What in an age they with incessant toil And hands innumerable scarce perform. Nigh on the plain, in many cells prepar'd, That underneath had veins of liquid fire Sluic'd from the lake, a second multitude With wonderous art founded the massy ore, Severing each kind, and scumm'd the bullion dross: A third as soon had form'd within the ground A various mould, and from the boiling cells, By strange conveyance, fill'd each hollow nook; As in an organ, from one blast of wind,
To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes. Anon, out of the earth a fabric huge Rose like an exhalation, with the sound Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet, Built like a temple, where pilasters round Were set, and Doric pillars overlaid With golden architrave; nor did there want Cornice or frieze, with bossy sculptures graven: The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon, Nor great Alcairo, such magnificence Equall'd in all their glories, to enshrine Belus or Serapis their gods, or seat
Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove In wealth and luxury. The ascending pile Stood fix'd her stately height: and straight doors,
To mortal combat, or career with lance) Thick swarm'd, both on the ground and in the air Brush'd with the hiss of rustling wings. As bees In spring time, when the Sun with Taurus rides, Pour forth their populous youth about the hive In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank, The suburb of their straw-built citadel, New rubb'd with balm, expatiate and confer Their state affairs. So thick the aery crowd Swarm'd and were straiten'd; till, the signal given, Behold a wonder! They but now who seem'd In bigness to surpass Earth's giant sons, Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room Throng numberless, like that pygmean race Beyond the Indian mount; or faery elves, Whose midnight revels, by a forest side Or fountain, some belated peasant sees,
Or dreams he sees, while over-head the Moon Sits arbitress, and nearer to the Earth
Wheels her pale course; they, on their mirth and dance
Intent, with jocund music charm his ear;
At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds. Thus incorporeal spirits to smallest forms
the Reduce their shapes immense, and were at large Though without number still, amidst the hall Of that infernal court. But far within, And in their own dimensions, like themselves, The great seraphic lords and cherubim In close recess and secret conclave sat; A thousand demi-gods on golden seats, Frequent and full. After short silence then, And summons read, the great consult began.
Opening their brazen folds, discover, wide Within, her ample spaces, o'er the smooth And level pavement; from the arched roof Pendent by subtle magic many a row Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed With Naphtha and Asphaltus, yielded light As from a sky. The hasty multitude Admiring enter'd; and the work some praise, And some the architect; his hand was known In Heaven by many a tower'd structure high, Where scepter'd angels held their residence, And sat as princes; whom the supreme king Exalted to such power, and gave to rule, Each in his hierarchy, the orders bright. Nor was his name unheard, or unador'd, In ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell From Heaven, they fabled, thrown by angry Jove Sheer o'er the crystal battlements: from morn To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, A summer's day; and with the setting Sun Dropt from the zenith like a falling star, On Lemnos the Egean isle: thus they relate, Erring; for he with this rebellious rout Fell long before; nor aught avail'd him now To have built in Heaven high towers; nor did he 'scape
By all his engines, but was headlong sent With his industrious crew, to build in Hell.
Meanwhile the winged heralds, by command Of sovran power, with awful ceremony
And trumpet's sound, throughout the host proclaim A solemn council, forthwith to be held At Pandemonium; the high capital Of Satan and his peers; their summons call'd From every band and squared regiment By place or choice the worthiest; they anon, With hundreds and with thousands, trooping came, Attended: all access was throng'd: the gates And porches wide, but chief the spacious hall (Though like a cover'd field, where champions bold Wont ride in arm'd, and at the Soldan's chair Defied the best of Panim chivalry
The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: some advise it, others dissuade: a third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created. Their doubt, who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honored and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to Hell gates; finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them; by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the power of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.
HIGH on a throne of royal state, which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted sat, by merit rais'd To that bad eminence: and, from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires
Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue
When the fierce foe hung on our broken rear
Vain war with Heaven, and, by success untaught, Insulting, and pursued us through the deep,
His proud imaginations thus display'd.
