With him, or who deceive his mind, whofe eye,
Views all things at one view? he from heav'n's
All these our motions vain fees and derides; [height
Not more almighty to refift our might,
Than wife to fruftrate all our plots and wiles.
Shall we then live thus vile, the race of heaven,
Thus trampled, thus expell'd to fuffer here

Chains and thefe torments? better thefe than worfe
By my advice; fince fate inevitable
Subdues us, and omnipotent decree,
The victor's will. To fuffer, as to do,
Our ftrength is equal, nor the law unjust
That fo ordains; this was at first refolv'd,
If we were wife, against fo great a foe
Contending, and fo doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when thofe who at the spear are bold
And vent'rous, if that fail them, fhrink and fear
What yet they know must follow, to endure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,
The fentence of their conqueror: this is now
Our doom; which if we can faftain and bear,
Our fupreme fee in time may much remit
His
anger, and perhaps thus far remov'd,
Not mind us not offending, fatisfy'd
With what is punifh'd; whence these ranging fires
Will flacken, if his breath flir not their flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome
Their noxious vapour, or, inur'd, not feel,
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow mild, this darkness light,
Befides what hope the never-ending flight [change
Of future days may bring, what chance, what
Worth waiting, fince our prefent lot appears
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to ourselves more woe. [garb,
Thus Belial, with words cloth'd in reafon's
Counsel'd ignoble eafe, and peaceful sloth,
Not peace and after him thus Mammon fpake:
Either to difenthrone the King of Heaven
We war, if war be heft, or to regain
Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlafting fate fhall yield
To fickle chance, and Chaos judge the strife:
The former vain to hope, argues as vain
The latter: for what place can be for us
Within heav'n's bound, unlefs heav'n's Lord fu-
We overpow'r? Suppofe he fhould relent, [preme
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new fubjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his prefence humble, and receive
Strict laws impos'd to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead fing
Forc'd hallelujahs; while he lordly fits
Our envied Sov'reign, and his altar breathes
Ambrofial odors and ambrofial flowers,
Our fervile offerings? This must be our task
In heav'n, this our delight; how wearifome
Eternity fo fpent in worship paid

To whom we hate! Let us not then purfue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in heav n, our state
Of fplendid vaffalage; but rather feek

Our own good from ourselves, and from our own,

Live to ourselves, though in this vast recefs,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafy yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatnefs will appear
Then moft confpicuous, when great things of fmall,
Ufeful of hurtful, profp'rous of adverse
We can create, in what place foe'er

Thrive under evil, and work eafe out of pain,
Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth heaven's all-ruling
Choose to refide, his glory unobfcur'd, [fire
And with the majefty of darknefs round
Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar,
Muft'ring their rage, and heav'n resembles hell?
As he our darknefs, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This defert foil
Wants not her hidden luftre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can heav'n fhew more?
Our torments alfo may in length of time
Become our elements; thefe piercing fires
As foft as now fevere; our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which muft needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled state
Of order, how in fafety beft we may
Compofe our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, difmifling quite
All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.

He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmur fill'd
Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The found of bluft ring winds, which all night long
Had rous'd the fea, now with hoarfe cadence lull
Sea-faring men o'erwatch d, whofe bark by chance
Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay
After the tempeft: fuch applaufe was heard
As Mammon ended, and his fentence pleas'd,
Adviling peace for fuch another field
They dreaded worfe than hell: fo much the fear
Of thunder and the fword of Michael
Wrought still within them and no lefs defire
To found this nether empire, which might rife
By policy, and long procefs of time,

In emulation oppofite to Heav'n.
Which, when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Afpect he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd
A pillar of ftate; deep on his front ingraven
Deliberation fat, and public care;
And princely counfel in his face yet fhone
Majeftic, though in ruin: fage he flood,"
With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night
Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he fpake:
Thrones and imperial pow'rs, offspring of
Ethereal virtues; or these titles now (Heav'n
Muft we renounce, and, changing stile, be call'd
Princes of Hell? for fo the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue, and build up here
A growing empire; doubtlefs, while we dream,,
And know not that the King of Heav'n hat
doom'd

This place our dungeon, not our fafe retreat

Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'n's high jurifdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In ftricteft bondage, tho' thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb referv'd

