Aufwer'd. I know thee, ftranger, who thou art, 990
That mighty leading Angel, who of late
Made head againft Heav'ns King, though overthrown.
I faw and heard, for fuch a numerous Hoft
Fled not in filence through the frighted deep
With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout,

Confufion woríe confounded; and Heav'n Gates
Pour'd out by millions her victorious Bands
Turfuing. I upon my Frontiers here

995

Keep refidence; if all I can will serve,
That little which is left fo to defend,
Encroacht on ftill through our inteftine broiles,
Weakning the Sceptre of old Night: first Hell
Your dungeon ftretching far and wide beneath;
Now lately Heav'n and Earth, another World
Hung o'er my Realm, link'd in a golden Chain 1005
To that fide Heav'n from whence your Legions fell;
If that way be your walk, you have not far;
So much the nearer danger; go and speed;
Havock and fpoil and ruin are my gain.

He ceas'd; and Satan ftaid not to reply,
But glad that now his Sea fhould find a shore,
With fresh alacrity and force renew'd

Springs upward like a Pyramid of fire
Into the wild expanse, and through the shock
Of fighting Elements, on all fides round
Environ'd wins his way; harder befet
And more endanger'd, than when Argo pass'd
Through Bofperus betwixt the juftling Rocks :
Or when Vlyffes on the Larbord fhunn'd

ΙΘΙΟ

1015

1020

Charybdis, and by th' other whirlpool fteer'd.
So he with difficulty and labour hard
Mov'd on, with difficulty and labour he;
But he once paft, foon after when man fell,
Stange alteration! Sin and Death amain
Following his track, fuch was the will of Heav'n, 1025
Pav'd after him a broad and beat'n way

Over the dark Abyfs, whofe boiling Gulf
Tamely endur'd a Bridge of wond'rous length
From Hell continu'd reaching th'utmoft Orbe
Of this frail World; by which the Spirits perverfe
With eafie intercourfe pafs to and fro

To tempt or punish mortals, except whom
God and good Angels guard by special grace.
But now at laft the facred influence

1031

Of light appears, and from the walls of Heav'n Shoots far into the bofom of dim Night

1036

A glimmering dawn; here Nature first begins
Her fartheft verge, and Chaos to retire

As from her utmoft works a brok'n foe

With tumult lefs and with lefs hoftile din,

1040

That Satan with lefs toil, and now with ease
Wafts on the calmer wave with dubious light
And like a weather-beaten Veffel holds
Gladly the Port, though Shrouds and Tackle torn;
Or in the emptier wafte, resembling Air,
Weighs his fpread wings, at leasure to behold
Far off th' Empyreal Heav'n, extended wide
In circuit, undetermin'd fquare or round.
With Opal Towrs and Battlements adorn'd

1945

Of living Saphire, once his native Seat ;
And faft by hanging in a golden Chain
This pendant world, in bigness as a Star
Of fmalleft Magnitude clofe by the Moon.
Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge,
Accurft, and in a curfed hour he hies.

1050

1055

The End of the Second Book.

mmmmmm25252525252525202920202

པདK༦ ༅༡༦༠༡༠ -JK༦༦དང©ད༧/༦/0/0 /༧/0-JA⪜བཟློ)༧3ད་6/0

Paradife Loft.

BOOK III.

The ARGUMENT.

God fitting on his Throne fees Satan flying towards this World, then newly created; fhews him to the Son who fat at his right hand; foretells the fuccefs of Satan in perverting Mankind; clears his own Fustice and Wisdom from all imputation, having created Man free, and able enough to have withstood his Tempter; yet declares his purpofe of Grace towards him, in regard he fell not of his own malice, as did Satan, but by bim feduc'd. The Son of God renders praifes to his Father for the manifeftation of his gracious purpofe towards Man; but God again declares, that Grace cannot be extended towards Man without the fatif faction of divine Justice; Man hath