Nos tanta haud temerè invasere filentia, tantæque Impavidos utcunque mora. Via longa gravifque Ex Erebo ad lucem; Carcerque hic firmus, edentûm Flammarum hæc novies cohibent Convexa, fugamque Ardentes portæ atque adamantina clauftra coercent. Hæc quoque cum fuperet, fiquis fuperare valebit, Illi vastum aperit Nox indigesta Profundum Exitium ferale minans, & vortice crudo Excipit attonitum atque horrendo involvit hiatu. Hinc fortè elapfum quæcunque acceperit ora Ignarum, discrimina adhuc ignota vagantem Expectant, atque inde fuga haud minus ardua reftat. Sed malè me, Proceres, Solium hoc fublime deceret, Imperii hi fafces, fplendorque infignis opefque, Siqua ufquam fortuna, falus cum publica fuadet, Aut mole ingenti, aut magnis me terreat ausis. Cur fceptra hæc capiam, cur non regnare recufem, Regnanti data fi renuam difcrimina? forti
With reafon hath deep filence and demur Seiz'd us, tho' undifmay'd: long is the way And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light. Our prifon ftrong; this huge convex of Fire, Outrageous to devour, immures us round Ninefold and gates of burning Adamant Barr'd over us, prohibit all egrefs. These pafs'd (if any pass) the void profound Of uneffential Night receives him next Wide gaping, and with utter lofs of Being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulph. If thence he scape into whatever world, Or unknown Region, what remains him lefs Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape? But I fhould ill become this Throne, O Peers! And this Imperial Sov'reignty, adorn'd With fplendor, arm'd with pow'r, if ought propos'd, And judg'd of public moment, in the shape Of difficulty, or danger, could deter Me from attempting. Wherefore do I affume
Pectore res dubias adeat, cui gloria cordi; Suftineat tantò majora pericula, quantò Ipfe alios fuperat fublimior omnibus unus. Ergo agite, ô fceptris pollentes, clade sub ipsâ Vel cœlo metuenda Cohors! hic mentibus imis, Hìc verfate domi, domus hæc dum noftra manebit, Quæ ratio infanos æftus flammantis Averni
Siftat, & afflictis folatia quærite rebus;
Quærite, fiqua ufquam medicamina, fiqua voluptas, Quêis mala paulifper funestæ tædia fedis
Fallere, quêis fævos liceat lenire dolores.
Vos hoftem adversùs vigilem ne parcite cautis Excubiis: Egomet per littora cladis opaca Ipfe petam nobis longè latéque falutem
Omnibus: Haud quifquam ingenti comitabitur auso. Sic fatus folio exfurgit refponfa Tyrannus Prævertens; ne quos Procerum constantia magni Visa ducis tandem exacuat, certofque repulfæ
Thefe Royalties, and not refuse to reign, Refufing 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 High-honour'd fits? Go therefore, mighty Pow'rs! Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n! intend at home, (While here shall be our home) what beft may ease The prefent mifery, and render Hell More tolerable; if there be cure, or charm,
To refpite, or deceive, or flack the pain Of this ill Manfion. Intermit no watch Against a wakeful Foe, while I abroad, Through all the coafts of dark destruction, feck Deliverance for us all: this enterprize None shall partake with me. Thus faying rofe The Monarch, and prevented all reply: Prudent, left, from his resolution rais'd, Others among the chief might offer now (Certain to be refus'd) what erft they fear'd; Horte-
Hortetur vitata priùs fibi pofcere cœpta.
Hinc malè rivales habiti præconia vili Obtineant, fibi quæ tantis ipfe emerat aufis. Illi autem magnum veriti fubiiffe laborem, Haud minus & vocem metuunt prohibentis; & unà Surrexere repente omnes, fonitumque dedere Surgentes, qualem rauco dat murmure fulmen Longe exauditum. Regem Procerum omnis adorat Circumfufa corona, nec Omnipotente minorem Agnofcunt: Illum læti venerantur & altis Laudibus unanimes cumulant, cui publica regni Sic propriæ prælata Salus: Neque enim excidit omnis Tartareo virtus populo, ne facta fuperbi Splendida mortales jactent, fiqua improba fuadet Gloria, & Ambitio recti mentita colores.
