PARADISE LOST. BOOK I. The subject, Man's Fall, proposed, with an invocation to the Muse and Holy Spirit. OF Man's first disobedience, and the fruit 5 Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Dove-like satst brooding on the vast abyss Illumine, what is low raise and support; That to the highth of this great argument 25 I may assert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men. Man's sin caused by Satan. Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view Nor the deep tract of Hell, say first what cause Mov'd our grand parents in that happy state, 30 Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off From their Creator, and transgress his will For one restraint, lords of the world besides? Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt?— Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile 35 Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd The mother of mankind, what time his pride To set himself in Glory' above his peers, Satan represented in Hell, just fallen from Heaven. 50 Nine times the space that measures day and night To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Lay vanquisht, rolling in the fiery gulf, Confounded though immortal: but his doom Reserv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought 55 Both of lost happiness and lasting pain Torments him: round he throws his baleful eyes 60 The dismal situation waste and wild; A dungeon horrible on all sides round As one great furnace flam'd; yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness visible Serv'd only to discover sights of woe, 65 Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace With ever-burning sulphur unconsum'd: 70 Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire, He soon discerns; and weltring by his side And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words He encourages Beelzebub by the thought of their If thou beest he; but O how fall'n! how chang'd 85 From him, who in the happy realms of light Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst outshine 90 Join'd with me once, now misery hath join'd From what highth fall'n, so much the stronger prov'd He with his thunder: and till then who knew 95 Nor what the potent Victor in his rage Can else inflict, do I repent or change (Though changed in outward lustre) that fixt mind, And high disdain from sense of injur'd merit, That with the Mightiest rais'd me to contend, 100 And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of spirits arm'd That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring, His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious battel on the plains of Heaven, 105 And shook his throne. What though the field be lost? All is not lost; the' unconquerable will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield, And what is else not to be overcome?. 110 That glory never shall his wrath or might 125 Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy So spake th' apostate Angel, though in pain, Beelzebub replies: 'It will be an immortality of suffering. 'O Prince, O chief of many throned Powers, That led th' imbattled Seraphim to war |