HE meafure is English heroic verfe without rhyme, as that of Homer in Greek, and of Virgil in Latia; rhyme being no neceffary adjunct or true ornament of poem or good verfe, in longer works especially, but the invention of a barbarous age, to fet off wretched matter and lame meter; graced indeed fince by the use of fome famous modern poets, carried away by cuftom, but much to their vexation, hindrance, and conftraint to exprefs many things otherwife, and for the most part worse than elfe they would have expreffed them, Not without caufe therefore fome both Italian and Spanish poets of prime note have rejected rhyme both in longer and orter works, as have alfo long fince our beft English tragedies, as a thing of itfelf, to all judicious ears, trivial and of no true mufical delight; which confifts only in apt numbers, fit quantity of fyllables, and the sense variously drawn out from one verfe into another, not in the jingling found of like endings, a fault avoided by the learned Ancients both in poetry and all good oratory. This neglect then of rhyme fo little is to be taken for a defect, though it may feem fo perhaps to vulgar readers, that it rather is to be efteemed an example fet, the first in English, of ancient liberty recovered to heroic poem, from the troublefome and modern bondage of rhyming.
This firft Book proposes, firft in brief, the whole fubject, Man's difobedience, and the lofs thereupon of Paradife wherein he was plac'd: Then touches the prime caufe of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the ferpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to his fide many legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of Heaven with all his crew into the great deep. Which action pafs'd over, the poem haftes into the midst of things, prefenting Satan with his Angels now falling into Hell, defcrib'd here, not in the center (for Heaven and Earth may be fuppos'd as yet not made, certainly not yet accurs'd) but in a place of utter darknets, fitlieft call'd Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-ftruck and aftonish'd, after a certain space recovers, as from confufion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him; they confer of their miferable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the fame manner confounded: They rife, their numbers, array of battel, their chief leaders nam'd, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To thefe Satan directs his fpeech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them laftly of a new world and a new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy or report in Heaven; for that Angels were long before this vifible creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his affociates thence attempt. Pandemonium the palace of Satan rifes fuddenly built out of the deep: The infernal peers there fit in council.
Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With lofs of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful feat, Sing, heav'nly Mufe, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didft inspire
That fhepherd, who first taught the chofen feed, In the beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth Rofe out of Chaos: Or if Sion hill` Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Faft by the oracle of God; I thence Invoke thy aid to my adventrous fong, That with no middle flight intends to foar Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in profe or rhyme. And chiefly Thou, Ó Spi'rit, that doft prefer Before all temples th' upright heart and pure, Inftrust me, for Thou know'ft; Thou from the first Waft prefent, and with mighty wings outspread 20 Dove-like fatft brooding on the vaft abyfs, And mad'ft it pregnant; what in me is dark Illumin, what is low raise and support; That to the height of this great argument I may affert eternal Providence, And juftify the ways of God to Men.
And reft can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd: Such place eternal Juftice had prepar'd For thofe rebellious, here their pris'on ordain'd In utter darkness, and their portion fet As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n, As from the center thrice to th' utmost pole. O how unlike the place from whence they fell! 75 There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire, He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide One next himself in pow'r, and next in crime, Long after known in Palestine, and nam'd Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch-Enemy, And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words Breaking the horrid filence thus began.
If thou beeft he; but O thou fall'n! how chang'd From him, who in the happy realms of light $5 Myriads though bright! If he whom mutual league, Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst outshine United thoughts and counfels, equal hope And hazard in the glorious enterprise, Join'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd gə In equal ru'in: into what pit thou feeft From what highth fall'n,fo much the stronger prov'd He with his thunder: and till then who knew Nor what the potent victor in his rage The force of thofe dire arms? yet not for thofe,
Can elfe inflict, do I repent or change, Though chang'd in outward luftre, that fix'd mind, And high difdain from sense of injur'd merit, That with the Mightieft rais'd me to contend, And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd,
That durft diflike his reign, and me preferring, His utmoft pow'r with adverfe pow'r oppos'd
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell, fay firft what caufe Moy'd our grand parents, in that happy state, Favor'd of Heav'n fo highly, to fall off From their Creator, and tranfgrefs his will For one restraint, lords of the world befides Who first feduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whofe guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had caft him out from Heav'n, with all his hoft Of rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring To fet himself in glory' above his peers, He trufted to have equal'd the most High, If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim Against the throne and monarchy of God Rais'd impious war in Heav'n and battel proud With vain attempt. Him the almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky, With hideous ruin and combustion, down To'bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell In adamantin chains and penal fire, Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms.
