From what height fall'n, so much the stronger prov'd Can else inflict, do I repent or change, Though chang'd in outward lustre, that fix'd mind, That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring, 95 100 What though the field be lost? O soror, O conjux, O fœmina sola Quam commune mihi genus, et pa- In equal ruin cannot answer to in 93. He with his thunder:] There is an uncommon beauty in this expression. Satan disdains to utter the name of God, though he cannot but acknowledge his superiority. So again ver. 257. -all but less than he Whom thunder hath made greater. 94. yet not for those, 98. And high disdain] This is a favourite expression of Spenser's. Thus in the Faery Queen, b. i. cant. i. st. 19. His gall did grate for grief and high disdain. This is the alto sdegno of the Nor what the potent victor in Italians, from whom no doubt his rage Can else inflict, do I repent or change, &c.] Milton in this and other pas he had it. Thyer. 105. What though the field be lost? All is not lost; &c.] All is not lost; th' unconquerable will, This passage is an excellent improvement upon Satan's speech to the infernal Spirits in Tasso, cant. iv. st. 15. but seems to be expressed from Fairfax's translation rather than from the original. We lost the field, yet lost we not our heart. 109. And what is else not to be overcome;] Here should be no note of interrogation, but only a semi-colon. The words And what is else not to be overcome signify Et si quid sit aliud quod superari nequeat, and if there be any thing else (besides the particulars mentioned) which is not to be overcome. Pearce. 110. That glory, &c.] That refers to what went before; his unconquerable will and study of revenge, his immortal hate, and courage never to submit or yield, and what besides is not to be overcome; these Satan esteems his glory, and that glory he says God never should extort from him. 106 110 115 And then begins a new sentence according to all the best editions, To bow and sue for grace, &c.— that were low indeed, &c. that still referring to what went before; and by observing this punctuation, this whole passage, which has perplexed and confounded so many readers and writers, is rendered plain and easy to be understood. 116.since by fate, &c.] For Satan supposes the angels to subsist by fate and necessity, and he represents them of an empyreal, that is a fiery substance, as the Scripture itself doth; He maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. Psal. civ. 4. Heb. i. 7. Satan disdains to submit, since the angels (as he says) are necessarily immortal and cannot be destroyed, and since too they are now improved in experience, and may hope to carry on the war more successfully, notwithstanding the present triumph of their adversary in heaven. Since through experience of this great event Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy So spake th' apostate Angel, though in pain, 120 125 130 124. the tyranny of heaven.] The poet speaking in his own person at ver. 42. of the supremacy of the Deity calls it. the throne and monarchy of God; but here very artfully alters it to the tyranny of heaven. Thyer. 125. So spake th' apostate An gel, though in pain, Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep despair :] The sense of the last verse rises finely above that of the former : in the first verse it is only said, that he spake though in pain: in the last the poet expresses a great deal more; for Satan not only spake, but he vaunted aloud, and yet at the same time he was not only in pain, but was rack'd with deep despair. Pearce. The poet had probably in view this passage of Virgil, En. i. 212. And put to proof his high supremacy, Whether upheld by strength, or chance, or fate; That with sad overthrow and foul defeat In horrible destruction laid thus low, But what if he our conqu❜ror (whom I now Of force believe almighty, since no less 135 140 144 Than such could have o'er-pow'r'd such force as ours) Have left us this our spi'rit and strength entire Strongly to suffer and support our pains, That we may so suffice his vengeful ire, 150 To do me business in the veins of earth. To dive into the fire. See Errands, v. 152. is probably used 150. whate'er his business be,] The business which God hath appointed for us to do. So in ii. 70. His torments are the torments which he hath appointed for us to suffer. Many instances of this way of speaking may be found in this poem. Pearce. Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire, To undergo eternal punishment? Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-Fiend replied. Doing or suffering: but of this be sure, 156. Whereto-] To what he had said last, which had startled Satan, and to which he thinks it proper to make a speedy reply. Speedy words are better applied here than α Tigτ are always in Homer. 155 160 165 is some comfort to have our 157. to be weak is mise- what Belial says in ii. 199. Doing or suffering:] -To suffer as to do Pearce. 159. To do ought good never will be our task,] Dr. Bentley would read it thus, To do cught good will never be our task, as of a smoother and stronger accent: but I conceive that Milton intended to vary the accent of never and ever in the next verse. |