Place of utter Darkness, fitlieft call'd Chaos Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning Lake, thunderStruck and astonish'd, after a certain Space recovers, as from Confufion, calls up him who next in Order and Dignity lay by him; they confer of their miferable Fall. Satan awakens all his Legions, who lay 'till then in the fame manner confounded: They rife, their Numbers, Array of Battel, their chief Leaders nam'd, according to the Idols known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoining. To thefe Satan directs his Speech, comforts them with Hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them lastly of a new World and new kind of Creature to be created, according to an ancient Prophecy or Report in Heaven; for that Angels were long before this vifible Creation, was the Opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the Truth of this Prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full Councel. What his Affociates thence attempt. Pandemonium the Palace of Satan rifes, fuddenly built out of the Deep: The infernal Peers there fit in Council.
Man's First Difobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whofe mortal taft Brought Death into the World and all our woe, With lofs of Eden, 'till one greater Maa Reftore us, and regain the blissful Seat, Sing Heav'nly Mufe, that on the fecret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who firft taught the chofen Seed, In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth Rofe out of Chaos: Or if Sion Hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa's Brook that flow'd Faft by the Oracle of God; I thence Invoke thy Aid to my adventrous Song, That with no middle flight intends to foar Above th' Aonian Mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime. And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that doft prefer Before all Temples th' upright Heart and pure, Inftru&t me, for Thou know'ft; Thou from the firft Waft present, and with mighty Wings out-spread 20 Dove-like fat'ft brooding on the vast Abyss And mad❜ft it pregnant: What in me is dark Illumine, what is low raise and support;
That to the heighth of this great Argument
affert Eternal Providence,
And juftifie the ways of God to Men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view Nor the deep Tract of Hell, fay firft what cause Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State,
Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off From their Createur, and tranfgrefs his Will For one Reftraint, Lords of the World befides? Who first feduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile Stirr'd up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd The Mother of Mankind, what time his Pride Had caft him out from Heav'n, with all his Hoft Of Rebel Angels, by whofe aid aspiring To fet himself in Glory above his Peers, He trusted to have equall'd the Most High, If he oppos'd; and with ambitious Aim, Against the Throne and Monarchy of God Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud With vain Attempt. Him the Almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie, 45 With hideous ruine and combustion down To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire, Who durft defie th'Omnipotent to Arms.
Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night To mortal men, he with his horrid Crew Lay vanquish'd, rowling in the fiery Gulf Confounded though immortal: But his Doom Referv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought Both of loft happiness and lafting pain Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes That witness'd huge affliction and difmay Mix'd with obdurate pride and stedfast hate: At once as far as Angels ken he views
The difmal Situation wafte and wild,
A Dungeon horrible, on all fides round
As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames No light, but rather darkness visible
Serv'd only to discover fights of woe,
Regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where peace 65 And reft can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all; but torture without end Still urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed With ever-burning Sulphur unconfum'd: Such Place Eternal Justice had prepar'd
For thofe rebellious, here their Prison ordain'd In utter darkness, and their Portion fet As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Fole. Ohow unlike the place from whence they fell! There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempeftuous fire, He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide One next himself in power, and next in crime, Long after known in Palestine, and nam'd Beelzebub. To whom th' Arch Enemy,
And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold Words Breaking the horrid filence thus began.
If thou beeft he; But O how fall'n! How chang'd From him, who in the happy Realms of light 85 Cloath'd with transcendent brightness didst out-fhine Myriads tho' bright! If he whom mutual League, United thoughts and counfels, equal hope And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,
Join'd with me once, now misery hath join'd In equal ruin: Into what Pit thou feeft
From what heighth fall'n,fo much the ftronger prov'd He with his Thunder: And 'till then who knew The Force of thofe dire Arms? Yet not for those, Nor what the Potent Victor in his Rage Can elfe inflict, do I repent or change,
Though chang'd in outward luftre; that fix'd mind And high disdain, from sense of injur'd merit, That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend, And to the fierce Contention brought along 100 Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd
That durft diflike his Reign, and me preferring, His utmoft power with adverfe power oppos'd In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n,
And hook his Throne. What tho' the field be loft? All is not loft; th' unconquerable Will,
And study of Revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to fubmit or yield: And what is elfe not to be overcome? That Glory never fhall his wrath or might Extort from me. To bow and fue for Grace With fuppliant Knee, and deifie his Power, Who from the Terror of this Arm fo late Doubted his Empire, that were low indeed, That were an Ignomixy and Shame beneath This Downfal; fince by Fate the Strength of Gods And this Empyreal Subftance cannot fail, Since through Experience of this great Event In Arms not worfe, in Forefight much advanc'd,
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