High on a throne of royal state, which far outshone the wealth or Ormus and of Ind,or where the gorgeous East with richest hand showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted sat, by merit raised to that bad eminence; and, from despair thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue vain war with Heaven; and, by success untaught, his proud imaginations thus displayed:
"Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heaven! For, since no deep within her gulf can hold immortal vigour, though oppressed and fallen, I give not Heaven for lost: from this descent celestial virtues rising will appear more glorious and more dread than from no fall, and trust themselves to fear no second fate! Me through just right, and the fixed laws of Heaven, did first create your leader- next, free choice with what besides in council or in fight hath been achieved of merit- yet this loss, thus far at least recovered, hath much more established in a safe, unenvied throne, yielded with full consent. The happier state in Heaven, which follows dignity, might draw envy from each inferior; but who here will envy whom the highest place exposes Foremost to stand against the thunderer's aim your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share of endless pain? Where there is, then, no good for which to strive, no strife can grow up there from faction: for none sure will claim in Hell precedence; none whose portion is so small of present pain that with ambitious mind will covet more! With this advantage, then, to union, and firm faith, and firm accord, more than can be in Heaven, we now return to claim our just inheritance of old, surer to prosper than prosperity could have assured us; and by what best way, whether of open war or covert guile, we now debate. Who can advise may speak."
He ceased; and next him Moloch, sceptred king, stood up- the strongest and the fiercest spirit that fought in Heaven, now fiercer by despair. His trust was with the Eternal to be deemed equal in strength, and rather than be less cared not to be at all; with that care lost went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse, he recked not, and these words thereafter spake:
"My sentence is for open war. Of wiles, more unexpert, I boast not: them let those contrive who need, or when they need; not now. For, while they sit contriving, shall the rest- millions that stand in arms, and longing wait the signal to ascend- sit lingering here, Heaven's fugitives, and for their dwelling-place accept this dark opprobrious den of shame, the prison of his tyranny who reigns by our delay? No! let us rather choose, armed with Hell-flames and fury, all at once over Heaven's high towers to force resistless way, turning our tortures into horrid arms against the torturer; when, to meet the noise of his almighty engine, he shall hear infernal thunder, and, for lightning, see black fire and horror shot with equal rage among his angels, and his throne itself mixed with tartarean sulphur and strange fire, His own invented torments. But perhaps the way seems difficult, and steep to scale with upright wing against a higher foe! Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench of that forgetful lake benumb not still, that in our proper motion we ascend up to our native seat; descent and fall to us is adverse. Who but felt of late, when the fierce foe hung on our broken rear insulting, and pursued us through the deep, with what compulsion and laborious flight we sunk thus low? The ascent is easy, then; the event is feared! Should we again provoke our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find to our destruction, if there be in Hell fear to be worse destroyed! What can be worse than to dwell here, driven out from bliss, condemned in this abhorred deep to utter woe! Where pain of unextinguishable fire must exercise us without hope of end the vassals of his anger, when the scourge inexorably, and the torturing hour, calls us to penance? More destroyed than thus, we should be quite abolished, and expire. What fear we then? What doubt we to incense his utmost ire? Which, to the height enraged, will either quite consume us, and reduce to nothing this essential- happier far than miserable to have eternal being!- or, if our substance be indeed divine, and cannot cease to be, we are at worst on this side nothing; and by proof we feel our power sufficient to disturb his Heaven, and with perpetual inroads to alarm, though inaccessible, his fatal throne: which, if not victory, is yet revenge."
