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米爾頓《失 樂園》(Paradise Lost)簡介

英文來源：SpakNotes

中文翻譯：宋蘋芳、談玉儀

Source: http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/paradiselost/summary.html 

Plot Overview

Milton’s speaker begins Paradise Lost by stating that his subject will be Adam and Eve’s disobedience and fall from grace. He invokes a heavenly muse and asks for help in relating his ambitious story and God’s plan for humankind. The action begins with Satan and his fellow rebel angels who are found chained to a lake of fire in Hell. They quickly free themselves and fly to land, where they discover minerals and construct Pandemonium, which will be their meeting place. Inside Pandemonium, the rebel angels, who are now devils, debate whether they should begin another war with God. Beezlebub suggests that they attempt to corrupt God’s beloved new creation, humankind. Satan agrees, and volunteers to go himself. As he prepares to leave Hell, he is met at the gates by his children, Sin and Death, who follow him and build a bridge between Hell and Earth.

米爾頓 藉由闡述亞當和夏娃違抗及失去神恩的主題開始《失樂園》一文，他召喚並祈求天上繆思女神的幫助來寫作有關上帝對人類計畫的故事。故事開始於被囚禁在地獄火 湖的撒旦和他那群反叛的天使同伴們很快地得到自由、飛上陸地，在那他們發現了礦物，於是便建造了他們的開會地點－地獄。在地獄裡，邪惡的反叛天使議論著是 否應該與上帝展開另一場戰爭，畢茲勒巴(Beezlebub)建議他們可以試圖毀滅上帝心愛的創造 物，也就是人類。撒旦同意了，並自願執行此項任務。當撒旦準備離開地獄時，他在地獄之門遇見了他那分別命名為「罪惡」、「死亡」的孩子，隨後他倆也跟隨著 父親撒旦一起建造連接地獄和人間的橋樑。

In Heaven, God orders the angels together for a council of their own. He tells them of Satan’s intentions, and the Son volunteers himself to make the sacrifice for humankind. Meanwhile, Satan travels through Night and Chaos and finds Earth. He disguises himself as a cherub to get past the Archangel Uriel, who stands guard at the sun. He tells Uriel that he wishes to see and praise God’s glorious creation, and Uriel assents. Satan then lands on Earth and takes a moment to reflect.

Seeing the splendor of Paradise brings him pain rather than pleasure. He reaffirms his decision to make evil his good, and continue to commit crimes against God. Satan leaps over Paradise’s wall, takes the form of a cormorant (a large bird), and perches himself atop the Tree of Life. Looking down at Satan from his post, Uriel notices the volatile emotions reflected in the face of this so-called cherub and warns the other angels that an impostor is in their midst. The other angels agree to search the Garden for intruders.

在天堂，上帝命令天使們一起開會，也告訴了他們撒旦的企圖，此時， 上帝的兒子耶穌表達願為人類犧牲的意願。撒旦歷經「夜晚」和「混亂」來到了人間。他喬裝成天使通過守護太陽的天使長優利爾的檢查，他告訴優利爾說他想見人 類並與以稱讚，烏利爾也同意了，撒旦登上了陸地並省思了片刻，因為天堂帶給他多於快樂的痛苦，他也再次決心要繼續以罪行反抗上帝。撒旦越過了天堂的牆，化 為一隻鸕鶿〈一隻大鳥〉並棲息於「生命之樹」的最上方。優利爾從崗位向下看見撒旦，他注意到這隻鸕鶿臉上浮現的表情，並且也警告其他天使們說在他們其中有 一名冒充者，天使們同意將揪出闖入伊甸園的撒旦。

Meanwhile, Adam and Eve tend the Garden, carefully obeying God’s supreme order not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. After a long day of work, they return to their bower and rest. There, Satan takes the form of a toad and whispers into Eve’s ear. Gabriel, the angel set to guard Paradise, finds Satan there and orders him to leave. Satan prepares to battle Gabriel, but God makes a sign appear in the sky—the golden scales of justice—and Satan scurries away. Eve awakes and tells Adam about a dream she had, in which an angel tempted her to eat from the forbidden tree. Worried about his creation, God sends Raphael down to Earth to teach Adam and Eve of the dangers they face with Satan.