In dubious battel on the plains of Heaven,
And fhook his throne. What though the field be loft? All is not loft; th' unconquerable will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to fubmit or yield, And what is else not to be overcome; That glory never thall his wrath or might Extort from me. To bow and fue for grace Who from the terror of this arm fo late With fuppliant knee, and deify his power, Doubted his empire; that were low indeed, That were an ignominy' and shame beneath 115 This downfall; fince by fate the ftrength of Gods And this empyreal fubftance cannot fail,
Nine times the space that measures day and night 50 Since through experience of this great event
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Lay vanquish'd, rolling in the fiery gulf, Confounded though immortal: But his doom Referv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought Both of loft happiness and lafting pain Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, That witness'd huge affliction and difmay Mix'd with obdurate pride and stedfast hate: At once, as far as Angels ken, he views The difmal fituation wafte and wild;
A dungeon horrible on all fides round
So fpake th' apoftate Angel, though in pain, 125 Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep despair: And him thus answer'd foon his bold compeer. O Prince, O Chief of many throned Powers, That led th' imbattel'd Seraphim to war
As one great furnace flam'd, yet from thofe flames Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds
No light, but rather darkness visible
Serv'd only to difcover fights of woe,
Fearless, indanger'd Heav'n's perpetual king, And put to proof his high fupremacy,"
Regions of forrow, doleful thades, where peace 65 Whether upheld by strength, or chance, or fate;
Too well I fee and rue the dire event,
That with fad overthrow and foul defeat Hath loft us Heav'n, and all this mighty host In horrible deftruction laid thus low, As far as Gods and heav'nly effences
Can perifh: for the mind and fpi'rit remains Invincible, and vigor foon returns, Though all our glory' extinct, and happy state Here fwallow'd up in endless mifery. But what if he our conqu'ror (whom I now Of force believe almighty, fince no lefs
Created hugeft that swim th' ocean stream: Him haply flumb'ring on the Norway foam The pilot of fome finall night-founder'd skiff Deeming fome iland, oft, as fea-men tell,
With fixed anchor in his skaly rind Moors by his fide under the lee, while night Invests the fea, and wifhed morn delays: So ftretch'd out huge in length the Arch-Fiend lay Chain'd on the burning lake, nor ever thence 210 Had ris'n or heav'd his head, but that the will And high permiffion of all-ruling Heaven Left him at large to his own dark defigns, That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation, while he fought 215 Evil to others, and enrag'd might fee How all his malice ferv'd but to bring forth 150 Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shown On Man by him feduc'd, but on himself Treble confufion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. 220 Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool His mighty ftature; on each hand the flames Driv'n backward flope their pointing spires, and roll'd In billows, leave i' th' midft a horrid vale. Then with expanded wings he steers his flight 225 Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air
That felt unusual weight, till on dry land 160 He lights, if it were land that ever burn'd With folid, as the lake with liquid fire;
And fuch appear'd in hue, as when the force 230 Of fubterranean wind transports a hill Torn from Pelorus, or the hatter'd fide 165 Of thund'ring Ætna, whofe combustible And fuel'd entrails thence conceiving fire, Sublim'd with mineral fury, aid the winds, And leave a finged bottom all involv'd With stench and smoke: Such refting found the fole Of unbleft feet. Him follow'd his next mate, Both glorying to have 'fcap'd the Stygian flood As Gods, and by their own recover'd strength, 240 Not by the fufferance of fupernal Power.
