The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: fome advise it, others diffuade. A third proposal is preferr'd, mentioned 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 fhall be sent on this difficult fearch. Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage; is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to Hell gates; finds them shut, and who fat there to guard them; by whom at length they are open'd, and discover to him the gulf between Hell and Heaven with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.
HIGH on a throne of royal ftate, which far
Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous eaft with richest hand
Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted fat, by merits rais'd
To that bad eminence; and, from despair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, afpires
Beyond thus high, infatiate to pursue
Vain war with Heav'n; and, by fuccefs untaught,
His proud imaginations thus display'd.
"Pow'rs and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n!
For, fince no deep within her gulph can hold
Immortal vigour, though opprefs'd and fall'n,
I give not Heav'n for loft. From this descent
Celestial virtues, rifing, will appear
More glorious and more dread than from no fall,
And truft themselves to fear no fecond fate..
Me, though juft right and the fix'd laws of Heaven
Did first create your leader, next free choice,
With what befides, in council or in fight,
Hath been achiev'd of merit, yet this loss,
Thus far at leaft recover'd, hath much more
Establish'd in a safe unenvied throne,
Yielded with full confent. The happier state
In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw
Envy from each inferior; but who here
Will envy whom the highest place expofes
Foremost to stand against the Thund'rer's aim
Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share
Of endless pain? where there is then no good
For which to strive, no flrife can grow up there
From faction; for none fure will claim in Hell
Precedence; none, whose portion is so small
Of present pain, that with ambitious mind
Will covet more. With this advantage then
To union, and firm faith, and firm accord,
More than can be in Heav'n, we now return
To claim our juft inheritance of old,
Surer to profper than prosperity
Could have affur'd us; and by what best way,
Whether of open war or covert guile,
We now debate; who can advise may speak."
He ceas'd; and next him Moloch, scepter'd king,
Stood up; the strongest and the fiercest Spirit
That fought in Heav'n, now fiercer by despair:
His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd
Equal in ftrength, and rather than be lefs
Car'd not to be at all; with that care loft
Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse,
He reck'd not, and these words thereafter spake.
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