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If thence he scape, into whatever world,

       Or unknown region, what remains him less

       Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?

       But I should ill become this throne, O Peers,

       And this imperial sovereignty, adorned

       With splendour, armed with power, if aught proposed

       And judged of public moment in the shape

       Of difficulty or danger, could deter

       Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume

       These royalties, and not refuse to reign,

       Refusing to accept as great a share

       Of hazard as of honour, due alike

       To him who reigns, and so much to him due

       Of hazard more as he above the rest

       High honoured sits? Go, therefore, mighty Powers,

       Terror of Heaven, though fallen; intend at home,

       While here shall be our home, what best may ease

       The present misery, and render Hell

       More tolerable; if there be cure or charm

       To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain

       Of this ill mansion: intermit no watch

       Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad

       Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek

       Deliverance for us all. This enterprise

       None shall partake with me." Thus saying, rose

       The Monarch, and prevented all reply;

       Prudent lest, from his resolution raised,

       Others among the chief might offer now,

       Certain to be refused, what erst they feared,

       And, so refused, might in opinion stand

       His rivals, winning cheap the high repute

       Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they

       Dreaded not more th' adventure than his voice

       Forbidding; and at once with him they rose.

       Their rising all at once was as the sound

       Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend

       With awful reverence prone, and as a God

       Extol him equal to the Highest in Heaven.

       Nor failed they to express how much they praised

       That for the general safety he despised

       His own: for neither do the Spirits damned

       Lose all their virtue; lest bad men should boast

       Their specious deeds on earth, which glory excites,

       Or close ambition varnished o'er with zeal.

       Thus they their doubtful consultations dark

       Ended, rejoicing in their matchless Chief:

       As, when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds

       Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o'erspread

       Heaven's cheerful face, the louring element

       Scowls o'er the darkened landscape snow or shower,

       If chance the radiant sun, with farewell sweet,

       Extend his evening beam, the fields revive,

       The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds

       Attest their joy, that hill and valley rings.

       O shame to men! Devil with devil damned

       Firm concord holds; men only disagree

       Of creatures rational, though under hope

       Of heavenly grace, and, God proclaiming peace,

       Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife

       Among themselves, and levy cruel wars

       Wasting the earth, each other to destroy:

       As if (which might induce us to accord)

       Man had not hellish foes enow besides,

       That day and night for his destruction wait!

       The Stygian council thus dissolved; and forth

       In order came the grand infernal Peers:

       Midst came their mighty Paramount, and seemed

       Alone th' antagonist of Heaven, nor less

       Than Hell's dread Emperor, with pomp supreme,

       And god-like imitated state: him round

       A globe of fiery Seraphim enclosed

       With bright emblazonry, and horrent arms.

       Then of their session ended they bid cry

       With trumpet's regal sound the great result:

       Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim

       Put to their mouths the sounding alchemy,

       By herald's voice explained; the hollow Abyss

       Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell

       With deafening shout returned them loud acclaim.

       Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised

       By false presumptuous hope, the ranged Powers

       Disband; and, wandering, each his several way

       Pursues, as inclination or sad choice

       Leads him perplexed, where he may likeliest find

       Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain

       The irksome hours, till his great Chief return.

       Part on the plain, or in the air sublime,

       Upon the wing or in swift race contend,

       As at th' Olympian games or Pythian fields;

       Part curb their fiery steeds, or shun the goal

       With rapid wheels, or fronted brigades form:

       As when, to warn proud cities, war appears

       Waged in the troubled sky, and armies rush

       To battle in the clouds; before each van

       Prick forth the airy knights, and couch their spears,

       Till thickest legions close; with feats of arms

       From either end of heaven the welkin burns.

       Others, with vast Typhoean rage, more fell,

       Rend up both rocks and hills, and ride the air

       In whirlwind; Hell scarce holds the wild uproar:—

       As when Alcides, from Oechalia crowned

       With conquest, felt th' envenomed robe, and tore

       Through pain up by the roots Thessalian pines,

       And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw

       Into th' Euboic sea. Others, more mild,

       Retreated in a silent valley, sing

       With notes angelical to many a harp

       Their own heroic deeds, and hapless fall

       By doom of battle, and complain that Fate

       Free Virtue should enthrall to Force or Chance.

       Their song was partial; but the harmony

       (What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?)

       Suspended Hell, and took with ravishment

       The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet

       (For Eloquence the Soul, Song charms the Sense)

       Others apart

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