Than fuch could have o'er-pow'r'd fuch force as ours) Have left us this our spirit and strength entire Strongly to fuffer and fupport our pains, That we may fo fuffice his vengeful ire, Or do him mightier service as his thralls By right of war, whate'er his business be, Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire, Or do his errands in the gloomy deep; What can it then avail, though yet we feel Strength undiminish'd, or eternal being To undergo eternal punishment? Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-Fiend reply'd. Fall'n Cherub, to be weak is miferable Doing or fuffering: but of this be fure, To do ought good never will be our task, But ever to do ill our fole delight, As be'ing the contrary to his high will Whom we refift. If then his providence Out of our evil feek to bring forth good, Our labor must be to pervert that end, And out of good still to find means of evil; Which oft-times may fucceed, so as perhaps Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb His inmoft counfels from their destin'd aim. But fee the angry victor hath recall'd His minifters of vengeance and purfuit Back to the gates of Heav'n: the fulphurous hail Shot after us in storm, o'erblown hath laid The fiery furge, that from the precipice Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling: and the thunder, Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage, 175 Perhaps hath spent his fhafts, and ceafes now To bellow through the vaft and boundless deep. Let us not flip th' occafion, whether fcorn, Or fatiate fury yield it from our foe. Seeft thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, The feat of defolation, void of light, Save what the glimmering of these livid flames Cafts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend From off the toffing of these fiery waves, There reft, if any reft can harbour there, And re-affembling our afflicted Powers, Confult how we may henceforth most offend Our enemy, our own lofs how repair, How overcome this dire calamity, What reinforcement we may gain from hope If not what refolution from defpair.
Thus Satan talking to his nearest mate With head up-lift above the wave, and eyes That fparkling blaz'd, his other parts befides Prone on the flood, extended long and large Lay floting many a rood, in bulk as huge As whom the fables name of monstrous size, Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove, Briareos or Typhon, whom the den By ancient Tarfus held, or that fea-beast Leviathan, which God of all his works
Is this the region, this the foil, the clime, Said then the loft Arch-Angel, this the feat That we must change for Heav'n, this mournful gloom For that celeftial light? Be' it fo, fince he Who now is Sovran can difpofe and bid What shall be right: farthest from him is beft, Whom reas'on hath equal'd, force hath made fupreme Above his equals. Farewell happy fields, Where joy for ever dwells: Hail horrors, hail 250 Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell Receive thy new poffeffor; one who brings A mind not to be chang'd by place or time.
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heaven. 255 What matter where, if I be ftill the fame, And what I should be, all but less than he
190 Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: Here we may reign fecure, and in my choice To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell, than ferve in Heav'n. But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, Th' affociates and copartners of our loss, Lie thus aftonifh'd on th' oblivious pool, And call them not to share with us their part In this unhappy manfion, or once more With rallied arms to try what may be yet
Regain'd in Heav'n, or what more loft in Hell? 270 So Satan fpake, and him Beelzebub Thus anfwer'd. Leader of those armies bright, Which but th' Omnipotent none could have foil'd, If once they hear that voice, their livelieft pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard fo oft In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battel when it rag'd, in all affaults Their fureft fignal, they willfoon resume New courage and revive, though now they lie Groveling and proftrate on yon lake of fire, As we ere while, astounded and amaz'd, No wonder, fall'n fuch a pernicious highth.
