But fondly overcome with female charm. Earth trembled from her entrails, as again In pangs; and Nature gave a second groan; Sky lour'd; and, muttering thunder, some sad drops Wept at completing of the mortal sin Original: while Adam took no thought, Eating his fill: nor Eve to iterate
Her former trespass fear'd, the more to soothe Him with her lov'd society; that now, As with new wine intoxicated both, They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel Divinity within them breeding wings,
To counterfeit man's voice; true in our fall, False in our promis'd rising; since our eyes Open'd we find indeed, and find we know Both good and evil; good lost, and evil got; Bad fruit of knowledge; if this be to know; Which leaves us naked thus, of honor void, Of innocence, of faith, of purity,
Our wonted ornaments now soil'd and stain'd. And in our faces evident the signs
Of foul concupiscence: whence evil store Even shame, the last of evils; of the first Be sure then.-How shall I behold the face
Wherewith to scorn the earth: but that false fruit Henceforth of God or angel, erst with joy
Far other operation first display'd, Carnal desire inflaming: he on Eve Began to cast lascivious eyes; she him As wantonly repaid; in lust they burn: Till Adam thus 'gan Eve to dalliance move. "Eve, now I see thou art exact of taste, And elegant, of sapience no small part; Since to each meaning savor we apply And palate call judicious; I the praise Yield thee, so well this day thou hast purvey'd. Much pleasure we have lost, while we abstain'd From this delightful fruit, nor known till now True relish, tasting; if such pleasure be In things to us forbidd'n, it might be wish'd, For this one tree had been forbidden ten. But come, so well refresh'd, now let us play, As meet is, after such delicious fare; For never did thy beauty, since the day I saw thee first and wedded thee, adorn'd With all perfections, so inflame my sense With ardor to enjoy thee, fairer now Than ever: bounty of this virtuous tree!"
So said he, and forbore not glance or toy Of amorous intent; well understood
Of Eve, whose eye darted contagious fire. Her hand he seiz'd; and to a shady bank, Thick over-head with verdant roof embower'd, He led her nothing loth; flowers were the couch, Pansies, and violets, and asphodel, And hyacinths; Earth's freshest softest lap. There they their fill of love and love's disport Took largely, of their mutual guilt the seal, The solace of their sin: till dewy sleep Oppress'd them, wearied with their amorous play. Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit, That with exhilarating vapor bland
About their spirits had play'd, and inmost powers Made err, was now exhal'd; and grosser sleep, Bred of unkindly fumes, with conscious dreams Encumber'd, now had left them; up they rose As from unrest; and, each the other viewing, Soon found their eyes how open'd, and their minds How darken'd: innocence, that as a veil Had shadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone; Just confidence, and native righteousness, And honor, from about them, naked left To guilty shame; he cover'd, but his robe So rose the Danite strong, Uncover'd more. Herculean Samson, from the harlot-lap Of Philistéan Dalilah, and wak'd Shorn of his strength, they destitute and bare Of all their virtue: silent, and in face Confounded, long they sat, as strucken mute: Till Adam, though not less than Eve abash'd, At length gave utterance to these words constrain'd. "O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear To that false worm, of whomsoever taught
And rapture so oft beheld? Those heavenly shapes Will dazzle now this earthly with their blaze Insufferably bright. O! might I here
In solitude live savage; in some glade Obscur'd, where highest woods, impenetrable To star or sun-light, spread their umbrage broad And brown as evening: cover me, ye pines! Ye cedars, with innumerable boughs Hide me, where I may never see them more!-- But let us now, as in bad plight, devise What best may for the present serve to hide The parts of each from other, that seem most To shame obnoxious, and unseemliest seen; Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sew'd And girded on our loins, may cover round Those middle parts; that this new comer, Shame, There sit not, and reproach us as unclean."
