Page images
PDF
EPUB

Ut minus exultet pœnis.

Nec tempora pofcunt

Præcipites bellorum aufus: tanto ardua cœli
Monia fufpectu affurgunt, fecura Profundum
Quas paret infidias, vel quid meditemur in armis.
Quid fi mole minor nec tantum habitura pericli
Se Ratio obtulerit? Jamque alter (fi modò verax
Fama vetus cecinit, fi tempora rite revolvo)
Alter fe attollit mundus, lætiffima gentis

Terra novæ (cui nomen Homo eft) hoc circiter ævum
Formandæ, noftrûm fimilis; fceptrifque fuperbis
Si minor, ætherei formâ fi cefferit oris,

At fummo dilecta Patri magis. Hoc Pater olim
Edixit Superos inter, fanxitque verendo
Ipfe facramento, cœli quo maxima templa
Concuffit. Nos huc animos, huc omnia agamus
Confilia, ut pateat quod ibi genus, indole quali,
Quove luto fictum; quas vires donaque jactet;
Atque ubi fint faciles aditus; vi præstet inermes

Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But, to our pow'r, hoftility, and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge; though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqueror least
May reap His conqueft; and may leaft rejoice
In doing, what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dangerous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whose high walls fear no affault or fiege,
Or ambush from the Deep. What if we find

Some eafier enterprize? There is a place,
(If antient and prophetic fame in Heav'n
Err not) another World, the happy feat
Of fome new race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less
In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more
Of Him who rules above: fo was His will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an Oath,
That fhook Heav'n's whole circumference,confirm’d.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn'

An

An tentare dolis. Quanquam ingens ætheris Aula
Clauditur, & cœli celsâ fuper arce Tyrannus
Securus virtute fuâ fedet: At loca forfan

Ista patent; finitur regnorum illa ultima meta
Indigeniş tutanda fuis: ibi fortè ruentes
Magnum aliquod lætis olim tentabimus ausum
Aufpiciis; fibi quæ laudum monumenta creavit
Omnipotens, horrendo Erebi vastabimus igne ;
Aut noftræ ditionis erunt, pulfique pufillos
Pellemus cives patriifque fugabimus oris;
Aut hæc caftra fequi fuadebimus, ut Deus iris
Acribus ardefcens doleat finxiffe, dolenfque
Ipfe fuum confundat opus. Quæ quantaque talis
Vindicta, in mediis Hostem ruitura triumphis !
Quæ nobis fpolia inde, Dei ut cariffima proles
Nostrorum in partem præceps demiffa dolorum
Invalidam ftirpem incufans & gaudia rapta,
Tam citò rapta gemet! Potior fententia quæ fit,

What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,
Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what their pow'r,
And where their weaknefs, how attempted beft,
By force, or fubtilty. Though Heav'n be fhut,
And Heav'n's high Arbitrator fit fecure

In His own ftrength, this place may lie expos'd,
The utmoft border of His Kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantagious act may be atchiev'd

By fudden onfet, either with hell fire

To wafte His whole Creation; or poffefs
All as our own, and drive (as we are driv'n)
The puny 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
Common Revenge, and interrupt His joy
In our confufion, and our joy upraise

In His difturbance; when His darling Sons,
Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, fhall curfe

Con

Confulite, an facinus moliri hoc præstet, an hisce
Cunctari in tenebris & inania fingere regna.

Hæc adeo immani Balzebus pectore fudit
Ipsî olim Satana concepta atque edita partim
Confilia: Unde, mali nifi fonte & origine primâ,
Tam dira invidiæ poterat manare libido,

Terram Erebo miscere unâque exfcindere gentem
Humanam in radice petens? Tantum-ne Malorum
Mens inimica Deo fuafit, cui talibus auctus
Crefcit Honos inimicitiis? Sed fratribus audax
Confilium arrifit Stygiis & pectora plaufu
Extulit; emicuitque oculis flammantibus ardens
Lætitia: Affenfu unanimes fremuere; frementes
Ille novis acuit dictis, ac talia fatur :