"Powers and dominions, deities of Heaven; For since no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigor, though oppress'd and fall'n, I give not Heaven for lost. From this descent Celestial virtues rising, will appear
More glorious and more dread than from no fall, And trust themselves to fear no second fate. Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of Heaven, Did first create your leader; next, free choice, With what besides, in counsel or in fight, Hath been achiev'd of merit; yet this loss, Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more Establish'd in a safe unenvied throne, Yielded with full consent. The happier state In Heaven, which follows dignity, might draw Envy from each inferior; but who here Will envy whom the highest place exposes Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim, Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share Of endless pain? Where there is then no good For which to strive, no strife can grow up there From faction; for none sure will claim in Hell Precedence, none whose portion is so small Of present pain, that with ambitious mind Will covet more. With this advantage then To union, and firm faith, and firm accord, More than can be in Heaven, we now return To claim our just inheritance of old, Surer to prosper than prosperity
Could have assur'd us; and, by what best way, Whether of open war, or covert guile, We now debate; who can advise, may speak.” He ceas'd; and next him Moloch, scepter'd king, Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest spirit That fought in Heaven, now fiercer by despair: His trust was with the Eternal to be deem'd Equal in strength; and rather than be less Car'd not to be at all; with that care lost Went all his fear of God, or Hell, or worse, He reck'd not; and these words thereafter spake. "My sentence is for open war of wiles, More unexpert, I boast not: them let those Contrive who need, or when they need, not now. For, while they sit contriving, shall the rest, Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait The signal to ascend, sit lingering here Heaven's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame, The prison of his tyranny who reigns By our delay? No, let us rather choose, Arm'd with Hell flames and fury, all at once, O'er Heaven's high towers to force resistless way, Turning our tortures into horrid arms Against the torturer; when to meet the noise Of his almighty engine he shall hear Infernal thunder; and, for lightning, see Black fire and horror shot with equal rage Among his angels; and his throne itself Mix'd with Tartarean sulphur, and strange fire, His own invented torments. But perhaps The way seems difficult and steep to scale With upright wing against a higher foe. Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench Of that forgetful lake benumn not still, That in our proper motion we ascend Up to our native seat; descent and fall To us is adverse. Who but felt of late,
With what compulsion and laborious flight We sunk thus low? The ascent is easy then; The event is fear'd; should we again provoke Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find To our destruction; if there be in Hell Fear to be worse destroy'd: what can be worse Than to dwell here, driven out from bliss, con demn'd
In this abhorred deep to utter woe; Where pain of unextinguishable fire Must exercise us without hope of end, The vassals of his anger, when the scourge Inexorably, and the torturing hour, Calls us to penance? More destroy'd than thus, We should be quite abolish'd, and expire. What fear we then? what doubt we to incense His utmost ire? which, to the height enrag'd, Will either quite consume us, and reduce To nothing this essential; happier far Than miserable to have eternal being: Or, if our substance be indeed divine, And cannot cease to be, we are at worst On this side nothing; and by proof we feel Our power sufficient to disturb his Heaven, And with perpetual inroads to alarm, Though inaccessible, his fatal throne: Which, if not victory, is yet revenge."
He ended frowning, and his look denounc'd Desperate revenge, and battle dangerous To less than gods. On th' other side uprose Belial, in act more graceful and humane: A fairer person lost not Heaven; he seem'd For dignity compos'd, and high exploit: But all was false and hollow; though his tongue Dropt manna, and could make the worse appear The better reason, to perplex and dash Maturest counsels: for his thoughts were low To vice industrious, but to nobler deeds Tim'rous and slothful: yet he pleas'd the ear, And with persuasive accent thus began.
