And that must end us; that must be our cure, 145 150 Devoid of sense and motion? And who knows, 155 To punish endless? Wherefore cease we then?’ Say they who counsel war; we are decreed, 160 Reserved, and destined to eternal woe : What if all Her stores were opened, and this firmament 165 170 175 146-151. An idea which has doubtless tormented many who might otherwise have argued themselves to self-destruction. 155. Belial is here keener than Moloch, 11. 96-101. One day upon our heads? while we, perhaps, Caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurled, Each on his rock transfixed, the sport and prey 180 185 Ages of hopeless end! This would be worse. Views all things at one view? He from Heaven's highth All these our motions vain sees and derides; 191 Not more almighty to resist our might Than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. By my advice; since fate inevitable The sentence of their conqueror. This is now 195 200 205 186. Belial is of that lower order of mind which thinks it best to get along on what is obviously practical. They get on excellently in this world, but rarely achieve great things. 188. What can force or guile with him? Something of a Latinism, quid possit. What can force do? we should say. 208. There was a certain noble endurance in the preceding lines: now Belial shows rather a cringing lowness of mind. Our doom, which if we can sustain and bear, His anger, and perhaps, thus far removed, With what is punished; whence these raging fires 210 Our purer essence then will overcome 215 Their noxious vapour; or, inured, not feel; Or, changed at length, and to the place conformed In temper and in nature, will receive. Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain; 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, Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb, Our own right lost. Him to unthrone we then 225 230 224. For happy though but ill. When we regard our lot as happy it seems but ill, but when we regard it as ill, it seems not worst. 228. Mammon, although his advice runs along with that of Belial, offers a somewhat different argument, and shows a different temper, and, in fact, goes a step farther. Belial had been unable to arise to the fierce unrest of Moloch; in reality he hated the bother of making an effort. But Mammon is already more or less satisfied with Hell; he sees things (i. 678-688; ii. 270-273) that he really likes much better than he ever did the more spiritual delights of Heaven, of which he speaks with hardly veiled contempt (241–243). 234. The vanity of the former hope is evidence of the vanity of the latter. The latter; for what place can be for us 235 Within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's Lord'supreme We overpower? Suppose he should relent, 240 245 To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue By force impossible, by leave obtained 250 Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state Of 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 255 Hard liberty before the easy yoke Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear Then most conspicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse, We can create; and in what place soe'er 260 Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain 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 265 And with the majesty of darkness round 245. Ambrosial. Ambrosia was the food of the gods of the classics. The line is another reminiscence of Milton's traditions. 250. Here he gives his view of Belial's idea of possible forgiveness (209–220). 263, 264. A weak argument, not even specious. Covers his throne, from whence deep thunders roar 270 275 As soft as now severe, our temper changed To peaceful counsels and the settled state 280 Of what we are and where, dismissing quite All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise." He scarce had finished, when such murmur filled The assembly, as when hollow rocks retain 285 The sound of blustering winds, which all night long Seafaring men o'er-watched, whose bark by chance, After the tempest: such applause was heard 290 As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased, Advising peace; for such another field. They dreaded worse than Hell; so much the fear Wrought still within them; and no less desire 295 To found this nether empire, which might rise, In emulation opposite to Heaven. 278. Sensible, sense or sensibility; the adjective used for the noun. 294. Michaël means "the sword of God." The word must here be pronounced as a trisyllable. 296. Nether, lower. |