I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold
And ventrous, if that fail them, shrink and fear 205
What yet they know must follow, to indure
Exile, or ignominy', or bonds, or pain,
The sentence 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 ftir not their flames.
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 ourfelves 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 fpake.
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 strife;
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 should relent,
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new fubjection; with what eyes could we
Stand in his prefence 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 ambrosial flowers,
Our fervile offerings? This must be our task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearifome
Eternity fo 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 state
Of fplendid vaffalage; but rather seek
Our own good from ourselves, and from our own
Live to ourselves, though in this vast recefs,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the eafy yoke
Of fervile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most confpicuous, when great things of small,
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 darkness, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This defert foil
Wants not her hidden luftre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav'n show more?
Our torments alfo may in length of time
Become our elements, these piercing fires
As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which muft needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the fettled state
Of order, how in fafety beft we may
Compose our present 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' affembly, 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, whofe bark by chance Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay
After the tempeft: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended, and his fentence pleas'd,
Advising 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 lefs defire
To found this nether empire, which might rise
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 rose, and in his rifing feem'd
A pill'ar 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 mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night
Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake.
< Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Heaven,
Ethereal Virtues; or thefe 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
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 jurifdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In ftrictest bondage, though thus far remov'd
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude; for he,. be fure,.
In highth or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lofe no part
By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron scepter rule
Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven.
What fit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Vouchfaf'd or fought; for what peace will be given
To us inflav'd, but cuftody severe,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But to our pow'r hoftility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the conqu'ror least
May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice
In doing what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dang'rous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whofe high walls fear no affault or fiege,
Or ambush from the deep. What if we find
Some easier enterprife? There is a place,
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven
Err not) another world, the happy feat
Of fome new race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less
In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more
Of him who rules above; fo was his will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an oath,
That fhook Heav'n's whole circumference, confirm'd.
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