So counsell'd he, and both together went Into the thickest wood; there soon they chose The fig-tree; not that kind for fruit renown'd, But such as at this day, to Indians known, In Malabar or Decan spreads her arms Branching so broad and long, that in the ground The bended twigs take root, and daughters grow About the mother tree, a pillar'd shade High over-arch'd, and echoing walks between⚫ There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds At loop-holes cut through thickest shade: those leaves
They gather'd, broad as Amazonian targe; And, with what skill they had, together sew'd, To gird their waist; vain covering, if to hide Their guilt and dreaded shame! O, how unlike To that first naked glory! Such of late Columbus found the American, so girt With feather'd cincture, naked else, and wild Among the trees on isles and woody shores. Thus fenc'd, and, as they thought, their shame in part Cover'd, but not at rest or ease of mind, They sat them down to weep; nor only tears Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worse withir. Began to rise, high passions, anger, hate, Mistrust, suspicion, discord; and shook sore Their inward state of mind, calm region once And full of peace, now tost and turbulent: For Understanding rul'd not, and the Will Heard not her lore; both in subjection now To Sensual Appetite, who from beneath Usurping over sovran Reason claim'd Superior sway: from thus distemper'd breast, Adam, estrang'd in look and alter'd style, Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd.
"Would thou hadst hearkened to my words, and With me, as I besought thee, when that strange Desire of wandering, this unhappy morn,
I know not whence possess'd thee; we had then.
Remain'd still happy; not, as now, despoil'd Of all our good; sham'd, naked, miserable! Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail."
To whom, soon mov'd with touch of blame, thus Eve.
"What words have pass'd thy lips, Adam severe ! Imput'st thou that to my default, or will
Of wandering, as thou call'st it, which who knows But might as ill have happen'd thou being by, Or to thyself perhaps? Hadst thou been there, Or here the attempt, thou couldst not have discern'd Fraud in the serpent, speaking as he spake; No ground of enmity between us known, Why he should mean me ill, or seek to harm. Was I to have never parted from thy side? As good have grown there still a lifeless rib. Being as I am, why didst not thou, the head, Command me absolutely not to go, Going into such danger, as thou saidst? Too facile then, thou didst not much gainsay; Nay, didst permit, approve, and fair dismiss. Hadst thou been firm and fix'd in thy dissent, Neither had I transgress'd, nor thou with me." To whom, then first incens'd, Adam replied. "Is this the love, is this the recompense Of mine to thee, ingrateful Eve! Express'd Immutable, when thou wert lost, not I; Who might have liv'd, and joy'd immortal bliss, Yet willingly chose rather death with thee? And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgressing? Not enough severe, It seems, in thy restraint: what could I more? I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold The danger, and the lurking enemy
That lay in wait; beyond this had been force; And force upon free-will hath here no place. But confidence then bore thee on; secure Either to meet no danger, or to find Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps I also err'd, in over-much admiring
What seem'd in thee so perfect, that I thought No evil durst attempt thee; but I rue That error now, which is become my crime, And thou the accuser. Thus it shall befall Him, who, to worth in women overtrusting, Lets her will rule: restraint she will not brook; And, left to herself, if evil thence ensue, She first his weak indulgence will accuse." Thus they in mutual accusation spent The fruitless hours, but neither self-condemning, And of their vain contést appear'd no end.
committed, resolve to sit no longer confined in Hell, but to follow Satan their sire up to the place of Man: to make the way easier from Hell to this world to and fro, they pave a broad highway or bridge over Chaos, according to the track that Satan first made; then, preparing for Earth, they meet him, proud of his success, re- turning to Hell; their mutual gratulation. Satan arrives at Pandemonium, in full assembly relates with boasting his success against Man; instead of applause is entertained with a general hiss by all his audience, transformed with himself also suddenly into serpents according to his doom given in Paradise; then, deluded with a show of the forbidden tree springing up before them, they, greedily reaching to take of the fruit, chew dust and bitter ashes. The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the final victory of his Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but for the present, commands his angels to make several alterations in the Heavens and elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen con- dition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve; she persists, and at length appeases him: then, to evade the curse likely to fall on their off- spring, proposes to Adam violent ways, which he approves not; but, conceiving better hope, puts her in mind of the late promise made them, that her seed should be revenged on the serpent; and exhorts her with him to seek peace of the offended Deity, by repentance and supplication.
MEANWHILE the heinous and despiteful act Of Satan done in Paradise; and how He, in the serpent, had perverted Eve, Her husband she, to taste the fatal fruit, Was known in Heaven; for what can 'scape the eye Of God all-seeing, or deceive his heart Omniscient? who, in all things wise and just, Hinder'd not Satan to attempt the mind
Of Man, with strength entire, and free-will, arm'd; Complete to have discover'd and repuls'd Whatever wiles of foe or seeming friend.