Sic tandem dubiis finem pofuere petitum Confiliis, plauduntque duci exultantque frequentes. Haud fecus aerios inter furgentia montes
And fo refus'd 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 rofe: Their rifing all at once was as the found
Of Thunder heard remote. Tow'rds him they bend With awful reverence prone; and as a God Extoll him equal to the highest in Heav'n:
Nor fail'd they to express how much they prais'd, That for the general fafety he defpis'd His own: (for neither do the Spirits damn'd Lofe all their virtue; left bad men fhould boast Their fpecious deeds on earth, which glory excites; Or close ambition varnish'd o'er with zeal.)
Thus they their doubtful confultations dark Ended, rejoicing in their matchlefs Chief: As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds
Nubila, fopito Borea, quum triftibus umbris Obtexunt cœli faciem; perque horrida rura
Aut deformis hiems furit, aut glomerata ruit nix: Sol radios fi forte refert clauditque ferenâ
Luce diem, renovantur agri, cantuque volucrum Balatuque ovium colles vallefque refultant.
En Hominum opprobrium! Nectit pax mutua turbam Tartaream; & gente ex omni, quêis purior auræ Particula eft, Homines agitat Discordia folos,
Ipfos divini fperantes munera amoris ; Soli implacatas acuunt crudelius iras Indicente DEO pacem; fævo undique terras Devastant avidi ferro, alteriufque cruorem Quifque fitit; tanquam defit de civibus Orci Dira manus (quod nos conjungi fœdere amico Suaferit) humanam affiduè molita ruinam.
Jam dirimi cœtus, ferieque per atria longâ Ire foras Stygii Proceres: fupereminet omnes
Ascending, while the North-wind sleeps, o'er-fpread Heav'n's chearful face, the low'ring Element Scowls o'er the darken'd landschape Snow, or fhowr: If chance the radiant Sun with farewel fweet Extend his ev'ning beam, the fields revive, The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds Atteft their joy, and hill and valley rings. O fhame to men! Devil with Devil damn'd Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of Creatures rational, though under hope Of heav'nly Grace: and, GoD proclaiming peace, Yet live in hatred, enmity and ftrife Among themselves, and levy cruel wars, Wafting the Earth, each other to destroy: As if (which might induce us to accord) Man had not hellifh foes enow befides, That, day and night, for his deftruction wait. The Stygian Council thus diffolv'd; and forth
Dux medius, vultûfque & majeftatis honores Divinæ affimilans; Rex formidandus Averni Inceffu cœlique idem patet unicus Hoftis: Ardentes claufere globo radiante Seraphes Signis flammivomis clari atque horrentibus armis. Exin Concilii finem eventumque tremendum Regales cecinere tubæ; fubitóque quaterni Quatuor ad ventos refono clangore Cherubes Inflârunt lituos, altâ quos voce fecuti Præcones: longe audierunt lateque cavernæ Inferni immanes; Erebique exercitus omnis Dant plaufum fonitu horrendo ingeminantque fragorem. Hinc fibi fidentes melius reducifque Salutis
Spe falsâ paulum erecti, fe tota refolvunt
Heroum divifa Acies; variamque fecutus
Quifque viam tendit vagus, ut fua quemque trahit mens Diverfum ; ancipites imo fub pectore versant Quò fedent animorum æftus ingrataque fallant
In order came the grand infernal Peers: 'Midft came their mighty Paramount, and seem'd Alone th' Antagonist of Heav'n, nor less Than Hell's dread Emperor, with pomp fupreme, And God-like imitated State. Him round A globe of fiery Seraphim inclos'd, With bright imblazonry, and horrent Arms. Then, of their Seffion ended they bid cry With Trumpets regal found the great refult: Tow'rds the four winds four speedy Cherubim
Put to their mouths the founding Alchymy, By Herald's Voice explain'd; the hollow Abyss Heard far and wide, and all the Hoft of Hell With deaf'ning shout return'd them loud acclaim. Thence more at ease their minds, and fomewhat rais'd
By false presumptuous hope, the ranged Pow'rs Disband, and wand'ring, each his several way Purfues, as inclination or fad choice
Leads him perplex'd, where he may likelieft find Tem-
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