All circumfpection, and we now no less
Choice in our fuffrage; for on whom we send,
The weight of all and our laft hope relies.
This faid, he fat; and expectation held
His look fufpenfe, awaiting who appear'd
To fecond, or oppose, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,
Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and cach
In others count'nance read his own dismay
Astonish'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 dreadful voyage; till at last
Satan, whom now tranfcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride
Conscious of highest worth, unmov'd thus spake.
O Progeny of Heav'n, empyreal Thrones,
With reafon hath deep filence and demur
Seis'd us, though undismay'd: long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light;
Our prifon ftrong; 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 pass'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of uneffential Night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter lofs of being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
If thence he fcape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him lefs
VOL. I.
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape But I fhould ill become this throne, O Peers And this imperial fovranty, adorn'd
With fplendor, arm'd with power, if ought And judg'd of public moment, in the shape Of difficulty or danger could deter
Me from attempting. Wherefore do' I affur These royalties, and not refuse to reign, Refufing to accept as great a share
Of hazard as of honor, due alike
To him who reigns, and fo much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the rest
High honor'd fits? Go therefore, mighty Pov
Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n; intend at h
While here fhall be our home, what best may
The present mifery, and render Hell
More tolerable; if there be cure or charm
To refpite, or deceive, or flack the pain
Of this ill mansion: intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
Through all the coasts of dark destruction see
Deliverance for us all: this enterprise
None shall partake with me. Thus faying ro
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 erft 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. B
Dreaded not more th' adventure than his voice
Forbidding; and at once with him they rose;
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 Hig'heft in Heav'n:
Nor fail'd they to exprefs how much they prais'd, 480
That for the general fafety he despis'd
His own: for neither do the Spirits damn'd
Lose all their virtue; left bad men should 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 dusky clouds
Afcending, while the north-wind fleeps, o'er-spread
Heav'n's chearful face, the louring element
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 damu'd
Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope
Of heav'nly grace: and God proclaming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wafting the earth, each other to destroy:
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Man had not hellish foes enow befides,
That day and night for his deftruction wait.
The Stygian council thus diffolv'd; and fo
In order came the grand infernal peers:
Midst came their mighty paramount, and seer
Alone th' antagonist of Heav'n, nor less
Than Hell's dread emperor with pomp fuprem
And God-like imitated state; him round
A globe of fiery Seraphim inclos'd
With bright imblazonry, and horrent arms.
Then of their feffion ended they bid cry
With trumpets regal found the great refult:
Tow'ards the four winds four speedy Cherubi
Put to their mouths the founding alchemy
By heralds voice explain'd; the hollow' abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell
With deafning shout return'd them loud acclar
Thence more at ease their minds, and fomewh
By falfe prefumptuous hope, the ranged Power
Disband, and, wand'ring, each his several way
Purfues, as inclination or fad choice
Leads him perplex'd, where he may likelieft fir
Truce to his reftlefs thoughts, and entertain
The irksome hours, till his great chief return.
Part on the plain, or in the air fublime,
Upon the wing, or in fwift race contend,
As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields;
Part curb their fiery fteeds, or fhun the goal
With rapid wheels, or fronted brigads form.
As when to warn proud cities war appears
Wag'd in the troubled sky, and armies rush
To battel in the clouds, before each van
Prick forth the aery 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 Typhoean 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 battel; and complain that fate
Free virtue fhould inthrall to force or chance.
Their fong was partial, but the harmony
(What could it less when Spi'rits immortal fing?) Sufpended Hell, and took with ravishment
The thronging audience. In difcourfe more sweet 555 (For eloquence the foul, fong charms the fenfe,) 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,
And found no end, in wand'ring mazes loft.
Of good and evil much they argued then,
Of happiness and final mifery,
|