His red right hand to plague us? what if all
Her ftores were open'd, and this firmament
Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire,
Impendent horrors, threatning hideous fall
One day upon our heads; while we perhaps
Defigning or exhorting glorious war,
Caught in a fiery tempest shall be hurl'd
Each on his rock transfix'd, the sport and prey
Of wracking whirlwinds, or for ever funk
Under yon boiling ocean, wrapt in chains;
There to converse with everlasting groans,
Unrefpited, unpitied, unrepriev'd,
Ages of hopeless end? this would be worse.
War therefore, open or conceal'd, alike
My voice diffuades; for what can force or guile
With him, or who deceive his mind, whofe eye
Views all things at one view? he from Heav'n's highth
All these our motions vain fees and derides;
Not more almighty to resist our might
Than wife to frustrate all our plots and wiles.
Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heaven
Thus trampled, thus expell'd to fuffer here
Chains and these torments? better thefe than worse
By my advice;
Subdues us,
fince fate inevitable
and omnipotent decree,
The victor's will. To fuffer, as to do,
Our strength is equal, nor the law unjust
That fo ordains: this was at first refolv'd,
If we were wife, against fo great a foe
Contending, and fo doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold
And ventrous, if that fail them, fhrink and fear 205
What yet they know muft follow, to indure
Exile, or ignominy', or bonds, or pain,
The fentence of their conqu'ror: this is now
Our doom; which if we can fuftain and bear,
Our fupreme foe in time may much remit
His anger, and perhaps thus far remov'd
Not mind us not offending, fatisfy'd
With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires
Will flacken, if his breath fir not their flames.
Our purer effence then will overcome
Their noxious vapor, or inur'd not feel,
Or chang'd at length, and to the place conform'd
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow mild, this darkness light, 220 Befides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting, fince our prefent lot appears
For happy though but ill, for ill not worst,
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.
Thus Belial with words cloth'd in reafon's garb
Counsel'd ignoble eafe, and peaceful floth,
Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake.
Either to difinthrone the king of Heaven
We war, if war be beft, or to regain
Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlafting Fate fhall yield
To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the ftrife:
The former vain to hope argues as vain
The latter: for what place can be for us
Within Heav'n's bound, unless Heav'n's Lord fupreme
We overpow'r? Suppofe he fhould relent,
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new subjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his presence humble, and receive
Strict laws impos'd, to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead fing
Forc'd Hallelujah's; while he lordly fits
Our envied fovran, and his altar breathes
Ambrofial odors and ambrofial flowers,
Our fervile offerings? This must be our task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearifome
Eternity so spent in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our ftate
Of splendid vassalage; but rather feek
Our own good from ourselves, and from our own
Live to ourfelves, though in this vaft recefs,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafy yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then moft confpicuous, when great things of fmall,
Useful of hurtful, profp'rous of adverse
We can create, and in what place fo e'er
Thrive under ev'il, and work ease out of pain
Through labor and indurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling Sire Choose to refide, his glory unobscur'd,
And with the majesty of darkness round `
Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Muft'ring their rage, and Heav'n resembles Hell?
As he our darknefs, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This defert foil
Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n fhow more?
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements, thefe piercing fires
As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled state
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose our prefent evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, difmiffing quite
All thoughts of war: ye have what I advise.
He scarce had finish'd, when fuch murmur fill'd
Th' assembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The found of bluft'ring winds, which all night long Had rous'd the fea, now with hoarfe cadence lull
Sea-fearing men o'er-watch'd, whose bark by chance Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay
After the tempeft: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleas'd,
Advifing peace: for fuch another field
They dreaded worfe than Hell: fo much the fear
Of thunder and the fword of Michaël
Wrought ftill within them; and no less defire
To found this nether empire, which might rife
By policy, and long procéfs of time,
In emulation oppofite to Heaven.
Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher fat, with grave
Afpéct he rofe, and in his rifing feem'd
A pillar of state; deep on his front ingraven
Deliberation fat and public care;
And princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: fage he stood
With Atlantéan fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightieft monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night
Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he fpake.
Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Heaven, Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now
Muft we renounce, and changing stile be call'd
Princes of Hell? for fo the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue', and build up here
A growing empire; doubtlefs; while we dream, 315
And know not that the king of Heav'n hath doom'd
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat
Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'n's high jurisdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In ftricteft bondage, though thus far remov'd
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude; for he, be sure,
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