同時，亞當和夏蛙正照料著伊甸園，小心翼翼地遵從上帝的命令，不敢 偷食知識之果。工作了一整天後，他們返回臥房休息。撒旦變身為蟾蜍在夏娃耳邊細語，這時，天使長加百利發現了撒旦命令他離開，撒旦早已準備好與加百力開 戰，不料上帝在天空變出正義的金階的符號，使撒旦急忙逃跑。夏娃醒來便告訴亞當昨夜的夢，夢裡有一名天使誘惑她吃知識之果。上帝擔心人類就派拉斐爾下人間 教導他們如何面對危險的撒旦。

Raphael arrives on Earth and eats a meal with Adam and Eve. After the meal, Eve retires, allowing Raphael and Adam to speak alone. Raphael relates the story of Satan’s envy over the Son’s appointment as God’s second-in-command. Satan gathered other angels together who were also angry to hear this news, and together they plotted a war against God. Abdiel decides not to join Satan’s army and returns to God. The angels then begin to fight, with Michael and Gabriel serving as co-leaders for Heaven’s army. The battle lasts two days, when God sends the Son to end the war and deliver Satan and his rebel angels to Hell. Raphael tells Adam about Satan’s evil motives to corrupt them, and warns Adam to watch out for Satan. Adam asks Raphael to tell him the story of creation. Raphael tells Adam that God sent the Son into Chaos to create the universe. He created the earth and stars and other planets. Curious, Adam asks Raphael about the movement of the stars and planets. Raphael promptly warns Adam about his seemingly unquenchable search for knowledge. Raphael tells Adam that he will learn all he needs to know, and that any other knowledge is not meant for humans to comprehend. Adam tells Raphael about his first memories, of waking up and wondering who he was, what he was, and where he was. Adam says that God spoke to him and told him many things, including his order not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. After the story, Adam confesses to Raphael his intense physical attraction to Eve. Raphael reminds Adam that he must love Eve more purely and spiritually. With this final bit of advice, Raphael leaves Earth and returns to Heaven.

拉斐爾 抵達人間並與亞當和夏娃一同進餐，餐後，夏娃退下讓拉斐爾和亞當獨自談話。拉斐爾跟亞當說撒旦嫉妒上帝指派耶穌當他的左右手，於是集合那些一樣氣憤於此事 的天使，一起計畫反抗上帝的戰爭。阿比迪決定不加入撒旦的陣營重返上帝的身邊。天使們開始戰爭，米迦勒和加百列也擔任天堂軍隊的領導者，這場戰爭持續了兩 天，直到上帝派耶穌來終止這場戰爭，並將撒旦及同黨的天使打回地獄。拉斐爾告訴亞當撒旦企圖毀滅他們，並警告亞當要小心提防撒旦。亞當要求拉斐爾告訴他人 類的故事，拉斐爾告訴亞當上帝派耶穌在混亂中創造宇宙，也創造了地球、星星、及其他的行星。好奇心作祟之下，亞當也問恆星及行星的運轉，拉斐爾迅速地警告 亞當對於知識那無止盡的詢問，並說他遲早都會知道他需要知道的事和人類不需知道的事。亞當告訴拉斐爾他最早的記憶，醒來之後疑問著自己是誰、從事什麼職 業、身在何處。亞當說上帝跟他說了很多事包括不允許他吃知識之果。說完故事之後，亞當跟拉斐爾坦承他對於夏娃有強烈的身理慾望，拉斐爾也提醒亞當對夏娃的 愛必須更純潔、建立於精神上的愛戀，說完最後的建議，拉斐爾便離開人間返回天堂。

