Huc Satanas rectà greffum imperterritus urget, Hâc fiquem in turbâ civem nigrantis Abyssi Viderit; ut norit, quæ proxima ducat euntem Semita vicinas luci caliginis oras.
Ecce autem fubitò ante oculos fe regia pandit
Ampla Chaus, vaftumque fuper diffufa Profundum Pendent terrifici tentoria nigra Tyranni. Juxtà majeftate pari pullata refedit
Trifti Nox folio, rerum antiquiffima, magni Alta Chaus confors: laterique hinc adftitit Orcus, Inde Erebus, nomenque horrendum Demogorgon: Queis fubeunt Cafus Rumorque, Tumultus, & exlex Seditio, innumerifque fonans Difcordia linguis.
His ergo audacter Satanas: O qui ima Profundi Imperio longè premitis latéque filentum Cuftodes tenebrarum, ô Nox antiqua Chaofque, Nullæ hic infidiæ; non hìc Speculator oberro, Nec regni pacem meditor violare serenam.
With loudest vehemence. Thither he plies Undaunted, to meet there whatever Pow'r Or Spirit of the nethermoft Abyss, Might in that noife refide; of whom to ask Which way the nearest coast of darkness lies, Bordering on light. When ftrait behold the Throne Of Chaos, and his dark Pavilion spread Wide on the wasteful Deep. With him inthron'd Sat Sable-vefted Night, eldeft of things,
The Confort of his Reign: and by them stood Orcus, and Hades, and the dreaded name Of Demogorgon: Rumor next, and Chance, And Tumult, and Confufion all imbroil'd, And Discord with a thousand various mouths. T'whom Satan turning boldly, thus: Ye Pow'rs, And Spirits of this nethermoft Abyss, Chaos and Antient Night! I come no Spy With purpose to explore, or to disturb,
Haud ultro loca per deferta plagafque patentes, (Hinc quippe ad lucem nobis via) molior atrum Incomitatus iter: regionum ambage malignâ Deceptus, nulloque vagans ductore requiro
Semita quæ ducat, quà fe cœleftibus oris Umbrarum adjungunt fines. Aut fiqua Tyrannus Ætheris à veftrâ nuper ditione revulfa Vi loca poffideat, Sedes mihi quæritur ista Per ferale Profundum: erranti oftendite curfum Certiùs; hinc vobis veniet non fordida merces. Sedem iftam manibus veftris tenebrisque vetuftis Si reddam (quæ caufa viæ eft) NoƐtisque reponam Vexilla antiquæ ; Vos inde abducite fructus, Sit Vindicta Meum. Cui fic grandævus Anarcha Vultu turbato & linguâ titubante remifit: Advena, te memor agnofco: Tu fcilicet Ifte es Dux Superûm impavidus, qui cœli bella Tyranno Haudpridem intentans immanibus excidit aufis.
The secrets of your Realm; but by constraint Wand'ring this darksome Defart, as my way Lies through your fpacious Empire up to Light, Alone, and without guide, half loft, I feek What readiest path leads where your gloomy bounds Confine with Heav'n: or if fome other place From your Dominion won th' Ethereal King Poffeffes lately, thither to arrive
I travel this Profound. Direct my course; Directed, no mean recompenfe it brings
To your behoof: if I that Region lost, All ufurpation thence expell'd, reduce To her original darkness, and your sway, (Which is my present journey) and once more Erect the Standard there of Antient Night; Yours be th' Advantage all, mine the Revenge.
Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch old, With faultring speech, and visage incompos'd, Answer'd I know thee, Stranger, who thou art; That mighty leading Angel, who of late
Vidi Egomet fenfique fatis; nec tot legionum Agmina per trepidum fallebant acta Profundum : Sic Clades cladi ingeminata, Ruina ruinæ Succeffit; fic ufque novæ formidinis alis Præcipitata Fuga eft, Horrorique ingruit Horror: Tanta fimul cœli portis effufa fuperbis
Vis Divûm victrix profugos undavit in Hostes. Hìc vigil excubias extremo in limite fervo, Has fi relliquias regni defendere possim,
Quantulacunque adeò pars fit; quam noftra refringunt Diffidia, & Noctis fceptrum venerabile lædunt. Primùm Orcus, tuus ifte immani gurgite Carcer, Deinde fuperveniens Æther novus & nova Tellus, Nefcio quæ Moles auri fufpenfa catenâ
Sedibus incubuere meis. Hac tendere curfum
Si ftatuis, non longa via eft, fed fœta periclis Innumeris. Quin carpe gradum, & felicibus (opto) Aufpiciis: Mihi funt Strages, funt Funera lucro.
