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,
Great things refolv'd: which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in fpite of Fate,
Nearer our antient feat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring arms,
And opportune excurfion, we may chance
Re-enter heav'n: or else, in fome mild Zone
Dwell not unvifited of heav'n's fair light,
Secure, and at the bright'ning orient beam
Purge off this gloom : the foft delicious air,
To heal the fear of these corrofive fires,
Shall breathe her balm.. -But firft whom fhall we fend
In fearch of this new world; whom shall we find
Sufficient? Who fhall tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark, unbottom'd, infinite Abyfs,
And through the palpable obfcure find out
His uncouth way, or fpread his aery flight,
Up-born with indefatigable Wings
Over the vaft abrupt, ere he arrive
Suffice, or what evafion bear him fafe
The happy ifle? What ftrength, what art can then
Through the firict fenteries, and ftations thick
Of angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumfpection; and we now no less
Choice in our fuffrage: for, on whom we fend,
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 oppofe, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all fat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In others count'nance read his own difmay,
Aftonifh'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
(Confcious of highest worth) unmov'd thus fpake.
O Progeny of heav'n, empyreal Thrones!
With reafon hath deep filence and demur
Seiz'd us, tho' undismay'd: long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.
Our prison ftrong; this huge convex of fire,
Outragious to devour, immures us round
Ninefold and gates of burning adamant
Barr'd over us, prohibit all egrefs.
These pass'd (if any pafs) 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
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
But I fhould ill become this throne, O Peers!
And this imperial fov'reignty, adorn'd
With fplendor, 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 affume
These Royalties, and not refufe to reign,
Refufing to accept as great a fhare
Of hazard as of honour, due alike
To him who reigns, and fo much to him due
Of hazard, more, as he above the rest
High-honour'd fits? Go therefore, mighty Pow'rs!
Terror of heav'n, though fall'n! intend at home,
(While here shall be our home) what best may eafe
The prefent mifery, and render hell
More tolerable; if there be cure, or charm,
To refpite, or deceive, or flack the pain
Of this ill manfion. Intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad,
Through all the coafts of dark deftruction, feek
Deliverance for us all: this enterprize
None fhall partake with me.— -Thus faying rofe
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 ftand
His rivals; winning cheap the high repute,
Which he through hazard huge must earn.
But they
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'rds him they bend
With awful revérence prone; and as a God
Extol him equal to the highest in heav'n:
Nor fail'd they to exprefs how much they prais'd,
That for the general fafety he defpis'd
His own: (for neither do the spirits damn'd
Lofe all their virtue; left bad men fhould boast
Their fpecious deeds on earth, which glory excites ;
Or clofe 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'erfpread
Heav'n's chearful face, the low'ring element,
Scowls o'er the darken'd landschape fnow, or fhow'r :
If chance the radiant fun with farewel fweet
Extend his ev'ning 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 damn'd
Firm concord holds, men only disagree
Of creatures rational, though under hope
Of heav'nly grace: and, GoD proclaiming peace,
Yet live in hatred, enmity and strife
Among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
Wafling the earth, each other to destroy :
As if (which might induce us to accord)
Men had not hellifh foes enow befides,
That, day and night, for his destruction wait.
The STYGIAN council thus diffolv'd; and forth In order came the grand infernal Peers:
'Midft came their mighty Paramount, and feem'd
Alone th' antagonist of heav'n, nor less
Than hell's dread Emperor, with pomp fupreme,
And God-like imitated fate. 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 result:
Tow'rds the four winds four fpeedy Cherubim
Put to their mouths the founding alchymy,.
By herald's voice explain'd: the hollow Abyss
Heard far and wide, and all the host of hell
With deaf'ning fhout return'd them loud acclaim.
Thence more at ease their minds, and fomewhat rais'd
By falfe prefumptuous hope, the ranged Pow'rs
Difband, and wand'ring, each his feveral way
Pursues, as inclination or fad choice
Leads him perplex'd, where he may likeliest find
Truce to his reftlefs thoughts, and entertain
The irk fom 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 brigades form.
As when, to warn proud cities, war appears
Wag'd in the troubled sky, and armies rufh
To battel in the clouds; before each van
Prick forth the aery Knights, and couch their fpears
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 CHALIA Crown'd
With conqueft, felt th' invenom'd robe, and tore
Through pain up by the roots THESSALIAN pines;
And LICHAS from the top of ŒTA threw
Into th' EUBOIc Sea. 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 inthral to force or chance.
Their fong was partial; but the harmony
(What could it lefs, when spirits immortal fing ?)
Sufpended hell, and took with ravishment
The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet,
(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 argu'd then,
Of happiness, and final mifery,
Paffion and apathy, and glory and shame:
Vain wifdom all, and falfe philofophy!
Yet, with a pleafing forcery, could charm
Pain for a while, or anguish; and excite
Fallacious hope, or arm th' obdurate breast
With ftubborn patience, as with triple fteel.
Another part, in fquadrons and grofs bands,
On bold adventure to discover wide
That difmal world (if any clime perhaps
Might yield them easier habitation) bend
Four ways their flying march, along the banks
Of four infernal rivers, that difgorge
Into the burning lake their baleful streams:
Abhorred STYx, the flood of deadly hate :
Sad ACHERON, of forrow; black and deep!
Cocyrus, nam'd of lamentation loud
Heard on the rueful stream: fierce PHLEGETON,
Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage.
Far off from thefe, a flow and filent ftream,
LETRE, the river of oblivion rolls
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