Decretum egregiè, Proceres! Pulcherrima tandem,
Sancta Deûm domus, ac veftrâ digniffima famâ
Cernitis: hinc imo emerfis exire Profundo

Vel fato nolente datum eft: accedere prifcas

Their frail Original, and faded blifs:
Faded fo foon! Advife if this be worth
Attempting, or to fit in darkness here
Hatching vain Empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilish Counsel, first advis'd
By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence,
But from the Author of all ill, could fpring
So deep a malice, to confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell
To mingle and involve, done all to spite

The great Creator? But their spite still ferves
His glory to augment. The bold defign
Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full affent
They vote: whereat his fpeech he thus renews.
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate,
Synod of Gods, and, like to what ye are,
Great things refolv'd: which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in spite of Fate,
Nearer our ancient Seat; perhaps in view

I

Con

Continget juxta fedes, arcefque tueri
Sidereas; fòrs inde licet propioribus armis
Excurfuque levi cœleftia regna reverti.
Aut lætis faltem excipiet felicior ora
Hofpitiis, quà lux cœli dignabitur alma
Vifere, & ingratas vincet caliginis umbras
Dulce oriens jubar; atque auræ vis mollis inuftas
Eximet igne notas fævifque falubria fundet
Balfama vulneribus. Sed cui mandabitur orbis
Ignoti luftrare plagas? Quem talibus aptum
Mittemus cœptis? Quifnam imperterritus alti
Gurgitis immenfas tenebras fundoque carentes
Tentabit, latè
per denfa Obfcura tremendum
Explorans iter: Abruptumve immane volatu
Indomito exfuperans fedes attinget amœnas?
At quâ vi tandem, quâ tantis arte periclis
Sufficiet? Quæ fraus vigilum per cauta Seraphum
Agmina, cuftodumque minas impune vagantem

Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring In search of this new world? whom fhall we find

arms,

And opportune excurfion, we may chance
Re-enter Heav'n: or else in fome mild Zone
Dwell not unvifited of Heav'n's fair Light
Secure, and at the bright'ning Orient beam
Purge off this gloom: the foft delicious Air,
To heal the fear of these corrofive Fires,
Shall breathe her balm.

fend

[ocr errors]

Sufficient? Who fhall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark, unbottom'd, infinite Abyfs,
And through the palpable obscure find out
His uncouth way; or fpread his aery flight
Up-born with indefatigable Wings
Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

The happy Ifle? What strength, what art can then
But first whom fhall we Suffice, or what evafion bear him safe
Through the ftrict Senteries, and Stations thick

Expediet? fimul huc acies, fimul omnia tendat
Confilia: Et noftrum eft cautè perpendere, tantæ
Publica quem moli vox deftinet: omnis in Illo
Spes adeo, & magni ftabit fiducia cœpti.

Dixerat hæc, foliumque capit, fufpenfa parumper
Ora tenens, plaufufque morans ; feu difcrepet iftis
Fortè alius, seu tanta aliquis fe accingat ad ausa.
Sed muti federe omnes difcrimina fecum
Volventes iterum atque iterum, vultuque vicissim
Alter in alterius proprios videre timores
Attoniti. Nec quifquam aderat de flore fuperbo
Conjuratorum cœlo fe opponere fratrum,
Pectore qui forti folus tentare tremendum
Aufus iter. Tandem Satanas, cui regia longè
Jam comitum audentes anteivit Gloria cœtus,
Imperii quem celfus honos & confcia Virtus
Extulit, hæc dicta intrepido dedit arduus ore:
Progenies cœli, flammantes ætheris Arces,

Of angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumfpection; and we now no less
Choice in our fuffrage: for, on whom we fend,
The weight of all, and our laft hope, relies.
This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His look fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd
To fecond or oppose, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,

Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each

In others count'nance read his own dismay,
Aftonish'd: None, among the choice and prime
Of those Heav'n-warring Champions, could be found
So hardy, as to proffer, or accept

Alone, the dreadful voyage: till at laft
Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with Monarchal pride
(Conscious of higheft worth) unmov'd thus fpake.
O Progeny of Heav'n, Empyreal Thrones!

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »