Re-enter Heav’n, or else in some mild zone
398
Dwell not unvisited of Heav’n’s fair light
399
Secure, 2053 and at the bright’ning orient2054 beam
400
Purge off this gloom. The soft delicious air,
401
To heal the scar of these corrosive fires,
402
Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom shall we send
403
In search of this new world? whom shall we find
404
Sufficient? who shall tempt 2055 with wand’ring feet
405
The dark, unbottomed, infinite abyss,
406
And through the palpable2056 obscure2057 find out
407
His uncouth2058 way, or spread his airy flight,
408
Upborne with indefatigable wings
409
Over the vast abrupt,2059 ere he arrive
410
The happy isle?2060 What strength, what art, can then
411
Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe,
412
Through the strict senteries2061 and stations thick
413
Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
414
All circumspection, and we now no less
415
Choice in our suffrage, 2062 for on whom we send
416
The weight of all, and our last hope, relies.
417
This said, he sat, and expectation held
418
His look suspense, 2063 awaiting who appeared
419
To second, or oppose, or undertake
420
The perilous attempt. But all sat mute,
421
Pondering the danger with deep thoughts, and each
422
In other’s count’nance read his own dismay,
423
Astonished.2064 None among the choice2065 and prime2066
424
Of those Heav’n-warring champions could be found
425
So hardy2067 as to proffer or accept,
426
Alone, the dreadful voyage, till at last
427
Satan, whom now transcendent glory raised
428
Above his fellows, with monarchal pride
429
Conscious of highest worth, unmoved2068 thus spoke:
430
“O progeny2069 of Heaven! Empyreal2070 Thrones!
431
With reason hath deep silence and demur2071
432
Seized us, though undismayed. Long is the way
433
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.
434
Our prison strong, this huge convex2072 of fire,
435
Outrageous2073 to devour, immures2074 us round
436
Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant,2075
437
Barred2076 over us, prohibit all egress.2077
438
These passed, if any pass, the void2078 profound2079
439
Of unessential2080 Night receives him next,
440
Wide-gaping, and with utter loss of being
441
Threatens him, plunged in that abortive2081 gulf. 2082
442
If thence he scape, into whatever world
443
Or unknown region, what remains him less
444
Than unknown dangers, and as hard escape?
445
But I should ill become this throne, O peers,
446
And this imperial sov’reignty, adorned
447
With splendor, armed with power, if aught proposed
448
And judged of public moment2083 in the shape
449
Of difficulty or danger, could deter
450
Me from attempting. Wherefore do I assume
451
These royalties,2084 and not refuse to reign,
452
Refusing to accept as great a share
453
Of hazard as of honor, due alike
454
To him who reigns, and so much to him due
455
Of hazard more as he above the rest
456
High honored sits? Go therefore, mighty Powers,
457
Terror of Heav’n, though fall’n. Intend2085 at home,
458
While here shall be our home, what best may ease
459
The present misery, and render Hell
460
More tolerable, 2086 if there be cure2087 or charm2088
461
To respite, 2089 or deceive, or slack2090 the pain
462
Of this ill2091 mansion.2092 Intermit2093 no watch
463
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
464
Through all the coasts2094 of dark destruction seek
465
Deliverance for us all. This enterprise
466
None shall partake2095 with me.” Thus saying, rose
467
The monarch, and prevented all reply,
468
Prudent, lest from2096 his resolution raised,2097
469
Others among the chief might offer now,
470
Certain to be refused, what erst they feared,
471
And so refused, might in opinion2098 stand
472
His rivals, winning cheap the high repute
473
Which he through hazard huge must earn. But they
474
Dreaded not more th’ adventure than his voice
475
Forbidding, and at once with him they rose.
476
Their rising all at once was as the sound
477
Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend
478
With awful2099 reverence prone, and as a god
479
Extol him equal to the Highest in Heav’n.
480
Nor failed they to express how much they praised
481
That for the general safety he despised
482
His own, for neither do the Spirits damned
483
Lose all their virtue, lest bad men should boast
484
Their specious2100 deeds on earth, which glory excites,2101
485
Or close2102 ambition varnished o’er with zeal.
486
Thus they their doubtful consultations dark2103
487
Ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief—
488
As when from mountain-tops the dusky clouds
489
Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o’erspread
490
Heav’n’s cheerful face, the louring2104 element2105
491
Scowls o’er the darkened landscape, snow or shower.
492
If chance the radiant sun, with farewell sweet,
493
Extend 2106 his evening beam, the fields revive,
494
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds
495
Attest2107 their joy, that hill and valley rings.
496
O shame to men! Devil with devil damned
497
Firm2108 concord 2109 holds. Men only2110 disagree
498
Of creatures rational, though under2111 hope
499
Of Heav’nly grace. And God proclaiming
peace,
500
Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife
501
Among themselves, and levy2112 cruel wars,
502
Wasting the earth, each other to destroy,
503
As if (which might induce us to accord2113 )
504
Man had not hellish foes enow2114 besides,
505
That day and night for his destruction wait!
506
The Stygian2115 council thus dissolved, and forth
507
In order came the grand infernal peers.
