In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow mild, this darkness light; 220
Besides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring; what chance, what change
Worth waiting; fince our prefent lot appears,
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.
Thus Belial,with words cloth'd in reafon's garb,
Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful floth,
Not peace: and after him thus Mammon spake.
Either to disinthrone the king of Heaven
We war, if war be best, or to regain
Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlasting Fate fhall yield
To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the ftrife:
The former vain to hope, argues as vain
The latter: for what place can be for us
Within Heav'n's bound, unless Heav'n's Lord fupreme
We overpow'r? Suppofe he should relent,
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new fubjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his presence humble, and receive
Strict laws impos'd to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead fing
Forc'd Halleluiah's; while he lordly fits
Our envied fovran; and his altar breathes
Ambrosial odors, and ambrofial flowers,
Our servile offerings? This must be our task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisome
Eternity so spent in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue,
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 recess,
Free, and to none accountable; preferring
Hard liberty before the eafy yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most conspicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, profpe rous of adverse,
We can create; and in what place fo e'er
Thrive under ev il, and work ease out of pain
Through labor and indurance. This deep world
Of darknefs do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling fire
Choose to refide, his glory unobscur'd,
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Muft'ring their rage, and Heav'n refembles Hell?
As he our darkness, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This desert soil
Wants not her hidden luftre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n fhow more?
Our torments, also, may, in length of time,
Become our elements, these piercing fires
As soft as now severe, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled ftate
Of order; how in safety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are, and where; difmiffing quite
All thoughts of war; ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmur fill'd
Th' assembly, as when hollow rocks retain 285
The found of bluft'ring winds, which all night long
Had rous'd the sea, now, with hoarse cadence,lull
Sea-faring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark, by chance,
Or pinnace, anchors ïn a craggy bay
After the tempeft: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended; and his fentence pleas'd,
Advising peace: for fuch another field
They dreaded worse than Hell: fo much the fear
Of thunder and the fword of Michaël
Wrought ftill within them; and no less defire
To found this nether empire; which might rife
By policy, and long process of time,
In emulation opposit to Heaven.
Which when Beëlzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem'd
A pillar of flate; deep on his front ingraven
Deliberation fat,and public care;
And princely counfel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: fage he stood,
With Atlantean fhoulders, fit to bear
The weight of mightieft monarchies;• his look
Drew audience and attention ftill as night
Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake.
Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Ofspring of Heaven,
Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now
Must we renounce; and changing ftile, 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, 315
And know not that the king of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat
Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'n's high jurisdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In ftricteft bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: for he, be sure,
In highth or depth, ftill first and last will reign
Sole king; and of his kingdom lose no part
By our revolt; but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron fcepter rule
Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven.
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 pow'r, hoftility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge, though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the conqu’ror least
May reap his conqueft; and may leaft rejoice
In doing,what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want; nor fhall we need
With dange rous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whofe high walls fear no affault, or fiege,
Or ambush from the deep. What, if we find
Some easier enterprise? There is a place,
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven
Err not) another world, the happy feat
Of some new race, call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less
In pow'r and excellence, but favor'd more
Of him who rules above; fo was his will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an oath,
That shook Heav'n's whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mold
Or fubftance, how indued, and what their power,
And where their weakness; how attempted beft,
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