The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: fome advife it, others diffuade: A third propofal is preferr'd, mention'd before by Satan, to fearch the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created: Their doubt who fhall be fent on this difficult fearch: Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honor'd and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to Hell gates, finds them fhut, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.
I G H on a throne of royal state, which far Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous east,with richest hand, Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted fat, by merit rais'd
To that bad eminence; and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high; infatiate to pursue
Vain war with Heav'n; and, by fuccefs untaught, His proud imaginations thus display'd.
Pow'rs and Dominions, Deities of Heaven, For, fince no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigor, though oppress'd and fall'n,
I give not Heav'n for loft. From this descent Celestial virtues rifing, will appear
More glorious, and more dread, than from no fall, And truft themselves to fear no fecond fate. Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of Heaven Did first create your leader, next, free choice, With what besides, in counfel or in fight,
Hath been achiev'd of merit; yet this loss
Thus far at leaft recover'd, hath much more Establish'd in a fafe, unenvied throne,
Yielded with full confent. The happier state In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw Envy from each inferior; but who here Will envy, whom the highest place exposes Foremost to stand against the Thund'rer's aim, Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share Of endless pain? where there is then no good For which to ftrive, no ftrife can grow up there From faction; for none sure will clame in Hell Precedence; none, whofe portion is so small Of present pain, that,with ambitious mind, Will covet more. With this advantage then To union, and firm faith, and firm accord, More than can be in Heav'n, we now return To clame our just inheritance of old, Surer to profper, than prosperity
Could have affur'd us; and by what best way, Whether of open war, or covert guile, We now debate; who can advise, may speak.
He ceas'd; and next him Moloch, fcepter'd king, Stood up; the strongest and the fiercest Spirit That fought in Heav'n, now fiercer by despair: 45 His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd
Equal in ftrength, and rather than be less, Car'd not to be,at all; with that care loft Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse
He reck'd not, and these words thereafter spake. 50 My fentence is for open war: of wiles,
More unexpert, I boaft not: them let those Contrive who need, or when they need, not now. For while they fit contriving, shall the rest, Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait The fignal to ascend, fit ling'ring here Heav'n's fugitives; and, for their dwelling place, Accept this dark, opprobrious den of shame, The prison of his tyranny who`reigns By our delay? no, let us rather choose, Arm'd with Hell flames and fury, all at once O'er Heav'n's high tow'rs to force resistless way, Turning our tortures into horrid arms Against the torturer; when,to meet the noise Of his almighty engin, he shall hear Infernal thunder, and, for lightning,see Black fire and horror fhot with equal rage Among his Angels; and his throne itself, Mix'd with Tartarean fulphur, and strange fire, His own invented torments. But, perhaps, The way seems difficult, and steep, to scale With upright wing against a higher foe. Let fuch bethink them, if the fleepy drench Of that forgetful lake benumm not fill, That, in our proper motion, we ascend Up to our native feat: descent and fall To us is adverfe. Who,but felt of late,
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