Invincible: abafht the Devil stood,
And felt how awful goodness is, and faw
Virtue in her shape how lovely, faw, and pin'd
His lofs: but chiefly to find here obferv'd
His luftre visibly impair'd; yet seem'd
Undaunted. If I muft contend, faid he,
Beft with the beft, the Sender not the fent,
Or All at once; more glory will be won,
Or lefs be loft. Thy fear, faid Zephon bold,
Will fave us trial what the leaft can do
Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.
The Fiend reply'd not, overcome with rage; But like a proud Steed rein'd, went haughty on, Chaumping his iron curb: to strive or flie He held it vain; awe from above had quell'd His heart, not elfe difmay'd. Now drew they nigh The Western Point, where thofe half rounding guards Juft met, and closing stood in fquadron joyn'd Awaiting next command. To whom their Chief Gabriel from the Front thus call'd aloud.
O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hafting this way, and now by glimps difcern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade,
And with them comes a third of Regal port,
But faded fplendor wan; who by his gate
And fierce demeanour feems the Prince of Hell.
Not likely to part hence without conteft;
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.
He scarce had ended when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found, How bufied, in what form and posture couch'd.
To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake. Why haft thou, Satan, broke the bounds prefcrib'd To thy trangreffions, and disturb'd the charge
Of others, who approve not to trangrefs
By thy example, but have power and right
To queftion thy bold entrance on this place;
Imploy'd it seems to violate fleep, and those
Whofe dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?
To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous brow. Gabriel, thou had'ft in Heav'n th' esteem of wife, 886 And Such I held thee; but this question askt
Puts me in doubt; lives there who loves his pain?
Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,
Tho' thither doom'd? Thou would'st thy self, no doubt,
And boldly venture to whatever place
Fartheft from pain, where thou mightst hope to change
Torment with ease, and fooneft recompence
Dole with delight, which in this place I fought;
To thee no reason; who know'st only good,
But evil haft not try'd: and wilt object
His will who bound us? let him furer bar
His Iron Gates, if he intends our stay
In that dark durance: thus much was askt.
The reft is true, they found me where they fay;
But that implies not violence or harm.
Thus he in fcorn. The warlike Angel mov'd,
Disdainfully half smiling thus reply'd.
Olofs of one in Heav'n to judge of wise,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prison scap❜d,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wife
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicens'd, from his bounds in Hell prefcrib'd;
So wife he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment.
So judge thou ftill, presumptuous, till the wrath
Which thou incurr'ft by flying, meet thy flight
Sevenfold, and fcourge that Wisdom back to Hell,
Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain
Can equal anger infinite provok'd.
But wherefore thou Alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all Hell broke loose? is pain to them
Lefs pain, lefs to be fled, or thou than they
Lefs hardy to endure? Couragious Chief,
The first in flight from pain, had'st thou alledg'd
To thy deserted hoft this cause of flight,
Thou surely had'ft not come fole fugitive.
To which the Fiend thus answer'd, frowning stern.
Not that I lefs endure, or shrink from pain,
Infulting Angel, well thou know'ft I ftood,
Thy fierceft, when in Battel to thy Aid
The blafting vollied Thunder made all speed,
And feconded thy elfe not dreaded Spear.
But ftill thy words at random, as before,
Argue thy inexperience what behoves,
From hard affaies and ill fucceffes past,
A faithful Leader, not to hazard all
Through ways of danger by himself untry'd.
I therefore, I Alone firft undertook
Towing the defolate Abyss, and spie
This new created World, whereof inHell
Fame is not filent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To fettle here one Earth, or in mid Air;
Though for poffeffion put to try once more
What thou and thy gay Legions dare against ;
Whose easier bufinefs were to ferve their Lord
High up in Heav'n, with Songs to hymn his Throne,
And practis'd distances, to Cringe, not Fight,
To whom the warriour Angel foon reply'd.
To say and ftrait unfay, pretending first
Wife to fly pain, profeffing next the Spy,
Argues no Leader, but a Liar trac'd.
Satan! and couldft thou Faithful add? O name,
Ofacred name of Faithfulness profan'd!
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.
Was this your discipline, and faith ingag'd,
Your military obedience, to diffolve
Allegiance to th' acknowledg'd Power fupream?
And thou fly hypocrite, who now wouldft seem
Patron of liberty, who more than Thou
Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and fervilly ador'd
Heav'ns awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope
To difpoffefs him, and they self to reign?
But mark what I arreede thee now. Avant.
Flie thither whence thou fledft; if from this hour
Within thefe hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th' Infernal Pit I drag thee chain'd,
And Seal thee fo, as henceforth not to fcorn
The facil gates of Hell too slightly barr'd.
So threaten'd he, but Satan to no threats Gave heed, but waxing more in rage reply'd.
Then when I am thy Captive talk of chaines,
Proud limitary Cherube, but ere then
Far heavier load thy felf expect to feel
From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy Compeers,
Us'd to the yoak, draw'ft his triumphant wheels
In progress through the road of Heav'n Star-pav'd.
While thus he fpake, th' Angelic Squadron bright
Turn'd fiery Red, sharpning 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 Plowman doubting stands,
Left on the threshing floore his hopeful sheaves
Prove chaff. On th' other fide Satan alarm'd
Collecting all his might Dilated ftood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:
His ftature reach'd the Sky, and on his Creft
Sat horror plum'd: nor wanted in his grafpe
What feem'd' both Spear and Shield: now dreadful deeds
Might have enfu'd; not only Paradife
In this commotion, but the Starry Cope
Of Heav'n perhaps, or all the Elements
At least had gone to wreck, difturb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not foon
Th' Eternal, to prevent fuch horrid fray,
Hung forth in Heav'n his golden Scales, yet feen
Betwixt Aftrea and the Scorpion fign,
Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round Earth with ballanc'd Air,
In counterpoife, now ponders all events,
Battels and Realms: in thefe he puts two weights
The fequel each of Parting and of Fight;
The Latter quick up flew, and kickt the beam;
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespoke the Fiend.
Satan, I know thy ftrength, and thou know'ft mine, Neither our own but Giv'n; what folly then
To boaft what Arms can do, fince thine no more
Than Heav'n permits, nor mine, though Doubl'd now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy Lot in yon celeftial Sign
Where thou art weigh'd, and fhown how light, how weak,
If thou refift. The Fiend lookt up, and knew
His mounted fcale aloft: nor more; but fled
Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night,
The End of the Fourth Book.
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