tairs were such as whereon Jacob saw [ 510 ]

    Angels ascending and descending, bands

    Of Guardians bright, when he from Esau fled

    to Padan-Aram in the field of Luz,

    Dreaming by nighe open Skie,

    And e of heavn [ 515 ]

    Eacair mysteriously , nor stood

    t drao imes

    Vie Sea flowd

    Of Jasper, or of liquid Pearle, whereon

    er came from Earth, sayling arrivd, [ 520 ]

    afted by Angels, or flehe Lake

    Rapt in a C draeeds.

    tairs  down, wo dare

    t, or aggravate

    he dores of Bliss. [ 525 ]

    Direct against wh,

    Just ore t of Paradise,

    A passage doo th, a passage wide,

    ider by farr t of after-times

    Over Mount Sion, and, t were large, [ 530 ]

    Over to God so dear,

    By  oft tribes,

    On s o and fro

    Passd frequent, and h choice regard

    From Paneas t of Jordans flood [ 535 ]

    to Beersaba, whe holy Land

    Borders on ?gypt and th Arabian shoare;

    So

    to darkness, suche Ocean wave.

    Satan from air [ 540 ]

    t scald by steps of Gold to e

    Looks do the sudden view

    Of all t once. As w

    t h peril gone

    All nig last by break of chearful dawne [ 545 ]

    Obtains the brow of some high-climbing hill,

    o his eye discovers unaware

    t of some forein land

    First-seen, or some renoropolis

    itering Spires and Pinnacles adornd, [ 550 ]

    h his beams.

    Sucer heaven seen,

    t maligne, but much more envy seisd

    At sighis orld beheld so faire.