Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive
The happy ife? what ftrength, what art can then 410 Suffice, or what evafion bear him safe
Through the ftri fenteries and stations thick
Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumfpection, and we now no lefs
Choice in our fuffrage; for on whom we fend, 415
The weight of all and our last hope relies.
This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His look fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd
To fecond, or oppofe, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,
Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In others count'nance read his own difmay
Aftonish'd: none among the choice and prime
Of those Heav'n-warring champions could be found So hardy as to proffer or accept
Alone the dreadfui voyage; till at laft
Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride
Confcious of higheft worth, unmov'd thus fpake,
O Progeny of Heav'n, empyreal Thrones,
With reason hath deep filence and demur
Seiz'd us, though undismay'd: long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light;
Our prison strong; this huge convex of fire,
Outrageous to devour, immures us round
Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us prohibit all egrefs.
These pafs'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of uneffential Night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plung`d in that abortive gulf.
If thence he 'fcape into whatever world,.
Or unknown region, what remains him lefs
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I fhould ill become this throne, O Peers,
And this imperial fov'reignty, adorn'd
With fplendor, arm'd with pow'r, if ought propos'd And judg'd of public moment, in the shape
Of difficulty or danger could deter
Me from attempting. Wherefore do' I affume 450
Thefe royalties, and not refufe to reign,
Refufing to accept as great a fhare
Of hazard as of honour, due alike
To him who reigns, and fo much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the reft
High honour'd fits? Go therefore, mighty Powers, Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n; intend at home, While here shall be our home, what beft may ease The prefent mifery, and render Hell
More tolerable; if there be cure or charm
To refpite, or deceive, or flack the pain
Of this ill manfion : intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
Through all the coafts of dark deftruction feek
Deliverance for us all this enterprife
None fhall partake with me.
The Monarch, and prevented all reply,
Prudent, left from his refolution rais'd
Others among the chief might offer now
(Certain to be refus'd) what erst they fear'd;
And fo refus'd might in opinion stand
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute
Which he through hazard huge must earn.
Dreaded not more th' adventure than his voice
Forbidding; and at once with him they rofe;
Their rifing all at once was as the found
Of thunder heard remote. Tow'ards him they bend
With awful reverence prone; and as a God
Extol him equal to the High'ft in Heaven:
Nor fail'd they to express how much they prais'd, 480 That for the general fafety he defpis'd
His own for neither do the Spirits damn'd
Lofe all their virtue; left bad men fhould boast
Their fpecious deeds on earth, which glory' excites,
Or close ambition varnish'd o'er with zeal.
Thus they their doubtful confultations dark
Ended rejoicing in their matchlefs chief:
As when from mountain-tops the dufky clouds
Afcending, while the north-wind fleeps, o'er-spread
Heav'n's cheerful face, the low'ring element 490
Scowls o'er the darken'd landskip fnow, or shower;
If chance the radiant fun with farewel fweet
Extend his evening beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
Atteft their joy, that hill and valley rings.
O fhame to men! Devil with Devil damn'd
Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope
Of heav'nly grace: and God proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity and ftrife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wafting the earth, each other to destroy:
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellifh foes enow befides,
That day and night for his destruction wait.
The Stygian council thus diffolv'd; and forth
In order came the grand infernal peers :
Midft came their mighty paramount, and feem'd
Alone th' antagonist of Heav'n, nor less
Than Hell's dread emperor with pomp fupreme, 510 And God-like imitated state; him round
A globe of fiery Seraphim inclos'd
With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms.
Then of their feffion ended they bid cry
With trumpets regal found the great result : 515
Towards the four winds four speedy Cherubim
Put to their mouths the founding alchemy
By heralds voice explain'd; the hollow' abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the hoft of Hell
With deaf'ning fhout return'd them loud acclaim. 520
Thence more at eafe their minds, and somewhat rais'd
By false prefumptuous hope, the ranged Powers
Difband, and wand'ring, cach his feveral way
Purfues, as inclination or fad choice
Leads him perplex'd, where he may likeliest find 525
Truce to his reftlefs thoughts, and entertain
The irkfome hours, till his great chief return.
Part on the plain, or in the air sublime,
Upon the wing, or in fwift race contend,
As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields;
Part curb their fiery fteeds, or thun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form.
As when to warn proud cities war appears
Wag'd in the troubled sky, and armies rush
To battle in the clouds, before each van
Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their spears
Till thickeft legions clofe; with feats of arms
From either end of Heav'n the welkin burns.
Others with vaft Typhcean rage more fell
Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air
In whirlwind; Hell fcarce holds the wild uproar.
As when Alcides, from Oechalia crown'd
With conqueft, felt th' envenom'd robe, and tore
Through pain up by the roots Theffalian pines,
And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw
Into th' Euboic fea. Others more mild,
Retreated in a filent valley, fing
With notes angelical to many a harp
Their own heroic deeds and hapless fall
By doom of battle; and complain that fate
Free virtue should inthrall to force or chance.
Their fong was partial, but the harmony
(What could it lefs when Spi'rits immortal fing!)
Sufpended Hell, and took with ravishment
The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet 555 (For eloquence the foul, fong charms the sense,) Others apart fat on a hill retir'd,
In thoughts more elevate, and reason'd high
Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate,
Fix'd fate, free will, foreknowledge, abfolute, 560
And found no end, in wand'ring mazes loft,
Of good and evil much they argued then,
Of happiness and final mifery,
Paffion and apathy, and glory' and shame,
Vain wisdom all, and falfe philofophy:
Yet with a pleafing forcery could charm
Pain for a while or anguish, and excite
Fallacious hope, or arm th' obdured breaft
With stubborn patience as with triple steel.
Another part in squadrons and grofs bands,
On bold adventure to discover wide
That dismal world, if any clime perhaps
Might yield thern easier habitation, bend
Four ways their flying march, along the banks
Of four infernal rivers, that difgorge
Into the burning lake their baleful streams;
Abhorred Styx, the flood of deadly hate;
Sad Acheron of forrow, black and deep;
Cocytus, nam'd of lamentation loud
Heard on the rueful ftream; fierce Phlegethon, 580
Whofe waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.
Far off from thefe a flow and filent ftream,
Lethe the river of oblivion rolls
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