"Or changed at length, and to the place conformed "This horror will grow mild, this darkness, light; “Of future days may bring, what chance, what change "Our own right lost: him to unthrone we then 66 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 220 230 240 "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 imposed, to celebrate his throne "With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead sing "Forced halleluiahs; while he lordly sits "Our envied Sovereign, and his altar breathes "Ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers, "Our servile offerings? This must be our task "In Heaven,—this our delight! how wearisome 66 Eternity so spent in worship paid "To whom we hate! Let us then not pursue, "Our own good from ourselves, and from our own 'Free, and to none accountable; preferring "Hard liberty before the easy yoke 250 "Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear "Through labour and endurance. This deep world 66 "Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar "Imitate when we please? This desert soil 66 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 changed "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." He scarce had finished, when such murmur filled The assembly, as when hollow rocks retain The sound of blustering winds, which all night long Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull Sea-faring men o'erwatched, whose bark, by chance, Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay After the tempest: such applause was heard As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased, They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the fear 260 270 280 290 By policy and long process of time, In emulation opposite to Heaven. Which when Beelzebub perceived, than whom, And princely counsel in his face yet shone, The weight of mightiest monarchies : his look Or summer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake: 300 "Thrones and Imperial Powers, Offspring of Heaven, 310 "Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now "Must we renounce, and, changing style, be called "Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote 66 Inclines, here to continue, and build up here "A growing empire. Doubtless! while we dream, 66 Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt "From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league "Banded against his throne, but to remain "In height or depth, still first and last will reign "War hath determined us, and foiled with loss 66 Irreparable; terms of peace yet none "Vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be given "To us enslaved, but custody severe, "And stripes, and arbitrary punishment "Inflicted? and what peace can we return, "But, to our power, hostility and hate, 320 2 330 "Untamed reluctance, and revenge,-though slow, "Yet ever plotting how the Conqueror least 66 May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice "Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault, or siege, "Of some new race called Man, about this time "In power and excellence, but favoured more By force or subtlety. Though Heaven be shut, "And Heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure "In his own strength, this place my lie exposed, "The utmost border of his kingdom, left "To their defence who hold it: here perhaps "Some advantageous act may be achieved, '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 inhabitants; or if not drive, "Seduce them to our party, that their God 66 May prove their foe, and with repenting hand "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, "Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse "Their frail original, and faded bliss,— "Faded so soon! Advise, if this be worth 340 350 360 370 66 'Attempting; or to sit in darkness here, 66 'Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devised Of mankind in one root, and earth with Hell 66 "Great things resolved, which from the lowest deep 380 390 "Of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring arms, "And opportune excursion, we may chance "Re-enter Heaven; or else, in some mild zone "Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light, "Secure; and at the brightening orient beam 66 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 "In search of this new world? whom shall we find "The dark, unbottomed, infinite abyss, "Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandering feet "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 "The happy isle? What strength, what art, can then 66 Through the strict senteries, and stations thick 410 |