But come, for thou, be fure, fhalt give account
To him who fent us, whofe charge is to keep
This place inviolable, and thefe from harm.
So fpake the Cherub; and his grave rebuke,
Severe in youthful beauty, added grace
Invincible: abafh'd the Devil ftood,
And felt how awful goodness is, and faw
Virtue' in her shape how lovely; faw, and pin'd
His lofs; but chiefly to find here observ'd
His luftre vifibly impair'd; yet feem'd
Undaunted. If I must contend, faid he,.
Beft with the beft, the fender not the fent,
Or all at once; more glory will be won,
Or lefs be loft. Thy fear, faid Zephon bold,
Will fave us trial what the least can do
Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.
The fiend reply'd not, overcome with rage;
But like a proud fteed rein'd, went haughty on,
Champing his iron curb: to ftrive or fly
He held it vain ; awe from above had quell'd
His heart, not elfe difmay'd. Now drew they nigh
The western point, where those half-rounding guards
Just met, and closing stood in fquadron join'd,
Awaiting next command.. To whom their chief,
Gabriel, from the front thus call'd aloud.
O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hafting this way, and now by glimpse difcern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the fhade;
And with them comes a third of regal port,
But faded fplendour wan; who by his gait
And fierce demeanor feems the prince of hell,
Not likely to part hence without contest;
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.
He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found,
How bufied, in what form and poffure couch'd.
To whom, with ftern regard, thus Gabriel spake, Why haft thou, Satan, broke the bounds prefcrib'd To thy tranfgreffions, and difturb'd the charge Of others, who approve not to tranfgrefs By thy example, but have power and right To question thy bold entrance on this place; Employ'd, it seems, to violate fleep, and those Whofe dwelling God hath planted here in blifs? To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow. 885 Gabriel, thou had'st in heav'n th' efteem of wife, And fuch I held thee; but this question afk'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loose from hell, Tho' thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyfelf, no doubt, And boldly venture to whatever place
Farthest from pain, where thou might'ft hope to change
Torment with eafe, and fooneft recompenfe
Dole with delight, which in this place I fought;
To thee no reafon, 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
In that dark durance: thus much what was afk'd. The reft is true, they found me where they fay; 900
But that implies not violence or harm.
Thus he in fcorn. The warlike angel mov'd,
Difdainfully half fmiling, thus reply'd.
Olofs of one in heav'n to judge of wife,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prifon 'fcap'd,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wife
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicens'd from his bounds in hell prescrib'd;
So wife he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to 'fcape his punishment.
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 not all hell broke loofe? is pain to them
Lefs pain, lefs to be fled ? or thou than they
Lefs hardy to endure? courageous chief,
The first in flight from pain, hadft thou alleg'd
To thy deferted hoft this caufe of flight,
Thou furely hadft not come fole fugitive.
To which the fiend thus anfwer'd, frowning ftern. Not that I lefs endure, or shrink from pain, Infulting angel; well thou know'ft I ftood Thy. fierceft, when in battle to thy aid The blasting volied thunder made all speed, And feconded thy elfe not dreaded spear. But ftill thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience what behoves From hard effays and ill fucceffes paft A faithful leader, not to hazard all
Through ways of danger by himself untry'd:
I therefore, I alone first undertook
To wing the defolate abyss, and spy
This new created world, whereof in hell
Fame is not filent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted powers
To fettle here on earth, or in mid air;
Though for poffeffion put to try once more
What thou and thy gay legions dare against ;
Whofe eafier bufinefs were to ferve their Lord
High up in heav'n, with fongs to hymn his throne,
And practis'd diftances to cringe, not fight.
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 couldst thou faithful add? O name, 950
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 difcipline, and faith engag'd,
Your military obedience, to diffolve
Allegiance to th' acknowledg'd Pow'r fupreme?
And thou, fly hypocrite, who now would feem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou
Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and fervily ador'd
Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope 960
To difpoffefs him, and thyfelf to reign?
But mark what I arreed thee now, Avant;
Fly thither whence thou fledft: if from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th' infernal pit I drag thee chain'd,
And feal thee fo, as henceforth not to scorn
The facile gates of hell too flightly barr'd.
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,
Proud limitary Cherub, but ere then
Far heavier load thyfelf 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 progrefs through the road of heaven star-pav'd.
While thus he spake, th' angelic squadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, sharp'ning 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 plowman doubting stands,
Left on the threshing-floor his hopeful fheaves
Prove chaff. On th' other fide, Satan alarm'd, 985
Collecting all his might, dilated stood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:
His ftature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat Horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grafp
What feem'd both spear and shield. Now dreadful deeds Might have enfu'd, not only Paradise
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of heaven perhaps, or all the elements,
At least had gone to wreck, disturb'd' and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not foon
Th' Eternal, to prevent fuch horrid fray,
Hung forth in heav'n his golden fcales, yet feen.
Betwixt Aftrea and the Scorpion fign,
Wherein all things created firft he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth with balanc'd air
In counterpoife, now ponders all events,
Battles and realms: in thefe he put two weights,
The fequel each of parting and of fight;-
The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam;
Which Gabriel spying, thus befpake the fiend.
1005 Satan, I know thy ftrength, and thou know'ft mine; Neither our own, but giv'n: what folly then To boast 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, And read thy lot in yon celestial fign,
Where thou art weigh'd, and fhown how light, how
If thou refift. The fiend look'd up, and knew
His mounted fcale aloft: nor more; but fled
Murm'ring, and with him fled the shades of night. 1015
END of the FOURTH BOOK.
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