Et fceleri fcelus, & pœnas fuperaddere pœnis. Hinc aliis quæ tela amens molitur, in ipfum Autorem detorta cadunt; fefe ipfe fuæque Invidiæ ftimulos furiafque incufat atroces: Ast Homini, sævâ incautum quem luserat arte, Dona videt frendens cœlo demiffa, favorem Numinis effufum atque æterni pignus amoris. Continuò immenfam attollit de gurgite molem Arduus: hinc atque hinc divifo flumine abacta Diffiliunt flammarum undæ, fluctufque recedunt Præcipites: medio vallis patet horrida ponto. Inde volans latè explicitis per inania pennis Panditur, & denfum infolitâ premit aera mole; Dum tandem ficcæ confidit littore terræ, Si modò terra foret, liquido non mitior æstu Quæ folido ftetit igne rigens, talisque videri, Qualis, ubi rupem ingentem de fronte Pelori Aurarum vis fubtus agens, Ætnæ-ve tonantis
That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation, while he fought Evil to others; and enrag'd might fee How all his malice ferv'd but to bring forth Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shewn On Man by him feduc'd; but on himself Treble confufion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. Forthwith upright he rears from off the Pool His mighty Stature; on each hand the Flames Driv'n backward flope their pointing Spires, and
In Billows leave i'th'midft a horrid Vale. Then with expanded Wings he fleers his flight Aloft, incumbent on the dusky Air That felt unusual Weight, 'till on dry Land He lights, if it were Land that ever burn'd With folid, as the Lake with liquid fire; And fuch appear'd in hue, as when the force Of fubterranean Wind transports a Hill Torn from Pelorus, or the shatter'd fide Of thund'ring Etna whose combustible
Præruptum latus avellit, cui vifcera flammam Concipiunt facilem, & nativo fomite fulphur Dans ventis animos fornacibus æftuat imis; Horrendo fœtore gravis fumoque perusta Squalet agri facies. Tali fe littore fiftit
Sociorum proximus Ipfum
Subfequitur fe more Deùm virtute receptâ
Jactabant Stygias proprio viciffe paludes
Impete, nec domini nutum expectâsse superni.
Hæc Regio, hæc Tellus, ergo hæ mihi Littoris oræ, (Clamat Cœlicolûm Dux obrutus) Hæccine Sedes Ætheriis mutanda Plagis, hæ Luce beatâ
Squalentes Tenebræ ? Bene habet, quum scilicet Isti Sic vifum, qui fceptra ferox indebita jactat :
Efto; juvat: quantùm potis eft, procul, ô procul Illo Sejunctus vivam, quem fati æquaverat Ordo, Vis fuper Æquales nunc extulit. Arva valete Dulcia, felices Campi, æternifque fluentes
And fuel'd entrails thence conceiving Fire, Sublim'd with Mineral fury, aid the Winds, And leave a finged bottom all involv'd With stench and fmoak: Such Resting found the Sole Of unblefs'd feet! Him follow'd his next Mate, Both glorying to have 'fcap'd the Stygian flood, As Gods, and by their own recover'd strength; Not by the fuffrance of fupernal pow'r.
Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime,
(Said then the loft Arch-Angel) this the Seat, That we must change for Heav'n? this mournful gloom
For that celeftial light? Be it fo! fince He Who now is Sov'reign can difpofe, and bid What shall be right: farthest from him is beft, Whom reason hath equal'd, force hath made fu- Above his Equals. Farewel happy Fields, [preme Where Joy for ever dwells! hail horrors! hail
Deliciis! Salvete Horrores! Tu mihi falve
Infernum! Vofque interiùs nova pandite regna Magno Habitatori, atque imis capite alta cavernis
Tartara, cui Mentem non Tempora, non Loca mutant. Mens locus ipfa fibi eft; Erebum Cœlumque facit Mens. Quid refert ubi fim, fi perstem immotus & idem, Et qualem decet, haud ipfo, fi fulmina tantùm Abjiciat, Victore minor? Quin otia faltem Ducere in his dabitur tenebris, nifi & ifta Tyrannus Invideat loca, & hinc aliis nos exigat armis. Saltem hic fecuri dominabimur: Hoc bene regnum Tanto emitur bello: Sic, fic regnare fub umbris Præftat, quàm fuperi fervire per atria cœli. At quorsùm fidos comites fociosque ruinæ Lethæo attonitos patimur fub gurgite volvi? Quidni has in fedes fortemque vocamus iniquam Regni infelicis; vel ut experiamur in armis Quid cœli regione datur reparare, vel imo
Infernal World! and thou profoundest Hell Receive thy new Poffeffor! One, who brings A mind not to be chang'd by place or time. The mind is its own place, and in it self Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n. What matter where, if I be ftill the fame, And what I fhould be, all but less than He Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least We fhall be free; th' Almighty hath not built
Here for His envy; will not drive us hence: Here we may reign fecure; and in my choice To reign is worth ambition, tho' in hell: Better to reign in hell, than ferve in heav'n. But wherefore let ́we then our faithful friends, Th' affociates and copartners of our loss, Lye thus aftonish'd on th' oblivious pool, And call them not to share with us their part In this unhappy manfion: or once more
Perdere (fiquid adhuc perdendum restat) Averno?
