"Which of those rebel spirits, adjudged to Hell, "Comest thou, escaped thy prison? and, transformed, "Why sat'st thou, like an enemy in wait, “Here watching at the head of these that sleep?” "Know ye not then," said Satan, filled with scorn, "Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate "For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar: "Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, "The lowest of your throng: or, if ye know, "Why ask ye, and superfluous begin "Your message,-like to end as much in vain ?"

825

830

835

To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with scorn: "Think not, revolted spirit! thy shape the same, "Or undiminished brightness, to be known, "As when thou stood'st in Heaven upright and pure: "That glory then, when thou no more wast good, Departed from thee; and thou resemblest now Thy sin, and place of doom,-obscure and foul. "But come! for thou, be sure, shalt give account "To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep "This place inviolable, and these from harm.”

So spake the Cherub; and his grave rebuke, Severe in youthful beauty, added grace Invincible: abashed the devil stood,

840

845

And felt how awful goodness is, and saw

Virtue in her shape how lovely;-saw, and pined
His loss; but chiefly to find here observed

His lustre visibly impaired; yet seemed
Undaunted. "If I must contend," said he,

850

66 Best, with the best, the sender not the sent,
"Or all at once; more glory will be won,
"Or less be lost." 66
Thy fear," said Zephon bold,
"Will save us trial what the least can do

66

Single against thee, wicked, and thence weak."1
The fiend replied not, overcome with rage;
But, like a proud steed reined, went haughty on,

1 Wicked, and thence weak. See Prov. xxviii. 1.

$55

Champing his iron curb: to strive, or fly,

He held it vain; awe from above had quelled
His heart, not else dismayed. Now drew they nigh
The western point, where those half-rounding guards1
Just met, and, closing, stood in squadron joined,
Awaiting next command. To whom their chief,
Gabriel, from the front thus called aloud:

"O friends! I hear the tread of nimble feet
"Hasting this way, and now, by glimpse, discern
"Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade;
"And with them comes a third, of regal port,
"But faded splendour wan; 2 who, by his gait,

860

865

870

"And fierce demeanour, seems the Prince of Hell,
"Not likely to part hence without contést:
"Stand firm; for in his look defiance lours."

He scarce had ended, when those two approached, And brief related whom they brought—where found—875 How busied-in what form and posture couched.

To whom, with stern regard, thus Gabriel spake : “Why hast thou, Satan! broke the bounds prescribed "To thy transgressions, and disturbed the charge

"Of others, who approve not to transgress3

By thy example, but have power and right

"To question thy bold entrance on this place;

66

Employed, it seems, to violate sleep, and those "Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?"

880

885

To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous brow: "Gabriel! thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of wise, "And such I held thee; but this question asked "Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? "Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell, Though thither doomed? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt;

66

1 Half-rounding guards,- Compare Gabriel's order, 1. 782-784.

2 Wan,- faint, languid, exhausted, deficient in colour.

890

3 Transgressions and transgress ;--used here in the natural, not moral sense: the bounds of Hell formed the limit, beyond which Satan was not to transgress.

"And boldly venture to whatever place

"Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change

"Torment with ease,1 and soonest recompense

"Dole with delight; which in this place I sought :

"To thee no reason,3 who know'st only good,

895

"But evil hast not tried.-And wilt object

"His will who bounds us? Let him surer bar

"His iron gates, if he intends our stay

“In that dark durance! thus much what was asked.

"The rest is true; they found me where they say;

900

"But that implies not violence or harm."

Thus he in scorn. The warlike angel moved 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,
Unlicensed, from his bounds in Hell prescribed:
"So wise he judges it to fly from pain
"However, and to scape his punishment.

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"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 provoked.

915

"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!

920

“The first in flight from pain! hadst thou alleged

"To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

"Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive."

1 To change torment with ease, -a Latin idiom, instead of the English "for ease."

2 Dole,--grief, affliction.

3 To thee no reason,-a Latinism for "Thou hast no reason," of this kind. 4 Durance,-imprisonment

5 To judge of wise,--to judge of what is wise.

To which the fiend thus answered, frowning stern: "Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,

“Insulting angel! well thou knowest I stood

66

Thy fiercest, when, in battle, to thy aid,

"The blasting volleyed thunder made all speed
"And seconded thy else not dreaded spear.
"But still thy words at random, as before,
"Argue thy inexperience, what behoves,

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930

"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

935

"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;

66

Though, for possession, put to try once more "What thou, and thy gay legions, dare against; "Whose easier business were to serve their Lord

940

High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, "And practised distances to cringe, not fight."

945

To whom the warrior angel soon replied: "To say and straight unsay, pretending first "Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy, "Argues no leader, but a liar traced,

"Satan! and couldst thou faithful add? O name,

950

"O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!

"Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?

1 Thy fiercest,- onset, or attack; the adjective being used, as in Latin, without a substantive, see l. 904, &c.

2 And practised distances to cringe,-i. e. at practised distances.

3 Faithful,--Gabriel scorns the idea of Satan arrogating to himself the quality of "faithfulness," in 1. 933.

"And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem "Patron of liberty! who more than thou

"Once fawned, and cringed, and servilely adored

"Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope 960 "To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?

"But mark what I arreed1 thee now; Avaunt!

66

'Fly thither whence thou fledst! if, from this hour,
"Within these hallowed limits thou appear,
"Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained,
"And seal thee so, as henceforth not to scorn
"The facile gates of Hell too slightly barred."2

So threatened he: but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied:

3

"Then, when I am thy captive, talk of chains, "Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then "Far heavier load thyself expect to feel

4

965

970

"From my prevailing arm; though Heaven's King "Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers, "Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels "In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved." While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright Turned fiery red, sharpening in mooned horns Their phalanx, and began to hem him round

975

With ported 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 ploughman doubting stands,
Lest on the threshing-floor his hopeful sheaves
Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarmed,

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985

1 Arreed,-areed or aread, a Saxon word meaning, doom, decree, appoint, advise.

2 Compare Rev. xx. 3, to which Milton seems to allude.

3 Limitary, sneering at his presuming to limit Satan; alluding to 1. 964: or in contempt of his office of guarding the frontiers as a mean

one.

+ Though Heaven's King ride on thy wings.-Compare Ps. xviii. 10; Ezek. x. 18, 19; xỉ. 22.

5 Phalanx,-See note on b. i. 1. 550.

6 Ported spears,-i. e. directed against their assailants.

7 Ceres,--See before, line 271.