Made head againft Heav'n's King, tho' overthrown. I faw, and heard; for fuch a num'rous Hoft Fled not in filence thro' the frighted Deep, With Ruin upon ruin, Rout on rout, Confufion worse confounded; and Heav'n-Gates Pour'd out by millions her victorious Bands Pursuing. I upon my Frontiers here Keep refidence; if all I can will ferve That little which is left so to defend,
Encroach'd on ftill through our intestine broiles, Weak'ning the Sceptre of old Night: first Hell, Your dungeon, ftretching far and wide beneath; Now lately Heav'n and Earth, another World, Hung o'er my Realm, link'd in a golden Chain To that fide Heav'n from whence your Legions If that way be your walk, you have not far; [fell. So much the nearer danger: go, and speed! Havoc, and spoil, and ruin are my gain.
Finierat. Satanas contrà nil rettulit: acer, Impatienfque moræ, & dulci fpe littoris ardens, Viribus inde novis, ceu Pyramis ardua flammæ, Evolat in vastum Expanfum; feptusque Elementis Inter fe æternum indomitâ certantibus irâ
Urget iter durum, gravium afperiore laborans Mole periclorum, quàm cum transmitteret Argo Bofpora per fcopulos & procurrentia Saxa : Aut cum Ithacus dextram cautus vitare Charybdim, Vix Scyllam effugeret. Sic nifu evaserat ægro Vix Satanas, per mille viam difcrimina quærens ; Vix Satanas: Sed mox Hominem fuperante Ruinâ (Quæ quantæque Vices!) fimul Ate Hadefque fecuti Paffibus haud ægris veftigia dira legebant: Scilicet id cœlo vifum. Dein gurgite in alto Æftus atrox vasti accepit miracula pontis,
Qui longe ex Erebo fragilis fpatia ultima mundi Contigit: hinc curfu alterno facilique recursu
He ceas'd, and Satan staid not to reply, But glad that now his Sea fhould find a fhore, With fresh alacrity and force renew'd, Springs upward, like a pyramid of fire, Into the wild expanfe; and through the shock Of fighting Elements, on all fides round Environ'd, wins his way: harder befet, And more endanger'd, than when Argo pafs'd Through Bosphorus, betwixt the juftling Rocks: Or when Ulysses on the Larboard fhun'd
Charybdis, and by th' other whirlpool fteer'd. So He with difficulty, and labour hard Mov'd on: with difficulty and labour He; But He once paft, foon after, when man fell, Strange alteration! Sin and Death amain Following his track (fuch was the will of Heav'n!) Pav'd after him a broad and beaten way Over the dark Abyfs, whofe boyling Gulph Tamely endur'd a Bridge of wondrous length, From Hell continu'd, reaching th' utmoft Orb
Tartarei remeant populi, illecebrifque laceffunt Mortales, nifi quos DEUS ipfe DE Ique Ministri Tutantur, cinctofque fovent cœleftibus alis. Jamque adeò cœli Lux fancta emittitur altis Arcibus, inque finus Noctis jaculatur opacos Languidius jubar & dubiæ promiffa diei. Hic fines Natura fuos atque ultima regna Oftendit: Chaos extremis, velut obrutus Hoftis, Depulfus caftris abit, exuiturque furorem. Hinc melius pergit Satanas & luminis ignes Infequitur tremulos, pacatoque æquore portum Pronus adit; qualis pofitis lætissima Puppis Turbinibus, defeffa hieme, & lacerata rudentes. Jam medium per Inane volans, velut aere fudo Sufpenfus, late explicitis fe librat in alis, Explorans cœli flammantia monia longo Didita circuitu, nullifque coercita metis. Ardua ibi vivis, quondam fua, regna tuetur
Of this frail World; by which the Spirits perverfe With tumult lefs, and with less hoftile din ; With eafie intercourfe pafs to and fro, To tempt or punish mortals, except whom GOD and good Angels guard by special grace. But now at laft the facred influence
Of Light appears, and from the walls of Heaven Shoots far into the bofom of dim Night A glimmering dawn: Here Nature first begins Her fartheft verge; and Chaos to retire, As from her outmost works a broken foe,
That Satan with lefs toil, and now with ease, Wafts on the calmer wave by dubious light; And like a weather-beaten veffel holds Gladly the Port, though Shrouds and Tackle torn: Or in the emptier waste resembling Air, Weighs his spread wings, at leifure to behold Far off th' Empyreal Heav'n, extended wide. In circuit, undetermin'd fquare or round: With Opal Tow'rs, and Battlements adorn'd
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