Our doom; which if we can sustain 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 stir 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 Besides 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 Reason's garb Counsel'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake. Either to disinthrone the King of Heaven
We war, if war be best, or to regain
Our own right loft: him to unthrone we then
May hope, when everlasting Fate shall 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 fuprems
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 presence humble, and receive
Strict laws impos'd, to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead fing
Forc'd halleluiahs; while he lordly fits
Our envied Sovran, and his altar breathes
Ambrofial odors and ambrofial flowers,
Our fervile offerings? This must be our task
In Heav'n, this our delight; how wearisome
Eternity fo spent in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then purfue
By force impoffible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heav'n, our state
Of fplendid vaffalage; but rather feek
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 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 foe'er
Thrive under ev'il, and work ease out of pain
Through labor and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav'n's all-ruling Sire
Chufe 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 desert 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 fhow more?
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements, these piercing fires
As foft as now fevere, our temper chang'd
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The fenfible of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counfels, and the settled ftate
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and where, dismissing quite
All thoughts of war: ye have what I advise.
He fearce had finish'd, when such 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-faring 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 fentence pleas'd,
Advising peace: for such another field
They dreaded worse 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 oppofit to Heav'n.
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 Atlantean fhoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightiest monarchies ; his look
Drew audience and attention ftill as night.
Or fummer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake.
Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, offspring of Heav'n,
Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now
Must 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 strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd
Under th' inevitable curb, referv'd
His captive multitude: for he, be sure,
In highth or depth, still first and last will reign
Sole King, and of his kingdom lose no part
By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron scepter rule
Us here, as with his golden those in Heav'n.
What fit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with lofs
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Vouchfaf'd or fought; for what peace will be given
To us inflav'd, but cuftody fevere,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? and what peace can we return
But to our power hostility and hate,
Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though flow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqu'ror least
May reap his conqueft, and may leaft rejoice
In doing what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occafion want, nor fhall we need
With dangerous expedition to invade
Heav'n, whose high walls fear no affault or siege,
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
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