Vain hopes, vain aims, inordinate desires, Blown up with high conceits engendering pride, Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear Touch'd lightly: for no falsehood can endure Touch of celestial temper, but returns Of force to its own likeness: Up he starts Discover'd and surprised. As when a spark Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid Fit for the tun some magazine to store Against a rumor'd war, the smutty grain, With sudden blaze diffused, inflames the air; So started up in his own shape the Fiend Back stepp'd those two fair Angels, half amazed So sudden to behold the grisly king;
Yet thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon: Which of those rebel spirits adjudged to Hell' Comest thou, escaped thy prison? and, transform'd, Why sat'st thou like an enemy in wait, Here watching at the head of these that sleep?" "Know ye not then, said Satan, fill'd with scorn Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar: Not to know me argues yourselves unknown, The lowest of your throng; or if ye know, Why ask ye, and superfluous begin Your message, like to end as much in vain?"
To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with scorn: Think not revolted spirit, thy shape the same, Or undiminish'd brightness to be known,
As when thou stood'st in Heaven upright and pure : That glory then, when thou no more wast good, Departed from thee; and thou resemblest now Thy sin and place of doom, obscure and foul. But come; for thou, be sure shalt give account To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep This place inviolable, and these from harm."
So spake the Cherub: and his grave rebuke, Severel in youthful beauty, added grace Invincible: Abashed the Devil stood,
And felt how awful goodness is, and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely; saw, and pined His loss; but chiefly to find here observed His lustre visibly impar'd; yet seem'd Undaunted. "If I must contend" said he, "Best with the best, the sender not the scnt, Or all at once; more glory will be won, Orless be lost." "Thy fear," said Zephon bold, "Will save us trial what the least can do Single against the wicked, and thence weak." The Fiend replied not, overcome with rage; But like a proud steed rein'd, went haughty on, Champing his iron curb: To strive or fly He held it vain ; awe from above had quell'd His heart, not else dismay'd. Now drew the nigh The western point, where those half rounding guards Just met, and closing stood in squadron join'd, Awaiting next command. To whom their chief, Gabriel, from the front thus call'd aloud:
"O friends! I hear the tread of nimble feet Hasting this way, and now by glimps discern Ithuriel and Zephon through the shades; And with them comes a third of regal port, But faded splendor wan; who by his gait And fierce demeanor seems the prince of Hell, Not likely to part hence without contest; Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours."
He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd And brief related whom they brought, where found, How busied, in what form and posture couch'd.
To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake "Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescribed To thy transgressions, and disturb'd the charge
Of others, who approve not to transgress
By thy example, but have power and right To question thy bold entrance on this place; Employ'd it seems, to violate sleep, and those Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?"
To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow: "Gabriel! thou hadst in Heaven'the esteem of wise, And such I held thee; but this question asked Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell, Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt, And boldly venture to whatever place
Farthest from pain, where thou might'st hope to change Torment with ease, and soonest recompense Dole with delight, which in this place I sought; To thee no reason, who know'st only good, But evil hast not tried: and wilt object His will who bounds us? Let him surer bar
His iron gates, if he intends our stay
In that dark durance: thus much what was ask'd. The rest is true, they found me where they say;
But that implies not violence or harm. "
Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel moved, Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied; "A loss of one in Heaven to judge of wise Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew, And now returns him from his prison escaped, Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither Unlicensed from his bounds in Hell prescribed; So wise he judges it to fly from pain However, and to escape his punishment! So judge thou still presumptuous! till the wrath, Which thou incurr'st by flying, meet thy flight Sevenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell, Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain Can equal anger infinite provoked,
But wherefore thou alone? Wherefore with thee Came not all Hell broke loose? Is pain to them Less pain, less to be fled; or thou than they Less hardy to endure? Courageous chief! The first in flight from pain! hadst thou alledged To thy deserted host this cause of flight,
Thou surely hadst not come sole fugative."
To which the Fiend thus answered, frowning stern: "Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain, Insulting Angel! well thou know'st I stood Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid The blasting vollied thunder made all speed, And seconded thy else not dreaded spear. But still thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience what behoves From hard assays and ill successes pass'd A faithful leader, not to hazard all Through ways of danger by himself untried: I, therefore, I alone first undertook To wing the desolate abyss, and spy This new created world, Whereof in Hell Fame is not silent, here in hope to find Better abode, and my afflicted powers To settle here on Earth, or in mid air; Though for possession p it to try once more What thou and thy gay legions dare against; Whose easier business were to serve their Lord High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, And practised distances to cringe, not fight."
To whom the warrior Angel soon replied: "To say and straight unsay, pretending first Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy, Argues no leader but a liar traced,
Satan, and could'st thou 'faithful' add? O name,
O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew? Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.
Was this your discipline and faith engaged, Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to the acknowledged Power supreme And thou, sly hypocrite, who now would'st see m Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd and cringed, and servilely adored Heaven's awful monarch? Wherefore, but in hope To dispossess him, and thyself to reign? But mark what I avead thee now, Avant! Fly thither whence thou fledst! If from this hour Within these hallow'd limits thou appear, Back to the infernal pitt I drag thee chain'd, And seal thee so as henceforth not to scorn The facile gates of Hell too slightly barr'd."
So threatened he; but Satan to no threats Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied: "Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then Far heavier load thyself expect to feel
From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved. While thus he spake, the Angelic squadron bright Turn'd fiery red, sharpening in moned horns Their phalanx, and began to hem him round With ported spears, as thick as when a field Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends
Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind
Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting stands, Lest on the threshing-floor his hopeless sheaves Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan alarm'd,
Collected all his might dilated stood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremoved:
His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest Sat horror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp
What seemed both spear and shield; now dreadful deeds
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