His captive multitude: for he, be sure,

In height or depth, ftill first and last will reign
Sol: king, and of his kingdom lofe no part
By our revolt, but over hell extend
His empire, and with iron fceptre rule
U's here as with his golden thofe in heav'n.
What! fit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with lofs
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Vouchfaf'd or fought; for what peace will be given
To us inflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return
But to our power hoftility and hate,
Lntam'd reluctance, and revenge, though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqu'ror least
May reap his conqseft, and may leaft rejoice
In doing what we moft in fuffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need,
With dangerous expedition, to invade
Heav'n, whofe high walls fear no affault or fiege,
Or ambush from the deep. What, if we find
Some eafier enterprife? There is a place,
(If ancient and prophetic fame in heav'n
Er not) another world, the happy feat

Of fome new race call'd MAN, about this time
To be created like to us, though lefs
In power and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above; fo was his will
Pronounc'd among the gods, and, by an cath,
That fhook heaven's whole circumference, con-
firm'd.

Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould
Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what their power,
And where their weakness, how attempted best,
By force or fubtlety. Though Heav n be shut,
And Heav'n's high Arbitrator fit fecure
In his own ftrength, this place may lie expos'd,
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achiev'd
By fudden onfet, either with hell fire
To wafte his whole creation, or poffefs
All as our own, and drive, as we were driven,
The
puny habitants; or if not drive,
Seduce them to our party, that their God
May prove their foe, and with repenting hand
Abouth his own works. This would furpafs
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our confufion, and our joy upraise
In his difturbance; when his darling fons,
Hurl'd head-long to partake with us, fhall curfe
Their frail original, and faded bliss,
Faded fo foon. Advife if this be worth
Attemping, or to fit in darkness here
Hatching vain empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilish counfel, firft devis'd
By Saran, and in part propos'd; for whence,
But from the author of all ill, could spring

[arms

So deep a malice, to confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and earth with hell
To mingle and involve, done all to fpite
The great Creater? But their spite still ferves
His glory to augment. The bold defign
Pleas'd highly thofe infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full affent
They vote whereat his fpeech he thus renews:,
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate,
Synod of gods, and, like to what ye are,
Great things refolv'd, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in fpite of fate,
Nearer our ancient feat; perhaps in view
Of thofe bright confines, whence with neighb'ring
And opportune excurfion, we may chance
Re-enter heav'n; or elfe in fome mild zone
Dwell not unvifited of heav'n's fair light
Secure, and at the brightening orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the foft delicious air,
To heal the fear of these corrofive fires,
Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom fhall we
In fearch of this new world? whom fhall we find
Sufficient? who fhall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,
And through the palpable obfcure find out
His uncouth way, or fpread his airy flight,
Upborne with indefatigable wings,
Over the vast abrubt, e'er he arrive

[fend

The happy ifle; what strength, what art can then
Suffice, or what evafion bear him fafe
Through the ftri& fenteries and ftations thick
Of angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumfpection, and we now no lefs
Choice in their fuffrage; for on whom we fend,
The weight of all and our laft hope relies.

This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His looks fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd,
To fecond, or oppose, or undert...
The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,
Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and
In others count'nance read his own difmay, [each
Aftonish'd: : none among the choice and prime
Of thofe heav'n-warring champions, could be
So hardy as to proffer or accept
[found
Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last
Satan, whom now tranfcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchial pride
Confcious of higheft worth, unmov'd, thus fpake:
O progeny of heav'n! empyreal thrones!
With reafon hath deep filence and demur
Seis'd us, though undifmay'd: long is the way,
And hard, that cut of hell leads up to light;
Our prifon strong; this huge convex of fire,
Outrageous to devour, immures us round,
Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us, prohibit all egrefs.
Thefe pafs'd, if any país, the void profound
Of uneffential Night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter lofs of being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf
If thence he 'fcape, 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 fovʼreignty, adorn'd

With fplendor, armi'd with power, if ought pro-
And judg'd of public moment, in the shape [pos'd
Of difficulty or danger could deter
Me from attempting. Wherefore do I affume
Thefe royalties, and not refufe to reign,
Refusing to accept as great a fhare
Of hazard as of honour, due alike
To him who reigns, and fo much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the reft
High honour'd fits? Go, therefore, mighty powers,
Terror of Heav'n, tho' fall'n; intend at home,
While here frall be our home, what beft may cafe
The prefent misery, 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, feek
Deliverance for us all this enterprife
Nore fhall partake with me. Thus faying, rofe
The monarch, and prevented all reply,
Prudent, left from his refolution rais'd,
Others among the chief might offer now
(Certain to be refus'd) what erft they fear'd;
And fo refus'd, might in opinion stand
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute [they
Which he through hazard huge must earn.
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

