Continget juxta fedes, arcefque tueri Sidereas; fòrs inde licet propioribus armis Excurfuque levi cœleftia regna reverti. Aut lætis faltem excipiet felicior ora Hofpitiis, quà lux cœli dignabitur alma Vifere, & ingratas vincet caliginis umbras Dulce oriens jubar; atque auræ vis mollis inustas Eximet igne notas fævifque falubria fundet Balfama vulneribus. Sed cui mandabitur orbis Ignoti luftrare plagas? Quem talibus aptum Mittemus cœptis? Quifnam imperterritus alti Gurgitis immensas tenebras fundoque carentes Tentabit, latè per denfa Obfcura tremendum Explorans iter: Abruptumve immane volatu Indomito exfuperans fedes attinget amœnas? At quâ vi tandem, quâ tantis arte periclis Sufficiet? Quæ fraus vigilum per cauta Seraphum Agmina, cuftodumque minas impune vagantem
Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring In fearch of this new world? whom shall we find
And opportune excurfion, we may chance Re-enter Heav'n: or else in fome mild Zone Dwell not unvifited of Heav'n's fair Light Secure, and at the bright'ning Orient beam Purge off this gloom: the foft delicious Air, To heal the fear of thefe corrofive Fires,
Sufficient? Who fhall tempt with wand'ring feet The dark, unbottom'd, infinite Abyfs, And through the palpable obfcure find out His uncouth way; or fpread his aery flight Up-born with indefatigable Wings Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive
The happy Ifle? What ftrength, what art can then
Shall breathe her balm. But first whom shall we Suffice, or what evafion bear hm safe
Through the ftrict Senteries, and Stations thick
Expediet? fimul huc acies, fimul omnia tendat Confilia: Et noftrum eft cautè perpendere, tantæ Publica quem moli vox deftinet: omnis in Illo Spes adeo, & magni ftabit fiducia cœpti.
Dixerat hæc, foliumque capit, fufpenfa parumper Ora tenens, plaufufque morans; feu discrepet iftis Fortè alius, feu tanta aliquis fe accingat ad ausa. Sed muti federe omnes difcrimina fecum Volventes iterum atque iterum, vultuque viciffim Alter in alterius proprios videre timores Attoniti. Nec quifquam aderat de flore fuperbo Conjuratorum cœlo se opponere fratrum, Pectore qui forti folus tentare tremendum Aufus iter. Tandem Satanas, cui regia longè Jam comitum audentes anteivit Gloria cœtus, Imperii quem celfus honos & conscia Virtus Extulit, hæc dicta intrepido dedit arduus ore: Progenies cœli, flammantes ætheris Arces,
Of angels watching round? Here he had need All circumfpection; and we now no less Choice in our fuffrage: for, on whom we fend, The weight of all, and our laft hope, relies. This faid, he fat; and expectation held His look fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd To fecond or oppofe, or undertake The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In others count'nance read his own dismay, Astonish'd: None, among the choice and prime Of thofe Heav'n-warring Champions, could be found So hardy, as to proffer, or accept
Alone, the dreadful voyage: till at laft Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais'd Above his fellows, with Monarchal pride (Conscious of highest worth) unmov'd thus fpake. O Progeny of Heav'n, Empyreal Thrones!
Nos tanta haud temerè invafere filentia, tantæque Impavidos utcunque mora. Via longa gravifque Ex Erebo ad lucem; Carcerque hic firmus, edentûm Flammarum hæc novies cohibent Convexa, fugamque Ardentes portæ atque adamantina clauftra coercent. Hæc quoque cum fuperet, fiquis fuperare valebit, Illi vastum aperit Nox indigesta Profundum Exitium ferale minans, & vortice crudo Excipit attonitum atque horrendo involvit hiatu. Hinc fortè elapfum quæcunque acceperit ora Ignarum, difcrimina adhuc ignota vagantem Expectant, atque inde fuga haud minus ardua reftat. Sed malè me, Proceres, Solium hoc fublime deceret, Imperii hi fafces, fplendorque infignis opesque, Siqua ufquam fortuna, falus cum publica fuadet, Aut mole ingenti, aut magnis me terreat aufis. Cur fceptra hæc capiam, cur non regnare recusem, Regnanti data fi renuam difcrimina? forti
With reafon hath deep filence and demur Sciz'd us, tho' undifmay'd: long is the way And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light. Our prifon ftrong; 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 pafs) the void profound Of uneffential Night receives him next Wide gaping, and with utter lofs of Being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulph. If thence he scape into whatever world, Or unknown Region, what remains him less Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape? But I fhould ill become this Throne, O Peers! And this Imperial Sov'reignty, adorn'd With fplendor, arm'd with pow'r, if ought propos'd, And judg'd of public moment, in the shape Of difficulty, or danger, could deter Me from attempting. Wherefore do I affume
Pectore res dubias adeat, cui gloria cordi; Suftineat tantò majora pericula, quantò Ipfe alios fuperat fublimior omnibus unus. Ergo agite, ô fceptris pollentes, clade fub ipsâ Vel cœlo metuenda Cohors! hìc mentibus imis, Hic verfate domi, domus hæc dum noftra manebit, Quæ ratio infanos æftus flammantis Averni
Siftat, & afflictis folatia quærite rebus;
Quærite, fiqua ufquam medicamina, fiqua voluptas, Quêis mala paulifper funeftæ tædia fedis
Fallere, quêis fævos liceat lenire dolores.
Vos hoftem adversùs vigilem ne parcite cautis Excubiis: Egomet per littora cladis opaca Ipse petam nobis longè latéque falutem
Omnibus: Haud quifquam ingenti comitabitur aufo. Sic fatus folio exfurgit refponfa Tyrannus Prævertens; ne quos Procerum constantia magni Vifa ducis tandem exacuat, certofque repulfæ
Hortetur vitata priùs fibi pofcere cœpta.
Hinc malè rivales habiti præconia vili Obtineant, fibi quæ tantis ipfe emerat aufis. Illi autem magnum veriti fubiiffe laborem, Haud minus & vocem metuunt prohibentis; & unà Surrexere repente omnes, fonitumque dedere Surgentes, qualem rauco dat murmure fulmen Longe exauditum. Regem Procerum omnis adorat Circumfufa corona, nec Omnipotente minorem Agnofcunt: Illum læti venerantur & altis Laudibus unanimes cumulant, cui publica regni Sic propriæ prælata Salus: Neque enim excidit omnis Tartareo virtus populo, ne facta fuperbi Splendida mortales jactent, fiqua improba fuadet Gloria, & Ambitio recti mentita colores.
Sic tandem dubiis finem pofuere petitum Confiliis, plauduntque duci exultantque frequentes. Haud fecus aerios inter furgentia montes
And fo refus'd might in opinion ftand His Rivals; winning cheap the high repute, Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they 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
Of Thunder heard remote. Tow'rds him they bend With awful reverence prone; and as a God Extoll him equal to the higheft 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 Spirits damn'd Lofe all their virtue; left bad men should boast Their fpecious deeds on earth, which glory excites; Or close ambition varnish'd o'er with zeal.)
Thus they their doubtful confultations dark Ended, rejoicing in their matchlefs Chief: As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds
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