For still they knew, and ought to have still re- member'd,
The high injunction, not to taste that fruit, Whoever tempted; which they not obeying Incurr'd (what could they less?) the penalty; And, manifold in sin, deserv'd to fall. Up into Heaven from Paradise in haste The angelic guards ascend, mute, and sad, For Man; for of his state by this they knew, Much wondering how the subtle fiend had stol'n Entrance unseen. Soon as the unwelcome news From Earth arrived at Heaven-gate, displeas'd All were who heard; dim sadness did not spare That time celestial visages, yet, mix'd With pity, violated not their bliss. About the new-arriv'd, in multitudes Man's transgression known; the guardian-angels The ethereal people ran, to hear and know forsake Paradise, and return up to Heaven to How all befell; they towards the throne supreme approve their vigilance, and are approved; God Accountable, made haste, to make appear declaring that the entrance of Satan could With righteous plea their utmost vigilance, not be by them prevented. He sends his Son And easily approv'd; when the Most High to judge the transgressors, who descends and Eternal Father, from his secret cloud gives sentence accordingly; then in pity clothes Amidst, in thunder utter'd thus his voice. them both, and reascends. Sin and Death. "Assembled angels, and ye powers return'd sitting till then at the gates of Hell, by won- From unsuccessful charge, be not dismay'd, drous sympathy feeling the success of Satan Nor troubled at these tidings from the Earth, in this new world, and the Sin by Man there Which your sincerest care could not prevent,
Foretold so lately what would come to pass,
When first this tempter cross'd the gulf from Hell. I told ye then he should prevail, and speed On his bad errand; Man should be seduc'd, And flatter'd out of all, believing lies Against his Maker; no decree of mine Concurring to necessitate his fall,
Or touch'd with lightest moment of impulse His free-will, to her own inclining left
In even scale. But fall'n he is; and now What rests, but that the mortal sentence pass On his transgression,-death denounc'd that day? Which he presumes already vain and void, Because not yet inflicted, as he fear'd,
By some immediate stroke; but soon shall find Forbearance no acquittance, ere day end. Justice shall not return as bounty scorn'd.
But whom send I to judge them? whom but thee, Vicegerent Son? To thee I have transferr'd All judgment, whether in Heaven, or Earth, or Hell. Easy it may be seen that I intend
Mercy colleague with justice, sending thee Man's friend, his Mediator, his design'd Both ransom and Redeemer voluntary,
And destin'd Man himself to judge Man fall'n." So spake the Father; and, unfolding bright Toward the right hand his glory, on the Son Blaz'd forth unclouded deity: he full Resplendent all his Father manifest Express'd, and thus divinely answer'd mild.
Father Eternal, thine is to decree;
Mine, both in Heaven and Earth, to do thy will Supreme; that thou in me, thy Son belov'd, May'st ever rest well pleas'd. I go to judge On Earth these thy transgressors; but thou know'st, Whoever judg'd, the worst on me must light, When time shall be; for so I undertook Before thee; and, not repenting, this obtain Of right, that I may mitigate their doom On me deriv'd; yet I shall temper so Justice with mercy, as may illustrate most Them fully satisfied, and thee appease. Attendance none shall need, nor train, where none Are to behold the judgment, but the judg'd, Those two; the third best absent is condemn'd, Convict by flight, and rebel to all law: Conviction to the serpent none belongs."
Thus saying, from his radiant seat he rose Of high collateral glory. Him thrones, and powers, Princedoms, and dominations ministrant, Accompanied to Heaven-gate; from whence Eden, and all the coast, in prospect lay. Down he descended straight; the speed of gods Time counts not, though with swiftest minutes wing'd.
Now was the Sun in western cadence low From noon, and gentle airs, due at their hour, To fan the Earth now wak'd, and usher in The evening cool; when he, from wrath more cool, Came the mild judge, and intercessor both, To sentence Man: the voice of God they heard Now walking in the garden, by soft winds Brought to their ears, while day declin'd; they heard, And from his presence hid themselves among The thickest trees, both man and wife; till God, Approaching, thus to Adam call'd aloud.
