730

735

With Naphtha and Asphaltus, yielded light
As from a sky. The hasty multitude
Admiring enter'd; and the work fome praise,
And fome the architect: his hand was known
In heav'n by many a tow'red structure high,
Where scepter'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 Aufonian 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 setting fun,
Dropt from the zenith like a falling star,
On Lemnos th' Ægean 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 'scape
By all his engines, but was headlong fent
With his industrious crew to build in hell.

740

745

750

Meanwhile the winged heralds, by command Of fov'reign pow'r, with awful ceremony And trumpets found, throughout the hoit proclaim A folemn council forthwith to be held

At Pandemonium, the high capital

Of Satan and his peers: their fammons call'd
From ev'ry band and squared regiment

755

By place or choice the worthiest; they anon,
With hundreds, and with thousands, trooping came
Attended: all accefs was throng'd, the gates 768
And porches wide, but chief the spacious hall
(Tho' like a cover'd field, where champions bold

Wont to ride arm'd, and at the Soldan's chair

Defy'd

!

765

Defy'd the best of Panim chivalry
To mortal combat, or career with lance)

Thick swarm'd, both on the ground and in the air,
Brush'd with the hiss of rustling wings. As bees
In spring-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 straiten'd; till the fignal given,
Behold a wonder! they but now who feem'd
In bigness to furpass earth's giant fons,
Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that pygmean race
Beyond the Indian mount; or fairy elves,
Whose midnight revels by a forest-fide,

775

780

Or fountain, fome belated peafant fees;.
Or dreams he fees; while over-head the moon

Sits arbitress, and nearer to the earth

785

Wheels her pale course; they on their mirth and dance
Intent, with jocund music charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal spi'rits to smallest forms.
Reduc'd their shapes immense, and were at large, 790
Though without number still, amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimensions like themselves,
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim,
In close recefs and secret conclave sat,
A thousand demi-gods on golden seats,
Frequent and full. After short filence then,
And fummons read, the great confult began

795

END of the FIRST BOOK.
E5

ARGU

ARGUMENT of Bоок ІІ.

The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven : Some advise it, others dissuade. A third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that propbecy 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 shall be sent on this difficult search: Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage; is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft betake them several ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes 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 be fought.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK

II.

HIGH

IG H'on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone 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 success untaught,
His proud imaginations thus display'd.

5

10

15:

Pow'rs and dominions, deities of heav'n; For fince no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigour, 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 trust themselves to fear no second fate. 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 loss Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more Establish'd in a safe unenvied throne,

Yielded with full consent. The happier state

20

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 30
For which to strive, no strife can grow up there...
From faction: for none sure will claim in hell
Precedence; none, whose 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 returnm

25

:

35

To claim our just inheritance of old,

Surer to profper than profperity

Could have assur'd us; and by what best way, 40 Whether of open war or covert guile,

We now debate: who can advise, may speak.

He ceas'd; and next him Moloch, scepter'd king, Stood up; the strongest and the fiercest spi'rit That fought in heav'n, now fiercer by despair: 45 His trust was with th' Eternal to be deem'd Equal in strength; and rather than be less, Car'd not to be at all; with that care lost Went all his fear of God, or hell, or worse, He reck'd not, and these words thereafter spake. 50 My sentence is for open war: of wiles, More unexpert, I boast 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 afcend, 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

:

55

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