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With this portentous bridge the dark Abyss.
Thine now is all this World; thy virtue hath won
What thy hands builded not; thy wisdom gained,
With odds, what war hath lost, and fully avenged
Our foil in Heaven. Here thou shalt Monarch reign,
There didst not; there let him still victor sway,
As battle hath adjudged, from this new World
Retiring, by his own doom alienated,

And henceforth monarchy with thee divide
Of all things, parted by the empyreal bounds,
His quadrature, from thy orbicular World,

Or try thee now more dangerous to his Throne."
Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answered glad :-
"Fair daughter, and thou, son and grandchild both,
High proof ye now have given to be the race
Of Satan (for I glory in the name,
Antagonist of Heaven's Almighty King),
Amply have merited of me, of all

The Infernal Empire, that so near Heaven's door
Triumphal with triumphal act have met,

Mine with this glorious work, and made one realm
Hell and this World-one realm, one continent
Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore, while I

Descend through Darkness, on your road with ease,
To my associate Powers, them to acquaint
With these successes, and with them rejoice
You two this way, among these numerous orbs,
All yours, right down to Paradise descend;

There dwell and reign in bliss; thence on the Earth
Dominion exercise and in the air,

Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declared;

Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill.
My substitutes I send ye, and create

Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might
Issuing from me. On your joint vigour now
My hold of this new kingdom all depends,
Through Sin to Death exposed by my exploit.
If your joint power prevail, the affairs of Hell
No detriment need fear; go, and be strong."

So saying, he dismissed them; they with speed

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