Where art thou, Adam, wont with joy to meet My coming seen far off? I miss thee here, Not pleas'd, thus entertain'd with solitude, Where obvious duty erewhile appear'd unsought:
Or come I less conspicuous, or what change [first forth!" Absents thee, or what chance detains ?-Come
He came; and with him Eve, more loth, though To offend; discountenanc'd both, and discompos'd; Love was not in their looks, either to God,
Or to each other; but apparent guilt, And shame, and perturbation, and despair, Anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile. Whence Adam, faltering long, thus answer'd brief. "I heard thee in the garden, and of thy voice Afraid, being naked, hid myself." To whom The gracious Judge without revile replied.
"My voice thou oft hast heard, and hast not fear'd But still rejoic'd; how is it now become
So dreadful to thee? That thou art naked, who Hath told thee? Hast thou eaten of the tree, Whereof I gave thee charge thou shouldst not eat?" To whom thus Adam sore beset replied.
O Heaven! in evil strait this day I stand Before my judge; either to undergo Myself the total crime, or to accuse My other self, the partner of my life; Whose failing, while her faith to me remains. I should conceal, and not expose to blame By my complaint: but strict necessity Subdues me, and calamitous constraint; Lest on my head both sin and punishment, However insupportable, be all
Devolv'd; though should I hold my peace, yet thou Wouldst easily detect what I conceal.-
This woman, whom thou mad'st to be my help, And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good, So fit, so acceptable, so divine,
That from her hand I could suspect no ill, And what she did, whatever in itself, Her doing seem'd to justify the deed; She gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
To whom the Sovran Presence thus replied. "Was she thy God, that her thou didst obey Before his voice? or was she made thy guide, Superior, or but equal, that to her
Thou didst resign thy manhood, and the place Wherein God set thee above her made of thee, And for thee, whose perfection far excell'd Hers in all real dignity? Adorn'd She was indeed, and lovely, to attract Thy love, not thy subjection; and her gifts Were such, as under government well seem'd; Unseemly to bear rule; which was thy part And person, hadst thou known thyself aright." So having said, he thus to Eve in few.
Say, woman, what is this which thou hast done To whom sad Eve, with shame nigh overwhelm'd Confessing soon, yet not before her judge Bold or loquacious, thus abash'd replied.
The serpent me beguil'd, and I did eat." Which when the Lord God heard, without delay To judgment he proceeded on the accus'd Serpent, though brute; unable to transfer The guilt on him, who made him instrument Of mischief, and polluted from the end Of his creation; justly then accurs'd, As vitiated in nature: more to know Concern'd not Man, (since he no further knew,) Nor alter'd his offence; yet God at last To Satan first in sin his doom applied, Though in mysterious terms, judg'd as then best· And on the serpent thus his curse let fall.
Because thou hast done this, thou art accurs'd
Above all cattle, each beast of the field; Upon thy belly grovelling thou shalt go, And dust shalt eat all the days of thy life. Between thee and the woman I will put Enmity, and between thine and her seed;
Beyond this deep: whatever draws me on, Or sympathy, or some connatural force, Powerful at greatest distance to unite, With secret amity, things of like kind, By secretest conveyance. Thou, my shade
Her seed shall bruise thy head, thou bruise his heel." Inseparable, must with me along : So spake this oracle, then verified When Jesus, son of Mary, second Eve,
Saw Satan fall, like lightning, down from Heaven, Prince of the air; then, rising from his grave, Spoil'd principalities and powers, triumph'd In open show; and, with ascension bright, Captivity led captive through the air, The realm itself of Satan, long usurp'd; Whom he shall tread at last under our feet; Ev'n he, who now foretold his fatal bruise: And to the woman thus his sentence turn'd. Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply
By thy conception; children thou shalt bring In sorrow forth; and to thy husband's will Thine shall submit; he over thee shall rule."
On Adam last thus judgment he pronounc'd. "Because thou hast hearken'd to the voice of thy wife, And eaten of the tree, concerning which
I charg'd thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat thereof:' Curs'd is the ground for thy sake; thou in sorrow Shalt eat thereof, all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles it shall bring thee forth Unbid; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, Till thou return unto the ground; for thou Out of the ground wast taken, know thy birth, For dust thou art, and shalt to dust return."
