PARADISE LOST. BOOK II. The ARGUMENT. The Consultation begun, Satar debates whether another Battel be to be bazarded for the recovery of Heaven: fome advise it, others diffuade A third propofal is prefer'd, mention'd before by Satan, to search the Truth of that Prophecy or Tradition in Heaven concerning another World, and another kind of Creature, equal, or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created: Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult fearch: Satan their Chief undertakes alone the Voyage; is honour'd and applauded. The Council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral ways; and to feveral imployments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time 'till Satan reC 2 turn. turn. He paffes on his Journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who fate there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what dif ficulty be paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new World which he fought. H IGH on a Throne of Royal State, which far Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous Eaft with richest Show'rs on her Kings Barbaric Pearl and Gold, To that bad eminence; and from despair Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n, More glorious and more dread than from no fall, Me though juft Right, and the fix'd Laws of Heav'n ΤΟ IS 20 25 30 Will |