With armed watch, that render all access Th' almighty Victor to spend all his rage, 130 135 140 145 To be no more. Sad cure! for who would lose, 150 Devoid of sense and motion? And who knows, 155 160 What, when we fled amain, pursued, and struck 165 A refuge from those wounds: or when we lay Chain'd on the burning lake? that sure was worse. 170 Awak'd, should blow them into sev❜nfold rage, 175 180 185 Unrespited, unpitied, unrepriev'd, Ages of hopeless end? This would be worse. My voice dissuades; for what can force or guile Views all things at one view? He from heav'n's highth 190 Not more almighty to resist our might, Than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. Shall we then live thus vile, the race of heaven Thus trampled, thus expell'd to suffer here 195 Chains and these torments? Better these than worse, By my advice; since fate inevitable Subdues us, and omnipotent decree, The Victor's will. To suffer, as to do, 200 I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold And vent'rous, if that fail them, shrink and fear 205 What yet they know must follow, to endure Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain, The sentence of their conqu'ror: this is now Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, Our supreme foe in time may much remit 210 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 215 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; 220 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.' 225 Thus Belial, with words cloth'd in reason's garb, Counsell'd ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth, Not peace; and after him thus Mammon spake: 'Either to disenthrone the King of heaven We war, if war be best, or to regain 230 May hope, when everlasting fate shall yield To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the strife: The former, vain to hope, argues as vain 235 Within heav'n's bound, unless heav'n's Lord supreme We overpow'r? 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 240 Strict laws impos'd, to celebrate his throne 245 To whom we hate! Let us not then pursue 250 Our own good from ourselves, and from our own Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess, Free, and to none accountable, preferring 255 Hard liberty before the easy yoke Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear Then most conspicuous, when great things of small, Useful of hurtful, prosp'rous of adverse, We can create; and in what place soe'er 260 Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain, Through labour and endurance. This deep world Thick clouds and dark doth heav'n's all-ruling Sire 265 And with the majesty of darkness round Covers his throne; from whence deep thunders roar Must'ring their rage, and heav'n resembles hell. As he our darkness, cannot we his light Imitate when we please? This desert soil 270 Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold; Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise 275 To peaceful counsels, and the settled state 280 Of what we are, and where: dismissing quite All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.' He scarce had finish'd, when such murmur fill'd After the tempest: such applause was heard They dreaded worse than hell: so much the fear 285 290 Wrought still within them, and no less desire To found this nether empire, which might rise Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom, And princely counsel in his face yet shone, The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look Or summer's noontide air, while thus he spake: 295 300 305 'Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of Heaven, 310 Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now Must we renounce, and, changing style, be call'd Inclines here to continue, and build up here A growing empire: doubtless, 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 320 In strictest bondage, though thus far remov❜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 325 By our revolt; but over hell extend His empire, and with iron scepter rule Us here, as with his golden those in heaven. 330 Vouchsaf'd or sought; for what peace will be given And stripes, and arbitrary punishment Inflicted? and what peace can we return, 335 But to our pow'r hostility and hate, Untam'd reluctance, and revenge, though slow, Yet ever plotting how the conqu'ror least May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice In doing what we most in suffering feel? 340 Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need With dang'rous expedition to invade Heav'n, whose high walls fear no assault or siege, Or ambush from the deep. What if we find Some easier enterprise? There is a place 345 (If ancient and prophetic fame in heaven Err not), another world, the happy seat Of some new race, call'd Man, about this time In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more 350 Pronounc'd among the gods; and by an oath, 355 In his own strength, this place may lie expos'd, 360 The utmost border of his kingdom, left To their defence who hold it: here perhaps Some advantageous act may be achiev'd To waste his whole creation, or possess 365 All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, Seduce them to our party, that their God May prove their foe, and with repenting hand 370 In our confusion, and our joy upraise In his disturbance; when his darling sons, Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse Their frail original, and faded bliss, 375 Faded so soon. Advise, if this be worth 'Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate, Synod of gods, and like to what ye are, Great things resolv'd, which, from the lowest deep, Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view 380 385 390 Of those bright confines, whence, with neighb'ring arms 400 Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom shall we send In search of this new world? whom shall we find Sufficient? who shall tempt with wand'ring feet |