Imatges de pàgina
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By force impossible, by leave obtain❜'d
Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state
Cf splendid vassalage; but rather seek

Our own good from ourselves, and from our own
Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the easy yoke

Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear

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Then most conspicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse,
We can create; and in what place soe'er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain,

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Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all-ruling Sire
Choose to reside, his glory unobscured,

And with the majesty of darkness round

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Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Mustering their rage, and Heaven resembles Hell?
As he our darkness, cannot we his light

Initate when we please? This desert soil ` 270
Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heaven show more?

Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements; these piercing fires
As soft as now severe, our temper changed
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counsels, and the settled state
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard

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Of what we are, and where; dismissing quite

All thoughts of war: Ye have what I advise.

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He scarce had finish'd, when such murmur fill'd The assembly as when hollow rocks retain The sound of blustering winds, which all night long Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull

Seafaring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance,
Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay

After the tempest: Such applause was heard
As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased,
Advising peace for such another field

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They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the fear
Of thunder and the sword of Michael

Wrought still within them; and no less desire

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To found this nether empire, which might rise
By policy, and long process of time,

In emulation opposite to Heaven.

Which when Beelzebub perceived, than whom
Satan except none higher sat, with grave
Aspéct he rose, and in his rising seem'd
A pillar of state; deep on his front engraven
Deliberation sat, and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: sage he stood
With Atlantean shoulders fit to bare

The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night

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Or summer's noontide air, while thus he spake.
Thrones and Imperial Powers, Offspring of Heaven,
Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now

Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd
Princes of Hell! for so the popular vote

Inclines, here to continue, and build up here

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A growing empire; doubtless! while we dream, 315 And know not that the King of Heaven hath doom'd This place our dungeon; not our safe retreat

Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt

From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league

Banded against his throne, but to remain

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In strictest bondage, though thus far removed

Under the inevitable curb, reserved

His captive multitude: For he, be sure

In height or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part

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By our revolt; but over Hell extend

His empire, and with iron sceptre rule

Us here, as with his golden those in Heaven.
What sit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determined us, and foil'd with loss
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none

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Vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be given
To us enslaved, but custody severe,

And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return,
But to our power hostility and hate,

Untamed reluctance, and revenge though slow,
Yet ever plotting how the conqueror least

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May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice
In doing what we most in suffering feel?

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Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need

With dangerous expedition to invade

Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault nor siege,

Or ambush from the deep. What if we find

Some easier enterprise? There is a place

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(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven

Err not,) another world, the happy seat

Of some new race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less

In power and excellence, but favour'd more

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Of Him who rules above; so was his will

Pronounced among the Gods, and by an oath,

That shook Heaven's whole circumference, confirm'd.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,
Or substance, how endued, and what their power
And where their weakness, how attempted best,
By force or subtlety. Though Heaven be shut,
And Heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure

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In his own strength, this place may lie exposed,
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defence who hold it: Here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achieved

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PARADISE LOST.

By sudden onset; either with Hell fire

To waste his whole creation, or possess

All as our own, and drive, as we were driven,
The puny habitants; or, if not drive,
Seduce them to our party, that their God
May prove their foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works. This would surpass
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy

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In our confusion, and our joy upraise

In his disturbance; when his darling sons,

Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse

Their frail original, and faded bliss,

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Faded so soon. Advise, if this be worth

Attempting, or to sit in darkness here
Hatching vain empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devised
By Satan, and in part proposed: For whence,
But from the author of all ill, could spring
So deep a malice, to confound the race

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Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell

To mingle and involve, done all to spite

The great Creator? But their spite still serves

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His glory to augment. The bold design

Pleased highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent
They vote whereat his speech he thus renews:

Well have ye judged, well ended long debate, 390 Synod of Gods! and, like to what ye are,

Great things resolved, which, from the lowest deep,

Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,

Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view

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Of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring And opportune excursion, we may chance

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• Reenter Heaven; or else in some mild zone
Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light,
Secure; and at the brightening orient beam
Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air,
To heal the scar of these corrosive fires,

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Shall breathe her balm. But first whom shall we send
In search of this new world? whom shall we find
Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandering feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,

And through the palpable obscure find out
Ilis uncouth way, or spread his aery flight
Upborne with indefatigable wings

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Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

The happy isle? What strength, what art can then Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

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Through the strict senteries and stations thick

Of Angels watching round? Here he had need

All circumspection; and we now no less
Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send,

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The weight of all, and our last hope, relies.
This said he sat; and expectation held
His look suspense, awaiting who appear'd
To second, or oppose, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,

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Pordering the danger with deep thought; and each In other's countenance read his own dismay, Astonish'd: None among the choice and prime

Of those heaven-warring champions could be found
So hardy as to proffer or accept,

Alone, the dreadful voyage; till at last

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Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride,

Conscious of highest worth, unmoved thus spake :
O Progeny of Heaven, empyreal Thrones:
With reason hath deep silence and demur
Scized us, though undismay'd: Long is the ways
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light;
Our prison strong; this huge convex of fire,
Outrageous to devour, immures us round
Ninefold; and gates of burning adamant,
Barr'd over us, prohibit all egress.
These pass'd, if any pass, the void profound
Of unessential Night receives him next

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