Be my advice, since fate inevitable
Subdues us, and omnipotent decree,
The victor's will. To suffer, as to do,
Our strength is equal, nor the law unjust
That so ordains; this was at first resolv'd,
If we were wise against so great a foe
Contending, and so doubtful what might fall.
I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold
And venturous, if that fail them, shrink and fear
What yet they know must follow, to indure
Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain,
The sentence of their conqueror: this is now
Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear,
Our supreme foe in time may much remit
His anger; and perhaps, thus far remov'd,
Not mind us not offending, satisfied
With what is punish'd; whence these raging fires
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.
Our purer essence then will overcome
Their noxious vapour, 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;
Besides what hope the never-ending flight
Of future days may bring, what chance, what change
Worth waiting; since our present 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,
Counselled ignoble case, and peaceful sloth,
Not peace and after him thus Mammon spake.
Il nostro me' fia questo, quando fato
Ne grava inesorando e onnipossente
Voler del Vincitor. Patir e oprare
Ben può nostra virtù, nè legge è iniqua
Che cosi vuol; tanto era fisso in prima,
Se avevam senno, che a sì gran nemico
Guerra movemmo dell' evento incerti.
lo rido quando alcuni pronti al brando
E baldi, se erran mai, di tema agghiacciano
A ciò che san dover seguir, o duro
Esilio, o infamia, o ceppi, o pene a voglia
Del lor conquistator. Or nostra sorte
È tal, cui se durar potremo e vincere,
Nostro nemico forse un dì i suoi sdegni
Fia che componga, e noi sì lunge espulsi
Nè più offensori obblii, dei danni inflitti
Già pago, e posin questi fochi l' ira
Se ei non avvivi col soffiar lor fiamme.
Più pura essenza nostra vinca allora
Lor rei vapori, o li dispreggi adusa,
O alfin cangiata e conformata al loco
In tempra ed in natura il fero ardore
Qual suo riceverà scemo di pena;
Gaudio saralle orror, tenébra luce;
Speranza infin l'interminabil corso
De' di avvenir può dar, o vece o caso
Degno d'indugio; chè tal fato appare
Lieto sebben crudel, non già il peggiore,
Se a noi noi stessi non cerchiam più affanni. »
Belial così con detti a ver composti
Poltrire ignobil suade e torpido ozio,
Non pace e dopo lui parlò Mammone.
Either to disinthrone the King of Heaven
We war, if war be best, or to regain.
Our own right lost: 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 Heaven's bounds, unless Heaven's Lord Supreme
We overpower? Suppose he should relent,
And publish grace to all, on promise made
Of new subjection; 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 sing
Fore'd Hallelujahs; while he lordly sists
Our envied sovran, and his altar breathes
Ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers,
Our servile offerings? This must be our task
In Heaven, this our delight! how wearisome
Eternity so spent, in worship paid
To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue
By force impossible, by leave obtain'd
Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state.
Of 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
Our greatness will appear
Then most conspicuous; when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse
"O di trono a cacciar il re del cielo
Pugniam, se guerra è meglio, o i dritti nostri
Perduti a racquistar. Cacciar di trono
Potremlo allor quando l'eterno fato
Al mobil caso ceda e sciolga il caos
La lite il primo è vana speme, adunque
L'ultimo è vano: e qual per noi fia loco
Dentro ai fini del ciel, se il re del cielo
Non superiam? Poniam che ei posi l'ira,
E grazia doni a tutti in fe' giurata
Di nuova sudditanza; con qual fronte
Starcene umíli a lui davante e leggi
Dure accettarne a celebrar suo trono
Con inni e canti e a sua deità forzate
Laudi intonar; mentre ei signor si asside
Sovrano a nostra invidia, e l'ara sua
Odori ambrosi e ambrosi fiori olezza,
Nostri servili omaggi? In ciel fia questo
L'ufficio e il gaudio nostro! O fastidita
Eternità si usata in adorare
Colui che odiam! D'ormar cessiamo adunque
Ciò che al valor si nega e che donato
Non grato fia, benchè nel cielo, un stato,
D'illustre servitù. Cerchiam piuttosto
Il nostro bene in noi dal proprio nostro
Vivere a noi, benchè in quest' ampia chiostra,
Liberi e a niun vassalli, più contenti
A dura libertà che a lieve giogo
Di servil pompa.
Allor grandezza nostra
Parrà più bella, chè crear gran cose
Potrem da piccole, utili da infauste
We can create; and in what place soe'er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain,
Through labour and endurance. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst
Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all-rulling Sire
Choose to reside, his glory unobscur'd,
And with the majesty of darkness round
Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar
Mustering their rage, and Heaven resembles Hell
As he our darkness, cannot we his light
Imitate when we please? This desert soil
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 chang'd
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
Of what we are, and where; dismissing quite
All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise. »
He scarce had finish'd, when such murmurs fill'd
The assembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The sound of blustering winds, which all night long
Had rous'd the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull
Seafaring men o'er-watch'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 pleas'd,
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