Quod fenfit fimul Ille fedens celfiffimus unum Poft Satanam, ore gravi Balzebus furgere lentè Vifus erat folio, furgenfque referre columnam Imperii: frontem rugis fulcârat honestam Rerum cura fagax & provida confilii vis: Regiaque infignes Sapientia clade fub ipsâ Veftit adhuc vultus: ftetit arduus Atlanteos Expandens humeros, regnifque ingentibus aptos: Tum comitum trahit attentas venerabilis aures, Dumque filent quantum nox intempefta, dieique Æftivæ medius fervor, fic deinde profatur :
Imperia atque Arces, Virtutes ætheris! Aut his Cedemus titulis, mutato nomine Reges Tartarei? huc fefe nimis inclinare videtur Publica Vox; fedem manfuraque regna fub orco Optamus deliri, & fomnia vana fovemus; Nec patet, æthereum Regem pro carcere nobis Hos mandâffe locos, non hic ftatuiffe recefsûs
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 State: deep on his front engraven, Deliberation fat, and publick 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 mightiest Monarchies; his look
Drew audience, and attention still as night, Or fummer's noon-tide air; while thus he spake:
Thrones, and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Ethereal Virtues! or thefe Titles now [heav'n, Muft we renounce, and changing style, 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 hath doom'd
Otia, quà dextram fugere imperiumque fupremum Detur, & in cœlum reparatas cogere vires. Sed pulfos huc ufque acri premet efferus irâ, Servitiique jugo & frænis compefcet amaris, Captivum vulgus: nam primus & ultimus Ipfe Per gentes fuperas fimul infernasque timendus Regnabit. Fugimus? fub Averno fceptra vibrabit Ferrea, ut in mediis cœli vibrat aurea regnis. Quid verò hic pacem lenti meditamur & arma? Senfimus arma fatis, damnum irreparabile dudum Senfimus: at neque adhuc nobis data fœdera pacis Ulla, nec implorata: Etenim hæc juga turpia paffis Quæ jam Pax dabitur, nifi dira ergastula, vincla, Verberaque & pœnæ, fævus quafcunque tyrannus Imperet? Et quam nos pacem reddemus? atroces Luctantum nifus impacatumque furorem, Indomitumque odium, certantes ufque fupremo Impete, victorem ut fallant sua gaudia, nostrisque
This place our dungeon; not our safe 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 ftrictest bondage, though thus far remov'd, Under th' inevitable curb, reserv’d His captive multitude: for He, be fure, In heigth, or depth, ftill firft and laft will reign Sole King, and of His Kingdom lofe no part
By our revolt; but over Hell extend His empire, and with Iron Sceptre rule Us 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 giv'n To us enflav'd, but cuftody fevere, And ftripes, and arbitrary Punishment
Præcipites bellorum aufus: tanto ardua cœli Moenia fufpectu affurgunt, fecura Profundum Quas paret infidias, vel quid meditemur in armis. Quid fi mole minor nec tantum habitura pericli Se Ratio obtulerit? Jamque alter (fi modò verax Fama vetus cecinit, fi tempora rite revolvo) Alter fe attollit mundus, lætiffima gentis
Terra novæ (cui nomen Homo eft) hoc circiter ævum Formandæ, nostrûm fimilis; sceptrisque superbis Si minor, ætherei formâ fi cefferit oris,
At fummo dilecta Patri magis. Hoc Pater olim Edixit Superos inter, fanxitque verendo Ipfe facramento, cœli quo maxima templa Concuffit. Nos huc animos, huc omnia agamus Confilia, ut pateat quod ibi genus, indole quali, Quove luto fictum; quas vires donaque jactet; Atque ubi fint faciles aditus; vi præftet inermes
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 Conqueror least May reap His conqueft; 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 eafter enterprize? There is a place, (If antient and prophetic fame in Heav'n Err not) another World, the happy feat of fome new race call'd Man, about this time To be created like to us, though less In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more Of Him who rules above: fo was His will Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an Oath, That fhook Heav'n's whole circumference, confirm'd. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
An tentare dolis. Quanquam ingens ætheris Aula Clauditur, & cœli celsâ fuper arce Tyrannus
Securus virtute fuâ fedet: At loca forfan
Ifta patent; finitur regnorum illa ultima meta Indigenis tutanda fuis: ibi fortè ruentes
Magnum aliquod lætis olim tentabimus aufum Aufpiciis; fibi quæ laudum monumenta creavit Omnipotens, horrendo Erebi vastabimus igne; Aut nostræ ditionis erunt, pulfique pufillos Pellemus cives patriifque fugabimus oris ; Aut hæc caftra fequi fuadebimus, ut Deus iris Acribus ardefcens doleat finxiffe, dolenfque Ipfe fuum confundat opus. Quæ quantaque talis Vindicta, in mediis Hoftem ruitura triumphis! Quæ nobis fpolia inde, Dei ut cariffima proles Noftrorum in partem præceps demiffa dolorum Invalidam stirpem incufans & gaudia rapta,
Tam citò rapta gemet! Potior fententia quæ fit,
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould, Or fubstance, how endu'd, and what their pow'r, And where their weakness, how attempted best, By force, or fubtilty. 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 advantagious act may be atchiev'd
By fudden onfet, either with hell fire
To wafte His whole Creation; or poffefs All as our own, and drive (as we are driv'n) The puny habitants; or if not drive, Seduce them to our Party, that their God May prove their foe, and with repenting hand. Abolish His own works. This would surpass Common Revenge, and interrupt His joy In our confufion, and our joy upraise
In His difturbance; when His darling Sons, Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curfe
Confulite, an facinus moliri hoc præftet, an hisce Cunctari in tenebris & inania fingere regna.
Hæc adeo immani Balzebus pectore fudit Ipsî olim Satana concepta atque edita partim Confilia: Unde, mali nifi fonte & origine primâ, Tam dira invidiæ poterat manare libido,
Terram Erebo miscere unâque exfcindere gentem Humanam in radice petens? Tantum-ne Malorum Mens inimica Deo fuafit, cui talibus auctus Crefcit Honos inimicitiis? Sed fratribus audax Confilium arrifit Stygiis & pectora plausu Extulit; emicuitque oculis flammantibus ardens Lætitia: Affenfu unanimes fremuere; frementes Ille novis acuit dictis, ac talia fatur:
Decretum egregiè, Proceres! Pulcherrima tandem, Sancta Deûm domus, ac veftrâ dignissima famâ Cernitis: hinc imo emerfis exire Profundo
Vel fato nolente datum eft: accedere prifcas
Their frail Original, and faded blifs: Faded fo foon! Advife if this be worth Attempting, or to fit in darkness here Hatching vain Empires. Thus Beelzebub Pleaded his devilish Counsel, first advis'd By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence, But from the Author of all ill, could spring 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 Creator? But their spite still ferves His glory to augment. The bold defign Pleas'd highly those 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 spite of Fate, Nearer our ancient Seat; perhaps in view
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