With him, or who deceive his mind, whofe eye
Views all things at one view? he from heav'n's
All these our motions vain fees and derides; [height
Not more almighty to refit our might,
Than wife to fruftrate all our plots and wiles.
Shall we then live thus vile, the race of heaven,
Thus trampled, thus expell'd to fuffer here
Chains and thefe torments? better thefe than worfe
By my advice; fince fate inevitable
Subdues us, and omnipotent decree,
The victor's will. To fuffer, as to do,
Our ftrength is equal, nor the law unjust
That fo ordains: this was at first refolv'd,
If we were wife, againft fo great a foe
Contending, and fo doubtful what might fall.

I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold
And vent'rous, if that fail them, fhrink and fear
What yet they know must follow, to endure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,

The fentence of their conqueror: this is now
Our doom; which if we can fustain and bear,
Our fupreme foe in time may much remit
His anger, and perhaps thus far remov'd,
Not mind us not offending, fatisfy'd

With what is punish'd; whence thefe ranging fires
Will flacken, if his breath ftir not their flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome
Their noxious vapour, or, inur'd, not feel,
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow mild, this darkness light,
Befides what hope the never-ending flight [change
Of future days may bring, what chance, what
Worth waiting, fince our prefent lot appears
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to ourfelves more woe.

[garb,
Thus Belial, with words cloth'd in reafon's
Counsel'd ignoble eafe, and peaceful floth,
Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake:
Either to difenthrone the King of Heaven
We war, if war be beft, or to regain
Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlasting fate fhall yield
To fickle chance, and Chaos judge the ftrife:
The former vain to hope, argues as vain
The latter for what place can be for us
Within heav'n's bound, unless heav'n's Lord fu-
We overpow'r? Suppose he fhould relent, [preme
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new fubjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his prefence humble, and receive
Strict laws impos'd to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead fing
Forc'd hallelujahs; while he lordly fits
Our envied Sov'reign, and his altar breathes
Ambrofial odors and ambrofial flowers,
Our fervile offerings? This must be our task
In heav'n, this our delight; how wearifome
Eternity fo spent in worship paid

To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in heav n, our state
Of fplendid vaffalage; but rather feek

Our own good from ourselves, and from our own,

Live to ourselves, though in this vast recefs,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafy yoke

Of fervile pomp. Our greatnefs will appear
Then moft confpicuous, when great things of fmall,
Ufeful of hurtful, profp'rous of adverse

We can create, in what place foe'er

Thrive under evil, and work cafe out of pain,
Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darknefs do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth heaven's all-ruling
Choose to refide, his glory unobfcur'd, [lire
And with the majefty of darkness round
Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar,
Muft'ring their rage, and heav'n resembles hell?
As he our darkness, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This defert foil
Wants not her hidden luftre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raife
Magnificence; and what can heav n fhew more?
Our torments alfo may in length of time
Become our elements; thefe piercing fires
As foft as now fevere; our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled ftate
Of order, how in fafety beft we may
Compofe our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, dismisling quite
All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.

He fearce had finifh'd, when fuch murmur fill'd
Th' affembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The found of bluft ring winds, which all night long
Had rous'd the fea, now with hoarfe cadence lull
Sea-faring men o erwatch d, whofe bark by chance
Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay

After the tempeft: fuch applause was heard As Mammon ended, and his fentence pleas'd, Advifing peace: for fuch another field They dreaded worfe than hell: fo much the fear Of thunder and the fword of Michael Wrought ftill within them: and no less defire To found this nether empire, which might rife By policy, and long procefs of time, In emulation oppofite to Heav'n. Which, when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom, Satan except, none higher fat, with grave | Afpect he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd A pillar of ftate; deep on his front ingraven Deliberation fat, and public care; And princely counsel in his face yet fhone Majestic, though in ruin: fage he flood, With Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look Drew audience and attention still as night Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he fpake: Thrones and imperial pow'rs, offspring of Ethereal virtues; or thefe titles now [Heav'n, Muft we renounce, and, changing ftile, be call'd Princes of Hell? for fo the popular vote Inclines, here to continue, and build up here A growing empire; doubtlefs, while we dream, And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd

This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat

With fplendor, arm'd with power, if ought pro-
And judg'd of public moment, in the shape [pos'd
Of difficulty or danger could deter

Me from attempting. Wherefore do I affume
Thefe royalties, and not refufe to reign,
Refusing to accept as great a fhare
Of hazard as of honour, due alike

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

[they

But

High honour'd fits? Go, therefore, mighty powers,
Terror of Heav'n, tho' fall'n; intend at home,
While here fhall be our home, what best may cafe
The prefent mifery, and render Hell
More tolerable; if there be cure or charm
To refpite, or deceive, or flack the pain
Of this ill mansion: intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
Through all the coafts of dark destruction, feek
Deliverance for us all: this enterprife
None fhall partake with me. Thus faying, rofe
The monarch, and prevented all reply,
Prudent, left from his refolution rais'd,
Others among the chief might offer now
(Certain to be refus'd) what erft they fear'd;
And fo refus'd, might in opinion stand
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute
Which he through hazard huge muft earn.
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
With awful reverenice prone; and as a god [bend
Extol him equal to the High'ft 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 fpirits damn'd
Lose all their virtue; left bad men should boaft
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
Afcending, while the north wind fleeps, o'erfpread
Heav'n's cheerful face, the louring element
Scowls o'er the darken'd landskip fnow, or fhower;
If chance the radiant fun with farewel fweet
Extend his ev'ning beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Atteft their joy, that hill and valley rings.
O fhame to men, devil with devil damn'd
Firm concord holds, men only difagree
Of creatures rational, tho' under hope

Of heav'nly grace: and God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and ftrife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wafting the earth, each other to deftroy:
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enow befides,
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 feem'd
Alone the antagonist of Heav'n, nor less
Than Hell's dread emperor with pomp fupreme,
And godlike imitated state; him round

A globe of fiery feraphim inclos'd
With bright imblazonry, and horrent arms.
Then of their feilion ended they bid cry
With trumpets' regal found the great refult:
Tow'rds the four winds four fpeedy cherubim
Put to their mouths the founding alchemy
By herald's voice explain'd; the hollow abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of hell
With deaf'ning fhout return'd them loud acclaim.
Thence more at cafe their minds, and fomewhat
rais'd

By falfe prefumptuous hope, the ranged powers
Difband, and wand'ring, each his feveral way
Purfues, as inclination or fad choice

Leads him, perplex'd where he may liklieft find
Truce to his reftlefs thoughts, and entertain
The irkfome hours, tili his great chief return.
Part on the plain, or in the air fublime,
Upon the wing, or in fwift race contend,
As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields.
Part curb their fiery fteeds, or fhun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form,
As when to warn proud cities war appears
Wag'd in the troubled fky, and armies rufh
To battle in the clouds, before each van
Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their
fpears

Till thickeft legions clofe; with feats of arms
From either end of Heav'n the welkin burns.
Others, with vaft Typhean rage more fell,
Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air
In whirlwind; Hell fcarce holds the wild uproar.
As when Alcides, from Oechalia crown'd
With conqueft, felt th' envenom'd robe, and tore
Through pain up by the roots Theffalian pines,
And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw
Into th' Euboic fea. Others more mild,
Retreated in a filent valley, fing
With notes angelical to many a harp,
'Their own heroic deeds, and haplefs fall
By doom of battle; and complain that Fate
Free virtue fhould inthrall to force or chance.
Their fong was partial, but the harmony
(What could it lefs when fp'rits immortal fing ?)
Sufpended Hell, and took with ravishment
The thronging audience. In difcourfe more sweet
(For eloquence the foul, fong charms the fenfe)
Others apart fat on a hill retired,