"I should be much for open war, O peers, As not behind in hate; if what was urg'd Main reason to persuade immediate war, Did not dissuade me most, and seem to cast Ominous conjecture on the whole success; When he, who most excels in fact of arms, In what he counsels, and in what excels, Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair And utter dissolution, as the scope Of all his aim, after some dire revenge. First, what revenge? The towers of Heaven are fill'd
With arm'd watch, that render all access Impregnable: oft on the bordering deep Encamp their legions; or, with obscure wing, Scout far and wide into the realm of night, Scorning surprise. Or could we break our way By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise With blackest insurrection, to confound Heaven's purest light: yet our great enemy All incorruptible, would on his throne Sit unpolluted; and the ethereal mould, Incapable of stain, would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repuls'd, our final hope Is flat despair: we must exasperate The almighty victor to spend all his rage, And that must end us; that must be our cure,
To be no more. Sad cure! for who would lose, Though full of pain, this intellectual being, Those thoughts that wander through eternity, To perish rather, swallow'd up and lost In the wide womb of uncreated night, Devoid of sense and motion? And who knows, Let this be good, whether our angry foe Can give it, or will ever? how he can, Is doubtful; that he never will, is sure. Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire, Belike through impotence, or unaware, To give his enemies their wish, and end Them in his anger, whom his anger saves To punish endless? Wherefore cease we then? Say they who counsel war, we are decreed, Reserv'd, and destin'd to eternal woe; Whatever doing, what can we suffer more, What can we suffer worse? Is this then worst, Thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in arms? What, when we fled amain, pursued, and struck With Heaven's afflicting thunder, and besought The deep to shelter us? this Hell then seem'd A refuge from those wounds; or when we lay Chain'd on the burning lake? that sure was worse. What if the breath, that kindled those grim fires, Awak'd, should blow them into sevenfold rage, And plunge us in the flames? or, from above, Should intermitted vengeance arın again His red right hand to plague us? What if all Her stores were opened, and this firmament Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire, Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall One day upon our heads; while we perhaps, Designing or exhorting glorious war, Caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurl'd Each on his rock transfix'd, the sport and prey Of wracking whirlwinds; or for ever sunk Under yon boiling ocean, wrapt in chains; There to converse with everlasting groans, Unrespited, unpitied, unrepriev'd, Ages of hopeless end? This would be worse. War therefore, open or conceal'd, alike My voice dissuades; for what can force or guile With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye Views all things at one view? He from Heaven's highth
All these our motions vain sees, and derides; Not more almighty to resist our might
Than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heaven Thus trampled, thus expell'd to suffer here Chains and these torments? better these than
By my advice; since fate inevitable Subdues us, and omnipotent decree, The victor's will. To suffer, as to do, Our strength is equal, nor the law unjust That so ordains: this was at first resolv'd, If we were wise, against so great a foe Contending, and so doubtful what might fall. I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold And venturous, if that fail them, shrink and fear What yet they know must follow, to endure Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain, The sentence of their conqueror: this is now Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, Our supreme foe in time may much remit His anger; and perhaps, thus far remov'd, Not mind us not offending, satisfied
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. Our purer essence then will overcome Their noxious vapor; or, inur'd, not feel; Or, chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd In temper and in nature, will receive Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain; This horror will grow mild, this darkness light Besides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting; since our present lot appears For happy though but ill, for ill not worst, If we procure not to ourselves more woe." Thus Belial, with words cloth'd in reason's garb Counsell'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake. "Either to disenthrone the King of Heaven We war, if war be best, or to regain Our own right lost: him to unthrone we then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall yield To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife: The former, vain to hope, argues as vain The latter: for what place can be for us Within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's Lord supreme
We overpower? Suppose he should relent, And publish grace to all, on promise made Of new subjection; with what eyes could we Stand in his presence humble, and receive Strict laws impos'd, to celebrate his throne With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead sing Forc'd Halleluiahs; while he lordly sits Our envied sovran, and his altar breathes Ambrosial odors and ambrosial flowers, Our servile offerings? This must be our task In Heaven, this our delight! how wearisome Eternity so spent, in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue By force impossible, by leave obtain'd Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state Of splendid vassalage; but rather seek Our own good from ourselves, and from our own Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess, Free, and to none accountable, preferring Hard liberty before the easy yoke
Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear Then most conspicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse We can create; and in what place soe'er Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain, Through labor and endurance. This deep world Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all-ruling Sire
Choose to reside, his glory unobscur'd, And with the majesty of darkness round Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders
Mustering their rage, and Heaven 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 Heaven show 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
With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires 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 were; dismissing quite All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise."
