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So saying, on he led his radiant files,

discovers

Dazzling the moon; these to the bower direct Satan as In search of whom they sought. Him there a toad they found

Squat like a toad, close at the ear of Eve, 800
Assaying by his devilish art to reach

The organs of her fancy, and with them forge
Illusions as he list, phantasms and dreams;
Or if, inspiring venom, he might taint

The animal spirits, that from pure blood arise
Like gentle breaths from rivers pure, thence
raise,

810

At least distempered, discontented thoughts,
Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires,
Blown up with high conceits engendering pride.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
Touched lightly; for no falsehood can endure
Touch of celestial temper, but returns
Of force to its own likeness. Up he starts,
Discovered and surprised. As, when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid
Fit for the tun, some magazine to store
Against a rumoured war, the smutty grain,
With sudden blaze diffused, inflames the air;
So started up, in his own shape, the Fiend.
Back stept those two fair Angels, half amazed 820
So sudden to behold the grisly King;

Yet thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon :—
'Which of those rebel Spirits adjudged to
Hell

Com'st thou, escaped thy prison? and, transformed,

Why satt'st thou like an enemy in wait,

Here watching at the head of these that sleep?'

Abashed the Devil

stands

'Know ye not, then,' said Satan, filled with

scorn,

ye

'Know ye not me? Ye knew me once no mate
For there sitting where
you,
durst not soar !
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, 830
The lowest of your throng; or, if ye know,
Why ask ye, and superfluous begin

Your message, like to end as much in vain?'
To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with

scorn:

'Think not, revolted Spirit, thy shape the same,
Or undiminished brightness, to be known
As when thou stood'st in Heaven upright and

pure.

That glory then, when thou no more wast good,
Departed from thee; and thou resemblest now
Thy sin and place of doom obscure and foul. 840
But come; for thou, be sure, shalt give account
To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep
This place inviolable, and these from harm.'
So spake the Cherub; and his grave rebuke,
Severe in youthful beauty, added grace

Invincible.

Abashed the Devil stood,

And felt how awful goodness is, and saw
Virtue in her shape how lovely-saw, and pined
His loss; but chiefly to find here observed
His lustre visibly impaired; yet seemed

850

Undaunted. 'If I must contend,' said he,
'Best with the best-the sender, not the sent ;
Or all at once more glory will be won,
Or less be lost.' Thy fear,' said Zephon bold,
'Will save us trial what the least can do
Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.'

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The Fiend replied not, overcome with rage;

But, like a proud steed reined, went haughty on, Satan Champing his iron curb. To strive or fly

He held it vain; awe from above had quelled 860 His heart, not else dismayed. Now drew they nigh

The western point, where those half-rounding
guards

Just met, and, closing, stood in squadron joined,
Awaiting next command. To whom their chief,
Gabriel, from the front thus called aloud :-

'O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hasting this way, and now by glimpse discern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade;
And with them comes a third, of regal port,
But faded splendour wan, who by his gait
And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of
Hell-

870

Not likely to part hence without contest.
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.'
He scarce had ended, when those two ap-
proached,

And brief related whom they brought, where
found,

How busied, in what form and posture couched. To whom, with stern regard, thus Gabriel spake :

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Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds
prescribed

880

To thy transgressions, and disturbed the charge
Of others, who approve not to transgress
By thy example, but have power and right
To question thy bold entrance on this place;
Employed, it seems, to violate sleep, and those
Whose dwelling God hath planted here in blisɛ?'

brought before

Gabriel

Satan's To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous

excuses

brow:

'Gabriel, thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of
wise;

And such I held thee; but this question asked
Puts me in doubt.

pain?

Lives there who loves his

Who would not, finding way, break loose from

Hell, Though thither doomed? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt,

And boldly venture to whatever place

890

Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to
change

Torment with ease, and soonest recompense
Dole with delight; which in this place I sought :
To thee no reason, who know'st only good,
But evil hast not tried.

His will who bound us?

And wilt object

Let him surer bar His iron gates, if he intends our stay

In that dark durance. Thus much what was

asked:

The rest is true; they found me where they

say;

But that implies not violence or harm.'

900

Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel moved,
Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied:-
"O loss of one in Heaven to judge of wise,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prison scaped,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise
Or not who ask what boldness brought him
hither

Unlicensed from his bounds in Hell prescribed!

So wise he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment!

910 shown to be vain

So judge thou still, presumptuous, till the wrath,
Which thou incurr'st by flying, meet thy flight
Sevenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell,
Which taught thee yet no better that no pain
Can equal anger infinite provoked.

But wherefore thou alone? Wherefore with
thee

Came not all Hell broke loose? Is pain to them
Less pain, less to be filed? or thou than they
Less hardy to endure? Courageous chief, 920
The first in flight from pain, hadst thou alleged
To thy deserted host this cause of flight,
Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.'

To which the Fiend thus answered, frowning

stern:

'Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,
Insulting Angel! well thou know'st I stood
Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid
The blasting volleyed thunder made all speed
And seconded thy else not dreaded spear.
But still thy words at random, as before,
Argue thy inexperience what behoves,
From hard assays and ill successes past,
A faithful leader-not to hazard all
Through ways of danger by himself untried,
I, therefore, I alone, first undertook
To wing the desolate Abyss, and spy
This new-created World, whereof in Hell
Fame is not silent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To settle here on Earth, or in mid Air;
Though for possession put to try once more

930

940

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