Then with uplifted hands, and eyes devout, 
Grateful to Heaven, over his head beholds 
A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow 
Conspicuous with three lifted colours gay, 
Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. 
Whereat the heart of Adam, erst so sad, 
Greatly rejoiced; and thus his joy broke forth. 
O thou, who future things canst represent 
As present, heavenly Instructer!  I revive 
At this last sight; assured that Man shall live, 
With all the creatures, and their seed preserve. 
Far less I now lament for one whole world 
Of wicked sons destroyed, than I rejoice 
For one man found so perfect, and so just, 
That God vouchsafes to raise another world 
From him, and all his anger to forget.