He scarce had finish'd, when such murmur fill'd
The assembly, as when hollow rocks retain The sound of blustering winds, which all night long
Had rous'd the sea, now with hoarse cadence lul! 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 They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the fear Of thunder and the sword of Michaël Wrought still within them, and no less desire To found this nether empire, which might rise By policy, and long process of time, In emulation opposite to Heaven, Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom Satan except, none higher sat, with grave 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 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
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 power and excellence, but favor'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, con firm'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 By sudden onset; either with Hell fire 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 Abolish his own works. 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 Their frail original, and faded bliss, 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
Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence,
Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote Inclines here to continue, and build up here A growing empire; doubtless; while we dreain, And know not that the king of Heaven hath doom'd This place our dungeon; not our safe retreat Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league 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 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? War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss Irreparable: terms of peace yet none
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 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, 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 neighbor- ing arms
And opportune excursion, we may chance Re-enter Heaven: or else in some mild zone Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light,
Vouchsaf'd or sought; for what peace will be Secure; and at the brightening orient beam
To us enslav'd, but custody severe
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment 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 In doing what we most in suffering feel? Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need With dangerous expedition to invade Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault or siege, Or ambush from the deep. What if we find
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
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
The happy isle? What strength what art can
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 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 The perilous attempt: but all sat mute, Pondering the danger with deep thoughts;
Their rising all at once, was as the sound Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend With awful reverence prone; and as a god Extol him equal to the Highest in Heaven: Nor fail'd they to express how much they prais'd, That for the general safety he despis'd
His own: for neither do the spirits damn'd Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast Their specious deeds on earth which glory excites. Or close ambition, varnish'd o'er with zeal. and Thus they their doubtful consultations dark Ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief:
So hardy, as to proffer or accept, 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, Outrageous to devour, immures us round Ninefold; and gates of burning adamant, Barr'd over us, prohibit all egress. 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, And this imperial sovranty, adorn'd
As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds Ascending, while the north-wind sleeps, o'erspread Heaven's cheerful face, the louring element Scowls o'er the darken'd landskip snow, or shower, If chance the radiant Sun with farewell sweet Extend his evening beam, the fields revive, The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings. O shame to men! devil with devil damn'd Firm concord holds, men only disagree Of creatures rational, though under hope Of heavenly grace: and, God proclaiming peace, Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife, Among themselves, and levy cruel wars, Wasting the Earth, each other to destroy: As if (which might induce us to accord) Man had not hellish foes enow besides, That, day and night, for his destruction wait. The Stygian council thus dissolv'd; and forth In order came the grand infernal peers; Midst came their mighty paramount, and seem'd Alone the antagonist of Heaven, nor less Than Hell's dread emperor, with pomp supreme, And godlike imitated state: him round
A globe of fiery seraphim enclos'd, With bright imblazonry, and horrent arms.
With splendor, arm'd with power, if aught pro- Then of their session ended they bid cry
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 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 (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. they
Dreaded not more the adventure, than his voice Forbidding; and at once with him they rose:
With trumpets' regal sound the great result: Towards the four winds four speedy cherubim Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy, By herald's voice explain'd; the hollow abyss Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell With deafening shout return'd them loud acclaim. Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat rais'd
By false presumptuous hope, the ranged powers Disband, and, wandering, each his several way Pursues, as inclination or sad choice
Leads him, perplex'd where he may likeliest find Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain The irksome hours, till his great chief return. Part on the plain, or in the air sublime, Upon the wing, or in swift race contend, As at the Olympian games or Pythian fields; Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun 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 rush To battle in the clouds, before each van Prick forth the aery knights, and couch their spears Till thickest legions close; with feats of arms From either end of Heaven the welkin burns. Others, with vast Typhœan rage more fell, Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air In whirlwind; Hell scarce holds the wild uproar. As when Alcides, from Oechalia crown'd With conquest, felt the envenom'd robe, and tore Through pain up by the roots Thessalian pines,
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