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His red right hand to plague us? What if all
Her stores were open'd, and this firmament
Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire,
Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall
One day upon our heads; while we perhaps
Designing or exhorting glorious war,
Caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurl'd
Each on his rock transfix'd, the sport and prey
Of wracking whirlwinds; or for ever sunk
Under
yon boiling ocean, wrapp'd in chains;
There to converse with everlasting groans,
Unrespited, unpitied, unreprieved,

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Ages of hopeless end? This would be worse.
War therefore, open or conceal'd, alike

My voice dissuades; for what can force or guile
With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye

Views all things at one view? He from Heaven's height All these our motions vain sees and derides;

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Not more almighty to resist our might

Than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles.

Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heavǝn

Thus trampled, thus expell'd to suffer here

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Chains and these torments? better these than worse,

By my advice; since fate inevitable

Subdues us, and omnipotent decree,

The Victor's will To suffer, as to do,

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Our strength is equal, nor the law unjust
That so ordains: This was at first resolved,
If we were wise, against so great a Foe
Contending, and so doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold
And venturous, if that fail them, shrink and fear 205
What yet they know must follow, to endure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,
The sentence of their Conqueror: This is now

Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear,

Our Supreme Foe in time may much remit
His anger; and perhaps, thus far removed

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Not mind us not offending, satisfied

With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.

Our purer essence then will overcome

Their noxious vapour; or, inured, not feel;

Or changed at length, and to the place conform'd
In temper and in nature, will receive

Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;

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This horror will grow mild, this darkness light; 220
Besides what hope the never ending flight

of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting; since our present lot appears
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.

Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb,
Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth,
Not peace: And after him thus Mammon spake

Either to disenthrone the King of Heaven
We war, if war be best, or to regain
Our own right lost: Him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield
To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife:
The former, vain to hope, argues as vain
The latter: For what place can be for us

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Within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's Lord supreme We overpower? Suppose he should relent,

And publish grace to all, on promise made

Of new subjection; with what eyes could we

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Stand in his presence humble, and receive
Strict laws imposed, to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns and to his Godhead sing
Forced Hallelujahs: while he lordly sits
Our envied Sov'reign, and his altar breathes
Ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers,
Our servile offerings? This must be our task
In Heaven, this our delight; how wearisome
Eternity so spent, in worship paid

To whom we hate! Let us not then presume

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By force impossible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state
Oi splendid vassalage; but rather seek

Our own good from ourselves, and from our own
Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring

Hala liberty before the easy yoke

Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear

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Then most conspicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse,

We can create; and in what place soe'er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain,

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Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all-ruling Sire
Choose to reside, his glory unobscured,
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Mustering their rage, and Heaven resembles Hell'
As he our darkness, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This desert soil
Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heaven show more?
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements; these piercing fires
As soft as now severe, our temper changed

Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counsels, and the settled state
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are, and where; dismissing quite
All thoughts of war: Ye have what I advise.

He scarce had finish'd, when such murmur fill'd
The assembly as when hollow rocks retain
The sound of blustering winds, which all night long
Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull

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Seafaring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance,
Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay

After the tempest: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased,
Advising peace: for such another field

They dreaded worse than Heli: so much the fear
Of thunder and the sword of Michael

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Wrought still within them; and no less desire

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To found this nether empire, which might rise
By policy, and long procéss of time,

in emulation opposite to Heaven.

Which when Beelzebub perceived, than whom
Satan except none higher sat, with grave
Aspéct he rose, and in his rising seem'd

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A pillar of state; deep on his front engraven
Deliberation sat, and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: sage he stood

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With Atlantean shoulders fit to bare

The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look

Drew audience and attention still as night

Or summer's noontide air, while thus he spake.

Thrones and Imperial Powers, Offspring of Heaven, Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now

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Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd
Princes of Hell! for so the popular vote

Inclines, here to continue, and build up here

A growing empire; doubtless! while we dream, 315
And know not that the King of Heaven hath doom'd
This place our dungeon; not our safe retreat
Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt

From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain

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In strictest bondage, though thus far removed
Under the inevitable curb, reserved

His captive multitude: For he, be sure

In height or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part

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By our revolt; but over Hell extend

His empire, and with iron sceptre rule

Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven.
What sit we then projecting peace and war?

War hath determined us, and foil'd with loss

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Irreparable; terms of peace yet none

Vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be given

'lo us enslaved, but custody severe,

And stripes, and arbitrary punishment

Inflicted? and what peace can we return,

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But to our power hostility and hate,

Untamed reluctance, and revenge though slow
Yet ever plotting how the conqueror least

May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice

In doing what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need

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With dangerous expedition to invade

Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault nor siege,

Or ambush from the deep. What if we find

Some easier enterprise? There is a place

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(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven

Err not,) another world, the happy seat

Of some new race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less

In power and excellence, but favour'd more

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Of Him who rules above; so was his will
Pronounced among the Gods, and by an oath,

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That shook Heaven's whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,
Or substance, how endued, and what their power,
And where their weakness, how attempted best,
By force or subtlety. Though Heaven be shut,
And Heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure

In his own strength, this place may lie exposed, 360

The utmost border of his kingdom, left

To their defence who hold it: Here perhaps

Some advantageous act may be achieved

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