Disguis'd he came, but those his children dear
Their parent foon discern'd, though in disguise.
He,after Eve seduc'd, unminded,flunk
Into the wood faft by; and,changing shape
To observe the sequel; faw his guileful act
By Eve, though all unweeting, feconded
Upon her husband, saw their fhame that fought
Vain covertures; but when he faw defcend
The Son of God to judge them, terrify'd,
He fled; not hoping to escape, but shun
The present; fearing, guilty, what his wrath
Might fuddenly inflict; that paft, return'd
By night, and lift'ning where the hapless pair
Sat in their fad discourse, and various plaint,
Thence gather'd his own doom, which understood
Not inftant, 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 ofspring dear.
Great joy was at their meeting, and at fight
Of that ftupendous bridge his joy increas'd.
Long he admiring ftood; till Sin, his fair
Inchanting daughter, thus the filence 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 fooner 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 hadft profper'd, which thy looks Now alfo evidence, but ftrait I felt.
Though diftant from thee worlds between, yet felt
That I muft after thee, with this thy fon,
Such fatal confequence unites us three:
Hell could no longer hold us in her 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 impower'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 loft, and fully aveng'd
Our foil in Heav'n; here thou shalt monarch reign,
There didft not; there let him,ftill victor,fway, 376
As battel hath adjudg'd, from this new world
Retiring, by his own doom alienated;
And henceforth monarchy with thee divide
Of all things parted by th'empyreal bounds,
His quadrature, from thy orbicular world,
Or try thee now more dange rous to his throne.
Whom thus the Prince of darkness answer'd glad. Fair Daughter, and thou Son and Grandchild both, High proof ye now have giv'n to be the race 385
Of Satan, (for I glory in the name,
Antagonist of Heav'n's almighty king)
Amply have merited of me, of all
Th'infernal empire, that so near Heav'n'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 eafy thorough-fare. Therefore while I
Descend through darkness, on your road with ease,
To my affociate Pow'rs, them to acquaint
With these fucceffes, 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, fole 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
Iffuing 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 pow'r prevail, th' affairs of Hell
No detriment need fear; go,and be strong.
So faying he dismiss'd them; they with speed 410 Their course through thickest constellations held, Spreading their bane; the blasted stars look'd wan; And planets, planet-struck, real eclipse
Then fuffer'd. Th' other way Satan went down
The caufey to Hell gate; on either fide
Disparted Chaos over built, exclam'd,
And with rebounding furge the bars affail'd,
That scorn'd his indignation: through the gate,
Wide open
and unguarded, Satan pass'd,
And all about found defolate; for those
Appointed to fit there, had left their charge,
Flown to the upper world; the rest were all
Far to th' inland retir'd, about the walls
Of Pandemonium, city and proud seat
Of Lucifer, fo by allusion call'd,
Of that bright ftar to Satan paragon'd.
There kept their watch the legions, while the Grand
In council fat, folicitous what chance
Might intercept their empe ror fent; so he
Departing gave command, and they obferv'd.
As when the Tartar,from his Russian foe,
By Aftracan,over the fnowy plains
Retires, or Bactrian Sophi, from the horns
Of Turkish crefcent, leaves all waste beyond
The realm of Aladule, in his retreat
To Tauris or Cafbeen: So these, the late
Heav'n-banifh'd hoft, left defert utmoft Hell
Many a dark league, reduc'd in careful watch
Round their metropolis; and now expecting
Each hour their great adventurer from the search 440
Of foreign worlds: he, through the midft, unmark'd,
In fhow plebeian Angel militant
Of lowest order, pass'd; and from the door
Of that Plutonian hall, invisible,
Ascended his high throne; which under state 445
Of richest texture spread, at th' upper end
Was plac'd in regal luftre. Down a while
He fat, and round about him faw unfeen:
At laft, as from a cloud his fulgent head
And shape star-bright appear'd, or brighter, clad 450
With what permiffive glory fince his fall
Was left him, or false glitter: All amaz'd
At that so sudden blaze, the Stygian throng
Bent their aspect, and whom they wish'd beheld,
Their mighty chief return'd: loud was th'acclame: 455
Forth rufh'd, in hafte, the great consulting peers,
Rais'd from their dark Divan; and with like joy
Congratulant approach'd him; who with hand
Silence, and with these words attention won.
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,
For in poffeffion such, not only of right,
ye now, return'd
Successful beyond hope, to lead
Triumphant out of this infernal pit
Abominable, accurs'd, the house of woe,
And dungeon of our tyrant: now poffefs,
As Lords, a spacious world, to our native Heaven
Little inferior, by my adventure hard
With peril great achiev'd. Long were to tell
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