His red right hand to plague us? What if all Her stores were opened, and this firmament Of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire, Impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall One day upon our heads; while we perhaps Designing or exhorting glorious war, Caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurled, 180 Each on his rock transfixed, the sport and prey Of racking whirlwinds, or forever sunk Ages of hopeless end! This would be worse. With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye Views all things at one view? He from Heaven's highth 190 All these our motions vain sees and derides; Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heaven Thus trampled, thus expelled to suffer here Chains and these torments? Better these than worse, By my advice; since fate inevitable I laugh, when those who at the spear are bold And venturous, if that fail them, shrink, and fear 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, Will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. Our purer essence then will overcome Their noxious vapor, or, inured, not feel; Of servile pomp. pear Our greatness will ap Then most conspicuous, when great things of small, 260 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 endurance. This deep world Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's allruling Sire Choose to reside, his glory unobscured, And with the majesty of darkness round Covers his throne, from whence deep thunders roar, Mustering their rage, and Heaven resembles Hell! As he our darkness, cannot we his light Imitate when we please? This desert soil 270 Wants not her hidden luster, gems, and gold; Nor want we skill or art, from whence to raise Magnificence; and what can Heaven show more? Our torments also may in length of time move 280 The sensible of pain. All things invite He scarce had finished, when such murmur filled The assembly, as when hollow rocks retain The sound of blustering winds, which all night long Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull Seafaring men o'erwatched, whose bark by chance, Or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay After the tempest: such applause was heard 290 As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased, Advising peace; for such another field They dreaded worse than Hell; so much the fear Of thunder and the sword of Michaël Wrought still within them; and no less desire To found this nether empire, which might rise, By policy, and long process of time, Satan except, none higher sat, with grave 300 And princely counsel in his face yet shone. 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 Heaven, 310 Ethereal Virtues! or these titles now Must we renounce, and changing style, be called Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote Inclines-here to continue, and build up here A growing empire; doubtless! while we dream, And know not that the King of Heaven hath doomed This place our dungeon-not our safe retreat Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt From Heaven's high jurisdiction, in new league Banded against his throne, but to remain 320 In strictest bondage, though thus far removed, Under the inevitable curb, reserved Sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part To us enslaved, but custody severe, 330 But, to our power, hostility, and hate, Untamed reluctance, and revenge, though slow, Yet ever plotting how the Conqueror 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 dangerous expedition to invade. Heaven, 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 Heaven Err not), another World, the happy seat Of some new race called Man, about this time To be created like to us, though less 420 To second, or oppose, or undertake In other's countenance read his own dismay, Astonished. None among the choice and prime Of those Heaven-warring champions could be found So hardy as to proffer or accept, "O Progeny of Heaven! Empyreal Thrones! 431 |