508
Midst came their mighty Paramount,2116 and seemed
509
Alone th’ antagonist of Heav’n, nor less
510
Than Hell’s dread emperor, with pomp supreme,
511
And godlike imitated state. Him round
512
A globe2117 of fiery Seraphim enclosed
513
With bright emblazonry, 2118 and horrent 2119 arms.
514
Then of their session ended they bid cry, 2120
515
With trumpet’s regal 2121 sound, the great result.
516
Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim
517
Put to their mouths the sounding 2122 alchemy,2123
518
By herald’s voice explained. The hollow abyss
519
Heard far and wide, and all the host of Hell
520
With deaf ’ning shout returned 2124 them loud acclaim.
521
Thence more at ease their minds, and somewhat raised
522
By false presumptuous hope, the rangèd 2125 Powers
523
Disband and, wand’ring, each his several way
524
Pursues, as inclination or sad choice
525
Leads him, perplexed,2126 where he may likeliest find
526
Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain
527
The irksome hours till his great chief return.
528
Part on the plain, or in the air sublime, 2127
529
Upon the wing or in swift race contend,2128
530
As at th’ Olympian2129 games or Pythian2130 fields.
531
Part curb2131 their fiery steeds, or shun2132 the goal2133
532
With rapid wheels, or fronted 2134 brigades form—
533
As when, to warn proud cities, war appears,
534
Waged in the troubled sky, and armies rush
535
To battle in the clouds. Before each van2135
536
Prick 2136 forth the airy knights, and couch2137 their spears,
537
Till thickest2138 legions close. 2139 With feats of arms
538
From either end of Heav’n the welkin2140 burns.
539
Others, with vast Typhoean2141 rage, more fell,2142
540
Rend2143 up both rocks and hills, and ride the air
541
In whirlwind. Hell scarce holds the wild uproar,
542
As when Alcides,2144 from Oechalia2145 crowned
543
With conquest, felt th’ envenomed robe, 2146 and tore
544
Through pain up by the roots Thessalian2147 pines,
545
And Lichas2148 from the top of Oeta2149 threw
546
Into th’ Euboic sea.2150 Others, more mild,
547
Retreated 2151 in a silent valley, sing
548
With notes angelical to many a harp
549
Their own heroic deeds and hapless2152 fall
550
By doom2153 of battle, and complain that Fate
551
Free virtue should enthrall 2154 to force or chance. 2155
552
Their song was partial,2156 but the harmony
553
(What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?
554
Suspended 2157 Hell, and took 2158 with ravishment
555
The thronging audience. In discourse2159 more sweet
556
(For eloquence the soul,2160 song charms the sense)
557
Others apart sat on a hill retired,2161
558
In thoughts more elevate, and reasoned high
559
Of providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate
560
Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute,
561
And found no end, in wand’ring mazes lost.
562
Of good and evil much they argued then,
563
Of happiness and final misery,
564
Passion and apathy, and glory and shame:
565
Vain wisdom all, and false philosophy
566
Yet with a pleasing sorcery could charm
567
Pain for a while, or anguish, and excite
568
Fallacious hope, or arm th’ obdurèd 2162 breast
569
With stubborn patience, as with triple steel.
570
Another part, in squadrons and gross2163 bands,
571
On bold 2164 adventure to discover 2165 wide2166
572
That dismal world, if any clime perhaps
573
Might yield them easier habitation, bend
574
Four ways their flying 2167 march, along the banks
575
Of four infernal rivers, that disgorge
576
Into the burning lake their baleful 2168 streams—
577
Abhorrèd Styx, the flood 2169 of deadly hate;
578
Sad Acheron of sorrow, black and deep;
579
Cocytus,2170 named of 2171 lamentation loud
580
Heard on the rueful 2172 stream; fierce Phlegeton,2173
581
Whose waves of torrent2174 fire inflame2175 with rage. 2176
582
Far off from these, a slow and silent stream,
583
Lethe, 2177 the river of oblivion, rolls
584
Her wat’ry labyrinth,2178 whereof who drinks
585
Forthwith2179 his former state and being forgets—
586
Forgets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain.
587
Beyond this flood 2180 a frozen continent
588
Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms
589
Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land
590
Thaws not, but gathers heap,2181 and ruin seems
591
Of ancient pile, 2182 all else deep snow and ice,
592
A gulf 2183 profound 2184 as that Serbonian bog2185
593
Betwixt Damiata2186 and Mount Casius2187 old,
594
Where armies whole have sunk. The parching2188 air
595
Burns frore, 2189 and cold performs2190 th’ effect of fire.
596
Thither, by harpy-footed Furies haled,2191
597
At certain revolutions2192 all the damned
598
Are brought and feel by turns the bitter change
599
Of fierce extremes, extremes by change more fierce,
600
From2193 beds of raging fire to starve2194 in
ice
601
Their soft ethereal warmth, and there to pine2195
602
Immovable, infixed, and frozen round,
603
Periods2196 of time, thence hurried back to fire.
604
They ferry over this Lethean sound
The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Page 18
