The prifon of his tyranny who reigns
By our delay? No, let us rather choose,
Arm'd with hell flames and fury, all at once
O'er heav'n's high tow'rs to force refiflefs way,
Turning our tortures into horrid arms
Against the tort'rer; when to meet the noise
Of his almighty engine he fhall hear
Infernal thunder, and for lightning fee
Black fire and horrer fhot with equal rage
Among his angels, and his throne itfelf
Mix'd with Tartarean fulphur, and ftrange fire,
His own invented torments. But, perhaps,
The way feems difficult and fteep to fcale
With upright wing against a higher foe.
Let fuch bethink them, if the fleepy drench
Of that forgetful lake benuaib not fill,
That in our proper motion we afcend
Up to our native feat : defcent and fall
To us is adverfe. Who but felt of late,
When the fierce foe hung on our broken rear,
Infulting, and pursued as through the deep,
With what compulfion and laborious flight
We funk thus low? Th' afcent is eafy then;
Th' event is fear'd; fhould we again provoke
Our ftronger, fome worfe way his wrath may find
To our deftruction; if there be in hell

[demn'd

Fear to be worfe deftroy'd: what can be worfe
Than to dwell here, driv'n out from blifs, con-
In this abhorred deep to utter woe;
Where pain of unextinguishable fire
Muft exercise us, without hope of end,
The vaffals of his anger, when the fcourge
Inexorably, and the torturing hour
Calls us to penance? More deftroy'd than thus,
We should be quite abolish'd, and expire.
What fear we then? what doubt we to incenfe
His utmost ire? which, to the height enrag'd,
Will either quite confume us, and reduce
To nothing this effential, happier far
Than miferable to have eternal being:
Or if our fubftance be indeed divine,
And cannot ceafe to be, we are at worst
On this fide nothing; and by proof we fell,
Our pow'r fufficient to difturb his heav'n,
And with perpetual inroads to alarm,
Though innaceffible, his fatal throne :
Which, if not victory, is yet revenge.

He ended frowning, and his look denounc'd
Defp'rate revenge, and battle dangerous
To kis than gods. On th' other fide up rofe
Belial, in act more graceful and humane;
A fairer person loft not heav'n; he seem'd
Fer dignity compof'd, and high exploit:
But all was falie and hollow; though his tongue
Dropt manna, and could make the worfe appear
The better reafon, to perplex and dash
Matureft counfels: for his thoughts were low,
To vice induftrious, but to nobler deeds
Timorous and flothful: yet he pleaf'd the ear,
And with perfuafive accent thus began:

I should be much for open war, O Peers, As not behind in hate; if what was urg'd Main reafon to perfuade immediate war, Did not diffuade me moft, and feem to caft Omigous conjecture on the whole fuccefs:

When he who most excels in fact of arms,
In what he counfels, and in what excels,
Mistrustful, grounds his courage on defpair,
And utter diflolution, as the scope

Of all his aim, after fome dire revenge.

First, what revenge? the towers of heav'n are fill❜ð
With armed watch, that render all accefs
Impregnable; oft on the bord'ring deep
Encamp their legions, or with obfcure wing
Scout far and wide into the realm of night,
Scorning furprife. Or could we break our way
By force, and at our heels all hell fhould rife
With blackeft infurrection, to confound
Heav'n's pureft light, yet our great enemy,
All incorruptible, would on his throne
Sit unpolluted, and th' ethereal mould,
Incapable of frain, would foon expel
Her mifchief, and purge off the baser fire,
Victorious. Thus repulf'd, our final hope
Is flat defpair: we muft exafperate

Th' almighty victor to spend all his rage,
And that muft end us; that must be our cure,
To be no more; fad cure! for who would lofe,
Though full of pain, this intellectual being,
Thofe thoughts that wander through eternity,
To perish rather, fwallow'd up and loft
In the wide womb of uncreated night,
Devoid of fenfe and motion? and who knows,'
Let this be good, whether our angry foe
Can give it, or will ever? how he can,
Is doubtful; that he never will, is fure.
Will he, fo wife, let loofe at once his ire,
Belike through impotence, or unaware,
To give his enemics their wifh, and end
Them in his anger, whom his anger faves
To purifh endlefs? Wherefore ceafe we then?
Say they who counfel war, we are decreed,
Referv'd, and deftin'd to eternal woe;
Whatever doing, what can we fuffer more,
What can we fuffer worfe? Is this then worst,
Thus fitting, thus confulting, thus in arms?
What, when we fled amain, and purfu'd and struck
With heav'n's afflicting thunder, and befought
The deep to fhelter us? this hell then feem'd
A refuge from thofe wounds: or when we lay
Chain'd on the burning lake? that sure was worse.
What, if the breath that kindled thofe grim fires,
Awak'd, fhould blow them into feven-fold-rage,
And plunge us in the flames? or from above,
Should intermitted vengeance arm again
His red right hand to plague us? what, if all
Her ftores were open'd, and this firmament
Of hell fhould spout her cataracts of fire,
Impendent horrors, threat'ning hideous fall
One day upon our heads; while we, perhaps,
Defigning or exhorting glorious war,
Caught in a fiery tempeft, fhall be hurl'd
Each on his rock transfix'd, the sport and prey
Of wracking whirlwinds, or for ever funk
Under yon boiling ocean, wrapt in chains;
There to converfe with everlafting groans,
Unreipited, unpitied, unrepriev'd,
Ages of hopelets end? this would be worfe.
War, therefore, open or conceal'd, alike
My voice diffundes; for what can force or guile
B

Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'n's high jurifdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In ftricteft bondage, tho' thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb referv'd
His captive multitude: for he, be sure,

In height or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lofe no part
By our revolt, but over hell extend
His empire, and with iron fceptre rule
Us here, as with his golden those in heav'n.
What! fit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loís
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none

So deep a malice, to confound the race
Of mankind in one root, and earth with hell
To mingle and involve, done all to fpite

The

To us inflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And ftripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return
But to our power hoftility and hate,

Untam'd reluctance, and revenge, though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqu'ror leaft
May reap his conqueft, and may leaft rejoice
In doing what we most in fuffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need,
With dangerous expedition, to invade
Heav'n, whofe high walls fear no affault er fiege,
Or ambush from the deep. What, if we find
Some eafier enterprife? There is a place,
(If ancient and prophetic fame in heav'n
Err not) another world, the happy feat

Of fome new race call'd MAN, about this time
To be created like to us, though lefs
In power and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above; fo was his will
Pronounc'd among the gods, and, by an oath,
That hook heaven's whole circumference, con-
firm'd.

Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould
Or fubftance, how endu'd, and what their power,
And where their weakness, how attempted beft,
By force or fubtlety. Though Heav'n be fhut,
Ard Heav'n's high Arbitrator fit fecure
In his own ftrength, this place may lie expos'd,
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achiev'd
By fudden onset, either with hell fire
To wafte his whole creation, or poffefs
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 furpaís
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our confufion, and our joy upraise
In his disturbance; when his darling fons,
Hurl'd head-long to partake with us, fhall curfe
Their frail original, and faded blifs,
Faded fo foon. Advise if this be worth-
Attemping, or to fit 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

Re-enter heav'n; or elfe in fome mild zone
Dwell not unvifited of heav'n's fair light
Secure, and at the brightening orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the foft delicious air,
To heal the fear of thefe corrofive fires, [fend
Shall breathe her balm. But firft, whom fhall we
In fearch of this new world? whom fhall we find
Sufficient? who fhall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,
And through the palpable obfcure find out
His uncouth way, or fpread his airy flight,
Upborne with indefatigable wings,

Over the vast abrubt, e'er he arrive

The happy ifle; what flrength, what art can then
Suffice, or what evafion bear him fafe
Through the ftrict fenteries and ftations thick
Of angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumfpection, and we now no lefs
Choice in their fuffrage; for on whom we fend,
The weight of all and our laft hope relies.

This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His looks fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd,
To fecond, or oppofe, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,
Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and
In others count'nance read his own difmay, [each
Aftonish'd: none among the choice and prime
Of thofe heav'n-warring champions, could be
So hardy as to proffer or accept
[found
Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last
Satan, whom now tranfcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchial pride
Confcious of higheft worth, unmov'd, thus spake:
O progeny of heav'n! empyreal thrones!
With reafon hath deep filence and demur
Seis'd us, though undifmay'd: long is the way,
And hard, that out of hell leads up to light;
Our prifon ftrong; this huge convex of fire,
Outrageous to devour, immures us round,
Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us, prohibit all egrefs.
Thefe pafs'd, if any pafs, the void profound
Of uneffential Night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter lofs of being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
If thence he 'fcape, into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him lefs
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I fhould ill become this throne, O Peers!
And this imperial fov'reignty, adorn'd

Of four infernal rivers, that difgorge
Into the burning lake their baleful streams;
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 ttream; 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 food a frozen continent
Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual forms
Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land
Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin feems
Of ancient pile; or elfe deep now and ice,
A gulf profound as that Scrbonian bog
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 daman'd
Are brought, and feel by turns the bitter change
of fierce extremes, by change more fierce,
From beds of raging fire to ftarve 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 with and fruggle as they pafs, to reach
The tempting stream, with one small drop to lofe
in fweet forgetfulness all pain and woc,
All in one moment, and do near the brink;
Fat fate withstands, and to oppofe til' attempt
Medufa with Gorgonian terror, guards
Titc ford, and of itself the water flics
All tade of living wight, as once it fled
The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on

I confuf'd march forlorn, th' advent'rous bands,
With thu d'ring horror pale, and eyes aghaft,
View'd firft their lamentible lot, and found
Sort: through many a dark and dreary vale
"Oncy pufs'd, and many a region dolorous,
Cermally a frozen, many a fiery Alp,

Of Ternate and Tidore, whence merchants brin
Their fpicy drugs: they on the trading flood
Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape
Ply ftemming nightly tow'rd the pole. So feem'd
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, [brab,
Impenetrable, impal'd with circling fire,
Yet unconfum'd. Before the gates there fat
On either fide a formidable fhape;

The one feem'd woman to the wafte, and fair,
But ended foul in many a fcaly fold
Volumnious and vaft, 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 howld
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 fhadow feem'd,
For each feem'd either; black it flood as Night,
Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell,

And hook a dreadful dart: what feem'd his head,
The likenefs of a lingly crown had on.
Satan was now at hand, and from his feat
The moniter moving, onward came as fast
With horrid frides: Hell trembled as he strode.
Th','ndaunted fiend what this might be admir's
Admir'd, not fear'd; God and his fon except
Created thing nought valued he or fhunn'd;
And with dildainful look thus firft began:

Whence and what art thou, execrable shape,
That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance
Thy mifcreated front athwart my way
To yonder gates? through them I mean to par,

ceath,

Anniverit of death, which God by curfe

Created evil, for evil only good,

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

Han 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'it defign, Puts on fwift wings, and towards the gates of hell Explores his folitary flight; fometimes

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

Retire, or taíte thy folly, and learn by proof,
Heli-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'it, for which both theu
And they, outcast from God, are here condemn d
To wafte eternal days in woe and pain?
And reckon't thou thyfelf with fp'rits of heav'n,
Hell-doom'd, and breath'ft defiance here, and fcoru,
Where I reign king, and to enrage thee more,
Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment,
Falfe fugitive, and to thy fpeed 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.