Then both from out Hell Gates into the wafte
Wide Anarchy of Chaos damp and dark
Flew diverfe, and with Power (their Power was great) Hovering upon the Waters; what they met
solid or flimy, as in raging Sea
Toft up and down, together crowded drove
From each fide fhoaling towards the mouth of Hell.
As when two Polar Winds blowing adverse
Upon the Cronian Sea, together drive
Mountains of Ice, that stop'd th' imagin'd way
Beyond Perfora Eaftward, to the rich
Cathaian Coaft. The aggregated Soyl
Death with his Mace petrific, cold and dry,
As with a Trident fmote, and fix'd as firm
As Delos floating once; the reft his look
Bound with Gorgonian rigour not to move,
And with Asphaltic flime; broad as the Gate,
Deep to the Roots of Hell the gather'd beach
They fasten'd, and the Mole immenfe wrought on 300
Over the foaming Deep, high Archt, a Bridge
Of length prodigious joyning to the Wall
Immoveable of this new fenceless world
Forfeit to Death; from hence a Paffage broad,
Smooth, cafie, inoffenfive down to Hell.
So, if great things to fmall may be compar'd
Xerxes, the Liberty of Greece to yoke,
From Sufa his Memnonian Palace high
Came to the Sea, and over Hellefpont
Bridging his way, Europe with Afia join'd,
And fcourg'd with many aftroke th' indignant waves.
Now had they brought the work by wondrous Art
Pontifical, a ridge of pendent Rock
Over the vext Abyss, following the track
Of Satan, to the self-fame place where he
First lighted from his Wing, and landed iafe
From out of Chaos to the outfide bare
Of this round World: with Pins of Adamant
And Chains they made all faft, too fast they made
And durable; and now in little space
The confines met of Empyrean Heay'n
And of this World, and on the left hand Hell
With long reach interpos'd; three fev'ral ways
In fight, to each of these three places led.
And now their way to Earth they had defcry'd, 325 To Paradise firft tending, when behold
Satan in likeness of an Angel bright
Betwixt the Centaure and the Scorpion steering
His Zenith, while the Sun in Aries role:
Difguis'd he came, but those his Children dear
Their Parent foon difcern'd, though in disguise.
He after Eve feduc'd, unminded flunk
Into the Wood faft by, and changing shape
To obferve the fequel, faw his guileful act
By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded
Upon her Husband, faw their fhape that fought
Vain covertures; but when he saw defcend
The Son of God to judge them, terrify'd
He fled, not hoping to Escape, but shun
The Prefent, fearing guilty what his wrath
Might suddenly infli&t; that past, return'd
By Night, and liftning where the hapless Pair
Sate in their fad discourse, and various plaint,
Thence gather'd his own doom, which understood
Not inftant, but of future time, with joy
And tidings fraught to Hell he now return'd,
And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot
Of this new wondrous Pontifice, unhop'd
Met who to meet him came, his Off-spring dear.
Great joy was at their meeting, and at fight
Of that ftupendious Bridge his joy encreas'd.
Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair
Inchanting Daughter, thus the filence broke.
O Parent, these are thy magnific deeds,
Thy Trophies which thou view'ft as not thine own,
Thou art their Author and prime Archite&:
For I no fooner in my Heart divin'd,
My Heart, which by a secret harmony
Still moves with thine, join'd in connexion sweet,
That thou on Earth hadft prosper'd, which thy looks
Now alfo evidence, but strait I felt,
Though diftant from thee Worlds between, yet felt
That I muft after thee with this thy Son,
Such fatal confequence unites us three:
Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds,
Nor this unvoyageable Gulf obfcure
Detain from following thy illuftrious track.
Thou haft atchiev'd our liberry, confin'd
Within Hell Gates till now, thou us impowr'd
To fortify thus far, and overlay
With this portentous Bridge the dark Abyss.
