This First Book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, Man's difobedience, and the lofs thereupon of Paradife wherein he was placed: then touches the prime cause of his fall, the ferpent or rather Satan in the ferpent; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his fide many legions of angels, was, by the command of God, driven out of heaven, with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action pafs'd over, the Poem haftes into the midst of things, prefenting Satan with his angels now falling into hell, defcrib'd here, not in the centre (for heaven and earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accurs'd), but in a place of utter darkness, fitlieft call'd Chaos: here Satan, with his angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-ftruck and aftonifh'd, after a certain space, recover 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 battle, their chief leaders nam'd, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining heaven, but tells them, laftly, 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 visible 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 council. What his affociates thence attempt. Pandemonium the palace of Satan rifes, fuddenly built, out of the deep: the infernal peers there fit in council.
Or man's firft difobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With lofs of Eden, till one greater Man Reftore us, and regain the blissful feat, Sing heav'nly Mufe, that on the fecret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didft infpire
That fhepherd, who firft taught the chofen feed, 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 advent'rous fong, That with no middle flight intends to foar Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in profe or rhyme. And chiefly Thou, O Spirit, that doft prefer Before all temples the upright heart and pure, Inftruct me, for thou know'ft; thou from the firft Waft prefent, and, with mighty wings outspread,
Dove-like fatft brooding on the vast abyss, And mad'ft it pregnant : what in me is dark Illumine, what is low raife and fupport; That to the height of this great argument I may affert eternal providence, And juftify the ways of God to men.
Say firft, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of Hell, fay first what cause Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy ftate, Favour'd of Heav'n fo highly, to fall off From their Creator, and tranfgrefs his will, For one restraint, lords of the world befides? Who first feduc'd them to that foul revolt? Th' infernal ferpent; he it was, whofe 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 ho Of rebel angels, by whofe aid aspiring To fet himself in glory above his peers, He trusted to have equall'd the Moft High,
If he oppos'd; and, with ambitious aim, Against the throne and monarchy of God Raif'd impious war in heav'n and battle proud, With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power Hurl'd headlong flaming from the ethereal sky, With hideous ruin and combuftion, down To bottomlefs perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durft defy th' Omnipotent to arms. Nine times the space that meafures day and night To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Lay vanquish'd, rolling 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
Forments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, That witnefs'd huge affliction and difmay, Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate : At once, as far as angels' ken, he views The difmal fituation wafte and wild; A dungeon horrible on all fides round As one great furnace flam'd, yet from thofe flames No light, but rather darkness visible, Serv'd only to difcover fights of woe, Regions of forrow, doleful fhades, where peace 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 fulphur unconfum'd: Such place eternal Juftice had prepar'd For thofe rebellious, here their prison ordain'd In utter darknefs, and their portion fet As far remov'd from God and light of heav'n As from the centre thrice to th' utmost pole.
how unlike the place from whence they fell! There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd With floods and whiriwinds of tempeftuous fire, He foon difcerns, and welt'ring by his fide One next himself in pow'r, and next in crime, Long after known in Paleftine, and nam'd Beelzebub. To whom th' arch-enemy,
All is not loft; th' unconquerable will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit 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 deify his power, Who from the terror of this arm so late Doubted his empire; that were low indeed; That were an ignominy, and fhame beneath This downfal; fince by fate the ftrength of gods And this empyreal fubftance cannot fail, Since through experience of this great event, In arms not worse, in forefight much advanc'd, We may with more fuccefsful hope refolve To wage by force or guile eternal war, Irreconcilable to our grand Foe, Who How triumphs, and in th' excefs of joy Sole reigning holds the tyrany of heav'n.
