Thy fin, and place of doom, obfcure, and foul. 840 845 850 And felt how awful goodness is, and faw 855 He held it vain; awe from above had quell'd 860 O friends! I hear the tread of nimble feet But faded fplendor wan; who by his gait, 870 He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found, How bufied, in what form, and pofture, couch'd: 876 To whom with ftern regard thus Gabriel fpake. 880 Why haft thou, Satan! broke the bounds prescrib'd To thy tranfgreffions, and difturb'd the charge Of others, who approve not to tranfgrefs By thy example? but have pow'r, and right, To queftion thy bold entrance on this place; Employ'd, it feems, to violate fleep, and thofe Whofe dwelling God hath planted here in blifs? 887 To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous brow: Gabriel! thou hadft in heav'n th' efteem of wife, And fuch I held thee; but this question afk'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loofe from hell, Tho' thither doom'd? thou wouldst thyfelf, no doubt, And boldly venture to whatever place, 891 Fartheft from pain; where thou might'ft hope to Torment with ease, and fooneft recompenfe [change Dole with delight; which in this place I fought: To thee no reason, who know'ft only good, 895 But evil haft not try'd. And wilt object His will who bounds us? let Him furer bar In that dark durance! thus much what was afk'd. The reft is true: they found me where they fay; 900 But that implies not violence, or harm. Thus he in fcorn. The warlike Angel mov'd, Disdainfully half smiling, thus reply'd. 905 O lofs of one in heav'n to judge of wife, 910 So judge thou ftill, prefumptuous! till the wrath, 915 But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee 920 To which the fiend thus anfwer'd, frowning stern. Not that I lefs endure, or fhrink from pain, 925 Infulting Angel! well thou know'ft I ftood Thy fierceft, when in battel to thy aid The blafting vollied thunder made all speed, And feconded thy elfe not dreaded spear. But ftill thy words at random, as before, 930 Through ways of danger, by himself untry'd: 935 To wing the defolate abyfs, and spy 940 This new-created world, whereof in hell Satan! and could thou faithful add? O name, Allegiance to th' acknowledg'd Pow'r fupreme? 951 955 And thou, fly hypocrite! who now wouldft feem Heav'n's awful Monarch? wherefore? but in hope To difpoffefs him, and thy felf to reign? 961 But mark what I aread thee now: avant! 965 Fly thither whence thou fledft! If from this hour So threaten'd he: but Satan to no threats Far heavier load thy felf expect to feel From my prevailing arm; though heaven's King Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers, Us'd to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels 975 In progress thro' the road of heav'n star-pav'd. While thus he fpake, th' Angelic fquadron bright Turn'd fiery red, sharpning in mooned horns Their phalanx, and began to hem him round With ported fpears; as thick, as when a field 980 Of Ceres, ripe for harvest, waving bends Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind Sways them; the careful plowman doubting ftands, Left on the threshing-floor his hopeful sheaves Prove chaff. On th' other fide, Satan alarm'd, 985 Collecting all his might, dilated stood Like Tenerif, or Atlas, un-remov'd: His ftature reach'd the sky, and on his creft |