But

Of thunder heard remote. Tow'rds him they
With awful reverence prone; and as a god [bend
Extol him equal to the High'it in Heav'n :
Nor fail'd they to exprefs how much they prais'd,
That for the general fafety he defpis'd
His own for neither do the fpirits damn'd
Lofe all their virtue; left bad men fhould boast
Their fpecious deeds on earth, which glory excites,
Or clofe ambition varnish'd o'er with zeal.
Thus they their doubtful confultations dark
Ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief :
As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds
Afcending, while the north wind fleeps, o'erfpread
Heav'n's cheerful face, the louring element
Scowls o'er the darken'd landfkip fnow, or fhower;
If chance the radiant fun with farewel fweet
Extend his ev'ning beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Atteft their joy, that hill and valley rings.
O fhame to men, devil with devil damn'd
Firm concord holds, men-only difagree
Of creatures rational, tho' under hope
Of heav'nly grace and God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and firife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wafting the earth, each other to destroy:
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enow befides,
That day and night for his deftruction wait.

The Stygian council thus diffolv'd; and forth
In order came the grand infernal peers :
Midft came their mighty paramount, and feem'd
Alone the antagonist of Heav'n, nor less
Than Hell's dread emperor with pomp supreme,
And godlike imitated state; him round

|

A globe of fiery feraphim inclos'd
With bright imblazonry, and horrent arms.
Then of their feffion 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 alchemy
By herald's voice explain'd; the hollow abyfs
Heard far and wide, and all the hoft of hell
With deaf'ning fhout return'd them loud acclaim.
Thence more at eafe their minds, and somewhat
rais'd

By falfe prefumptuous hope, the ranged powers
Difband, and wand'ring, each his feveral way
Purfues, as inclination or fad choice

Leads him, perplex'd where he may likliest find
Truce to his reftlefs thoughts, and entertain
The irksome hours, till his great chief return.
Part on the plain, or in the air sublime,
Upon the wing, or in fwift race contend,
As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields.
Part curb their fiery steeds, or fun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form,
As when to warn proud cities war appears
Wag'd in the troubled sky, and armies rufh
To battle in the clouds, before each van
Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their
fpears

Till thickeft legions clofe; with feats of arms
From either end of Heav'n the welkin burns.
Others, with vaft Typhaan rage more fell,
Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air
In whirlwind; Hell fcarce holds the wild uproar.
As when Alcides, from Oechalia crown'd
With conqueft, felt th' envenom'd robe, and tore
Through pain up by the roots Theffalian pines,
And Lichas from the top of Octa threw
Into th' Euboic fea. Others more mild,
Retreated in a filent valley, fing
With notes angelical to many a harp,
Their own heroic deeds, and hapless fall
By doom of battle; and complain that Fate
Free virtue fhould inthrall to force or chance.
Their fong was partial, but the harmony
(What could it lefs when fp'rits immortal fing?)
Sufpended Hell, and took with ravishment
The thronging audience. In difcourfe more fweet
(For eloquence the foul, fong charms the fenfe)
Others apart fat on a hill retired,

In thoughts more elevate, and reafen'd high
Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate,
Fix'd fate, free-will, foreknowledge abfolute,
And found no end, in wand'ring mazes loft.
Of good and evil much they argu'd, then
Of happiness and final mifery,
Passion and apathy, and glory and shame,
Vain wisdom all, and faife philofophy:
Yet with a pleafing forcery could charm
Pam for a while, or anguish, and excite
Fallacious hope, or arm th' obdur'd breaft
With stubborn patience as with triple fteel.
Another part, in fquadrons and grofs bands
On bold adventure to discover wide
That difmal world, if any clime perhaps
Might yield them easier habitation, bend
Eour ways their flying march along the banks

So fpake the grilly Terror, and in fhape,
So fpeaking and fo threat'ning, grew ten-fold
More dreadful and deform: on th' other fide,
Incenf'd with indignation, Satan ftood
Unterrify'd, and like a comet burn'd,
That fires the length of Opiuchus huge
In the Arctic sky, and from his horrid hair
Shakes peftilence and war. Each at the head
Level'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands
No fecond stroke, intent, and fuch a frown
Each caft at th' other, as when two black clouds,
With heav'n's artillery fraught, come rattling on
Over the Cafpian, then stand front to front
Hov'ring a space, till winds the fignal blow
To join their dark encounter in mid air:
So frown'd the mighty combatants, that Hell
Grew darker at their flown, fo match'd they stood;
For never but once more was either like
To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds
Had been achiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung,
Had not the fnaky forcere fs that fat

