“I should be much for open war, O peers,
As not behind in hate, if what was urged
Main reason to persuade immediate war,
Did not dissuade me most, and seem to cast
Ominous conjecture123 on the whole success:
When he who most excels in fact124 of arms,
In what he counsels and in what excels
Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair
And utter dissolution, as the scope127
Of all his aim, after some dire revenge.
First, what revenge? The tow’rs of Heav’n are filled
With armèd watch, that render all access
Impregnable; oft on the bordering deep
Encamp their legions, or with obscure wing
Scout far and wide into the realm of Night,
Scorning surprise. Or could we break our way
By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise
With blackest insurrection, to confound
Heav’n’s purest light, yet our great enemy
All incorruptible would on his throne
Sit unpolluted, and th’ ethereal mold139
Incapable of stain would soon expel
Her mischief141, and purge off the baser fire
Victorious. Thus repulsed, our final hope
Is flat despair: we must exasperate
Th’ almighty Victor to spend all his rage,
And that must end us, that must be our cure,
To be no more. Sad cure; for who would lose,
Though full of pain, this intellectual being,
Those thoughts that wander through eternity,
To perish rather, swallowed up and lost
In the wide womb of uncreated Night149,
Devoid of sense and motion? And who knows,
Let this be good152, whether our angry foe
Can give it, or will ever? How he can
Is doubtful; that he never will is sure.
Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire,
Belike through impotence, or unaware,156
To give his enemies their wish, and end
Them in his anger, whom his anger saves
To punish endless? ‘Wherefore cease we then?’
Say they who160 counsel war, ‘we are decreed,
Reserved and destined to eternal woe;
Whatever doing, what can we suffer more,
What can we suffer worse?’ Is this then worst,
Thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in arms?
What when we fled amain165, pursued and strook
With Heav’n’s afflicting thunder, and besought
The deep to shelter us? This Hell then seemed
A refuge from those wounds. Or when we lay
Chained on the burning lake? That sure was worse.
What if170 the breath that kindled those grim fires
Awaked should blow them into sevenfold rage
And plunge us in the flames? Or from above
Should intermitted173 vengeance arm again
His red right hand174 to plague us? What if all
Her175 stores were opened, and this firmament
Of Hell should spout her cataracts176 of fire
Impendent horrors, threat’ning hideous fall
One day upon our heads; while we perhaps
Designing or exhorting glorious war,
Caught in a fiery tempest shall be hurled
Each on his rock transfixed, the sport and prey
Of racking whirlwinds180, or for ever sunk
Under yon boiling ocean, wrapped in chains;
There to converse with everlasting groans,
Unrespited, unpitied, unreprieved,
Ages of hopeless end. This would be worse.
War therefore,187 open or concealed, alike
My voice dissuades; for what can force or guile188
With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye
Views all things at one view? He from Heav’n’s highth
All these our motions vain, sees and derides;
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 Heav’n
Thus trampled, thus expelled to suffer here
Chains and these torments? Better these than worse
By my advice; since fate inevitable197
Subdues us, and omnipotent decree,
The victor’s will. To suffer, as to do199,
Our strength is equal200, nor the law unjust
That so ordains: this was at first resolved,
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
What yet they know must follow, to endure
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 removed
Not mind us not offending, satisfied
With what is punished213; whence these raging fires
Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames.
Our purer essence then will overcome
Their noxious vapor, or inured not feel,
changed at length, and to the place conformed
In temper and in nature, will receive
Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain;
This horror will grow mild, this darkness light220,
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 worst223,
If we procure not to ourselves more woe.”
Thus Belial with words clothed in reason’s garb
Counseled ignoble ease, and peaceful sloth,
Not peace: and after him thus Mammon228 spake.
“Either to disenthrone the King of Heav’n
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 Heav’n’s bound, unless Heav’n’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 imposed, to celebrate his throne
With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead sing
Forced hallelujahs; while he lordly sits
Our envied Sov’reign, and his altar breathes
Ambrosial245 odors and ambrosial flowers,
Our servile offerings. This must be our task
In Heav’n, 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 obtained
Unacceptable, though in Heav’n, our state
Of splendid vassalage, but rather seek
Our own good from our selves, and from our own
Live to our selves, though in this vast recess,
Free, and to none accountable, preferring
Hard liberty before the easy yoke256
Of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear
Then most conspicuous, when great things of small,
Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse
We can create, and in what place soe’er
Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain
Through labor and endura
nce. This deep world
Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst263
Thick clouds and dark doth Heav’n’s all-ruling Sire
Choose to reside, his glory unobscured,
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
Wants not271 her hidden luster, gems and gold;
Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise
Magnificence; and what can Heav’n show more?
Our torments also may in length of time
Become our elements275, these piercing fires
As soft as now severe, our temper changed
Into their temper; which must needs remove
The sensible278 of pain. All things invite
To peaceful counsels, and the settled state
Of order, how in safety best we may
Compose281 our present evils, with regard
Of what we are and where282, dismissing quite
All thoughts of war: ye have what I advise.”
He scarce had finished, when such murmur filled
Th’ assembly, as when hollow rocks retain
The sound of blust’ring winds, which all night long
Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull
Seafaring men o’erwatched288, whose bark by chance
Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay
As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased,
Advising peace: for such another field292
They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the fear
Of thunder and the sword of Michael
Wrought still within them; and no less desire
To found this nether empire, which might rise
By policy297, and long process of time,
In emulation opposite to Heav’n.
