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Know nought of Death, save as a dreadful thing
Of which I have heard my parents speak, as of
A hideous heritage I owe to them
No less than life--a heritage not happy,
If I may judge, till now. But, Spirit! if
It be as thou hast said (and I within
Feel the prophetic torture of its truth),
Here let me die: for to give birth to those
Who can but suffer many years, and die--
Methinks is merely propagating Death, 70
And multiplying murder.

_Lucifer_. Thou canst not
_All_ die--there is what must survive.

_Cain_. The Other
Spake not of this unto my father, when
He shut him forth from Paradise, with death
Written upon his forehead. But at least
Let what is mortal of me perish, that
I may be in the rest as angels are.

_Lucifer_. _I_ am angelic: wouldst thou be as I am?

_Cain_. I know not what thou art: I see thy power,
And see thou show'st me things beyond _my_ power, 80
Beyond all power of my born faculties,
Although inferior still to my desires
And my conceptions.

_Lucifer_. What are they which dwell
So humbly in their pride, as to sojourn
With worms in clay?

_Cain_. And what art thou who dwellest
So haughtily in spirit, and canst range
Nature and immortality--and yet
Seem'st sorrowful?

_Lucifer_. I seem that which I am;
And therefore do I ask of thee, if thou
Wouldst be immortal?

_Cain_. Thou hast said, I must be 90
Immortal in despite of me. I knew not
This until lately--but since it must be,
Let me, or happy or unhappy, learn
To anticipate my immortality.

_Lucifer_. Thou didst before I came upon thee.

_Cain_. How?

_Lucifer_. By suffering.

_Cain_. And must torture be immortal?

_Lucifer_. We and thy sons will try. But now, behold!
Is it not glorious?

_Cain_. Oh thou beautiful
And unimaginable ether! and
Ye multiplying masses of increased 100
And still-increasing lights! what are ye? what
Is this blue wilderness of interminable
Air, where ye roll along, as I have seen
The leaves along the limpid streams of Eden?