To their defence who hold it: here perhaps

Some advantageous act may be achiev'd

By sudden onset, either with hell fire

To waste his whole creation; or possess
All as our own, and drive, as we were driven,
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

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In our confusion, and our joy upraise

In his disturbance; when his darling sons,

Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse

Their frail original, and faded bliss:

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Faded so soon! Advise if this be worth

Attempting, or to sit in darkness here
Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devis'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 he
To mingle and involve, done all to spite
The great Creator? But their spite still serves
His glory to augment. The bold design
Pleas'd highly those infernal states, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent
They vote whereat his speech he thus renews.

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"Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate, 390 Synod of gods! and, like to what ye are, Great things resolv'd; which from the lowest deep Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate, Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring And opportune excursion, we may chance Re-enter heaven: or else, in some mild zone Dwell not unvisited of heaven's fair light, Secure, and at the bright'ning orient beam Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air, To heal the scar of these corrosive fires,

[arms,

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Shall breathe her balm.-But first whom shal! we In search of this new world? whom shall we find Sufficient? Who shall tempt with wandering feet The dark, unbottora'd, infinite abyss,

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And through the palpable obscure find out
His uncouth way; or spread his airy flight
Upborne with indefatigable wings,

Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

The happy isle? What strength, what art can then
Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

Through the strict sentries, and stations thick
Of angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumspection; and we now no less

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Choice in our suffrage; for, on whom we send, 415
The weight of all, and our last hope, relies."

This said, he sat; and expectation held
His look suspense, awaiting who appear'd
To second or oppose, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,

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Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In other's countenance read his own dismay,
Astonish'd! None, among the choice and prime
Of those neaven-warring champions, could be found
So hardy, as to proffer, or accept

Alone the dreadful voyage: till at last
Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride

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(Conscious of highest worth) unmov'd thus spake :

O progeny of neaven, empyreal thrones!
With reason hath deep silence, and demur,
Seiz'd us, though undismay'd: long is the way
And hard, that out of hell leads up to light:
Our prison strong; this huge convex of fire,
Outrageous to devour, immures us round
Ninefold and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us, prohibit all egress.

:

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These pass'd (if any pass) the void profound
Of unessential night receives him next
Wide gaping! and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
If thence he 'scape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains nim less
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I should ill become this throne, O peers!
And this imperial sovereignty, adorn'd
With splendour, arm'd with power, if ought propos'd
And judg'd of public moment, in the shape

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Of difficulty, or danger, could deter

Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume
These royalties, and not refuse to reign,
Refusing to accept as great a share

Of hazard, as of honour due alike

To him who reigns, and so much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the rest

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High honour'd sits? Go, therefore, mighty powers,
Terror of heaven, though fallen! intend at home,
(While here shall be our home,) what best may case
The present misery, and render hell

More tolerable; if there be cure, or charm,
To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain
Of this ill mansion. Intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad,

Through all the coasts of dark destruction, seek
Deliverance for us all: this enterprise

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None shall partake with me." Thus saying, rose :
The monarch, and prevented all reply:
Prudent, lest, from his resolution rais'd,
Others among the chiefs might offer now
(Certain to be refused) what erst they fear'd;
And so refus'd, might in opinion stand
His rivals; winning cheap the high repute,

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Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they
Dreaded not more th' adventure, than his voice
Forbidding; and at once with him they rose : 475
Their rising all at once was as the sound

Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend
With awful reverence prone; and as a god
Extol him equal to the highest in heaven;

Nor fail'd they to express how much they prais'd,
That for the general safety he despis'd

His own, (for neither do the spirits damn'd

Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast

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Their specious deeds on earth, which glory excites;
Or close ambition varnish'd o'er with zeal.)
Thus they their doubtful consultations dark
Ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief:
As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds
Ascending, while the north-wind sleeps, o'er-spread
Heaven's cheerful face, the lowering element
Scowls o'er the darken'd landscape snow, or shower
If chance the radiant sun with farewell sweet
Extends his evening beam, the fields revive,

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The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings.

O shame to men! Devil with devil damn'd

Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope

Of heavenly grace: and, God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wasting the earth, each other to destroy:
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enow besides,
That day and night, for his destruction wait.

The Stygian council thus dissolv'd; and forth
In order came the grand infernal peers:

Midst came their mighty paramount, and seem'd
Alone th' antagonist of heaven, nor less

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Than hell's dread emperor, with pomp supreme, 510 And godlike imitated state.

Him round

A globe of fiery seraphim inclos'd,

With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms.
Then, of their session ended, they bid cry
With trumpets' regal sound the great result:
Towards the four winds four speedy cherusim
Put to their mouths the sounding alchymy,
By heralds' voice explain'd: the hollow abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of hell
With deaf'ning shout return'd them loud acclaim.

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Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat

rais'd

By false presumptuous hope, the ranged powers
Disband, and wand'ring, each his several way
Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

Leads him perplex'a, where he may likeliest find 525
Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain
The irksome hours, till his great chief return.
Part on the plain, or in the air sublime
Upon the wing, or in swift race contend,
As at the Olympian games, or Pythian fields:
Part cu. their fiery steeds, or shun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form.
As when, to warn proud cities, war appears
Wag'd in the troubled sky, and armies rush
To battle in the clouds; before each van

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Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their spears Till thickest legions close; with feats of armis From either end of heaven the welkin burns. Others, with vast Typhan rage, more fell! Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air In whirlwind: hell scarce holds the wild uproar. As when Alcides from Echalia crown'd - With conquest, felt th' envenom'd robe, and tore Through pain up by the roots Thessalian pines; And Lichas from the top of Eta threw Into th' Euboic Sea. Others, more mild, Retreated in a silent valley, sing With notes angelical to many a harp Their own heroic deeas and hapless fall By doom of battle: and complain that fate Free virtue should enthrall to force or chance. Their song was partial; but the harmony (What could it less when spirits immortal sing!) Suspended hell, and took with ravishment

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The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet,
(For eloquence the soul, song charms the seuse,) 55€
Ohers apart sat on a hill retir'd,

In thoughts more elevate, and reason'd high,
Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate,
Fix'd fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute;
And found no end, in wand'ring mazes lost.
Of good and evil much they argued then,
Of happiness, and final misery,
Passion, and apathy, and glory, and shame.
Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy;
Yet with a pleasing sorcery, could charm
Pain for a while, or anguish; and excite
Fallacious hope, or arm th' obdurate breast
With stubborn patience, as with triple steel.
Another part, in squadrons and gross bands,
On bold adventure to discover wide
That dismal world (if any clime perhaps
Might yield them easier habitation) bend
Four ways their flying march, along the banks
Of four infernal rivers, that disgorge
Into the burning lake their baleful streams
Abhorred Styx, the flood of deadly hate;
Sad Acheron, of sorrow; black and deep
Cocytus, nam'd of lamentation loud

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Heard on the rueful stream: fierce Phlegethon 580