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Banded against his throne, but to remain
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
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 foiled with loss
Irreparable; * * What if we find

*

Some easier enterprise? There is a place (If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven Err not,) another world, the happy seat

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Of some new race called Man, about this time

To be created like to us, though less

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In power and excellence, but favoured more

Of Him who rules above; so was his will

Pronounced among the gods, and by an oath

That shook Heaven's whole circumference2 confirmed.
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,
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: Here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achieved
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 puny3 inhabitants; 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
In our confusion, and our joy upraise

1 See above, line 88.
2 See Iliad, lib. i. 530.

"Puny," in its original sense,

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meant, "born afterwards or since; ' puis (depuis) né; Fr.

In his disturbance; when his darling1 sons,

Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse

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Their frail original, and faded bliss,

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:

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* 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,

Synod of gods! and, like to what ye are,

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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

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Of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring arms
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 brightening orient beam
Purge off this gloom: But first, whom shall we send
In search of this new world? whom shall we find
Sufficient? who shall tempt2 with wandering feet
The dark, unbottomed, infinite abyss,

And through the palpable obscure3 find out

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His uncouth way, or spread his airy flight

Upborne with indefatigable wings

Over the vast abrupt3, ere he arrive1

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

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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,
The weight of all, and our last hope, relies."
This said, he sat; and expectation held
His look suspense, awaiting who appeared

1 Darling, a diminutive of " dear." 2 Attempt.

3 "Palpable obscure.... vast abrupt." Græcisms; see line 257.

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4 Arrive; literally, "to come to the shore."

To second, or oppose, or undertake

The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,

Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In other's countenance read his own dismay,
Astonished: none among the choice and prime

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

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 :

SATAN.

"O Progeny of Heaven, empyreal1 Thrones!
With reason hath deep silence and demur
Seized us, though undismayed: 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,
Barred over us, prohibit all egress.
These passed, if any pass, the void profound
Of unessential Night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf.
If thence he '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 sovranty, adorned

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With splendour, armed with power, if aught proposed

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To him who reigns, and so much to him due

Of hazard more, as he above the rest

High honoured sits? Go, therefore, mighty Powers, 415

1 66 Empyreal," from "Empyrean," the highest heaven; the word was applied by philosophers to the fiery

element supposed to exist above the
ethereal.

Terror of Heaven, though fallen! intend1 at home,
While here shall be our home, what best may ease
The present misery, and render Hell

More tolerable; intermit no watch

Against a wakeful Foe, while I abroad

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

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 erst2 they feared;
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

But they

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Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend
With awful reverence prone; and as a god

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Extol him equal to the Highest in Heaven:

Nor failed they to express how much they praised
That for the general safety he despised

His own for neither do the Spirits damned

Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast

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Their specious deeds on earth, which glory excites,
Or close ambition, varnished 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'erspread
Heaven's cheerful face, the louring element

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Scowls o'er the darkened 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 rings.
O shame to men! Devil with devil damned
Firm concord holds ; men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope
Of heavenly grace: and, God proclaiming peace,

1 Consider.

2 "Up to the present time."

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Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife,
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wasting the earth, each other to destroy1:
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 dissolved; and forth
In order came the grand infernal Peers:
Midst came their mighty Paramount, and seemed
Alone the Antagonist of Heaven, nor less
Than Hell's dread Emperor, with pomp supreme,
And god-like imitated state him round
A globe of fiery Seraphim enclosed
With bright emblazonry, and horrent 2 arms.
Then of their session ended they bid cry
With trumpets' regal sound the great result:
Towards the four winds four speedy Cherubim
Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy3,
By herald's voice explained; the hollow abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell
With deafening shout returned them loud acclaim.
Thence, more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised
By false presumptuous hope, the rangèd Powers
Disband; and, wandering, each his several way
Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

Leads him perplexed, where he may likeliest find
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 fields1;
Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigads 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
Prick forth the aery knights, and couch their spears
Till thickest legions close; with feats of arms

1 An allusion to the civil war between Charles I. and the parliament. 2 Rough, bristling.

3 Alchemy, used for trumpets, by the figure metonymy, when a thing is expressed by circumstances con

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nected with it; as here the metal for the instrument.

4 Celebrated Grecian games; the Olympian held at Olympia, in Elis; the Pythian, near the temple of Apollo at Delphi, in Phocis.

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