With Naphtha and Asphaltus, yielded light
As from a fky. The hafty multitude

730

735

740

Admiring enter'd; and the work fome praife,
And fome the architect: his hand was known
In heav'n by many a tow'red structure high,
Where fcepter'd angels held their refidence,
And fat as princes; whom the Supreme King
Exalted to fuch pow'r, and gave to rule.
Each in his hierarchy, the orders bright.
Nor was his name unhear'd, or unador'd,
In ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land
Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell
From heav'n, they fabled, thrown by angry Jove
Sheer o'er the crystal battlements; from morn
To noon he fell, from noon till dewy eve,
A fummer's day; and, with the fetting fun,
Dropt from the zenith like a falling star,
On Lemnos th' Egean ifle: Thus they relate,
Erring; for he with this rebellious rout
Fell long before; nor ought avail'd him now
T'have built in heav'n high tow'rs; nor did he 'fcape
By all his engines, but was headlong fent
With his industrious crew to build in hell.

Meanwhile the winged heralds, by command.

Of fov'reign pow'r, with awful ceremony

745

750

And trumpets found, throughout the host proclaim
A folemn council forthwith to be held.
At Pandemonium, the high capital

755

Of Satan and his peers: their fammens call'd
From ev'ry band and fquared regiment
By place or choice the worthieft; they anon,
With hundreds, and with thoufands, trooping came
Attended all accefs was throng'd, the gates
And porches wide, but chief the fpacious hall
(Tho' like a cover'd field, where champions bold
Wont to ride arm'd, and at the Soldan's chair

760

Defy'd

Defy'd the best of Panim chivalry

765

To mortal combat, or career with lance)
Thick fwarm'd, both on the ground and in the air,
Brush'd with the hifs of ruftling wings. As bees
In fpring-time, when the Sun with Taurus rides,
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive 770-
In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers
Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank,
The fuburb of their straw-built citadel,
New rubb'd with balm, expatiate and confer
Their ftate-affairs. So thick the aery croud
Swarm'd, and were ftraiten'd; till the fignal given,
Behold a wonder! they but now who feem'd
In bigness to furpafs earth's giant fons,

775

Now lefs than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that pygmean race
Beyond the Indian mount; or fairy elves,
Whole midnight revels by a foreft-fide,
Or fountain, fome belated peasant fees;,

780

Or dreams he fees; while over-head the moon

Sits arbitrefs; and nearer to the earth

785

Wheels her pale courfe; they on their mirth and dance: Intent, with jocund mufic charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal spirits to smallest forms

Reduc'd their fhapes immense, and were at large; 790
Though without number still, amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimenfions like themselves,
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim,
In clofe recefs and fecret conclave fat,
A thousand demi-gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full. After short filence then,
And fummons read, the great confult began

END of the FIRST BOOK.
E-5

795

ARGU

ARGUMENT of Book II.

The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven : Some advife it, others diffuade. A third propofal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal, or not much inferior, to themfelves, about this time to be created: Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult fearch: Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage; is honoured 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 pales on his journey to Hell-gates, finds them shut, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are opened, and discover 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,

PARADISE

PARADISE LOS T.

BOOK

II.

H'

IGH 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 defpair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, afpires
Beyond thus high; infatiate to purfue

Vain war with Heav'n; and, by fuccefs untaught,
His proud imaginations thus difplay'd.

Pow'rs and dominions, deities of heav'n;

For fince no deep within her gulf can hold
Immortal vigour, though opprefs'd and fall'n, -
I give not heav'n for loft. From this defcent
Celestial virtues rifing, will appear

More glorious and more dread than from no fall,
And trust themselves to fear no fecond fate.

20

Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of heav'n,
Did first create your leader, next free choice,
With what befides, in council or in fight,.
Hath been achiev'd of merit; yet this lofs
Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more
Eftablish'd in a fafe unenvied throne,
Yielded with full confent. The happier ftate

25

In heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw
Envy from each inferior; but who here
Will envy whom the highest place expofes
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 30
For which to ftrive, no ftrife can grow up there...
From faction: for none fure will claim in hell
Precedence; none, whofe portion is fo fmall
Of prefent 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 claim our juft 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.

35:

40

He ceas'd; and next him Moloch, scepter'd king,

45

Stood up; the ftrongest and the fierceft fpi'rit
That fought in heav'n, now fiercer by defpair:
His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd
Equal in ftrength; and rather than be lefs,
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 thefe words thereafter fpake. 50
My fentence is for open war: of wiles,

More unexpert, I boaft not: them let thofe
Contrive who need; or when they need, not now.
For while they fit contriving, fhall the reft,
Millions that ftand in arms, and longing wait
The fignal to afcend, fit ling'ring here
Heav'n's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place
Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame,
The prifon of his tyranny who reigns

55

By