PL 11.754-86 (Adam on the Flood)

How didst thou grieve then, Adam, to behold With thought that they must be. Let no man seek
The end of all thy offspring, end so sad, Henceforth to be foretold what shall befall
Depopulation; thee another flood, Him or his children, evil he may be sure,
Of tears and sorrow a flood thee also drowned, Which neither his foreknowing can prevent,
And sunk thee as thy Sons; till gently reared And he the future evil shall no less
By th' Angel, on thy feet thou stood’st at last, In apprehension than in substance feel
Though comfortless, as when a father mourns Grievous to bear: but that care now is past,
His children, all in view destroyed at once; Man is not whom to warn: those few escaped
And scarce to th' Angel utter’dst thus thy plaint. Famine and anguish will at last consume

“O visions ill foreseen! better had I Wand’ring that wat’ry desert: I had hope
Lived ignorant of future, so had borne When violence was ceased, and war on earth,
My part of evil only, each day’s lot All would have then gone well, peace would have crowned
Enough to bear; those now, that were dispensed With length of happy days the race of man;
The burd'n of many ages, on me light But I was far deceived; for now I see
At once, by my foreknowledge gaining birth Peace to corrupt no less then war to waste.
Abortive, to torment me ere their being, How comes it thus? unfold, celestial guide,

And whether here the race of man will end.”