By sudden onset; either with Hell fire

To waste his whole creation, or possess

365

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

370

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,

375

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 devised
By Satan, and in part proposed: For whence,
But from the author of all ill, could spring
So deep a malice, to confound the race

380

Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell

To mingle and involve, done all to spite

The great Creator? But their spite still serves 385
His glory to augment. The bold design

Pleased highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent

They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.

Well have ye judged, well ended long debate, 390 Synod of Gods! and, like to what ye are,

Great things resolved, which, from the lowest deep,
Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view

[arms

Of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring
And opportune excursion, we may chance
Reenter Heaven; or else in some mild zone
Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light,
Secure; and at the brightening orient beam
Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air,
To heal the scar of these corrosive fires,

396

400

Shall breathe her balm. But first whom shall we send
In search of this new world? whom shall we find
Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandering feet
The dark unbottoin'd infinite abyss,

And through the palpable obscure find out

405

II:s uncouth way, or spread his aery 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

411

Through the strict senteries and stations thick

Of Angels watching round? Here he had need

All circumspection; and we now no less

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,

420

Pondering the danger with deep thought; and each In other's countenance read his own dismay, Astonish'd: None among the choice and prime

Of those heaven-warring champions could be found So hardy as to proffer or accept,

425

Alone, the dreadful voyage; till at last

Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride,

Conscious of highest, worth, unmoved thus spake .
O Progeny of Heaven, empyreal Thrones!
With reason hath deep silence and demur
Seized us, though undismay'd: Long is the ways
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.
These pass'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of unessential Night receives him next

430

435

Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf.
If thence ne scape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him less
Than unknown dangers and as hard escape. ?
But I should ill become this throne, O Peers,
And this imperial sov'reignty, adorn'd

440

445

With splendour, arm'd with power, if aught proposed And judged of public moment, in the shape

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

455

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 ease
The present misery, and render Hell
More tolerable; if there be cure or charm

460

To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain

Of this ill mansion: interm't no watch

Against a wakeful Foe, while I abroad

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

465

None shall partake with me. Thus saying rose

The Monarch, and prevented all reply;

Prudent, lest, from his resolution raised,
Others among the chief might offer now
(Certain to be refused) what erst they fear'd;
And, so refused, might in opinion stand
His rivals; winning cheap the high repute
Which he through hazard huge must earn.
Dreaded not more the adventure than his voice
Forbidding; and at once with him they rose:
Their rising all at once was as the sound

470

But they

475

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 praised 180 That for the general safety he despised

His own: For neither do the Spirits damn'd

Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast

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:

485

As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds

Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o'erspread
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
Extend his evening beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Attest their joy, that hill and valley ring.
O shame to men! Devil with Devil damn'd

490

495

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

500

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.

505

The Stygian council thus dissolved; and forth

In order came the grand infernal Peers:

Midst came their mighty Paramount, and seem'd

Alone the Antagonist of Heaven, nor less

Than Hell's dread Emperor, with pomp supreme 510 And Godlike imitated state him round

:

A globe of fiery Seraphim enclosed

With bright emblazonry and horrent arms.

Then of their session ended they bid cry

With trumpets' regal sound the great result:

515

Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim
Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy,
By herald's voice explain'd; the hollow abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell

With deafening shout return'd them loud acclaim. 520 Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised By false presumptuous hope, the ranged Powers Disband; and, wandering, each his several way Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

Leads him perplex'd, 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 curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form.
As when, to warn proud cities, war appears
Waged in the troubled sky, and armies rush
To battle in the clouds, before each van

530

535

Prick forth the aery knights, and couch their spears

Till thickest legions close; with feats of arms
From either end of Heaven the welkin burns.
Others, with vast Typhoan 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 the envenom'd robe, and tore

540

Through pain up by the roots Thessalian pines;

And Lichas from the top of Eta threw into the Euboic sea. Others more mild,

5.15

(What could it less when spirits inmortal sing?)