In thoughts more elevate, and reafon'd high
Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate,
Fix'd fate, free-will, foreknowledge abfolute,
And found no end, in wand'ring mazes loft.
Of good and evil much they argu'd, then
Of happiness and final mifery,

Paffion and apathy, and glory and shame,
Vain wifdom all, and falte philofophy:
Yet with a pleafing forcery could charm
Pain for a while, or anguish, and excite
Fallacious hope, or arm th' obdur'd breast
With stubborn patience as with triple steel.
Another part, in fquadrons and grofs bands
On bold adventure to discover wide
That difmal world, if any clime perhaps
Might yield them easier habitation, bend
Eour ways their flying march along the banks

Of four infernal rivers, that difgorge
Into the burning lake their baleful ftreams;
Abhorr'd Styx, the flood of deadly hate;
Sad Acheron, of forrow, black and deep;
Cocytus, nam'd of lamentation loud,
Heard on the rueful ftream; fierce Phlegethon,
Whofe waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.
Far off from these a flow and filent ftream,
Lethe, the river of oblivion, rolls
Her watry labyrinth, whereof who drinks
Forthwith his former ftate and being forgets,
Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.
Beyond this flood a frozen continent
Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms
Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land
Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin seems
Of ancient pile; or elfe deep fnow and ice,
A gulf profound as that Serbonian hog
Betwixt Damiata and Mount Cafius old,
Where armies whole have funk: the parching air
Burns frore, and cold performs th' effect of fire.
Thither, by harpy-footed furies hal'd,
At certain revolutions, all the damn'd
Are brought, and feel by turns the bitter change
Of fierce extremes, by change more fierce,
From beds of raging fire to starve in ice
Their foft ethereal warmth, and there to pine
Immoveable, infix'd, and frozen round,
Periods of time, thence hurried back to fire.
They ferry over this Leathean found
Both to and fro, their forrow to augment,
And wish and struggle as they pass, to reach
The tempting ftream, with one fmall drop to lofe
In fweet forgetfulness all pain and woe,
All in one moment, and fo near the brink;
But fate withstands, and to oppofe th' attempt
Medufa with Gorgonian terror, guards
The ford, and of itself the water flies
All tafte of living wight, as once it fled
The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on

In confuf'd march forlorn, th' advent'rous bands,
With fhudd'ring horror pale, and eyes aghaft,
View'd first their lamentable lot, and found
No reft through many a dark and dreary vale
'They pafs'd, and many a region dolorous,
O'er many a frozen, many a fiery Alp,
Rocks, caves,

death,

lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and fhades of

A universe of death, which God by curfe
Created evil, for evil only good,

Where all life dies, death lives, and nature breeds,
Perverse, all monftrous, all prodigious things,
Abominable, inutterable, and worfe

Than fables yet have feign'd, or fear conceiv'd,
Gorgons, and Hydras, and Chimeras dire.

Mean while the adverfary' of God and man, Satan, with thoughts inflam'd of high'st design, Puts on fwift wings, and towards the gates of hell Explores his folitary flight; fometimes

He fcours the right hand coaft, fometimes the left,
Now fhaves with level wing the deep, then foars
Up to the fiery concave towering high.
As when far off at sea a fleet defcry'd
Hangs in the clouds, by equinoctial winds
Clofe failing from Bengala, or the isles

Of Ternate and Tidore, whence merchants bring Their fpicy drugs: they on the trading flood Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape

So feem'd

Ply ftemming nightly tow'rd the pole.
Far off the flying Fiend: at laft appear
Hell bounds high reaching to the horrid roof,
And thrice three-fold the gates; three folds were
Three iron, three of adamantine rock, [brafs,
Impenetrable, impal'd with circling fire,
Yet unconfum'd. Before the gates there fat
On either side a formidable fhape;
The one feem'd woman to the wafte, and fair,
But ended foul in many a fcaly fold
Volumnious and vast, a ferpent arm'd
With mortal fting: about her middle round
A cry of hell-hounds never ceafing bark
With wide Cerberean mouths full loud, and rung
A hideous pale; yet, when they lift, would creep,
If ought difturb'd their noife, into her womb,
And kennel there, yet there ftill bark'd and howl'd
Within, unfeen. Far lefs abhorr'd than thefe,
Vex'd Scylla bathing in the fea that parts
Calabria from the hoarfe Trinacrian fhore:
Nor uglier follow the night-hag, when call'd
In fecret, riding through the air fhe comes,
Lur'd with the fmell of infant blood, to dance
With Lapland witches, while the lab'ring moon
Eclipfes at their charms. The other shape,
If fhape it might be call'd that shape had none
Diftinguishable in member, joint, or limb,
Or fubitance might be call'd that shadow feem'd,
For each feem'd either; black it ficpd as Night,
Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,

And fhook a dreadful dart: what feem'd his head,
The likeness of a kingly crown had on.
Satan was now at hand, and from his feat
The monfter moving, onward came as fast
With horrid flrides: Hell trembled as he strode.
Th' undaunted fiend what this might be admir'd;
Admir'd, not fear'd; God and his fon except
Created thing nought valued he or shunn'd;
And with difdainful look thus first began:

Whence and what art thou, execrable fhape,
That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance
Thy mifcreated front athwart my way
To yonder gates? through them I mean to pafs,
That be affur'd, without leave afk'd of thee:
Retire, or tafte thy folly, and learn by proof,
Hell-born, not to contend with fp'rits of heav'n.
To whom the goblin full of wrath reply'd:
Art thou that traitor angel, art thou he
Who first broke peace in heav'n and faith, till then
Unbroken, and in proud rebellious arms
Drew after him the third part of heav'n's fons
Conjur'd against the high'ft, for which both thou
And they, outcast from God, are here condemn'd
To wafte eternal days in woe and pain?
And reckon'st thou thyfelf with fp'rits of heav'n, '
Hell-doom'd, and breath'ft defiance here, and scorn,
Where I reign king, and to enrage thee more,
Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment,
Falfe fugitive, and to thy speed add wings,
Left with a whip of fcorpions I pursue
Thy ling'ring, or with one ftroke of this dart
Strange horror feize thee, and pangs unfelt before.

So fpake the grifly Terror, and in shape, So fpeaking and fo threat'ning, grew ten-fold More dreadful and deform: on th' other fide, Incenf'd with indignation, Satan ftood Unterrify'd, and like a comet burn'd, That fires the length of Opiuchus huge In the Arctic fky, and from his horrid hair Shakes peftilence and war. Each at the head Level'd his deadly aim; their fatal hands No fecond stroke, intent, and fuch a frown Each caft at th' other, as when two black clouds, With heav'n's artillery fraught, come rattling on Over the Cafpian, then ftand front to front Hov'ring a space, till winds the signal blow To join their dark encounter in mid air: So frown'd the mighty combatants, that Hell Grew darker at their frown, so match'd they stood; For never but once more was either like To meet fo great a foe: and now great deeds Had been achiev'd, whereof all Hell had rung, Had not the fnaky forcerefs that fat Eaft by Hell gate, and kept the fatal key,' Rif'n, and with hideous outcry rufa'd between. O father, what intends thy hand, the cry'd Against thy only fon? What fury, O fon! Poffeffes thee to bend that mortal dart? Against thy father's head? and know'ft for whom; For him who fits above and laughs the while At thee ordain'd his drudge, to execute Whate'er his wrath, which he calls Juftice, bids; His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both. She fpake, and her words the hellish pest Forbore. Then thefe to her Satan return'd.

So ftrange the outcry, and thy words fo strange Thou interpofeft, that my fudden hand Prevented fpares to tell thee yet by deeds What it intends; till first I know of thee, What thing thou art, thus double-form'd, and why In this infernal, firft met, thou call'ft Me Father, and that phantafm call'ft my Son; I know thee not, nor ever faw till now Sight more deteftable than him and thee.

