BOOK THE FIRST. THE ARGUMENT. The first Book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, Man's disobedience, aud the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the serpent; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of angels, was, by the command of God, driven out of Heaven, with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action passed over, the poem hastens into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his angels now falling into Hell, described here, not in the centre (for Heaven and Earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed), but in place of utter darkness, fitliest called Chaos; here Satan with his angels, lying on the burning lake, thunder-struck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion; calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him. They confer of their miserable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded. They rise; their numbers; array of battle; their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech; comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven; but tells them lastly of a new world and new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy or report in Heaven; for that Angels were, long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his associate's thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep. The infernal peers there sit in council. Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe, That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd And justify the ways of God to men. Say first, for Heaven hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell; say first, what cause Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy state, Favour'd of Heaven so highly, to fall off From their Creator, and transgress his will For one restraint, lords of the world besides? Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal Serpent: he it was, whose guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd To set himself in glory' bove his peers, The dismal situation vast and wild; A dungeon horrible on all sides round, eyes, As one great furnace flam'd; yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness visible Served only to discover sights of woe, Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell: hope never comes, That comes to all; but torture without end For those rebellious; here their prison ordain'd There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd And thence in Heaven call'd Satan, with bold words « If thou beest he; but O, how fall'n! how chang'd And hazard in the glorious enterprise, Join'd with me once, now misery hath join'd In equal ruin into what pit thou seest : From what height fallen; so much the stronger prov'd He with his thunder and till then who knew : The force of those dire arms? Yet not for those, Nor what the potent victor in his rage Can else inflict, do I repent or change, Though chang'd in outward lustre, that fix'd mind, And high disdain, from sense of injur'd merit, |