Sceptra velint; quo nos coram apparere verentes Poffemus vultu, impofitafque agnofcere leges? Invitos-ne olli cantus laudefque coactas
Nos dabimus? Nobis dominabitur Ille corufcâ Arce fedens? Nobis facientibus Illius ara Floribus ambrofiis cumulabitur, ambrofiofque Submifsè his fparfos manibus jactabit odores? Scilicet is fuerit cœlo labor, illa voluptas! Heu quàm longa æterna Dies hos inter honores Invifo oblatos Domino? Quid quærimus ultrà, Quas reparare armis non fas, quas pace pigeret Accipere oratâ, medio vel in æthere vanas Servitii fplendentis opes? Bona cuncta petamus Ex nobis, penitúfque amplexi noftra penes nos Vivamus læti, jurati in verba tyranni Nullius: his etiam vaftis ridebit in umbris Candida Libertas, Libertas carior arctis
In rebus, quàm turpis honos aureæque catenæ. Quin major nobis virtus erit, utile trifti
Strict Laws impos'd, to celebrate his Throne With warbled Hymns, and to His Godhead fing Forc'd Hallelujahs; while He lordly fits Our envy'd Sov'reign, and His Altar breathes Ambrofial odours, and ambrofial flow'rs, Our fervile offerings? This must be our task In Heav'n, this our delight! How wearifome Eternity so spent, in worship paid
To whom we hate? Let us not then pursue, By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state
Of fplendid vaffalage: but rather feek
Our own good from ourselves, and from our own Live to ourselves; though in this vast recefs, Free, and to none accountable; preferring Hard liberty before the eafy yoke
Of fervile Pomp. Our greatness will appear Then moft confpicuous, when great things of fmall, Useful of hurtful, profperous of adverse We can create; and in what place foe'er
Elicere; injucunda bonis, adverfa fecundis
Vertere, & affiduo nifu, quæ nos loca cunque Excipiant, fævum fati fuperare furorem.
Et quianam has tenebras atque antra timemus opaca ? Ipfe Pater nebulas quondam noctemque profundam Incolit; ipfe fibi folium caligine diâ
Velat, & auguftis latet intemerata tenebris
Gloria; nec ceffant densas glomerata per umbras Fulmina rauca boare, imitanti Tartara Cœlo. Nos quoque, fi libeat, lucem Illius, Ille tenebras Ut noftras, haud ægrè imitabimur: Hæc neque gazis Terra caret deserta, auro gemmisque; nec abfunt Ingenium artificefque manus, unde ardua furgant Monia digna Deis ingentisque æmula cœli. Forfitan & quondam poterunt nativa videri Hæc loca; mollefcent flammæ, vel noftra furori Temperies affuefcet & igni illæsa vigebit.
Cuncta monent pacem amplecti, fluctusque dolorum
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain, Through labour, and indurance. This deep world Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Wants not her hidden luftre, gems, and gold; Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can Heav'n fhew more?
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling Sire Our torments alfo may in length of time Chufe to refide, His glory unobfcur'd? And with the majefty of darkness round Covers His Throne; from whence deep thunders Muft'ring their rage, and Heav'n resembles Hell? As He our darkness, cannot we His light Imitate when we please? This defert foil
Become our elements; these piercing Fires As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd Into their temper; which must needs remove The fenfible of pain. All things invite To peaceful counfels, and the fettled ftate Of order, how in fafety best we may
Sternere, fi liceat; memores quâ fede locamur, Et quales fumus & fuimus; nec (fi mihi quidquam Creditis) ulteriùs jactemus inania bella.
Vix ea finierat, fremuit cum murmure tali Concilium, quale auditur, quum concava Saxa Ventorum cohibent fonitum, qui nocte frementes Vexârant fluctus, raucâ jam voce soporem
Inducunt lentum nautis; dum turbine laffum Prærupto fundata finu tenet anchora lintrem. Haud alius, finem ut Mammon dedit ore loquendi, Exortus fremor, & placuit Sententia pacem Suadentis. Pugnæ alterius certamen Averno Horrebant gravius: tantis terroribus ictos
Urget adhuc tonitru, & tua turbida tela, Michaal! Nec minus infernis cupiunt fub fedibus altam Imperii fundare arcem quæ nixa fecundis Aufpiciis tollat caput, & labentibus annis Regna fua ætheriis contraria cernere regnis.
Quod fenfit fimul Ille fedens celfiffimus unum Post Satanam, ore gravi Balzebus furgere lentè Visus erat folio, furgenfque referre columnam Imperii: frontem rugis fulcârat honestam Rerum cura fagax & provida confilii vis: Regiaque infignes Sapientia clade fub ipsâ Veftit adhuc vultus: ftetit arduus Atlanteos Expandens humeros, regnifque ingentibus aptos: Tum comitum trahit attentas venerabilis aures, Dumque filent quantum nox intempefta, dieique Æftivæ medius fervor, fic deinde profatur :
Imperia atque Arces, Virtutes ætheris! Aut his Cedemus titulis, mutato nomine Reges Tartarei? huc fefe nimis inclinare videtur Publica Vox; fedem manfuraque regna fub orco Optamus deliri, & fomnia vana fovemus; Nec patet, æthereum Regem pro carcere nobis Hos mandâffe locos, non hìc ftatuiffe recessûs
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd (than whom, Satan except, none higher fat) with grave Afpect he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd A pillar of State: deep on his front engraven, Deliberation fat, and publick Care; And Princely counsel in his face yet fhone, Majestic though in ruin: fage he stood, With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightieft Monarchies; his look
Drew audience, and attention ftill as night, Or fummer's noon-tide air; while thus he spake: Thrones, and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Ethereal Virtues! or thefe Titles now [heav'n, Muft we renounce, and changing style, be call'd Princes of Hell? For fo the popular vote Inclines, here to continue, and build up here A growing empire: doubtlefs; while we dream, And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd
Otia, quà dextram fugere imperiumque fupremum Detur, & in cœlum reparatas cogere vires. Sed pulfos huc ufque acri premet efferus irâ, Servitiique jugo & frænis compefcet amaris, Captivum vulgus: nam primus & ultimus Ipfe Per gentes fuperas fimul infernafque timendus Regnabit. Fugimus? fub Averno fceptra vibrabit Ferrea, ut in mediis cœli vibrat aurea regnis. Quid verò hìc pacem lenti meditamur & arma? Senfimus arma fatis, damnum irreparabile dudum Senfimus: at neque adhuc nobis data fœdera pacis. Ulla, nec implorata: Etenim hæc juga turpia paffis Quæ jam Pax dabitur, nifi dira ergastula, vincla, Verberaque & pœnæ, fævus quafcunque tyrannus Imperet? Et quam nos pacem reddemus? atroces Luctantum nifus impacatumque furorem, Indomitumque odium, certantes ufque fupremo Impete, victorem ut fallant fua gaudia, nostrisque
This place our dungeon; not our fafe retreat Beyond His potent arm, to live exempt From Heav'n's high Jurifdiction, in new league Banded against His Throne: but to remain In ftricteft bondage, though thus far remov'd, Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd His captive multitude: for He, be fure, In heigth, or depth, still first and last will reign Sole King, and of His Kingdom lose no part
By our revolt; but over Hell extend His empire, and with Iron Sceptre rule Us here, as with His Golden those in Heav'n. What fit we then projecting peace and war? War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with lofs Irreparable; terms of Peace yet none Vouchfaf'd or fought: for what peace will be giv'n To us enflav'd, but cuftody fevere, And stripes, and arbitrary Punishment
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