Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldft thyself, no
And boldly venture to whatever place (doubt,
Fartheft from pain, where thou might'ft hope to change
Torment with ease, and fooneft recompenfe

Dole with delight, which in this place I sought;
To thee no reason, who know'ft only good,
But evil haft not try'd: and wilt object
His will who bound us: let him furer 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 fay; 900 But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel mov'd, Difdainfully half smiling thus reply'd.

905

O lofs of one in Heav'n to judge of wise,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prison fcap'd,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicenc'd from his bounds in Hell prescrib'd;
So wife he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment.

910.

So judge thou ftill, prefumptuous, till the wrath, Which thou incurr'ft by flying, meet thy flight Sev'nfold, and fcourge 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

920

Came not all Hell broke loofe? is pain to them
Less pain, less to be fled? or thou than they
Less hardy to indure? courageous Chief,
The first in flight from pain, hadst thou alledg'd
To thy deferted hoft this caufe of flight,
Thou surely hadft not come fole fugitive.

925

To which the Fiend thus answer'd, frowning ftern. Not that I less indure, or shrink from pain, Infulting Angel; well thou know'ft I stood Thy fierceft, when in battel to thy aid The blafting volied thunder made all speed, And feconded thy else not dreaded spear. But ftill thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience what behoves, From hard assays and ill fucceffes past,

930

Fame is not filent; here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To fettle here on earth, or in mid air;

940

Though for poffeffion put to try once more
What thou, and thy gay legions, dare against;
Whose easier business were to serve their Lord
High up in Heav'n, with songs to hymn his throne,
And practic'd diftances to cringe, not fight.

945

Το

To whom the warrior Angel foon reply'd. To fay, and strait unfay, pretending first

Wife to fly pain, profeffing next the spy,

Argues no leader but a liar trac'd,

Satan, and couldft thou faithful add? O name,

950

955

O facred name of faithfulness profan'd!
Faithful, to whom? to thy rebellious crew?
Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.
Was this your disciplin and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to diffolve
Allegiance to th’acknowledg'd Pow'r supreme?
And thou, fly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and fervily ador'd
Heav'n's awful monarch? wherefore,but in hope 960
To dispossess him, and thy self to reign?
But mark what I arreed thee now, Avant;

Fly thither whence thou fledst: if from this hour
Within thefe hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th'infernal pit I drag thee chain'd;
And feal thee fo, as henceforth not to fcorn
The facil gates of Hell,too flightly barr'd.

965

So threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats Gave heed; but waxing more in rage reply'd. Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, 970 Proud, limitary Cherub, but ere then

Far heavier load thy felf 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'ft his triumphant wheels 975 In progress through the road of Heav'n star-pav'd.

While thus he spake, th'angelic squadron bright Turn'd fiery red, fharp'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 plowman doubting stands, Lest on the threshing floor his hopeful sheaves Prove chaff. On th'other fide Satan,alarm'd, 985 Collecting all his might,dilated flood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:

His ftature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grasp

What feem'd both spear and fhield: now dreadful deeds
Might have enfued, nor only Paradise
In this commotion, but the starry cope

Of Heav'n perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wrack, diflurb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict; had not foon
Th'Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,

991

995

Hung forth in Heav'n his golden fcales, yet seen Betwixt Aftrea and the Scorpion sign,

Wherein all things created firft he weigh'd,

The pendulous round earth,with balanc'd air 1000 In counterpoife, now ponders all events,

Battels

Battels 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
Satan, Iknow thy ftrength, and thou know'ft mine,
Neither our own but giv'n; what folly then
To boaft what arms can do? fince thine no more
Than Heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up, ΙΟΙΟ.
And read thy lot in yon celeftial fign, (weak,
Where thou art weigh'd, and shown how light, how
If thou refift. The Fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled.
Murm'ring, and with him fled the shades of night. 1015

The end of the Fourth Book.

T