So fpake the apoftate angel, though in pain, Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep defpair; And him thus anfwer'd foon his bold compeer:
O Prince! O Chief of many throned powers, That led th' imbatti'd feraphim to war Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds Fearlefs, endanger'd heav'n's perpetual King, And put to proof his high fupremacy, Whether upheld by ftrength, or chance, or fate, Too well I fee and rue the dire event, That with fad overthrow and foul defeat Hath loft us heaven, and all this mighty hoft In horrible deftruction laid thus low, As far as gods and heav'nly effences Can perifh: for the mind and spirit remains Invincible, and vigour foon returns, Though all our glory's extinct, and happy state Here fwallow'd up in endless mifery. But what if he our Conqueror (whom I now Of force believe Almighty, fince no less
Than fuch could have o'erpow'r'dfuch force as ours} Have left us thus our spirit and strength entire
And thence in heav`n call'd Satan, with bold words Strongly to fuffer and fupport our pains,
Breaking the horrid filence, thus began:
If thou becft he; but O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who, in the happy realms of light, Cloth'd with tranfcendent brightnefs didit outfhine Myriads though bright! If he whom mutual league, United thoughts and counfels, equal hope And hazard in the glorious enterprife, Jein'd with me once, now mifery hath join'd In equal ruin into what pit thou feeft From what height fall'n, fo much the stronger 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 difdain from fenfe of injur'd merit, That with the Mightieft raif'd me to contend, And to the fierce contention brought along Innumerable force of fpirits arm'2,
'That durft dislike his reign, and me preferring, His utmoft pow'r with adverfo pow'r oppof'd In dubious battle on the plains of Heav'n, And fhook his throne. What though the field be lo?
That we may fo fuffice his vengeful ire, Or do him mightier fervice as his thralls By right of war, whate'er his bufinefs be, Here in the heart of hell to work in fire, Or do his errands in the gloomy deep; What can it then avail, though yet we feel Strength undiminish'd, or eternal being To undergo eternal punishment? Whereto with speedy words th' arch-fiend reply'd: Fail'n Cherub, to be weak is miferable, Doing or fuffering: but of this be fure, To do ought good never will be our task, But ever to do ill our fole delight, As being the contrary to his high will Whom we refift. If then his providence Out of our evil feek to bring forth good, Our labour must be to pervert that end, And out of good still to find means of evil; Which oft-times may fucceed, so as perhaps Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb His inmoft counfels from their deftin'd aim. But fee the angry Victor hath recall'd His minifters of vengeance and pursuit
Back to the gates of heav'n: the fulph'rous hail Shot after us in ftorm, o'erblown, hath laid The fiery surge, that from the precipice Of heav'n receiv'd us falling; and the thunder, Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage, Perhaps hath spent his fhafts, and ceases now To bellow through the vast and boundless deep. Let us not flip th' occasion, whether scorn, Or fatiate fury yield it from our foe. Seeft thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, The feat of defolation, void of light,
Save what the glimmering of these livid flames Cafts pale and dreadful? thither let us tend From off the toffing of these fiery waves; There reft, if any reft can harbour there, And re-affembling our afflicted powers, Confult how we may henceforth moft offend Our enemy, our own lofs how repair, How overcome this dire calamity, What reinforcement we may gain from hope, If not what refolution from defpair.
Thus Satan, talking to his nearest mate, With head up-lift above the wave, and eyes That fparkling blaz'd, his other parts befides Prone on the flood, extended long and large, Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge As whom the fables name of monftrous fize, Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove, Briareus or Typhon, whom the den By ancient Tarfus held, or that fea-beast Leviathan, which God of all his works Created hugeft that swim th' occan stream: Him haply flumb'ring on the Norway foam The pilot of fome fmall night-founder'd fkiff, Deeming fome ifland, oft, as feamen tell, With fixed anchor in his fcaly rind Moors by his fide under the lee, while night Invests the fea, and wished morn delays: So ftretch'd out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay Chain'd on the burning lake, nor ever thence Had rif'n or heav'd his head, but that the will And high permiffion of all-ruling Heaven Left him at large to his own dark designs, That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation, while he fought Evil to others, and enrag'd might fee How all his malice ferv'd but to bring forth Infinite goodness, grace and mercy fhewn On Man by him feduc'd; but on himself Treble confufion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. Forthwith upright he rears from off the pool His mighty ftature; on each hand the flames Driv'n backward flope their pointing fpires, and In billows, leave i' th' midst a horrid vale. [roll'd Then with expanded wings he fteers his flight Aloft, incumbent on the dusky air That felt unusual weight, till on dry land He lights, if it were land that ever burn'd With folid, as the lake with liquid fire; And fuch appear'd in hue, as when the force Of fubterranean wind transports a hill Torn from Pelorus, or the shatter'd fide Of thundering Ætna, whofe combustible And fuel'd entrails thence conceiving fire, Sublim'd with mineral fury, aid the winds,
And leave a finged bottom all involv'd With french and smoke : fuch refting found the fole Of unbleft feet. Him followed his next niate, Both glorying to have fcap'd the Stygian flood As gods, and by their own recover'd strength, Not by the fuff'rance of fupernal Power.
