Lib. I.

feveral ways, and to several imployments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time 'till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to hell gates, finds them fout, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great gulph between hell and heaven: with what dif ficulty be paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.

C4

HIGH

IGH on a throne of royal state, which far Out hone the wealth of Ormus, and of Ind; Or where the gorgeous east with richest hand Show'rs on her Kings Barbaric pearl, and gold, Satan exalted fat, by merit rais'd To that bad eminence: and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, afpires Beyond thus high; insatiate to pursue Vain war with heav'n; and by success untaught, His proud imaginations thus display'd.

10

15

Powers, and Dominions, Deities of heav'n!
(For fince no Deep within her gulph can hold
Immortal vigor, though oppress'd and fall'n,
I give not heav'n for loft: from this descent
Celestial virtues rifing, will appear
More glorious and more dread than from no fall,
And trust themselves to fear no fecond fate.)
Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of heav'n
Did first create your Leader; next, free choice;
With what befides, in council or in fight,
Hath been atchiev'd of merit: yet this lofs
Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more
Establish'd in a fafe unenvied throne,
Yielded with full confent. The happier state
In heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw 25
Envy from each inferior: but who here

Will envy whom the highest place exposes
Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim,
Your bulwark; and condemns to greateft fhare

20

Of endless pain? Where there is then no good 30
For which to ftrive, no strife can grow up there
From faction: for none fure will claim in hell
Precedence; none, whose portion is so small
Of present pain, that with ambitious mind
Will covet more! With this advantage then
To union, and firm faith, and firm accord,
More than can be in heav'n, we now return
To claim our just inheritance of old,

Surer to profper than profperity
Could have affur'd us: and by what best way, 40
Whether of open war, or covert guile,
We now debate: who can advise may speak.

He ceas'd; and next him Moloc, fceptred King,
Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest spirit
That fought in heav'n, now fiercer by defpair: 45
His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd
Equal in ftrength; and rather than be less,
Car'd not to be at all; with that care loft
Went all his fear: of God, or hell, or worse,
He reck'd not; and thefe words thereafter spake: 50
My fentence is for open war: of wiles,
More unexpert, I boast not: them let thofe
Contrive who need; or when they need, not now >
For while they fit contriving, shall the rest,
Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait
The fignal to afcend, fit ling'ring here
Heav'n's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place
Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame,
The prison of His tyranny who reigns

CS

35

55