Which when Beëlzebub perceived, than whom,
Satan except, none higher sat, with grave
Aspect he rose, and in his rising seemed
A pillar of state; deep on his front302 engraven
Deliberation sat and public care;
And princely counsel in his face yet shone,
Majestic though in ruin: sage he stood
With Atlantean306 shoulders fit to bear
The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night
Or summer’s noontide air, while thus he spake.
“Thrones and imperial Powers, offspring of Heav’n,
Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now
Must we renounce, and changing style312 be called
Princes of Hell? For so the popular vote
Inclines, here to continue, and build up here
A growing empire; doubtless315; while we dream,
And know not that the King of Heav’n hath doomed
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
In strictest321 bondage, though thus far removed,
Under th’ inevitable curb, reserved
His captive multitude: for he, be sure
In highth or depth, still first and last324 will reign
Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part
By our revolt, but over Hell extend
His empire, and with iron scepter rule327
Us here, as with his golden those in Heav’n.
What329 sit we then projecting peace and war?
War hath determined us330, and foiled with loss
Irreparable; terms of peace yet none
Vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be giv’n
To us enslaved, but custody severe,
And stripes334, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? And what peace can we return,
But to our power hostility and hate,
Untamed reluctance337, and revenge though slow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqueror least338
May reap his conquest, and may least rejoice
In doing what we most in suffering feel?
Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need
With dangerous 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
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav’n
Err not) another world, the happy seat
Of some new race called Man, about this time
To be created349 like to us, though less
In power and excellence, but favored more
Of him who rules above; so was his will
Pronounced among352 the gods, and by an oath,
That shook Heav’n’s whole circumference, confirmed.
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn
What creatures there inhabit, of what mold355,
Or substance, how endued, and what their power,
And where their weakness, how attempted357 best,
By force or subtlety: though Heav’n be shut,
And Heav’n’s high arbitrator sit secure
In his own strength, this place may lie exposed
The utmost border of his kingdom, left
To their defense who hold it: here perhaps
Some advantageous act may be achieved
By sudden onset, either with Hell fire
To waste his whole creation, or possess
All as our own, and drive as we were driven,
The puny367 habitants, or if not drive,
Seduce them to our party, that their God368
May prove their foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works369. This would surpass
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our confusion, and our joy upraise
In his disturbance, when his darling sons
Hurled headlong374 to partake with us, shall curse
Their frail original375, and faded bliss,
Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth
Attempting, or to sit in darkness here377
Hatching vain empires.” Thus Beëlzebub
Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devised379
By Satan, and in part proposed: for whence,
But from the author of all ill could spring
So deep a malice, to confound the race
Of mankind in one root383, and Earth with Hell
To mingle and involve, done all to spite
The great Creator? But their spite still serves
His glory to augment. The bold design
Pleased highly those infernal States387, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent
They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.
“Well have ye judged, well ended long debate,
Synod391 of gods, and like to what ye are,
Great things resolved, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neighboring arms
And opportune excursion we may chance
Re-enter Heav’n; or else in some mild zone
Dwell not unvisited of Heav’n’s fair light
Secure, and at the bright’ning orient beam
Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious air,
To heal the scar of these corrosive fires
Shall breathe her balm. But first whom shall we send
In search of this new world, whom shall we find
Sufficient? Who shall tempt404 with wand’ring feet
&
nbsp; The dark unbottomed infinite abyss405
And through the palpable obscure406 find out
His uncouth407 way, or spread his airy flight
Upborne with indefatigable wings
Over the vast abrupt409, ere he arrive
The happy isle410; what strength, what art can then
Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe
Through the strict senteries and stations thick
Of angels watching round? Here he had413 need
All circumspection, and we now no less
Choice in our suffrage415; for on whom we send,
The weight of all and our last hope relies.”
This said, he sat; and expectation held
His look suspense418, awaiting who appeared
To second, or oppose, or undertake
The perilous attempt: but all sat mute,
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each
In other’s count’nance read his own dismay
Astonished: none among the choice and prime
Of those Heav’n-warring champions could be found
So hardy as to proffer or accept
Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last
Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride
Conscious of highest worth, unmoved thus spake.
“O pr430ogeny of Heav’n, empyreal Thrones,
With reason hath deep silence and demur
Seized us, though undismayed: long is the way432
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light;
Our prison strong, this huge convex434 of fire,
Outrageous to devour435, immures us round
Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant436
Barred over us prohibit all egress.
These past, if any pass, the void profound438
Of unessential439 night receives him next
Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
Threatens him, plunged in that abortive441 gulf.
If thence he scape into whatever world,
Or unknown region, what remains443 him less
Than unknown444 dangers and as hard escape.
But I should ill become this throne, O Peers,
And this imperial sov’reignty, adorned
With splendor, armed with power, if aught proposed
And judged of public moment448, in the shape
Of difficulty or danger could deter
Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume
These royalties, and not refuse to reign,
Refusing452 to accept as great a share
Of hazard as of honor, due alike
To him who reigns, and so much to him due
Of hazard more, as he above the rest
High honored sits? Go therefore mighty Powers,
Terror of Heav’n, though fall’n; intend at457 home,
While here shall be our home, what best may ease