pleads, but fubmits: the angels leads him up to a high hill, fet before him in vifion what shall happen till the flood.
THE ARGUMENT OF THE TWELFTH BOOK.
HE angel Michael continues from the flood to relate what shall fucceed; then, in the mention of Abraham, comes by degrees to explain, who that feed of the woman should be, which was promised Adam and Eve in the fall; his incarnation, death, efurrection, and ascension; the state of the church till Iris fecond coming. Adam greatly satisfied and recomforted by these relations and promifes defcends the hill with Michael; wakens Eve, who all this while had flept, but with gentle dreams compos'd to quietness of mind and fubmiffion. Michael in either hand leads them out of Paradife; the fiery fword waving behind them, and the cherubim taking their stations to guard the place,
F man's firft difobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte
1. Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With lofs of Eden, till one greater man
Restore us, and regain the blisful feat,
Sing heav'nly muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didft infpire
That shepherd, who first taught the chosen feed, In the beginning how the heav'ns and earth Rofe out of chaos or if Sion hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Faft by the oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous fong, That with no middle flight intends to foar Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in profe or rhime. And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that doft prefer Before all temples th'upright heart and pure, Inftruct me, for thou know'ft; thou from the first Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread, Dove-like fat'ft brooding on the vast abyss, And mad❜st it pregnant: what in me is dark Illumine, what is low raise and support; That to the highth of this great argument I may affert eternal providence,
And justify the ways of God to men.
Say firft, for heav'n hides nothing from thy view,
Nor the deep tract of hell, fay first what cause Mov'd our grand parents in that happy state, Favour'd of heav'n fo highly, to fall off From their Creator, and tranfgrefs his will For one restraint, lords of the world befides ? Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt ? Th'infernal ferpent; he it was whose guile Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had caft him out from heav'n, with all his hoft Of rebel angels, by whose aid aspiring To fet himself in glory above his peers, He trusted to have equall'd the Most High, If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim Against the throne and monarchy of God Rais'd impious war in heav'n and battle proud With vain attempt. Him the almighty power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th’ethereal sky. With hideous ruin and combuftion down To bottomless perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durft defy th'Omnipotent to arms.
Nine times the space that measures day and night To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquisht, rowling in the fiery gulph Confounded though immortal: but his doom Referv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought Both of loft happiness and lasting pain
Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, That witness'd huge affliction and dismay, Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate:
At once as far as angels ken he views The difmal fituation waste and wild,
A dungeon horrible, on all fides round
As one great furnace flam'd. yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness vifible
Serv'd only to discover fights of woe,
Regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd: Such place eternal justice had prepar'd For those rebellious, here their prison ordain'd In utter darkness, and their portion set As far remov'd from God and light of heav'n As from the center thrice to the utmost pole. O how unlike the place from whence they fell! There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd With floods and whirlwinds of tempeftuous fire, He foon discerns, and welt'ring by his fide
One next himself in power, and next in crime, Long after known in Palestine, and nam'd Beelzebub. To whom th'arch enemy,
And thence in heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words Breaking the horrid filence thus began.
If thou beeft he; but O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who in the happy realms of light Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst outshine Myriads though bright: if he whom mutual league, United thoughts and counfels, equal hope And hazard in the glorious enterprise,
Join'd with me once, now misery hath join'd
In equal ruin into what pit thou seest
From what highth fall'n, so much the ftronger prov'd
He with his thunder: and till then who knew The force of those dire arms? yet not for thofe, Nor what the potent victor in his rage
Can elfe inflict, do I repent or change,
Though chang'd in outward luftre; that fix'd mind, And high difdain from sense of injur'd merit, That with the Mightieft rais'd me to contend, And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of fpirits arm'd,
That durft diflike his reign, and me preferring, His utmost pow'r with adverse pow'r oppos'd In dubious battel on the plains of heaven, And shook his throne. What though the field be loft? All is not loft; th' unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield: And what is else not to be overcome? That glory never fhall his wrath or might Extort from me. To bow and fue for grace With fuppliant knee, and deify his power, Who from the terror of this arm fo late Doubted his empire; that were low indeed, That were an ignominy, and shame beneath This downfal; fince by fate the strength of Gods And this empyreal substance cannot fail, Since through experience of this great event In arms not worse, in forefight much advanc'd, We may with more fuccessful hope refolve
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