Is this the region, this the foil, the clime, Said then the loft Arch-angel, this the seat That we must change for Heav'n, this mournful For that celeftial light? Be it fo, fince he [gloom Who now is Sov'reign, can difpofe and bid What shall be right: fartheft from him is beft, Whom reafon hath equall'd, force hath made fu- Above his equals. Farewell, happy fields [preme Where joy forever dwells: Hail Horrors, hail Infernal World, and thou profoundest Hell Receive thy new poffeffor; one who brings A mind not to be chang'd by place or time. The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heav'n of hell, a hell of heav'n. What matter where, if I be ftill the fame, And what I should be, all but lefs than he Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at leaft We fhall be free; th' Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence : Here we may reign fecure, and, in my choice, To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell than ferve in Heav'n. But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, Th' affociates and copartners of our loss, Lie thus aftonish'd on th' oblivious pool, And call them not to fhare with us their part In this unhappy mansion, or once more, With rallied arms, to try what may be yet Regain'd in heav'n, or what more loft in hell? So Satan fpake, and him Beelzebub
Thus anfwer'd: Leader of thofe armies bright, Which but th' Omnipotent none could have foil'd If once they hear that voice, their livelieft pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battle when it rag'd, in all affaults Their fureft fignal, they will foon refume New courage, and revive; though now they lie Grovelling and proftrate on yon lake of fire, As we e'er while, aftounded and amaz'd, No wonder, fall'n fuch a pernicious height.
He scarce had ceaf'd, when the fuperior Fiend Was moving tow'rd the fhore; his pond'rous fhield, Ethereal temper, maffy, large and round, Behind him caft; the broad circumference Hung on his fhoulders like the moon, whose orb Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views At evening from the top of Fefole, Or in Valdarno, to defcry new lands, Rivers or mountains in her spotty globe. His fpear, to equal which the tallest pine, Hewn on Norwegian hills to be the mast Of some great admiral, were but a wand, He walk'd with to support uneasy steps Over the burning marle, not like thofe fteps On heaven's azure, and the torrid clime Smote on him fore besides, vaulted with fire; Nathless he fo endur'd, till on the beach Of that inflamed fea he ftood, and call'd
His legions, angel forms, who lay entranc'd Thick as autumnal leaves that ftrow the brooks In Valambrofa, where th' Etrurian fhades High over-arch'd embow'r; or fscatter'd fedge Affote, when with fierce winds Orien arm'd Hath vex'd the Red-fea coaft, whofe waves o'er- Bufiris and his Memphian chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they purfued The fojourners of Gothen, who beheld From the fafe fhore their floating carcafes And broken chariot wheels: fo thick beftrown Abject and loft lay thefe, covering the flood, Under amazement of their hideous change. He call'd fo loud, that all the hollow deep Of hell refounded. Princes, Potentates, [loft, Warriors, th' flow'r of heav'n, once yours, now If fuch aftonishment as this can feize Eternal fpirits; or have you chofen this place, After the toil of battle, to repofe
Your wearied virtue, for the eafe you find To flumber here, as in the vales of Heav'n? Or in this abject posture have you sworn To adore the Conqueror? who now beholds Cherub and feraph rolling in the flood With fcatter'd arms and enfigns, till anon His fwift purfuers from heav'n gates difcern Th' advantage, and descending tread us down Thus drooping, or with linked thunderbolts Transfix us to the bottom of this gulf. Awake, arife, or be for ever fallen!
