And brief related whom they brought, where found,
How busied, in what form and posture couch'd.

To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake :
Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescrib'd
To thy transgressions, and disturb'd 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;
Employ'd, it seems, to violate sleep, and those
Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?

To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow. Gabriel! thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of wise, And such I held thee; but this question ask'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell, Though thither doom'd? Thou would'st thyself, no doubt, And boldly venture to whatever place

Farthest from pain, where thou might'st 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 bounds us?

and wilt object

Let him surer bar

His iron gates, if he intends our stay

In that dark durance: Thus much what was ask'd.
The rest is true-they found me where they say;
But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in scorn. The warlike angel mov'd,
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

H

Unlicensed, from his bounds in Hell prescrib'd;
So wise he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to 'scape his punishment!

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 provok'd.

But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all Hell broke loose? Is pain to them
Less pain, less to be fled; or thou than they
Less hardy to endure? Courageous Chief!
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 answer'd, 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 vollied 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 What thou and thy gay legions dare against;

Whose easier business were to serve their Lord High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, And practis'd distances to cringe, not fight.

To whom the warriour-Angel soon replied.
To say and straight unsay, pretending first
Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy,
Argues no leader, but a liar trac❜d,

Satan; and could'st thou faithful add? O name,
O sacred name of faithfulness profan'd!
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.
Was this your discipline and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to the acknowledg'd Power supreme?
And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and servilely ador'd
Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope
To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?
But mark what I areed1 thee now, Avant;
Fly thither whence thou fledst! If, from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chain'd,
And seal thee so as henceforth not to scorn
The facile gates of Hell too slightly barr'd.

So threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied.
Then when I am thy captive talk of chains,
Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then
Far heavier load thyself expect to feel
From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers,

'Areed:' appoint, or decree.

Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels
In progress through the road of Heaven star-pav'd.
While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, sharpening in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round
With ported1 spears, as thick as when a field
Of Ceres, ripe for harvest, waving bends
Her bearded grove of ears, which way
the wind
Sways them; the careful plowman doubting stands,
Lest on the threshing-floor his hopeful sheaves
Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd,
Collecting all his might, dilated stood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremov'd:

His stature reached the sky, and on his crest

Sat Horrour plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp

What seem❜d both spear and shield: Now dreadful deeds Might have ensued, nor only Paradise,

In this commotion, but the starry cope

Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wrack, disturb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not soon

The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,

Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales,2 yet seen
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign,

Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth with balanc'd air

In counterpoise, now ponders all events,

Battles and realms: In these he put two weights,

The sequel each of parting and of fight :

The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam ;
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend.

Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine ;

''Ported:' a military term-borne, pointed.—2 Golden scales:' the constellation Libra, or the Balance

Neither our own, but given :

To boast what arms can do?

What folly then

since thine no more

Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now To trample thee as mire: For proof look up,

And read thy lot in yon celestial sign;

Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light, how weak,
If thou resist. The Fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: Nor more; but fled
Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night.