Eight days after his banishment, Satan returns to Paradise. After closely studying the animals of Paradise, he chooses to take the form of the serpent. Meanwhile, Eve suggests to Adam that they work separately for awhile, so they can get more work done. Adam is hesitant but then assents. Satan searches for Eve and is delighted to find her alone. In the form of a serpent, he talks to Eve and compliments her on her beauty and godliness. She is amazed to find an animal that can speak. She asks how he learned to speak, and he tells her that it was by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. He tells Eve that God actually wants her and Adam to eat from the tree, and that his order is merely a test of their courage. She is hesitant at first but then reaches for a fruit from the Tree of Knowledge and eats. She becomes distraught and searches for Adam. Adam has been busy making a wreath of flowers for Eve. When Eve finds Adam, he drops the wreath and is horrified to find that Eve has eaten from the forbidden tree. Knowing that she has fallen, he decides that he would rather be fallen with her than remain pure and lose her. So he eats from the fruit as well. Adam looks at Eve in a new way, and together they turn to lust.

撒旦在被驅逐後的第八天重回天堂，在密切觀察天堂的動物後，他選擇化身成一條蛇。同時，夏娃建議亞當分頭工 作，如此一來，工作方能儘早完成，亞當猶豫了一下，但之後也同意了。撒旦四處找尋夏娃，很慶幸地，找到夏娃時她正好是一個人，扮成蛇的撒旦跟夏娃說話並稱 讚她的美麗和善良，夏娃也很驚訝動物竟然會說話，便問起了撒旦為何能說話，而撒旦說因為他吃了知識之果。他告訴夏娃說上帝實際上是想要她和亞當吃知識之 果，只是要考驗他們的勇氣，夏娃起初猶豫了一下但之後還是吃了知識之果。之後，她瘋狂地四處找尋亞當，他正忙著編織送給夏娃的花圈。當夏娃找到亞當時，亞 當丟下了花圈並且惶恐地問夏娃是否吃了知識之果，當知道夏娃已犯下萬劫不復的罪過，亞當寧願與她一同受罰也不願失去所愛，於是他也吃了知識之果，亞當以嶄 新的眼神深情地望的夏娃，雙雙墬入了慾望的深淵。

God immediately knows of their disobedience. He tells the angels in Heaven that Adam and Eve must be punished, but with a display of both justice and mercy. He sends the Son to give out the punishments. The Son first punishes the serpent whose body Satan took, and condemns it never to walk upright again. Then the Son tells Adam and Eve that they must now suffer pain and death. Eve and all women must suffer the pain of childbirth and must submit to their husbands, and Adam and all men must hunt and grow their own food on a depleted Earth. Meanwhile, Satan returns to Hell where he is greeted with cheers. He speaks to the devils in Pandemonium, and everyone believes that he has beaten God. Sin and Death travel the bridge they built on their way to Earth. Shortly thereafter, the devils unwillingly transform into snakes and try to reach fruit from imaginary trees that shrivel and turn to dust as they reach them.

上帝很 快地得知亞當和夏娃的違抗天命，他跟天使們說他倆必須受罰，然而，他會以一種公正且慈悲的方式處罰。上帝派耶穌履行處罰，首先，耶穌處罰的是撒旦化身成的 蛇，他使蛇從今以後將永遠無法站直走路，隨後耶穌告訴亞當和夏娃說往後他們必須承受痛苦及死亡，夏娃和其他全部的女人一樣必須要承受分娩之痛，而且也必須 終身附屬於丈夫，而亞當和其他所有的男人都必須在荒涼的土地上自行打獵、耕種來求生存。撒旦返回地獄時獲得歡呼的迎接，他對地獄裡的邪惡天使們細細道來他 毀滅人類的過程，每個天使都相信撒旦已將上帝擊敗。「罪惡」和「死亡」通過他們與撒旦一同築的橋前往人間。一會兒過後，這些邪惡天使便不由自主地變成了 蛇，當他們試圖摘拾知識之果時，知識之樹枯萎了，很快地化成了灰。

