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To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow: 885
Gabriel! thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of wise,
And such I held thee; but this question ask'd
Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain?
Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,
Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt,
And boldly venture to what ever place
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Furthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change
Torment with ease, and soonest recompense
Dole with delight, which in this place I sought;
To thee no reason, who know'st only good,
But evil hast n t tried: and wilt object

His will who bounds us? Let him surer bar
His iron gates, if he intends our stay

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In that dark durance: thus much what was ask'd. The rest is true, they found me where they say; 900 But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel moved,
Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied:

O loss of one in Heaven to judge of wise
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prison scaped,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicensed from his bounds in Hell prescribed;
So wise he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment!

So judge thou still presumptuous! till the wrath,
Which thou incurr'st by flying, meet thy flight
Sevenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hel?,
Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain
Can equal anger infinite provoked.

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But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with theo

Came not all hell broke loose? is pain to them
Less pain, less to be fled; or thou than they
Less hardy to endure? Courageous Chief!
The firs in flight from pain' hadɗt thou alleged

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To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.

To which the Fiend thus answer'd, frowning stern

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Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,
Insulting Angel! well thou know'st I stood
Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid
The blasting vollied thunder made all speed,
And seconded thy else not dreaded spear.
But still thy words at random, as before,
Argue thy inexperience what behoves
From hard assays and ill successes pass'd
A faithful leader, not to hazard all

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Through ways of danger by himself untried
I, therefore, I alone first undertook

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To wing the desolate abyss, and spy

This new created world, whereof in Hell
Fame is not silent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To settle here on earth, or in mid air;

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Though for possession put to try once more

What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
Whose easier business were to serve their Lord

High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, And practised distances to cringe, not fight.

To whom the warrior Angel soon replied:

To say and straight unsay, pretending first
Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy,
Argues no leader but a liar traced,

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Satan, and coulast thou 'faithful' add? O name, 950 O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!

Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?

Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.

Was this your discipline and faith engaged,
Your military obedience, to dissolve

Allegiance to the acknowledged Power supreme!
And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty who more than thou

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Once fawn'd, and cringed, and servilely adorod Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but i hope 96€ To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?

But mark what I aread thee now: Avaunt!

Fly thither whence thou fledst! If from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to the' infernal pit I drag thee chain'd,
And seal thee so as henceforth not to scorn
The facile gates of Hell too slightly barr'd.

So threatened he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied
Then when I am thy captive talk of chains.
Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then
Far heavier load thyself expect to feel

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From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers,
Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels 975
In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved.
While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, sharpening in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round
With ported spears, as thick as when a field
Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends
Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind
Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting stands,
Lest on the tareshing-floor his hopeless sheaves
Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd, 985
Collecting all his might, dilated stood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremoved :

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His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest

Sat Ilorror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp

What seem'd both spear and shield: now dreadful deeds

Might have ensued, nor only Paradise

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In this commotion, but the starry cope

Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wreck, disturb'd and turn
With violence in this conflict, had not soon

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The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,

Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign,

Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,

The pendulous round earth with balanced air 1000

In counterpoise, now ponders all events,

Battles and realms: in these he put two weights,

The sequel each of parting and of fight:

The latter quick up flew and kick'd the beam;

Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend: 1005
Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine
Neither our own, but give..: what folly then

To boast what arms can do? since thine no more
Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celestial sign;

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[weak,

Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light, how
If thou resist. The Fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: no more; but fled

Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night. 1015

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream he likes it not, yet comforts her: They come forth to their day labours; Their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his obedience, of his free estate, of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enery, and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise; his appearance describ ed; his coming discerned by Adam afar off sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise got together by Eve; their discourse at table: Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revol in Heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel, a Seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes

him.

Now Morn, her rosy steps in the' eastern clime

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When Adam waked, so custom'd; for his sleep
Was aery light, from pure digestion bred,

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And temperate vapours bland, which the' only sound 5
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough; so much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With tresses discomposed, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest: he, on his side
Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
Her hand soft touching, whisper'd thus: Awake
My fairest, my espoused, my latest found,
Heaven's last best gift, my ever new delight'

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