Hæc Satanas. Cui fic Balzebus: Magne Cohortum Latè effulgentum Ductor, quas noverat unus
Viciffe Omnipotens! Illam fimul Agmina Vocem Audierint, pignus femper prædulce falutis, Bellorum extremâ rabie ancipitique tumultu Auditam toties; figno quo protinus omnes Tot quondam in cædes, discrimina tanta ruebant; Illa repente alacresque animos agilemque vigorem Reftituet; quanquam ignito jam gurgite pronos Urget iners, qualem & dudum nos fenfimus, Horror : Tantâ deciderunt vaftum per Inane ruinâ!
Finierat: magnâque ad littora mole fuperbus Lenta tulit Satanas veftigia: grande retortum A tergo, massâ ætheriâ, vastum atque rotundum, Pendebat Scutum, immanes radiantibus oris Amplectens humeros, qualis cum vefpere Luna Fæfuled fuper arce, aut lætis vallibus Arni
With rallied arms to try, what may be yet Regain'd in heav'n, or what more loft in hell? So Satan fpake, and him Beelzebub Thus answer'd: Leader of those armies bright, Which but th' Omnipotent none could have foil'd! If once they hear that voice, their livelieft pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard fo oft In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battel when it rag'd, in all affaults
Their fureft fignal, they will foon refume New courage, and revive, tho' now they lye Grov'ling and proftrate on yon lake of fire, (As we erewhile,) aftounded and amaz'd; No wonder, fall'n fuch a pernicious height!
He fcarce had ceas'd, when the fuperior fiend Was moving tow'rd the fhore: his pond'rous shield, Ethereal temper, maffie, large and round, Behind him caft; the broad circumference
Cernitur Artifici Thufco, dum lumine vitri Dædaleo adjutus maculofo explorat in orbe Montefque fluviofque vagos terrafque recentes. Innixus fublimi Haftæ, (cui maxima Pinus Norvegiis fi ftrata jugis componitur, illo Utatur malo quanquam Prætoria Puppis, Virgula erit,) fuper arva gradus sustentat iniquos Ignea, quantùm illis placidi per cærula cœli Diffimiles! Omni intereà regione furentes Incubuere acres ardenti à fornice flammæ. Ille autem tulit intrepidus, dum littora ponti Tangeret ignivomi: clamat focia Agmina, formæ Agmina cœleftis, jam prona jacentia fluctu Atque oblita fui; numero tot, lapfa fenili Quot folia Autumno fternuntur littoris oris Valle sub Umbrosâ, scenam quà Thusca virentem Ædificant nemora, atque altos curvantur in arcus: Aut Rubro quàm multa Mari natat Ulva, procellis
Hung on his fhoulders like the Moon, whofe Orb Thro' Optick Glass the Tuscan Artist views At Ev'ning from the top of Fefole, Or in Valdarno, to defcry new Lands, Rivers, or Mountains, in her spotty Globe. His Spear, (to equal which the tallest Pine Hewn on Norwegian Hills, to be the Mast Of fome great Ammiral, were but a wand) He walk'd with, to fupport uneafie fteps
Over the burning Marle (not like thofe fteps. On Heaven's azure!) and the torrid Clime Smote on him fore befides, vaulted with Fire. Nathlefs he fo endur'd, 'till on the Beach Of that inflamed Sea he ftood, and call'd His Legions, Angel-forms, who lay intranc'd, Thick as autumnal Leaves that ftrow the Brooks In Vallombrofa, where th' Etrurian fhades High over-arch'd imbow'r; or scatter'd fedge
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