His heart. not else dismay'd. Now drew they 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 glimpse discern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the suade,
And with them comes a third of regal port,
But faded splendour wan; who, by his gait
And fierce demeanour, seems the prince of hell,
Not likely to part hence without contest;
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lowers."

865

870

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. 876

880

To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake : "Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescrib'd 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 steep, and those Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss ?"

To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow: "Gabriel, thou hadst in heaven th' esteem of wise, And such I held thee; but this question ask'd 887 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,

890

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 bound us? let him surer bar
His iron gates, if he intends our stay

895

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."

905

Thus he in scorn. The warlike angel mov'd, 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 scap'd, Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither Unlicens'd, from his bounds in hell prescrib'd; So wise he judges it to fly from pain However, and to scape his punishment.

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 915
Can equal anger infinite provok'd.

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 alleg'd
To thy deserted host this cause of flight,
Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive."

920

To which the fiend thus answer'd, frowning stern:

925

"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 past,
A faithful leader, not to hazard all

930

Through ways of danger by himself untried.

I, therefore, I alone first undertook

935

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 put to try once more
What thou and thy gay legions dure against,

940

Whose easier business were to serve their Lord High up in heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, And practis'd 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 'eader but a liar trac'd,

945

Satan, and couldst thou faithful add? O name 950
O sacred name of faithfulness profan'd!

Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of fiends, fit body to fit head.

955

Was this your discipline and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to th' acknowledg'd power supreme?
And thou, sly hypocrite! who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who inore than thou
Once fawn'd and cring'd, and servilely ador'd
Heaven's awful monarch? wherefore, but in hope
To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?
But mark what I areed thee now-.
-Avaunt:
Fly thither whence thou fledst: if from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th' 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 threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage, replied:

961

965

"Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, 970 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, Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels 975 In progress through the road of heaven star-pav'd.”

980

While thus he spake, th' 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 Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends Her bearded groves of ears, which way the wind Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting stands,

Lest on the threshing-floor his hopeful sheaves

Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd, 985 Collecting all his might, dilated stood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:

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

Sat horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp

What seem'd both spear and shield. Now dreadful

deeds

Might have ensu'd; nor only Paradise
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of heaven perhaps, or all the elements,

990

995

At least had gone to wrack, disturb'd, and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not soon
Th' 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 balanc'd 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;
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the fiend: 1005

1000

"Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know's! mine,

Neither our own, but given; what folly then
To boast what arms can do? since thine no more
Than heaven permits, nor mine, tho' doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celestial sign,

1010

Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light, how weak,

1014

If thou resist." The fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but filed
Murm'ring, and with him fled the shades of night.

END OF BOOK FOURTH.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK V.

THE ARGUMENT.

Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her troublesome dream; he likes it not, yet comforts her. They come forth to their day-labours: their morning hymn at the door of their bower. God, to render man inexcusable, sends Raphael to admonish him of his. obedience; of his free estate; of his enemy near at hand, who he is, and why his enemy; and whatever else may avail Adam to know. Raphael comes down to Paradise: his appearance described; his coming discerned by Adam afar off sitting at the door of his bower; he goes out to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Para dise got together by Eve; their discourse at table. Raphael performs his message, minds Adam of his state and of his enemy; relates, at Adam's request, who that enemy is, and how he came to be so, beginning from his first revolt in heaven, and the occasion thereof; how he drew his legions after him to the parts of the north, and there incited them to rebel with him, persuading all but only Abdiel, a seraph, who in argument dissuades and opposes him, then forsakes him.

Now Morn, her rosy steps in th' eastern clime
Advancing, sow'd the earth with orient pearl,
When Adam wak'd, so custom'd, for his sleep
Was airy-light, from pure digestion bred,
And temp'rate vapours bland, which th' only sound
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,