"With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires 66 215 Our purer essence then will overcome "Their noxious vapour; or, inur'd, not feel; "Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain; "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, 225 "If we procure not to ourselves more woe." 230 Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb, "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 235"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 240 "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 hallelujahs? while he lordly sits "Our envied Sovereign, and his altar breathes 245" Ambrosial odours, 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, 250By force impossible, by leave obtain'd 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, 255 "Free, and to none accountable; preferring "Hard liberty before the easy yoke 260 "Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear "We can create; and in what place soe'er "Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain, "Through labour and endurance. This deep world "Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst "Thick clouds and dark doth heaven's all-ruling sire 265 "Choose to reside, (his glory unobscur'd,) "And with the majesty of darkness round 270 275 "Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar 66 "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 changed, "Into their temper; which must needs remove "The sensible of pain. All things invite "To peaceful counsels, and the settled state 280"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 finish'd, when such murmur fill'd 285 The assembly, as when hollow rocks retain The sound of blustering winds, which all night long Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay, 290 After the tempest: such applause was heard They dreaded worse than hell: so much the fear 295 Wrought still within them; and no less desire In emulation opposite to heaven. Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom, And princely counsel in his face yet shone, 305 Majestic, though in ruin: sage he stood, With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear 310 315 The weight of mightiest monarchies: his look 66 “Thrones, and Imperial Powers, offspring of heaven, "Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd Inclines, here to continue, and build up here "A growing empire; doubtless, while we dream, 66 66 Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt "From heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league 320 "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, 325"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? 330 "War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss 66 Irreparable; terms of peace yet none "Vouchsaf'd, or sought; for what peace will be giv'n "To us enslav'd, but custody severe, "And stripes, and arbitrary punishment 335 "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. 340"In doing what we most in suffering feel? "Nor will occasion want; nor shall we need, "With dangerous expedition, to invade 66 Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault, or siege, "Or ambush from the deep. What if we find 345"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 350 355 360 "In power and excellence, but favour'd more "What creatures there inhabit,-of what mould, 66 By force or subtlety. Though heaven be shut, "To their defence who hold it: here perhaps "By sudden onset; either with hell fire 365 370 "To waste his whole creation, or possess "All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, "In our confusion, and our joy upraise "In his disturbance; when his darling sons, "Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse 375"Their frail original, and faded bliss, "Faded so soon! Advise, if this be worth 66 66 Attempting, or to sit in darkness here Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub Of mankind in one root, and earth with hell 390 "Great things resolv'd; which from the lowest deep 395 "Of those bright confines, whence, with neighb'ring 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 bright'ning orient beam 400 "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 send |