[fprung They heard, and were abash'd, and up they Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch On duty, fleeping found by whom they dread, Roufe and beftir themselves e'er well awake. Nor did they not perceive the evil plight In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel; Yet to their General's voice they foon obey'd, Innumerable. As when the potent rod Of Amram's fon, in Egypt's evil day, Wav'd round the coaft, up call'd a pitchy cloud Of locufts, warping on the eastern wind, That o'er the realm of impious Pharaoh hung Like night, and darken'd all the land of Nile : So numberlefs were thofe bad angels feen, Hovering on wing under the cope of Hell, "Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding fires; Till, at a fignal giv'n, th' uplifted spear Of their great Sultan waving to direct Their courfe, in even balance down they light On the firm brimstone, and fill all the plain; A multitude, like which the populous North Pour'd never from her frozen loins, to pass Rhene or the Danaw, when her barb'rous fons Came like a deluge on the South, and spread Beneath Gibraltar to the Lybian fands. Forthwith from every squadron and each band The heads and leaders thither hafte, where flood Their great Commander; godlike fhapes and forms Excelling human, princely dignities,
And powers that erft in Heaven fat on thrones; Though of their names in heav'nly records now Be no memorial, blotted out and ras'd By their rebellion from the books of Life. Nor had they yet among the fons of Eve Got them new names, till wandring o'er the earth,
Through God's high fuff'rance for the trial of man, By fallities and lies the greatest part Of mankind they corrupted to forfake God their Creator, and th' invisible Glory of him that made them to transform Oft to the image of a brute, adorn'd With gay religions full of pomp and gold, And devils to adore for deities:
Then were they known to men by various names, And various idols through the heathen world. Say, Mufe, their names then known, who firft, who laft,
Rous'd from the flumber, on that fiery couch, At their great Emp'ror's call, as next in worth Came fingly where he stood on the bare ftrand, While the promifluous crowd stood yet aloof. The chief were thofe who from the pit of Hell Roaming to feek their prey on earth, durst fix Their feats long after next the feat of God, Their altars by his altar, gods ador'd Among the nations round, and durft abide Jehovah thund'ring out of Sion, thron'd Between the cherubim ; yea often plac'd Within his fanctuary itfelf their fhrines, Abominations; and with curfed things His holy rites and folemn feafts profan'd, And with their darknefs durft affront his light. First Moloch, horrid king, befmear'd with blood Of human facrifice, and parent's tears, Though for the noife of drums and timbrels loud Their children's cries unheard, that pass'd through To his grim idol. Him the Ammonite Worship'd in Rabba and her watry plain, In Argob and in Bafan, to the ftream Of utmost Arnon. Nor content with fuch Audacious neighbourhood, the wifest heart Of Solomon he led by fraud to build
His temple right against the temple of God On that opprobrious hill, and made his grove The pleafant valley of Himmon, Tophet thence And black Gehenna call'd, the type of Hell. Next Chemos, th' obfcene dread of Moab's fons, From Aroar to Nebo, and the wild Of fouthmoft Abarim; in Hefebon And Horonaim, Seon's realm, beyond The flow'ry dale of Sibma, clad with vines, And Eleale to th' Afphaltic pool.