So judg'd he Man, both judge and savior sent; And the instant stroke of death, denounc'd that day, Remov'd far off; then, pitying how they stood Before him naked to the air, that now Must suffer change, disdain'd not to begin Thenceforth the form of servant to assume; As when he wash'd his servants' feet; so now, As father of his family, he clad
Their nakedness with skins of beasts, or slain, Or as the snake with youthful coat repaid; And thought not much to clothe his enemies: Nor he their outward only with the skins Of beasts, but inward nakedness, much more Opprobrious, with his robe of righteousness Arraying, cover'd from his Father's sight. To him with swift ascent he up return'd, Into his blissful bosom reassum'd In glory, as of old; to him appeas'd, All, though all-knowing, what had pass'd with Man Recounted, mixing intercession sweet.
Meanwhile, ere thus was sinn'd and judg'd on Earth, Within the gates of Hell sat Sin and Death, In counterview within the gates, that now Stood open wide, belching outrageous flame Far into Chaos, since the fiend pass'd through, Sin opening; who thus now to Death began. "O son, why sit we here each other viewing Idly, while Satan, our great author, thrives In other worlds, and happier seat provides For us, his offspring dear? It cannot be But that success attends him; if mishap, Ere this he had return'd, with fury driven By his avengers; since no place like this Can fit his punishment, or their revenge. Methinks I feel new strength within me rise, Wings growing, and dominion given me large,
For Death from Sin no power can separate. Stay his return perhaps over this gulf But, lest the difficulty of passing back Impassable, impervious; let us try Adventurous work, yet to thy power and mine Not unagreeable, to found a path Over this main from Hell to that new world, Where Satan now prevails; a monument Of merit high to all the infernal host, Easing their passage hence, for intercourse, Or transmigration, as their lot shall lead. Nor can I miss the way, so strongly drawn By this new-felt attraction and instinct."
Whom thus the meagre shadow answer'd soon "Go whither Fate, and inclination strong, The way, thou leading; such a scent I draw Leads thee; I shall not lag behind, nor err The savor of death from all things there that live: Of carnage, prey innumerable, and taste Nor shall I to the work thou enterprisest Be wanting, but afford thee equal aid.".
So saying, with delight he snuff'd the smell Of mortal change on Earth. As when a flock Of ravenous fowl, though many a league remote, Against the day of battle, to a field, Where armies lie encamp'd, come flying, lur'd With scent of living carcasses design'd So scented the grim feature, and upturn'd For death, the following day, in bloody fight: His nostril wide into the murky air; Sagacious of his quarry from so far.
Then both from out Hell-gates, into the waste Wide anarchy of Chaos, damp and dark,
Flew diverse; and with power (their power was great) Hovering upon the waters, what they met Solid or slimy, as in raging sea
Tost up and down, together crowded drove, From each side shoaling towards the mouth of Hell. As when two polar winds, blowing adverse Upon the Cronian sea, together drive Mountains of ice, that stop the imagin'd way Beyond Petsora eastward, to the rich Cathaian coast. The aggregated soil Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry, As Delos, floating once; the rest his look As with a trident smote, and fix'd as firm And with Asphaltic slime, broad as the gate, Bound with Gorgonian rigor not to move; Deep to the roots of Hell the gather'd beach They fasten'd, and the mole immense wrought on Over the foaming deep high-arch'd, a bridge Of length prodigious, joining to the wall Immovable of this now fenceless world, Forfeit to Death; from hence a passage broad, Smooth, easy, inoffensive, down to Hell. So, if great things to small may be compar'd, Xerxes, the liberty of Greece to yoke, From Susa, his Memnonian palace high, Came to the sea; and, over Hellespont Bridging his way, Europe with Asia join'd, And scourg'd with many a stroke the indignant waves. Now had they brought the work by wondrous art Pontifical, a ridge of pendent rock
Over the vex'd abyss, following the track Of Satan to the self-same place where he First lighted from his wing, and landed safe From out of Chaos, to the outside bare Of this round world: with pins of adamant And chains they made all fast, too fast they made And durable! And now in little space The confines met of empyréan Heaven, And of this world; and, on the left hand, Hell With long reach interpos'd; three several ways In sight, to each of these three places led. And now their way to Earth they had descried, To Paradise first tending; when, behold! Satan, in likeness of an angel bright, Betwixt the Centaur and the Scorpion steering His zenith, while the Sun in Aries rose : Disguis'd he came; but those his children dear Their parent soon discern'd, though in disguise. He, after Eve seduc'd, unminded slunk Into the wood fast by; and, changing shape, To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded Upon her husband; saw their shame that sought Vain covertures; but when he saw descend The Son of God to judge them, terrified He fled; not hoping to escape, but shun The present; fearing, guilty, what his wrath Might suddenly inflict; that past, return'd By night, and listening where the hapless pair Sat in their sad discourse, and various plaint, Thence gather'd his own doom; which understood Not instant, but of future time, with joy And tidings fraught, to Hell he now return'd; And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot Of this new wondrous pontifice, unhop'd Met, who to meet him came, his offspring dear. Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight Of that stupendous bridge his joy increas'd. Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair Enchanting daughter, thus the silence broke.
