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Whose dwelling God hath planted here, in bliss." To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous brow: 'Gabriel, thou hadst in heaven the esteem of wise, And such I held thee; but this question ask'd

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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,
And boldly venture to whatever place [no doubt,
Farthest from pain, where thou might'st hope to
Torment with ease, and soonest recompense [change
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 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!

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.

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,
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
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
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 practised distances to cringe, not fight."

I

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 traced.

Satan! and couldst thou faithful add? O name,
O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!
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 wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd, and cringed, and servilely adored
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 fled'st: 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 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, Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels In progress through the road of heaven, star-paved."

While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, sharpening 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 grove 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,
Collecting all his might, dilated stood,
Like Teneriffe, or Atlas, unremoved:
His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat horror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp
What seem'd both spear and shield. Now dread-
Might have ensued; nor only Paradise [ful deeds
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wrack, disturb'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 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 kicked the beam:
Which Gabriel spying, thus bespake the fiend:
"Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st
Neither our own, but given; what folly then [mine;

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 shown how light, how weak,

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.

END OF BOOK IT

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