T' whom thus the portrefs of Hell gate reply'd:
Haft thou forgot me then, and do I feem
Now in thine eye fo foul? once deem'd so fair
In heav'n, when at th' assembly, and in fight`
Of all the feraphim with thee combin'd
In bold confpiracy against Heav'n's King,
All on a fudden miferable pain

Surprif'd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzy fwum
In darkness, while thy head flames thick and fast
Threw forth, till on the left fide opening wide,
Likeft to thee in fhape and count'nance bright,
Then fhining heav'nly fair, a goddess arm'd
Out of thy head I fprung: amafement feif'd
All th' hoft of Heav'n; back they recoil'd afraid
At first, and call'd me Sin, and for a fign
Portentous held me; but familiar grown,
I pleaf'd, and with attractive graces won
The moft averfe, thee chiefly, who full oft
Thyfelf in me thy perfect image viewing,
Becam't enamour'd, and fuch joy thou took'st
With me in fecret, that my womb conceiv'd

A growing burden. Meanwhile war arose,

And fields were fought in Heav'n; wherein remain'd

(For what could elfe?) to our almighty Foe
Clear victory, to our part lois and rout
Through all the empyrean, down they fell,
Driv'n headlong from the pitch of Heav'n down
Into this deep, and in the general fall

I alfo; at which time this powerful key
Into my hand was giv'n, with charge to keep
Thefe gates for ever fhut, which none can pafs
Without my op'ning. Penfive here I fat
Alone, but long I fat not, till my womb,
Pregnant by thee, and now exceffive grown,
Prodigious motion felt and rueful throes.
At last this odious offspring whom thou feeft,
Thine own begotten, breaking violent way,

| Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain
Distorted, all my nether fhape thus grew
Transform'd: but he my inbred enemy
Forth issued, brandishing his fatal dart
Made to destroy: I fled, and cry'd out Death;
Hell trembled at the hideous name, and figh'd
From all her caves, and back refounded Death.
I fled, but he purfued (though more, it seems,
Inflam'd with luft than rage) and fwifter far,
Me overtook his mother, all dismay'd,
And in embraces forcible and foul
Ingendering with me, of that rape begot
Thefe yelling monsters, that with ceafclefs cry
Surround me, as thou saw'st, hourly conceiv'd
And hourly born, with forrow infinite
To me; for when they lift, into the womb
That bred them, they return and howl, and gnaw
My bowels, their repast; then burfting forth
Afresh, with confcious terrors vex me round,
That reft or intermiffion none I find.
Before mine eyes in oppofition fits

| Grim Death, my fon and foe, who sets them on,
And me his parent would full foon devour
For want of other prey, but that he knows
His end with mine involv'd; and knows that I
fhould prove a bitter morfel, and his bane,
Whenever that fhall be; fo Fate pronounc'd.
But thou, O Father, I forewarn thee, shun
His deadly arrow; neither vainly hope
To be invulnerable in those bright arms,
Though temper'd heav'nly, for that mortal dint,
Save he who reigns above, none can resist.

She finifh'd; and the fubtle Fiend his lore Soon learn'd, now milder; and thus anfwer'd smooth:

Dear daughter,fince thou claim'ft me for thy fire,
And my fair fon here show'ft me, the dear pledge
Of dalliance had with thee in Heav'n, and joys
Then fweet, now fad to mention, through dire
change

Befall'n as unforeseen, unthought of; know,
I come no enemy, but to fet free
From out this dark and dismal house of pain,
Both him and thee, and all the heav'nly hoft
Of fpirits that in our juft pretences arm'd,
Fell with us from on high: from them I go
This uncouth errand fole, and one for all
Myfelf expofe, with lonely steps to tread
Th' unfounded deep, and through the void im

menfe