 God tells the angels to transform the Earth. After the fall, humankind must suffer hot and cold seasons instead of the consistent temperatures before the fall. On Earth, Adam and Eve fear their approaching doom. They blame each other for their disobedience and become increasingly angry at one another. In a fit of rage, Adam wonders why God ever created Eve. Eve begs Adam not to abandon her. She tells him that they can survive by loving each other. She accepts the blame because she has disobeyed both God and Adam. She ponders suicide. Adam, moved by her speech, forbids her from taking her own life. He remembers their punishment and believes that they can enact revenge on Satan by remaining obedient to God. Together they pray to God and repent.

上帝叫天使們改造地球，亞當和夏娃打破禁忌後，人們要承受夏季炎熱 和冬季的嚴寒，不再能一如從前享受著恆溫的氣候。在人間，亞當和夏娃害怕逼近的命運，他倆彼此指責著對方的違抗而怒氣沖天，夏娃乞求亞當的原諒並且告訴亞 當說他倆可以藉由彼此相愛而生存，夏娃接受亞當的責罵因為她沒聽從上帝和亞當的話，她默想著自殺。亞當被夏娃的話感動，也赦免了夏娃的性命，他將牢記他們 的處罰，並且也深信他們可以藉由服從上帝來報復撒旦，於是，他們便一同向上帝祈禱、懺悔。

God hears their prayers, and sends Michael down to Earth. Michael arrives on Earth, and tells them that they must leave Paradise. But before they leave, Michael puts Eve to sleep and takes Adam up onto the highest hill, where he shows him a vision of humankind’s future. Adam sees the sins of his children, and his children’s children, and his first vision of death. Horrified, he asks Michael if there is any alternative to death. Generations to follow continue to sin by lust, greed, envy, and pride. They kill each other selfishly and live only for pleasure. Then Michael shows him the vision of Enoch, who is saved by God as his warring peers attempt to kill him. Adam also sees the story of Noah and his family, whose virtue allows them to be chosen to survive the flood that kills all other humans. Adam feels remorse for death and happiness for humankind’s redemption. Next is the vision of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. This story explains the perversion of pure language into the many languages that are spoken on Earth today. Adam sees the triumph of Moses and the Israelites, and then glimpses the Son’s sacrifice to save humankind. After this vision, it is time for Adam and Eve to leave Paradise. Eve awakes and tells Adam that she had a very interesting and educating dream. Led by Michael, Adam and Eve slowly and woefully leave Paradise hand in hand into a new world.

上帝聽見了亞當和夏娃的禱告，便送米迦勒下人間，米迦勒來到人間便 告訴亞當和夏娃說他們必須離開伊甸園，但是在他們離開前，米迦勒讓夏娃入睡，並將亞當帶到最高的山丘，在那米迦勒讓亞當看人類未來的景象。亞當看到歷代子 孫的罪惡及他的死亡，驚嚇之餘，亞當問米迦勒是否有替代死亡的方法。世代子孫依舊心懷慾望、貪婪、妒嫉和驕傲等邪念，他們互相自私地殘殺只為求自身的快 樂。然後，米迦勒給亞當看伊諾克的影像，當伊諾克要被戰友殺害時是上帝救了他，亞當也看見了諾亞一家人的故事，是他們的美德讓他們存活於幾乎殺死了所有人 的水患。此時，亞當為死亡而痛悔也為人類的救贖感到高興。接著是寧羅和巴貝爾塔的影像，這個故事解釋了單一語言擴展成今日世界使用的多種語言，亞當看見了 摩西和以色列人的勝利，並且也瞥見了耶穌為人類所作的犧牲。看完這些幻影後，亞當和夏娃便離開了伊甸園，夏娃醒來時告訴亞當昨晚她做的那有趣且富有教育性 的夢。在米迦勒的引領之下，亞當和夏娃慢慢地且黯然神傷地手牽著手一起離開伊甸園，邁進新的世界。