Innumerable. As when the potent rod Of Amram's fon, in Egypt's evil day, Wav'd round the coaft, up call'd a pitchy cloud 340 Of locufts, warping on the eastern wind, That o'er the realm of impious Pharaoh hung Like night, and darken'd all the land of Nile: So numberless were thofe bad Angels feen Hovering on wing under the cope of Hell "Twixt upper, nether, and furrounding fires; Till, as a fignal giv'n, th' up-lifted fpear Of their great Sultan waving to direct Their courfe, in even balance down they light On the firm brimftone, and fill all the plain; 350 A multitude, like which the populous north Pour'd never from her frozen loins, to pafs Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous fons Came like a deluge on the fouth, and spread Beneath Gibraltar to the Libyan fands. Forthwith from every fquadron and each band The heads and leaders thither hafte where ftood 290 Their great commander; Godlike shapes and forms Excelling human, princely Dignities,
He scarce had ceas'd when the fuperior Fiend Was moving toward the fhore; his pond'rous fhicld, Ethereal temper, maffy, large and round, Behind him caft; the broad circumference Hung on his fhoulders like the moon, whofe orb Through optic glafs the Tufcan artist views At evening from the top of Fefolé, Or in Valdarno, to defcry new lands, Rivers or mountains in her spotty globe. His fpear, to equal which the tallest pine Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the maft Of fon e great an miral, were but a wand, He walk'd with to fupport uneafy steps Over the burning marle, not like those steps On Heaven's azure, and the torrid clime Smote on him fore befides, vaulted with fire: Nathlefs he fo indur'd, till on the beach Of that inflam'd fea he stood, and call'd His legions, Angel forms, who lay entranc'd Thick as autumnal leaves that ftrow the brooks In Vallombrofa, where th' Etrurian fhades High over-arch'd imbow'r; or scatter'd fedge Aflote, when with fierce winds Orion arm'd Hath vex'd the Red-Sea coaft, whofe waves o'erthrew Bufiris and his Meniphian chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they pursued The fojourners of Gofhen, who beheld From the fafe fhore their floting carcafes And broken chariot wheels: fo thick beftrown Abject and loft lay thefe, covering the flood, Under amazement of their hideous change. He call'd fo loud, that all the hollow deep Of Hell refounded. Princes, Potentates, Warriors, the flow'r of Heav'n, once your's, now loft, If such astonishment as this can feife Eternal Spi'rits; or have ye chos'n this place After the toil of battel to repofe
Your wearied virtue, for the ease you find To flumber here, as in the vales of Heaven? Or in this abject posture have ye fworn To' adore the conqueror? who now beholds Cherub and Seraph rolling in the flood With fcatter'd arms and enfigns, till anon His fwift purfuers from Heav'n gates difcern Th' advantage, and defcending tread us down Thus drooping or with linked thunderbolts Transfix us to the bottom of this gulf. Awake, arife, or be for ever fall'n.
They heard, and were abafh'd, and up they fprung Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch On duty, fieeping found by whom they dread, Roufe and beftir themselves ere well awake. Nor did they not perceive the evil plight In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel; Yet to their general's voice they foon obey'd
And Pow'rs that erft in Heaven fat on thrones; 360 Though of their names in heav'nly records now Be no memorial, blotted out and ras'd
By their rebellion from the books of life. Nor had they yet among the fons of Eve
Got them new names, till wand'ring o'er the earth, Through God's high fufferance for the trial of man, By falfities and lies the greatest part
Of mankind they corrupted to forfake God their Creator, and th' invifible Glory of him that made them to transform Oft to the image of a brute, adorn'd With gay religions full of pomp and gold, And Devils to adore for Deities: Then were they known to men by various names, And various idols through the Heathen world. 375 Say, Mufe, their names then known, who firft, who laft, Rous'd from the flumber, on that fiery couch, At their great emp'ror's call, as next in worth Came fingly where he stood on the bare strand, While the promiscuous crowd ftood yet aloof. 380 The chief were those who from the pit of Hell Roaming to feek their prey on earth, durst fix Their feats long after next the feat of God, Their altars by his altar, Gods ador'd Among the nations round, and durft abide Jehovah thund'ring out of Sion, thron'd Between the Cherubim; yea, often plac'd Within its fanctuary itfelf their fhrines, Abominations; and with curfed things His holy rites and folemn feafts profan'd, And with their darkness durft affront his light. First Moloch, horrid king, befmear'd with blood Of human facrifice, and parents tears, Though for the noise of drums and timbrels loud Their childrens cries unheard, that país'd through fire To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite Worshipt in Rabba and her watery plain, In Argob and in Bafan, to the ftream Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with fuch Audacious neighbourhood, the wifeft heart Of Solomon he led by fraud to build His temple right against the temple' of God On that opprobrious hill, and made his grove The pleasant valley' of Hinnom, Tophet thence And black Gehenna call'd, the type of Hell. 405