Thine now is all this World, thy virtue hath won
What thy hands builded not, thy Wisdom gain'd
With odds what War hath loft, and fully aveng'd
Our foil in Heav'n; here thou shalt Monarch reign,
There didft not; there let him ftill Victor fway,
As Battel hath adjudg'd, from this new World
Retiring, by his own doom alienated,
And henceforth Monarchy with thee divide
Of all things, parted by th' Empyreal bounds,
His Quadrature, from thy Orbicular World,
Or try thee now more dang' rous to his Throne.
Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answer'd glad.
Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both,
High proof ye now have giv'n to be the Race
Of Satan (for I glory in the name,
Antagonist of Heav'ns Almighty King)
Amply have merited of me, of all
Th' infernal Empire, that so near Heav'ns door
Triumphal with triumphal act have met,
Mine with this glorious Work, and made one Realm
Hell and this World, our Realm, one Continent
Of cafie thorough-fare. Therefore while I
Defcend through Darkness, on your Rode with ease
To my affociate Powers, them to acquaint
With these fucceffes, and with them rejoyce,
You two this way, among these numerous Orbs
All yours, right down to Paradife descend;
There dwell and Reign in bliss, thence on the Earth
Dominion exercise, and in the Air,
Chiefly on Man, fole Lord of all declar'd,
Him first make sure your thrall, and laftly kill.
My Substitutes I fend ye, and Greate
Plenipotent on Earth, of matchlefs might
Ifluing from me: on your joynt vigor now
My hold of this new kingdom all depends.
Through Sin to Death expos'd by my exploit.
If your joynt power prevail, th' affairs of Hell
No detriment need fear: go and be strong.
So faying he difmifs'd them. They with speed
Their courfe through thickeft Conftellations held
Spreading their bane; the blasted Stars lookt wan,
And Planets, Planet-ftrook, real Eclipse
Then fuffer'd. Th' other way Satan went down
The Caufey to Hell Gate; on either fide
Difparted Chaos over built exclaim'd,
And with rebounding furge the bars affail'd,
That scorn'd his indignation: through the Gate
Wide open and unguarded, Satan pass'd,
And all about found defolate; for thofe
Appointed to fit there, had left their charge,
Flown to the upper World; the reft were all
Far to th' inland retir'd, about the Walls
Of Pandemonium, City and proud feat
Of Lucifer, fo by allusion call'd,
Of that bright Star to Satan paragond.
There kept their watch the Legions, while the Grand
In Council fate, follicitous what chance
Might intercept their Emperor fent; so he
Departing gave Command, and they obferv❜d.
As when the Tartar from his Ruffian Foe
By Aftracan over the Snowy Plains
Retires, or Bactrian Sophy from the horns
Of Turkisb Crescent, leaves all wafte beyond
The Realm of Aladule, in his retreat
To Taurus or Casbeen. So thefe, the late
Heav'n-banish'd Hoft, left de fert utmost Hell
Many a dark League, reduc'd in careful Watch
Round their Metropolis, and now expecting
Each hour their great adventurer from the search
Of Foreign Worlds: hethrough the midst unmarkt,
In fhow Plebeian Angel militant
Of lowest order, paft; and from the door
Of that Plutonian Hall, invifible
Afcended his high Throne, which under ftate
Of richeft texture spread, at th' upper end
Was plac'd in regal lufture. Down a while
He fat, and round about him faw unfeen:
At laft as from a Cloud his fulgent head
And shape Star-bright appear'd, or brighter, clad
With what permiffive glory fince his fall
Was left him, or falfe glitter: All amaz'd
At that fo fudden blaze the Stygian throng
Bent their afpect, and whom they wish'd beheld,
Their mighty Chief return'd: loud was th' acclaim:
Forth rush'd in hafte the great confulting Peers,
Rais'd from their Dark Divan, and with like joy
Congratulant approach'd him, who with hand
Silence, and with these words attention won,
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
For in poffeffion such, not only of right,
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