He ended frowning, and his look denounced desperate revenge, and battle dangerous to less than gods. On the other side up rose Belial, in act more graceful and humane. A fairer person lost not Heaven; he seemed for dignity composed, and high exploit. But all was false and hollow; though his tongue dropped manna, and could make the worse appear the better reason, to perplex and dash maturest counsels: for his thoughts were low- to vice industrious, but to nobler deeds timorous and slothful. Yet he pleased the ear, and with persuasive accent thus began:
"I should be much for open war, O peers, as not behind in hate, if what was urged main reason to persuade immediate war did not dissuade me most, and seem to cast ominous conjecture on the whole success; when he who most excels in fact of arms, in what he counsels and in what excels mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair and utter dissolution, as the scope of all his aim, after some dire revenge. First, what revenge? The towers of Heaven are filled with armed watch, that render all access impregnable: oft on the bodering deep encamp their legions, or with obscure wing scout far and wide into the realm of night, scorning surprise. or, could we break our way by force, and at our heels all Hell should rise with blackest insurrection to confound Heaven's purest light, yet our great enemy, all incorruptible, would on his throne Sit unpolluted, and the ethereal mould, incapable of stain, would soon expel her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, victorious. Thus repulsed, our final hope is flat despair: we must exasperate the almighty victor to spend all his rage; and that must end us; that must be our cure- to be no more. Sad cure! for who would lose, Though full of pain, this intellectual being, those thoughts that wander through eternity, to perish rather, swallowed up and lost in the wide womb of uncreated night, devoid of sense and motion? And who knows, let this be good, whether our angry foe can give it, or will ever? How he can is doubtful; that he never will is sure. Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire, belike through impotence or unaware, to give his enemies their wish, and end them in his anger whom his anger saves to punish endless? Wherefore cease we, then? Say they who counsel war; "we are decreed, reserved, and destined to eternal woe; whatever doing, what can we suffer more, what can we suffer worse?" Is this, then, worst- thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in arms? What when we fled amain, pursued and struck with Heaven's afflicting thunder, and besought the deep to shelter us? This Hell then seemed a refuge from those wounds. Or when we lay chained on the burning lake? That sure was worse. What if the breath that kindled those grim fires, Awaked, should blow them into sevenfold rage, and plunge us in the flames; or from above should intermitted vengeance arm again 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, each on his rock transfixed, the sport and prey or racking whirlwinds, or for ever sunk under yon boiling ocean, wrapped in chains, there to converse with everlasting groans, unrespited, unpitied, unreprieved, ages of hopeless end? This would be worse. War, therefore, open or concealed, alike my voice dissuades; for what can force or guile with him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye views all things at one view? He from Heaven's height all these our motions vain sees and derides, not more almighty to resist our might than wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. 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 subdues us, and omnipotent decree, the victor's will. To suffer, as to do, our strength is equal; nor the law unjust that so ordains. This was at first resolved, if we were wise, against so great a foe contending, and so doubtful what might fall. 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, our Supreme Foe in time may much remit his anger, and perhaps, thus far removed, not mind us not offending, satisfied with what is punished; whence these raging fires will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. Our purer essence then will overcome their noxious vapour; or, inured, not feel; or, changed at length, and to the place conformed In temper and in nature, will receive familiar the fierce heat; and, void of pain, this horror will grow mild, this darkness light; besides what hope the never-ending flight of future days may bring, what chance, what change worth waiting- since our present lot appears for happy though but ill, for ill not worst, if we procure not to ourselves more woe."
Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb, counselled ignoble ease and peaceful sloth, not peace; and after him thus Mammon spake:
"Either to disenthrone the king of Heaven we war, if war be best, or to regain our own right lost. Him to unthrone we then may hope, when everlasting fate shall yield to fickle chance, and chaos judge the strife. The former, vain to hope, argues as vain the latter; for what place can be for us within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's lord supreme we overpower? Suppose he should relent and publish grace to all, on promise made of new subjection; with what eyes could we stand in his presence humble, and receive strict laws imposed, to celebrate his throne with warbled hymns, and to his godhead sing forced hallelujahs, while he lordly sits our envied sovereign, and his altar breathes ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers, our servile offerings? This must be our task in Heaven, this our delight. How wearisome eternity so spent in worship paid to whom we hate! Let us not then pursue, by force impossible, by leave obtained unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state of splendid vassalage; but rather seek our own good from ourselves, and from our own live to ourselves, though in this vast recess, free and to none accountable, preferring hard liberty before the easy yoke of servile pomp. our greatness will appear then most conspicuous when great things of small, useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse, we can create, and in what place so ever thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain through labour and endurance. This deep world of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all-ruling 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 wants not her hidden lustre, 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, become our elements, these piercing fires as soft as now severe, our temper changed into their temper; which must needs remove the sensible of pain. All things invite to peaceful counsels, and the settled state of order, how in safety best we may compose our present evils, with regard of what we are and where, dismissing quite all thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise."
