Of Man's fort dicobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste 10 15 Things unattempted yet in profe or rhyme, And chiefly Thou o Spirit, that doft prefer 95 And justify the ways of God to Men. Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell, fay first what cause Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy state, Favor'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off 30 From their creator, and tranfgrefs his will Fof one restraint, lords of the world bélides? i Who firkt seduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th’ infernal Serpent! he it was, whose guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd 35 The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his host Of rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring To set himfelf in glory above his peers,"?!!?????? He trusted to have equal'd the most High: 140 If he oppos’d;'and with ambitious aim ti nisejs Against the throne and monarchy' of God Haiş'd impious war in Heav'n and battel proud. With vain attempt Him the almighty Power Hurld headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky,. 452 With hideous ruin and combustion, down", To bottomless perdition, there to dwell In tadainantin chains ahid penal fire, Who durf defie th? Omnipotent to arms. Nine times the space that measures day and night To mortal men, with his horrid crew Lay vanquish'd; rolling in the fiery gulf, Confounded though inmortal: But his doom Reservd him to more wrath; for now the thought Both of loft happiness and lasting pain" Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, That witness'd huge affliction and dismay, Mix'd with obdurate pride and stedfast hate : At once, as far as angels ken, 'he views); } The dismal situation waste and wild; 60 A dungeon horrible, on all fides round As one great furnace flam'd, yet from those flames : { No light, but rather darkness visible Serv'd only to difeover lights of woe ;* *** Regions $5 Regions of forrow, doleful shades, where peace 65 And rest can never dwell; hope never comes That comes to all; but torture, without enda Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'ds Such place eternal Juftice had prepar'd 70 For those rebellious; here their prison ordain'd, In lutter darkness, and their portion fet As far remov'd from God and light of Heavin, '? As from the centȚe thrice to th, utmost polę. O how unlike the place from whence they fell! 75 There the companions of his fall, o’erwhelm'd With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous five He foon difcerns; and welt'ring by his fidet! - One next himself in powr, and next in crimes Long after known in Paleftine, and nan'd Beëlzebub. To whom th' Arch-enemy," jelas And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words Breaking the horrid silence thús þegar.. I£ thou beest He; But 0 how fall’n! how chang'& I From him, who in the happy realms of light on 085 Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didft out-fhine Myriads tho bright! If he whom mutual league 04 United thoughts and counsels, equal hope to get And hazard in the glorious enterprisey* * Join'd with me once, now misery hath join'den 90 In equal ruin! Into what pit thou feeft 3hain From what height fallin, lo much the ftronger prov'd He with his thunder: and till then who knew , The force of those dire armas? Yet not for those, Nor what the potent việtor in his rage : 95 Can elfe infiêt, do I repent or change, Though chang'd in outward luftre, that fix'd mind And high disdain from fense of injur'd merit, kics?!!! That with the Mightiest rais'd me to contend, Tiin! And to the fierce contention brought along & **.100 Innumerable force of spirits arm'd“ That durft didike his reign, and me preferring, A 3 His |