Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay,

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

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

295 Wrought still within them; and no less desire
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,
300 Satan except, none higher sat, with grave
Aspéct he rose, and in his rising seem'd
A pillar of state: deep on his front engrav'n
Deliberation sat, and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone, 305 Majestic, though in ruin: sage he stood, With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear

310

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 Powers, offspring of heaven, "Ethereal Virtues! Or these titles now

"Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd
"Princes of hell? for so the popular vote
"Inclines, here to continue, and build up here

315 "A growing empire; doubtless, while we dream,
"And know not that the King of heaven hath doom'd
"This place our dungeon; not our safe retreat

66

Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt

"From heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league 320 "Banded against his throne; but to remain "In strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd, "Under the inevitable curb, reserv'd

"His captive multitude: for he, be sure,

"In height or depth, still first and last will reign, 325"Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part "By our revolt; but over hell extend

"His empire, and with iron sceptre rule

"Us here, as with his golden, those in heaven. "What sit we then projecting peace and war? 330 "War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss

'Irreparable; terms of peace yet none

"Vouchsaf'd, or sought; for what peace will be giv'n "To us enslav'd, but custody severe,

"And stripes, and arbitrary punishment 335 "Inflicted? and what peace can we return, "But, to our power, hostility, and hate, "Untam'd reluctance, and revenge; though slow, "Yet ever plotting how the conqueror least "May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice 340 "In doing what we most in suffering feel? "Nor will occasion want; nor shall we need, "With dangerous expedition, to invade

345

350

355

360

"Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault, or siege, "Or ambush from the deep. What if we find

"Some easier enterprise? There is a place,

66

(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 power 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 heaven'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 power,
"And where their weakness,-how attempted best,
"By force or subtlety. Though heaven be shut,
"And heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure

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

"To their defence who hold it: here perhaps

"Some advantageous act may be achiev'd

66

'By sudden onset; either with hell fire

365

"To waste his whole creation, or possess

"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 370 "Abolish his own work. This would surpass "Common revenge, and interrupt his joy "In our confusion, and our joy upraise "In his disturbance; when his darling sons, "Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse 375"Their frail original, and faded bliss,

"Faded so soon! Advise, if this be worth.

66

66

Attempting, or to sit in darkness here

Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his dev'lish counsel, first devis'd

380 By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence,
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
385 The great Creator? But their spite still serves
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,

390

"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

395 "Of those bright confines, whence, with neighb'ring arms "And opportune excursion, we may chance

"Re-enter heaven; or else in some mild zone

66

Dwell, not unvisited of heaven'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,

400 "

"Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom shall we send

405

"In search of this new world? whom shall we find
"Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandering feet
"The dark, unbottom'd, infinite abyss,

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

"Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

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

415

"Through the strict senteries, and stations thick
"Of angels watching round? Here he had need ·
"All circumspection, and we now no less

"Choice in our suffrage; for, on whom we send,
"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,

420 The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,

Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In other's countenance read his own dismay,

Astonish'd none, among the choice and prime

:

Of those heaven-warring champions, could be found 425 So hardy as to proffer, or accept

430

Alone, the dreadful voyage; till at last

Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais'd Above his fellows, with monarchal pride, Conscious of highest worth, unmov'd thus spake : "O progeny of heaven, 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, 435 "Outrageous to devour, immures us round, Ninefold; and gates of burning adamant, "Barr'd over us, prohibit all egress.

410

66

"These pass'd, (if any pass,) the void profound
"Of unessential night receives him next.

66

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?
445" But I should ill become this throne, O peers,
"And this imperial sov'reignty, adorn'd

"With splendour, arm'd with pow'r, if aught propos'd
"And judg'd of public moment in the shape
"Of difficulty, or danger, could deter

450 "Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume
"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

455 Of hazard more, as he above the rest

460

"High honour'd sits? Go, therefore, mighty powers, "Terror of heaven, though fall'n! intend at home,

(While here shall be our home,) what best may ease "The present misery, and render hell

"More tolerable; if there be cure, or charm,
"To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain

"Of this ill mansion. Intermit no watch

Against a wakeful foe; while I abroad, "Through all the coasts of dark destruction, seek 465 "Deliverance for us all: this enterprise

"None shall partake with me."

Thus saying, rose

The monarch, and prevented all reply;
Prudent, lest, from his resolution rais'd,
Others among the chief might offer now
470 (Certain to be refus'd) what erst they fear'd;
And, so refus'd, might in opinion stand
His rivals; winning cheap the high repute,
Which he, through hazard huge, must earn.
Dreaded not more the adventure, than his voice

475 Forbidding; and at once with him they rose.
Their rising all at once was as the sound

But they

Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend.