Through labour and endurance. This deep world Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst

270

Thick cloud and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling Sire
Choose to reside, his glory unobscur'd,
265
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne: from whence deep thunders roar
Must'ring their rage, and Heav'n resembles Hell?
As he our darkness, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This desert soil
Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n shew more?
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements; these piercing fires
As soft as now severe, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counsels, and the settled state
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, dismissing quite
All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise."

275

280

He scarce had finish'd when such murmur fill'd. Th' assembly, as when hollow rocks retain 285 The sound of blust'ring winds, which all night long Had rous'd the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull Seafaring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance, Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay

After the tempest: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended; and his sentence pleas'd,
Advising peace: for such another field

290

They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the fear Of thunder and the sword of Michaël

3

Wrought still within them; and no less desire 295
To found this nether empire, which might rise
By policy, and long procéss of time,'

In emulation opposite to Heaven.

Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher sat, with grave

300

Aspéct he rose, and in his rising seem'd

A pillar of state; deep on his front engraven,
Deliberation sat and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone
Majestic, though in ruin: sage he stood,
With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear

305

The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention, still as night
Or summer's noontide air, while thus he spake.
. "Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Heaven,
Etherial Virtues! or these titles now

311

Must we renounce, and, changing stile, be call'd
Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue', and build up here
A growing empire; doubtless; while we dream, 315
And know not that the King of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat
Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt

From Heav'n's high jurisdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, reserv'd

His captive multitude: for he, be sure,

In height or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part

His empire, and with iron sceptre rule

By our revolt; but over Hell extend

Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven.
What sit we then projecting peace and war?

War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none

320

325

330

Vouchsaf'd or sought; for what peace will be given

To us, enslav'd; but custody severe,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment,
Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But to our pow'r hostility and hate,

Untam'd reluctance, and revenge, though slow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqu❜ror least
May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice

335

In doing what we most in suffering feel?

340

Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need,
With dang'rous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whose high walls fear no assault or siege,

345

350

Or ambush from the deep. What if we find,
Some easier enterprise? There is a place,
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven
Err not) another world, the happy seat
Of some new race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less
In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above; so was his will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an oath,
That shook Heav'n's whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither, let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould
Or substance, how endued, and what their pow'r,
And where their weakness, how attempted best,
By force or subtlety. Though Heav'n be shut,
And Heav'n's high Arbitrator sit secure

355

In his own strength, this place may lie expos'd, 360 The utmost border of his kingdom, left

To their defence who hold it: here perhaps

Some advantageous act may be achiev'd

By sudden onset, either with Hell fire
To waste his whole creation, or possess

365

All as our own, and drive, as we were driven,
The puny habitants; or if not drive,

Seduce them to our party, that their God

May prove their foe, and with repenting hand

Abolish his own works. This would surpass
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy

370

In our confusion, and our joy upraise

In his disturbance; when his darling sons,

Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse

Their frail original, and faded bliss,

375

Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to sit in darkness here
Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub

Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devis'd

By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence, 380
But from the author of all ill, could spring

So deep a malice, to confound the race

Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell

To mingle and involve, done all to spite

The great Creator? But their spite still serves 385
His glory to augment. The bold design

Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent
They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.
"Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate,
Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are, 391
Great things resolv'd, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neighb'ring arms
And opportune excursion we may chance
Re-enter Heav'n; or else in some mild zone
Dwell, not unvisited of Heav'n's fair light,
Secure, and at the bright'ning orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious air
To heal the scar of these corrosive fires,
Shall breathe her balm. But, first, whom shall we send
In search of this new world? whom shall we find
Sufficient? who shall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,

And through the palpable obscure find out
His uncouth way, or spread his airy flight,
Upborne with indefatigable wings,

Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

396

400

405

The happy isle? what strength, what art, can then
Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

Through the strict senteries and stations thick

Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumspection, and we now no less.

411

Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send 415
The weight of all, and our last hope, relies."

This said, he sat; and expectation held

His look suspense, awaiting who appear'd

To second, or oppose, or undertake,

The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,

420

Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and each In others' count'nance read his own dismay, Astonish'd: none among the choice and prime

Of those Ileav'n-warring champions could be found So hardy as to proffer or accept

Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last

425

Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais'd
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride

430

Conscious of highest worth, unmov'd, thus spake.
"O Progeny of Heav'n, empyreal Thrones!
With reason hath deep silence 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 egress.

435

These pass'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of unessential Night receives him next,
Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plung'd in that abortive gulf.
If thence he 'scape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains him less
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I should ill become this throne, O Peers, 445
And this imperial sov'reignty, adorn'd

440

With splendor, 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 assume 450 These royalties, and not refuse to reign,

Refusing to accept as great a share

Of hazard as of honour, due alike

To him who reigns, and so much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the rest

455

High honour'd sits? Go, therefore, mighty Powers,