RIMAM Hominis Noxam, vetitâque ex Arbore fœtus Avulfos, morfu quæ deguftata nefando
Humanæ genti mortem & genus omne malorum
Intulit, & miferos Edeni fedibus egit,
Donec Progenies Humano ab femine Major Reftituat lapfos, lætisque reponat in arvis, Diva canas: Tu, fecreto quæ vertice quondam Orebi, Sina-ve jugis, præcordia fancto
Paftori afflabas, quem lecta ab origine Proles Audiit ingentis primordia dicere mundi, Emersasque Chao terras cœlumque profundum. Seu tibi fit Sion cordi magis, & Siloa fons Celfa DEI tacito lambens Oracula rivo,
Ritè tuam pofcentis opem præfentior audi Inde preces, non vulgari qui carminis alâ Aonium fpernit montem, impavidoque volatu Ardua molitur, nulli fermone foluto
Dicta priùs, nulli veterum celebrata camœnæ. Tuque adeò, qui, templorum penetralibus altis Posthabitis, purum pectus fanctofque receffus Cafti animi colis; O fari da, SPIRITUS alme, Scis etenim & memorare potes; Tu semina mundi Prima fovens, alifque, parentis more columbæ, Expanfis fuper incumbens, immane Profundum Vi fœcundabas genitali: Tu mihi lustra Corda bonus; lucem cæco, invalidoque vigorem Suffice, ut ingenti non impar Argumento Confurgam; legefque DEI venerandaque jura Defendens, pandam dictis quàm numine justo Torquet res Hominum, atque æquis moderatur habenis. Fare age, namque patent fuperas tibi cuncta per oras Perque altos Erebi tractus, quæ Caufa Parentes
Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous Song, 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 Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outfpread
Dove-like fat'st brooding on the vast Abyss, And mad'ft it pregnant: What in Me is dark, Illumine; what is low, raise and support; That to the height of this great Argument I may affert Eternal Providence, And justifie the ways of Go D to Men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep Tract of Hell; fay firft what Caufe
Impulerit primos, cœli propiore beatos
Numine, tam blandi Genitoris fpernere jussa Ingratos, unum ob Vetitum, cum cætera latè Terrarum vaftâ foli ditione tenerent;
Tam fœdum miferis crimen quis fuaferit auctor. Infernus Serpens: Ille improbus arte malignâ Matrem hominum lufit, furiis ultricibus actus, Ipfe exul jam tum cœli, faftumque nefandum Efferaque aufa luens cum Tartareo comitatu; Quorum ope, præcelfum divini munus honoris Ante Pares longè affectans, æquâffe Supremum Sperabat, fi contra obfifteret; impiaque amens Bella DEI Solio & pugnam intentabat atrocem. Hunc adeò, effræni molitum vana tumultu, Æthereis projectum oris per inane profundum Flagrantem torfit DEUS, horrificâque ruinâ Præcipitem dedit; æternæque voragine noctis Inclufit demerfum, ibi longum adamantina vincla
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 firft feduc'd them to that foul revolt. Th' infernal Serpent: He it was, whofe 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 whofe aid aspiring To fet himself in Glory above his Peers, He trusted to have equal'd the Moft High, If He oppos'd; and with ambitious aim Against the Throne and Monarchy of GoD Rais'd impious war in Heav'n and battel proud With vain Attempt. Him the Almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skic With hideous ruin and combuftion down
Et meritos flammæ paffurum vindicis ignes,
Qui malefana palam Omnipotentem in bella vocârat. Jam novies noctis fpatium noviesque diei
Fluxerat, ut terris numerantur tempora; ponto Hic fuper ignivomo dirâ comitante catervâ Attonitus jacet, atque Animæ ftupet obruta Virtus Æthereæ. Cœlo vifum eft gravioribus iris
Hunc ultrà fupereffe; amiffa hinc gaudia luget, Illinc immenfos horret fine fine dolores: Lumina continuò feralia circumvolvit,
Lumina mærorem immanem, formidine mixtâ, Invictumque odium & faftum teftata ferocem.
Tum celerem torquens aciem, quantùm ufque tuendo Cœlicolûm penetrant oculi, loca lurida, vasto Deformem tractu regionem afpectat: ubique
Horror erat; barathrumque ingens, ceu maxima fornax, Undique jactabat flammas, fine lumine flammas: Obscurâ tantùm fub lucis imagine tristes
To bottomlefs perdition; there to dwell In adamantine Chains and penal Fire, Who durft defie th' Omnipotent to arms. Nine times the space that measures day and night To mortal men, He with his horrid crew Lay vanquish'd, rowling in the fiery Gulf, 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 Mix'd with obdurate pride and stedfast hate. At once, as far as Angels ken, he views The difmal fituation wafte and wild. A Dungeon horrible on all fides round, As one great Furnace, flam'd; yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness visible Serv'd only to discover fights of woe,
Luftrabat Caligo plagas, folafque dolorum
Pandebat facies, umbras vallefque inamœnas;
Pax fugit inde, Quiefque; fugit, quæ fublevat omnes Ultrò Spes placida; at torto Vindicta flagello Inftat, Diluviumque perenni agit agmine flammas Sulphuris indomitas. Iftos hâc fede Rebelles,
Hoc claudi Omnipotens æquus decreverat antro, quam diffimili Patriæ fedifque relicta!
Heu Ter tantùm ore fuo æthereâque à luce remotos, Quantùm vel Medio diftat mundi ultimus Axis. Cladis ibi comites flammarum in gurgite volvi Dux cernit miser attonitos, multoque rotatos Turbine; & adjunctum lateri, qui proximus Ipsi Criminibus fceptrifque, infano agitarier æftu: Ille Palaftiná longo poft tempore notus, Nomine Balzebus: quem cœli acerrimus Hoftis (Cœlicola hinc Satanam memorant) audacibus ultro Compellans dictis horrenda filentia rupit :
Regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where Peace And Reft can never dwell, Hope never comes That comes to all; but Torture without end Still urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed With ever-burning Sulphur unconfum'd. Such Place Eternal Juftice 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 th' utmost Pole; O how unlike the place from whence they fell! There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd With Floods and Whirl-winds of tempeftuous fire, He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide One next himself in power, and next in crime, Long after known in Pakftine, and nam'd Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-enemy, And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words
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