Not mind us not offending, satisfied With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires Our purer essence then will overcome Their noxious vapour; or, inured, not feel; Or changed at length, and to the place conform'd Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain; 215 This horror will grow mild, this darkness light; 220 Of future days may bring, what chance, what change Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb, Either to disenthrone the King of Heaven 225 230 235 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 240 Stand in his presence humble, and receive To whom we hate! Let us not then presume 245 By force impossible, by leave obtain❜d Our own good from ourselves, and from our own Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear 250 255 Then most conspicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse, We can create; and in what place soe'er 260 265 Through labour and endurance. This deep world 270 275 Into their temper; which must needs remove 280 Of what we are, and where; 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 roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull 285 Seafaring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance, After the tempest: Such applause was heard 290 They dreaded worse than Heli: so much the fear Wrought still within them; and no less desire 295 To found this nether empire, which might rise In emulation opposite to Heaven. Which when Beelzebub perceived, than whom 300 Or summer's noontide air, while thus he spake. Thrones and Imperial Powers, Offspring of Heaven, Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd Inclines, here to continue, and build up here 311 A growing empire; doubtless! while we dream, 315 And know not that the King of Heaven hath doom'd This place our dungeon; not our safe retreat In height or depth, still first and last will reign 325 By our revolt; but over Hell extend His empire, and with iron sceptre rule Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven. War hath determined us, and foil'd with loss 330 Vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be given 'Io us enslaved, but custody severe, And stripes, and arbitrary punishment Inflicted? and what peace can we return, 335 But to our power hostility and hate, Untamed reluctance, and revenge though slow May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice In doing what we most in suffering feel? 340 With dangerous expedition to invade Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault nor siege, Or ambush from the deep. What if we find Some easier enterprise? There is a place 345 (If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven Err not,) another world, the happy seat Of some new race call'd Man, about this time In power and excellence, but favour'd more 350 Of Him who rules above; so was his will Pronounced among the Gods, and by an oath, 355 That shook Heaven's whole circumference, confirm'd. In his own strength, this place may lie exposed, 360 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 365 All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, Seduce them to our party, that their God May prove their foe, and with repenting hand Abolish his own works. This would surpass 370 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, 375 Faded so soon. Advise, if this be worth Attempting, or to sit in darkness here By Satan, and in part proposed: For whence, 380 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 385 His glory to augment. The bold design Pleased 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 judged, well ended long debate, 390 Synod of Gods! and, like to what ye are, Great things resolved, which, from the lowest deep, Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate, Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view [arms Of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring 396 Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light, 400 |