Next Chemos, th' obfcene dread of Moab's fons, From Aroar to Nebo, and the wild Of fouthmoft Abarim; in Hefebon And Horonaim, Seon's realm, beyond The flowery dale of Sibma clad with vines, And Eleälé to the Asphaltic pool. Peor his other name, when he entic'd Ifrael in Sittim on their march from Nile
For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn His odious offerings, and adore the Gods Whom he had vanquifh'd. After these appear'd A crew who under names of old renown,
410 Ofiris, Ifis, Orus, and their train,
To do him wanton rites, which coft them woe. Yet thence his luftful orgies he enlarg'd Ev'n to that hill of fcandal, by the grove Of Moloch homicide, luft hard by hate; Till good Jofiah drove them thence to Hell. With thefe came they, who from the bord'ring flood Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names Of Baalim and Afhtaroth, thofe male, Thefe feminine. For Spirits when they please Can either fex affume, or both; fo foft And uncompounded is their effence pure, Not ty'd or manacled with joint or limb, Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones, Like cumbrous fieth; but in what shape they choose Dilated or condens'd, bright or obfcure, Can execute their aery purpofes, And works of love or enmity fulfil. For those the race of Ifrael oft forfook Their living ftrength, and unfrequented left His righteous altar, bowing lowly down
To beftial Gods; for which their heads as low 435 Bow'd down in battel, funk before the fpear Of defpicable foes. With thefe in troop Came Aftoreth, whom the Phoenicians call'd Aftarte, queen of Heav'n, with crefcent horns; To whofe bright image nightly by the moon Sidonian virgins paid their vows and fongs, In Sion alfo not unfung, where ftood
Her temple on th' offenfive mountain, built
By that uxorious king, whofe heart though large, Beguil'd by fair idolatreffes, fell
To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind,
Whofe annual wound in Lebanon allur'd
With mouftrous fhapes and forceries abus'd Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to feek Their wand'ring Gods difguis'd in brutish forms Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'scape Th' infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king Doubled that fin in Bethel and in Dan, Likening his Maker to the grazed ox, Jehovah, who in one night when he pais'd From Egypt marching, equal'd with one stroke Both her first-barn and all her bleating Gods. Belial came laft, than whom a Spi'rit more lewd 490 Fell not from Heaven, or more grofs to love Vice for itself: to him no temple ftood Or altar fmok'd; yet who more oft than he In temples and at altars, when the priest Turns atheift, as did Eli's fons, who fill'd With luft and violence the house of God? In courts and palaces he alfo reigns And in luxurious cities, where the noise Of ri'ot afcends above their loftieft towers, And injury and outrage: and when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the fons Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine, Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape.' These were the prime in order and in might; The rest were long to tell, though far renown'd: Th' Ionian Gods, of Javan's iffue held Gods, yet confefs'd later than Heav'n and Earth, Their boafted parents: Titan Heav'n's first-born, 510 With his enormous brood, and birthright feis'd By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove His own and Rhea's fon like measure found; So Jove ufurping reign'd: these first in Crete And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air, Their highest Heav'n; or on the Delphian cliff, Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old
Fled over Adria to th' Hefperian fields, And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost iles. All these and more came flocking; but with looks 455 Down caft and damp, yet such wherein appear'd Obfcure fome glimpfe of joy, to' have found their chief Not in defpair, to' have found themselves not loft 525 In lofs itfelf; which on his count'nance caft Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore Semblance of worth not fubftance, gently rais'd Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears. 530 Then straight commands that at the warlike found Of trumpets loud and clarions be uprear'd His mighty standard: that proud honor elam'd Azazel as his right, a Cherub tall;
The Syrian damfels to lament his fate In amorous ditties all a fummer's day, While fmooth Adonis from his native rock Ran purple to the fea, fuppos'd with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the love-tale Infected Sion's daughters with like heat, Whofe wanton paffions in the facred porch Ezekiel faw, when by the vifion led His eye farvey'd the dark idolatries Of alienated Judah. Next came one Who mourn'd in earnest, when the captive ark Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopt off In his own temple, on the grunfel edge, Where he fell flat, and fham'd his worshippers: Dagon his name, fea moniter, upward man And downward fith: yet had his temple high Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coast Of Palestine, in Gath and Afcalon, And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. Him follow'd Rimmon, whofe delightful feat Was fair Damafcus on the fertile banks Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams. He alfo' against the houfe of God was bold: A leper once he lost, and gain'd a king," Ahaz his fottifh conqu'ror, whom he drew God's altar to difparage and difplace
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