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 over-watched, whose bark by chance or pinnace, anchors in a craggy bay after the tempest. Such applause was heard 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 Michael wrought still within them; and no less desire to found this nether empire, which might rise, by policy and long process of time, in emulation opposite to Heaven. Which when Beelzebub perceived- than whom, Satan except, none higher sat- with grave aspect he rose, and in his rising seemed a pillar of state. Deep on his front engraven deliberation sat, and public care; and princely counsel in his face yet shone, majestic, though in ruin. Sage he stood with atlantean shoulders, fit to bear 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, 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 in strictest bondage, though thus far removed, under the inevitable curb, reserved his captive multitude. For he, to be sure, in height or depth, still first and last will reign sole king, and of his kingdom lose no part by our revolt, but over Hell extend his empire, and with iron sceptre rule us here, as with his golden those in Heaven. What sit we then projecting peace and war? War hath determined us and foiled with loss irreparable; terms of peace yet none vouchsafed or sought; for what peace will be given to us enslaved, but custody severe, and stripes and arbitrary punishment inflicted? and what peace can we return, 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? 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 in power and excellence, but favoured more of him who rules above; so was his will pronounced among the gods, and by an oath that shook Heaven's whole circumference confirmed. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn what creatures there inhabit, of what mould or substance, how endued, and what their power and where their weakness: how attempted best, by force of subtlety. Though Heaven be shut, and Heaven's high arbitrator sit secure in his own strength, this place may lie exposed, the utmost border of his kingdom, left to their defense who hold it: here, perhaps, some advantageous act may be achieved by sudden onset- either with Hell-fire to waste his whole creation, or possess all as our own, and drive, as we were driven, the puny habitants; or, if not drive, seduce them to our party, that their god may prove their foe, and with repenting hand abolish his own works. This would surpass common revenge, and interrupt his joy in our confusion, and our joy upraise in his disturbance; when his darling sons, hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse their frail original, and faded bliss- faded so soon! Advise if this be worth attempting, or to sit in darkness here hatching vain empires."
Thus Beelzebub pleaded his devilish counsel- first devised by Satan, and in part proposed: for whence, but from the author of all ill, could spring so deep a malice, to confound the race of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell to mingle and involve, done all to spite the great creator? But their spite still serves his glory to augment. The bold design pleased highly those infernal states, and joy sparkled in all their eyes: with full assent they vote: whereat his speech he thus renews:
"Well have ye judged, well ended long debate, synod of gods, and, like to what ye are, great things resolved, which from the lowest deep will once more lift us up, in spite of fate, nearer our ancient seat- perhaps in view of those bright confines, whence, with neighbouring arms, and opportune excursion, we may chance re-enter Heaven; or else in some mild zone dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light, secure, and at the brightening orient beam purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air, to heal the scar of these corrosive fires, shall breathe her balm. But, first, whom shall we send in search of this new World? whom shall we find sufficient? who shall tempt with wandering feet the dark, unbottomed, infinite Abyss, and through the palpable obscure find out his uncouth way, or spread his airy flight, upborne with indefatigable wings over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive the happy Isle? What strength, what art, can then suffice, or what evasion bear him safe, through the strict sentries and stations thick of angels watching round? Here he had need all circumspection: and we now no less choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send the weight of all, and our last hope, relies."
This said, he sat; and expectation held his look suspense, awaiting who appeared to second, or oppose, or undertake the perilous attempt. But all sat mute, pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each 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, alone, the dreadful voyage; till, at last, Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised above his fellows, with monarchal pride conscious of highest worth, unmoved thus spake:
"O Progeny of Heaven! Empyreal Thrones! With reason hath deep silence and demur seized us, though undismayed. Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light. Our prison strong, this huge convex of fire, outrageous to devour, immures us round ninefold; and gates of burning adamant, barred over us, prohibit all egress. These passed, if any pass, the void profound of unessential night receives him next, wide-gaping, and with utter loss of being threatens him, plunged in that abortive gulf. 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 honor, 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."
