O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hafting this way, and now by glimpse difcern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the fhade,
And with them comes a third of regal port,
But faded fplendor wan; who by his gate
And fierce demeanour feems the prince of Hell,
Not likely to part hence without contest;
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.

870

He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found, How bufied, in what form and posture couch'd, 876

880

To whom with ftern regard thus Gabriel fpake. Why haft thou, Satan, broke the bounds prefcrib'd To thy tranfgreffions, and disturb'd the charge Of others, who approve not to tranfgrefs By thy example, but have pow'r and right To question thy bold entrance on this place; Employ'd it feems to violate fleep, and those Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss? To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow. 885 Gabriel, thou hadft in Heav'n th' efteem of wife, And fuch I held thee; but this question afk'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loofe from Hell, Though thither doom'd? thou wouldst thyfelf, no doubt, And boldly venture to whatever place 891 Fartheft from pain, where thou might'st hope to change Torment with eafe, and fooneft recompenfe Dole with delight, which in this place I fought;

To thee no reason, who know'ft only good,

But evil haft not try'd: and wilt object
His will who bounds us? let him furer bar
His iron gates, if he intends our stay

895

In that dark durance: thus much what was afk'd. The reft is true, they found me where they fay; 909

905

But that implies not violence or harm.
Thus he in fcorn. The warlike Angel mov'd,
Difdainfully half smiling thus reply'd.
O lofs of one in heav'n to judge of wife,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prifon fcap'd,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wife,
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicenc'd from his bounds in Hell prefcrib'd;
So wife he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to fcape his punishment.

910

So judge thou ftill, prefumptuous, till the wrath,
Which thou incurr'ft by flying, meet thy flight
Sev'nfold, and fcourge that wifdom back to Hell,
Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain 915
Can equal anger infinite provok❜d.

But wherefore, thou alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all Hell broke locfe? is pain to them
Lefs pain, lefs to be fled? or thou than they
Lefs hardy to indure? courageous Chief,
The first in flight from pain, hadft thou alledg'd
To thy deferted hoft this caufe of flight,
Thou furely hadft not come fole fugitive.

920

925

To which the Fiend thus anfwer'd frowning ftern. Not that I lefs indure, or fhrink from pain, Infulting Angel; well thou know'ft I ftood Thy fierceft, when in battle to thy aid The blafting volied thunder made all speed, And feconded thy elfe not dreaded fpear. But fill thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience what behoves From hard affays and ill fucceffes paft A faithful leader, not to hazard all

930

Through ways of danger by himself untry'd:

I therefore, I alone first undertook

935

94.0

To wing the defolate abyfs, and spy
This new created world, whereof in hell
Fame is not filent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To fettle here on earth, or in mid air;
Though for poffeffion put to try once more
What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
Whose easier business were to ferve their Lord
High up in Heav'n, with fongs to hymn his throne,
And practic'd distances to cringe, not fight.
To whom the warrior Angel foon reply'd,
To fay and ftrait unfay, pretending first
Wife to fly pain, profeffing next the spy,
Argues no leader but a liar trac'd,

945

Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name, 950
O facred name of faithfulness prophan'd!

Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.

955

Was this your difcipline and faith engag'd;
Your military obedience, to diffolve
Allegiance to th' acknowleg'd Pow'r fupreme?
And thou, fly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and fervily ador'd
Heav'n's awful monarch? wherefore but in hope 960
To difpoffefs him, and thyfelf to reign?
But mark what I arreed thee now, Avant;
Fly thither whence thou fledft: if from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th' infernal pit I drag thee chain'd,
And feal thee fo, as henceforth not to scorn
The facil gates of Hell too flightly barr'd.

965

So threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats Gave heed, but waxing more in rage reply'd. Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, 970

I

Proud limitary Cherub, but ere then
Far heavier load thy felf expect to feel

From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's king
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers,
Us'd to the yoke, draw'ft his triumphant wheels 975
In progress through the road of Heav'n ftar-pav'd.
While thus he fpake, th'angelic fquadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, tharp'ning in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round
With ported fpears, as thick as when a field
Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends
Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind
Sways them; the careful plowman doubting ftands,
Left on the threshing floor his hopeful fheaves
Prove chaff. On th'other fide Satan alarm'd 985
Collecting all his might dilated stood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov’d:

His ftature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grafp

989

What feem'd both fpear and fhield: now dreadful deeds
Might have enfued, not only Paradife

991

In this commotion, but the ftarry cope

Of Heav'n perhaps, or all the elements.

At least had gone to wrack, difturb'd and torn

With violence of this conflict, had not foon
Th' Eternal to prevent fuch horrid fray

995

Hung forth in Heav'n his golden scales, yet feen
Betwixt Aftrea and the fcorpion fign,
Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round Earth with balanc'd air 1000
In counterpoife, now ponders all events,.
Battles and realms: in thefe he put two weights
The fequel each of parting and of fight;
The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam;
Which Gabriel (pying, thus befpake the Fiend. 1005

3

Satan, I know thy ftrength and thou knowest mine, Neither our own but giv'n; what folly then

To boast what arms can do? fince thine no more
Than Heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celeftial fign,

ΙΟΙΟ

Where thou art weigh'd, and fhown how light, how

weak,

If thou refift. The Fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled
Murm'ring, and with him fled the fhades of night. ro15

The End of the Fourth Bank