Eaf by Hell gate, and kept the fatal key,
Rif'n, and with hideous outcry rufh'd between.
O father, what intends thy hand, the cry'd
Against thy only fon? What fury, O fon!
Poffeffes thee to bend that mortal dart?
Against thy father's head? and know'ft for whom;
For him who fits above and laughs the while
At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute
Whate'er his wrath, which he calls Juftice, bids;
His wrath, which one day will deftroy ye both.
She fpake, ander words the hellish pest
Forbore. Then thefe to her Satan return'd.

and why

So ftrange the outcry, and thy words so strange Thou interpofeft, that my fudden hand Prevented fpares to tell thee yet by deeds What it intends; till first I know of thee, What thing thou art, thus double-form'd, In this infernal, first met, thou call'st Me Father, and that phantafm call'ft my Son; I know thee not, nor ever faw till now Sight more deteftable than him and thee.

T whom thus the portrefs of Hell gate reply'd:
Haft thou forgot me then, and do I feem
Now in thine eye fo foul? once deem'd fo fair
In heav'n, when at th' affembly, and in fight
Of all the feraphini with thee combin'd
In bold confpiracy against Heav'n's King,
All on a fudden miferable pain

Surprif'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy fwum
In darknefs, while thy head flames thick and faft
'Threw forth, till on the left fide opening wide,
Likeft to thee in shape and count'nance bright,
Then fhining heav'nly fair, a goddess arm'd
Out of thy head I fprung; amafement feif'd
All th' hoft of Heav'n; back they recoil'd afraid
At first, and call'd me Sin, and for a fign
Portentous held nie; but familiar grown,
I pleaf'd, and with attractive graces won
The most averfe, thee chiefly, who full oft
Thyfelf in me thy perfect image viewing,
Becam'ft enamour'd, and fuch joy thou took'st
With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd
A growing burden. Meanwhile war arole,

And fields were fought in Heav'n; wherein re main'd

(For what could elfe?) to our almighty Foe
Clear victory, to our part lofs and rout
Through all the empyrean, down they fell,
Driv'n headlong from the pitch of Heav'n down
Into this deep, and in the general fail

I allo; at which time this powerful key
Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep
Thefe gates for ever shut, which none can pass
Without my op'ning. Penfive here I fat
Alone, but long I fat not, till my womb,
Pregnant by thee, and now exceffive grown,
Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.
At laft this odious offspring whom thou feeft,
Thine own begotten, breaking violent way,
Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain
Distorted, all my nether shape thus grew
Transform'd: but he my inbred enemy
Forth iffued, brandishing his fatal dart
Made to destroy: I fled, and cry'd out Death;
Hell trembled at the hideous name, and figh'd
From all her caves, and back refounded Death.
I fled, but he pursued (though more, it feems,
Inflam'd with luft than rage) and swifter far,
Me overtook his mother, all difmay'd,
And in embraces forcible and foul
Ingendering with me, of that rape begot
Thefe yelling monsters, that with ceafelefs cry
Surround me, as thou faw'it, hourly conceiv'd
And hourly born, with forrow infinite
To me; for when they lift, into the womb
That bred them, they return and howl, and gnaw
My bowels, their repaft; then bursting forth
Afresh, with conscious terrors vex me round,
That reft or intermiflion none I find.
Before mine eyes in oppofition fits

Grim Death, my fon and foe, who fets them on,
And me his parent would full foon devour
For want of other prey, but that he knows
His end with mine involv'd; and knows that I
fhould prove a bitter morfel, and his bane,
Whenever that shall be; fo Fate pronounc'd.
But thou, O Father, I forewarn thee, fhun
His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope
To be invulnerable in thofe bright arms,
Though temper'd heav'nly, for that mortal dint,
Save he who reigns above, none can refift.

She finish'd; and the fubtle Fiend his lore Soon learn'd, now milder; and thus anfwer'd

fmooth:

Dear dauhghter,fince thou claim'ft me for thy fire,
And my fair fon here show'ft me, the dear pledge
Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n, and joys
Then fweet, now fad to mention, through dire
change

Befall'n as unforeseen, unthought of; know,
I come no enemy, but to fet free
From out this dark and difmal house of pain,
Both him and thee, and all the heav'nly hoft
Of fpirits that in our juft pretences arm'd,
Fell with us from on high: from them I go
This uncouth errand fole, and one for all
Myfelf expofe, with lonely steps to tread [menfe
Th' unfounded deep, and through the void im