Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyself,
And boldly venture to whatever place
(change
Farthest from pain, where thou might'st hope to
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 mor'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 bell prescrib'd;
So wise he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to 'scape his pumshment !
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 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."
To which the Fiend thus answer'd, frowning
"Not that I less endure or shrink from pain, Insulti sogelcher nowest I stood
Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid
The blasting volley'd 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
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 put 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 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 leader, but a liar trac'd,
Satan: and couldst thou faithful add? O name,
O sacred name of faithfulness profan'd !
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew ?
Army of fiends, fit body to fit head.
Was this your discipline and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to the acknowledged Power Supreme ?
And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more 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 aread thee now, Avaunt;
FIV thither whence thou fled'st. If from this hour
Within these hallowed limits thou appear,
Back to the infernal pit 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:
"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
Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant whees
In progress through the road of heaven star-pav'd."
While thus he spake, the angelic squadron brigtha
Turn'd fiery red, sharpening in mooned horus
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 w
Sways them; the careful ploughman doub.ing
Lest on the threshing-floor his nopeful sheaves
Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd,
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 gras
What seem'd both spear and shield. Now read.
Might have ensu'd, nor only Paradise, [ful de
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of heaven perhaps, or all the elements
At least had gone to wreck, distur.'d and torn
With violence of 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 balanc'd air
In counterpoise; now ponders all events,
Battles and realıms: in these he put two weghta
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: "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, though doubled
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, [now
And read thy lot in yon celestial sign,
Where thou art weigh'd, and shewn how light,
how weak,
If thou resist." The Fierd look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled
BMurmuring, and with him fled the shades at nigas
Morning approached, Eve relates to Adam her trouble. some 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 Ra phael 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 sut to meet him, brings him to his lodge, entertains him with the choicest fruits of Paradise 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, be. ginning from the 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 the eastern clime
Advancing, sow'd the earth with orient pearl,
When Adam wak'd, so custom'd, for his sleep
Was aery-light, from pure digestion bred,
And temperate vapours bland, which the only sound
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly dispers'd, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough; so much the more
His wonder was to find unwaken'd Eve
With tresses discompos'd, and glowing cheek,
As through unquiet rest he, on his side
Leaning half-rais'd, with looks of cordial love
Hung over her enamour'd, and beheld
Beauty, which, whether waking or asleep,
Shot forth peculiar graces; then with voice
Mild as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes,
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