"O parent, these are thy magnific deeds, Thy trophies! which thou view'st as not thine own; Thou art their author, and prime architect: For I no sooner in my heart divin'd, My heart, which by a secret harmony Still moves with thine, join'd in connexion sweet, That thou on Earth hadst prosper'd, which thy looks Now also evidence, but straight I felt, Though distant from thee worlds between, yet felt That I must after thee, with this thy son; Such fatal consequence unites us three; Hell could no longer hold us in our bounds, Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure Detain from following thy illustrious track: Thou hast achiev'd our liberty, confin'd Within Hell-gates till now; thou us empower'd To fortify thus far, and overlay,
With this portentous bridge, the dark abyss. Thine now is all this world; thy virtue hath won What thy hands builded not; thy wisdom gain'd With odds what war hath lost, and fully aveng'd Our foil in Heaven; here thou shalt monarch reign, There didst not; there let him still victor sway, As battle hath adjudg'd; from this new world Retiring, by his own doom alienated; And henceforth monarchy with thee divide Of all things, parted by the empyreal bounds, His quadrature, from thy orbicular world; Or try thee now more dangerous to his throne." Whom thus the prince of darkness answer'd glad.
Fair daughter, and thou son and grand-child both, High proof ye now have given to be the race Of Satan, (for I glory in the name, Antagonist of Heaven's Almighty King,) Amply have merited of me, of all
The infernal empire, that so near Heaven's door Triumphal with triumphal act have met, Mine, with this glorious work; and made one realm, Hell and this world, one realm, one continent Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore, while 1 Descend through darkness, on your road with ease. To my associate powers, them to acquaint With these successes, and with them rejoice; You two this way, among these numerous orbs, All yours, right down to Paradise descend; There dwell, and reign in bliss; thence on the Earth Dominion exercise and in the air,
Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declar'd; Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill. My substitutes I send ye, and create Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might Issuing from me: on your joint vigor now My hold of this new kingdom all depends, Through Sin to Death expos'd by my exploit. If your joint power prevail, the affairs of Hell No detriment need fear; go, and be strong!"
So saying, he dismiss'd them; they with speed Their course through thickest constellations held, Spreading their bane; the blasted stars look'd wan And planets, planet-struck, real eclipse Then suffer'd. The other way Satan went down The causey to Hell-gate: on either side Disparted Chaos over-built exclaim'd, And with rebounding surge the bars assail'd, That scorn'd his indignation: through the gate, Wide open and unguarded, Satan pass'd, And all about found desolate; for those, Appointed to sit there, had left their charge, Flown to the upper world; the rest were all Far to the inland retir'd, about the walls Of Pandemonium; city and proud seat Of Lucifer, so by allusion call'd
Of that bright star to Satan paragon'd ; There kept their watch the legions, while the grand In council sat, solicitous what chance Might intercept their emperor sent; so he Departing gave command, and they observ'd. As when the Tartar from his Russian foe, By Astracan, over the snowy plains, Retires; or Bactrian Sophi, from the horns Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste beyond The realm of Aladule, in his retreat
To Tauris or Casbeen: so these, the late Heaven-banish'd host, left desert utmost Hell Many a dark league, reduc'd in careful watcn Round their metropolis; and now expecting Each hour their great adventurer, from the search Of foreign worlds; he through the midst unmark’- In show plebeian angel militant
Of lowest order, pass'd; and from the door Of that Plutonian hall, invisible Ascended his high throne; which, under state Of richest texture spread, at the upper end Was plac'd in regal lustre. Down awhile He sat, and round about him saw, unseen: At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head And shape star-bright appear'd, or brighter; clad With what permissive glory since his fall Was left him, or false glitter: all amaz'd At that so sudden blaze, the Stygian throng
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