Or ambush from the deep. What if we find
Some easier enterprise ? There is a place, 345
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav'n
Err not) another world, the happy seat
Of some new race call's Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less
In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more 350
Of Him who rules above; 80 was his will
Pronounced among the Gods, and by an oath,
That shook Heav'n's whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould 355
Or substance, how endued, and what their pow'r,
And where their weakness; how attempted best,
By force or subtlety. Though Heav'n be shut,
And Heav'n's high Arbitrator sit secure
In his own strength, this place may lie exposed 360
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it. Here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achieved
By sudden onset, either with Hell fire
To waste his whole creation, or possess

365
All as our own, and drive, as we were driv'n,
The pany habitants; or if not drive,
Seduce them to our party, that their God
May prove their Foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works. This would surpass 370
Common revenge,

and interrupt his joy
In our confusion, and our joy upraise
In his disturbance; when his darling sons,
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse
Their frail original and faded bliss,

375
Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to sit in darkness here
Hatching vain empires. Thus Beëlzebub
Pleaded his dev'lish counsel, first devised
By Satan, and in part proposed : for whence, 380
But from the author of all ill, could spring
So deep a malice, to confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell

352. See Hebrews vi. 17 367. It has been supposed that Milton used the word puny in its original sense, as derived from the French puis ne, born since.

D

arms

To mingle and involve, done all to spite
The great Creator? But their spite still serves 383
His glory to augment. The bold design
Pleased highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes. With full assent
They vote; whereat his speech he thus renews :

Well have ye judged, well ended long debate, 390
Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are,
Great things resolved, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neighb'ring

395 And opportune excursion, we may chance Re-enter Heav'n; or else in some mild zone Dwell not ünvisited of Heav'n's fair licht Secure, and at the bright'ning orient beam Purge off this gloom : the soft delicious air, 400 To heal the scar of these corrosive fires, (send Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom shall we In search of this new world ? whom shall we find Sufficient? who shall ’tempt with wand'ring feet The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,

405 And through the palpable obscure find out His uncouth way, or spread his aery flight, Upborne with indefatigable wings Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive The happy isle? What strength, what art, can then Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

411
Through the strict senteries and stations thick
Of Angels watching round ? Here he had need
All circumspection, and we now no less
Choice in our suffrage ; for on whom we send, 415
The weight of all and our last hope relies.

This said, he sat; and expectation held
His look suspense, awaiting who appear'd
To second or oppose, or undertak
The perilous attempt : but all sate mute,

420 Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts ; and each

406. Palpable obscure; this is another instance of Milton's using adjectives in the sense of substantives.

409 The earth is here called an island in allusion to its hanging in the air, whieh surrounds it like a sea. The word arrive Wün formerly frequently used without a preposition following.

In other's count'nance read his own dismay
Astonish'd. None among the choice and prime
Of those Heav'n-warring champions could be found
So hardy as to proffer or accept

425
Alone the dreadful voyage ; till at last
Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride,
Conscious of highest worth, unmoved, thus spake :

O Progeny of Heav'n, empyreal Thrones, 430 With reason hath deep silence and demur Seized us, though undismay'd : long is the way And hard that out of Hell leads up to light; Our prison strong ; this huge convex of fire, Outrageous to devour, immures us round 435 Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant Barr'd over us prohibit all egress. These pass’d, if any pass, the void profound Of unessential Night receives him next Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being 440 Threatens him, plunged in that abortive galt. If thence he 'scape into whatever world, Or unknown region, what remains him less Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape ? But I should ill become this throne, O Peers, 445 And this imperial sov'reignty, adorn'd With splendour, arm'd with pow'r, if aught propos'd And judged of public moment, in the shape Of difficulty or danger, could deter Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume 450 These royalties, and not refuse to reign, Refusing to accept as great a share Of hazard as of honour; due alike To him who reigns, and so much to him due Of hazard more, as he above the rest

455 High honour'd sits ? Go, therefore, mighty Powers, Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n; intend at home While here shall be our home, what best may ease The present misery, and render Hell More tolerable; if there be cure or charm 460 To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain

439. Unessential; that is, void of substance.

Of this ill mansion ; intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
Through all the coasts of dark destruction, seek
Deliv'rance for us all. This enterprise

465
None shall partake with me. Thus saying rose
The Monarch, and prevented all reply,
Prudent, lest from his resolution raised,
Others among the chief might offer now
(Certain to be refused) what erst they fear'd: 470
And so refused might in opinion stand
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute
Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they
Dreaded not more th' adventure than his voice
Forbidding; and at once with him they rose; 475
Their rising all at once was as the sound
Of thunder heard remote. Tow'rds him they bend
With awful rev'rence prone; and as a God
Extol him equal to the High’st in Heav'n:
Nor fail'd they to express how much they praised, 480
That for the gen'ral safety he despised
His own : for neither do the Spirits damn'd
Lose all their virtue : lest bad men should boast
Their specious deeds on earth, which glory excites,
Or close ambition, varnish'd o'er with zeal. 485
Thus they their doubtful consultations dark
Ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief:
As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds
Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o'erspread
Heav'n's cheerful face, the low'ring element 490
Scowls o'er the darken'd landskip snow, or show'r;
If chance the radiant Sun with farewell sweet
Extend his ev'ning beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings.

495

495. Milton intimates above, that the fallen and degraded state of man or his individual vice is not at all disproved by some of his external actions not appearing totally base. The commentators should have observed, in explaining this passage, that the whole grand mystery on which the poem depends is the first fearful spiritual alienation of Satan from God, the only fountain of truth and all real positive good; and that when thus separated, whether the spirit be that of man or devil, it may perform actions fair in appearance but not essentially good, because springing from no fixed principle of good.

O shame to men ! Devil with Devil damn'd
Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope
Of heav'nly grace: and Cod proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife

500
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wasting the earth, each other to destroy;
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enough besides,
That day and night for his destruction wait. 505

The Stygian council thus dissolved ; and forth In order came the grand infernal peers : 'Midst came their mighty Paramount, and seem'd Alone th' antagonist of Heav'n, nor less Than Hell's dread emperor with pomp supreme, 510 And God-like imitated state ; him round A globe of fiery Seraphim inclosed With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms. Then of their session ended they bid cry With trumpets regal sound the great result: 515 Tow'rds the four winds four speedy Cherubim Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy By heralds' voice explain'd; the hollow abyss Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell With deaf'ning shout return'd them loud acclain. 520 Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised By false presumptuous hope, the ranged Pow'rs Disband, and wand'ring, each his sev 'ral way Pursues, as inclination or sad choice Leads him perplex’d, where he may likeliest find 525 Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain The irksome hours till his great chief return. Part on the plain, or in the air sublime,

496. It has been well observed, that an allusion is probably made here to the troubler character of the times in which the author lived.

$12. A globe, or a battalion surrounding him in a circle. See Virgil, Æn. X. 373.

513. Horrent, rouzh and sharp. This epithet I imagine to have considerable force, because it implies the dense and com pact closeness of the globe of spirits surrounding Satan. The arnis were horrent, because standing out like a boar's bristles from this fiery body.

517. Alchemy, a very fine metonymy for the trumpets. 528. The occupations of the fallen spirits are conceived in the sighest strain both of poetry and philosophy.