How busied, in what form and posture couch'd. 876

880

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; 885 Gabriel! thou had'st in Heaven the esteem of wise, And such I held thee; but this question ask'd 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 what ever place Furthest from pain, where thou mightst 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

891

895

His will who bound 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;

900

But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel moved, Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied:

O loss of one in Heaven to judge of wise
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prison scaped,
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 scape his punishment!

905

910

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.

915

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 alleged
To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

920

Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.

To which the fiend thus answer'd, 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

925

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 behooves
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;

930

935

940

Though for possession put to try once more
What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
Whose easier buisness were to serve their Lord

High up in Heaven. with songs to hymn his throne
And practiced distances to cringe, not fight.
To whom the warrior Angel soon replied:
To say and straight unsay, pretending first

945

Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy,

Argues no leader but a liar traced,

Satan, and couldst thou faithful' add? O name,

950

O sacred name of faithfulness profane!

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 seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou

955

Once fawn'd, and cringed, and servilely adored Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope 960 To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?

But mark what I arreed thee now, Avaunt!

Fly thither whence thou fledst! If from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to the infernal pit 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

965

970

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 975
In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved.
While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, sharp'ning in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round

With ported spears, as thick as when a field 980
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, 985
Collecting all his might, dilated stood

Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremoved:

His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest

[deeds

Sat Horror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp

What seem'd both spear and shield: now dreadful Might have ensued, nor only Paradise

991

In this commotion, but the starry cope

Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wreck, disturb'd and torn
With violence in this conflict, had not soon

The Eternal to prevent such horrid fray,

Hung forth in Heaven his golden scales, yet seen
Betwixt Astrea and the Scorpion sign,
Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth with balanced air
In counterpoise, now ponders all events,
Battles and realms: in these he put two weights,
The sequel each of parting and of fight:

The latter quick up flew and kick'd the beam;

995

1000

Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the Fiend: 1005
Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine;
Neither our own but given: what folly then

To boast what arms can do? since thine no more
Than Heaven permits, nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celestial sign;

1010

[weak

Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light, how
If thou resist. The Fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled

Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night.1015