PARADISE LOST.

THE

BOOK I.

ARGUMENT.

This first book proposes, firft in brief, the whole fubjec, man's difobedience, and the lols thereupon of Paradife wherein he was placed: Then touches the prime caufe of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to bis fide many legians of angels, was by the command of God driven out of beaven, with all his crew into the great deep. Which action paffed over, the poem haftes into the midf of things, prefenting Satan with his angels now fallen into bell, defcribed bere, not in the center (for heaven and earth may be fuppofed as yet not made, certainly not yet accurfed) but in a place of utter darkness, fitlieft called Chaos: here Satan with his angels, lying on the burning lake, thunderStruck and aftonijbed, after a certain Space recovers, as from confufion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him: they confer of their miferable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who tay till then in the fame manner confounded: they rife; their numbers, array of battle, their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan, and the countries adjoining. Ta thefe Satan directs bis Speech, comforts them with bopes yet of regaining beaven, but tells them laftly of a new world, and new kind of creature to be creat ed, according to an ancient prophecy or report in

heaven; for that angels were long before this vifsble creation, was the opinion of many ancient fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, be refers to a full council. What bis affociates thence attempt. Pandemonium the palace of Satan rises, suddenly built out of the deep the infernal peers there fit in council,

O

F Man's first difobedience, and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With lofs of Eden, till one greater Man

. Reftore us, and regain the blissful feat,
Sing heav'nly Mufe, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, did't infpire

That thepherd, who first taught the chofen feed,
In the beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rofe out of Chaps: or if Sion hill

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Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd
Faft by the oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous fong,
That with no middle flight intends to foar
Above the Aonian mount, while it purfues
Things unattempted yet in profe or rhime.
And chiefly Thou, O Spi'rit, that dost prefer
Before all temples th' upright heart and pure,
Inftru&t me, for Thou know'ft; Thou from the first
Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outfpread 20
Dove-like fatft brooding on the vaft abyfs,
And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark
Illumin, what is low raise and fupport;
That to the highth of this great argument
I may affert eternal Providence,

And justify the ways of God to Men..

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Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell, say first what cause Mov'd our grand Parents, in that happy state, Favor'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 first 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 afpiring To fet himself in glory' above his peers, He trusted to have equal'd the most High, If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim Against the throne and monarchy of God Rais'd impious war in Heav'n and battle proud With vain attempt. Him the almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal fky, With hideous ruin and combuftion, down To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell In adamantin chains and penal fire, Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms.

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Nine times the space that measures day and night 59
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquish'd, rolling 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 lafting pain

55 Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, 'That witness'd huge affliction and difmay Mix'd with obdurate pride and stedfaft hate: At once, as far as Angels ken, he views The difmal fituation wafte and wild, A dungeon horrible, on all fides round

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As one great furnace flam'd, yet from thofe flames
No light, but rather darknefs vifible

Serv'd only to difcover fights of woe,

Regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where peace 65 ·
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes

That comes to all; but torture without end
Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed

With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd:
Such place eternal Juftice had prepar'd
For those rebellious, here their pri'son ordain'd
In utter darkness, and their portion fet
As far remov'd from God and light of Heaven,
As from the center thrice to th' utmost pole.

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O how unlike the place from whence they fell! 75
'There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd
With floods and whirlwinds of tempeftuous fire,
He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide
One next himself in pow'r, and next in crime,
Long after known in Palestine, and nam'd
Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-Enemy,
And thence in Heaven call'd Satan, with bold words
Breaking the horrid filence thus began.

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If thou beeft he; but O how fall'n! how chang'd
From him, who in the happy realms of light 85
Cloth'd with tranfcendent brightnefs didst outshine
Myriads though bright! If he whom mutual league,
United thoughts and counfels, equal hope
And hazard in the glorious enterprise,

Join'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd
In equal ru'in into what pit thou feeft

:

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From what highth fall'n, fo much the ftronger prov'd
He with his thunder: and till then who knew
The force of his dire arms? yet not for thofe,

Nor what the potent victor in his rage

Can elfe inflict, do I repent or change,

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Though chang'd in outward luftre, that fix'd mind,
And high difdain from sense of injur'd merit,
That with the Mightiest rais'd me to contend,
And to the fierce contention brought along
Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd,

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That durft diflike his reign, and me preferring,
His utmost pow'r with adverfe pow'r oppos'd
In dubious battle on the plains of Heaven,
And shook his throne. What though the field be lost?
All is not loft; th' unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield,
And what is elfe not to be overcome;
That glory never fhall his wrath or might
Extort from me. To bow and fue for grace
With fuppliant knee, and deify his power,
Who from the terror of this arm fo late
Doubted his empire; that were low indeed,
That were an ignominy, and fhame beneath 115
This downfall; fince by fate the strength of Gods
And this empyreal substance cannot fail,
Since through experience of this great event
In arms not worfe, in forefight much advanc'd,
We may with more fuccessful hope refolve
To wage by force or guile eternal war,
Irreconcileable to our grand foe,

Who now triumphs, and in th' excefs of joy
Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heaven.

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So fpake th' apoftate Angel, though in pain, 125 Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep defpair: And him thus anfwer'd foon his bold compeer. O Prince, O chief of many throned Powers, That led th' imbattel'd Seraphim to war Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds Fearless, indanger'd Heav'n's perpetual king,

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