Peor his other name, when he entic'd Ifrael in Sittim on their narch from Nile
To do him wanton rites, which coft them woe. Yet thence his luftful orgies he enlarg'd Ev'n to that hill of fcandal, by the grove Of Moloch homicide; luft hard by hate; Till good Jofiah drove them thence to Hell. With thefe came they, who from the bord'ring Of old Euphrates to the brook that parts [flood Egypt from Syrian ground, had general names Of Baalim and Afhtaroth, thofe male, These feminine. For fpirits, when they please, Can either fex affume, or both; fo foft And uncompounded is their effence pure, Not ty'd or manacl'd with joint or limb, Nor founded on the brittle ftrength of bones, Like cumb'rous flesh; but in what shape they choose Dilated or condens'd, bright or obscure,
Can execute their airy purposes, And works of love or enmity fulfil. For thofe the race of liracl oft forfook Their living ftrength, and unfrequented left His righteous altar, bowing lowly down To bestial Gods; for which their heads as low Bow'd down in battle, funk before the spear Of defpicable foes. With these in troop Came Ahtoreth, whom the Phenicians call'd Aitarte, Queen of Heav'n, with crefcent horns; To whofe bright image nightly by the moon Sidonian virgins paid their vows and fongs; In Sion alfo not unfung, where flood Her temple on th' offenfive mountain, built By that uxorious king, whose heart, though large, Beguil'd by fair idolatrefles, fell
To idols foul. Thammuz came next behind, Whofe annual wound in Lebanon allur'd The Syrian damfels to lament his fate In amorous dittics all a fummer's day; While fmooth Adonis from his native rock Ran purple to the fea, fuppos'd with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded; the love-tale Infected Sion's daughters with like heat, Whose wanton paflions in the facred porch Ezekiel faw, when by the vifion led His eye furvey'd the dark idolatries Of alienated Judah. Next came one Who mourned in earneft, when the captive ark Maim'd his brute image, head and hands lopt off In his own temple, on the grunfel edge, Where he fell flat, and fham'd his worshippers: Dagon his name, sea-monster, upward man And downward fish: yet had his temple high Rear'd in Azotus, dreaded through the coalt Of Palestine, in Gath and Afcalon, And Accaron and Gaza's frontier bounds. Him follow'd Rimmon, whofe deligtful feat Was fair Damafcus, on the fertile banks Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams. He also against the houfe of God was bold : A leper once he loft, and gain'd a king, Ahaz his fottish conqu'ror, whom he drew God's altar to difparage and difplace For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn His odious offerings, and adore the Gods Whom he had vanquish'd. After these appear'd A crew, who, under names of old renown, Ofiris, Ifis, Orus and their train,
With monstrous fhapes and forceries abus'd Fanatic Egypt and her priefts, to feek Their wand'ring gods difguis'd in brutish forms Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'scape Th' infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king Doubled that fin in Bethel and in Dan, Likening his Maker to the grazed ox, Jehovah, who in one night when he pass'd From Egypt marching, equall'd with one ftroke Both her firft-born and all her bleating gods. Belial came laft, than whom a fp'rit more lewd Fell not from heaven, or more grofs to love Vice for itself: to him no temple stood Or altar fmok'd; yet who more oft than he In temples and at altars, when the priest
Turns Atheift, as did Eli's fons, who fill'd With luft and violence the houfe of God? In courts and palaces he alfo reigns, And in luxurious cities, where the noise Of riot afcends above their loftieft towers, And injury and outrage: and when Night Darkens the freets, then wander forth the fons Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine. Witnefs the streets of Sodom, and that night In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape. Thefe were the prime in order and in might; The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd, Th' Ionian gods of Javan's iflue held Gods, yet confeffed later than Heav'n and Earth, Their boafted parents: Titan, Heav'n's first-born, With his enormous brood, and birthright feiz'd By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove His own and Rhea's fon like measure found; So Jove ufurping reign'd: thefe firft in Crete And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air, Their higheft heaven; or on the Delphian cliff, Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old Fled over Adria to th' Hefperian fields, And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmoft ifles.
All these and more came flocking; but with looks Downcaft and dampt, yet fuch wherein appear'd Obfcure fome glimpse of joy, to 'ave found their chief
Not in defpair, to 'ave found themselves not loft In lofs itself; which on his countenance caft Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride Soon recollecting, with high words that bore Semblance of worth, not fubftance, gently rais'd Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears. Then strait commands, that at the warlike found Of trumpets loud and ciarions be uprear'd His mighty ftandard; that proud honour claim'd Azazel as his right, a cherub tall;
Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurl'd Th' imperial enfign, which full high advanc'd Shone like a meteor ftreaming to the wind, With gems and golden luftre rich emblaz’d, Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while Sonorous metal blowing martial founds: At which the univerfal hoft up fent
A fhout that tore Hell's concave, and beyond Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night. All in a moment through the gloom were feen Ten thousand banners rife into the air With orient colours waving: with them rofe | A forest huge of fpears; and thronging helms Appear'd, and ferried fhields in thick array Of depth immeafurable: anon they move In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood Of flutes and foft recorders; fuch as rais'd To height of nobleft temper heroes old Arming to battle; and inftead of rage Deliberate valour breath'd, firm and unmov'd With dread of death to flight or foul retreat; Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and fwage With folemn touches troubled thoughts, and chafe Anguish and doubt, and fear, and forrow, and pain,
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