The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (25 page)

90

Joined with me once, now misery hath joined

91

In equal ruin—into what pit thou seest

92

From what height fall’n, so much the stronger proved

93

He with His thunder. And till then who knew

94

The force of those dire arms? Yet not for those

95

Nor what the potent victor in His rage

96

Can else inflict, do I repent, or change

97

(Though changed in outward luster) that fixed mind

98

And high disdain from sense of injured merit

99

That with the Mightiest raised me to contend

100

And to the fierce contentions
¹⁴⁴⁰
brought along

101

Innumerable
¹⁴⁴¹
force of Spirits armed

102

That durst dislike His reign and, me preferring

103

His utmost power with adverse
¹⁴⁴²
power opposed

104

In dubious
¹⁴⁴³
battle on the plains of Heav’n,

105

And shook His throne. What though the field be lost

106

All is not lost—the unconquerable will

107

And study
¹⁴⁴⁴
of revenge, immortal hate

108

And courage never to submit or yield

109

And what is else not to be overcome

110

That glory never shall His wrath or might

111

Extort from me. To bow and sue
¹⁴⁴⁵
for grace
¹⁴⁴⁶

112

With suppliant
¹⁴⁴⁷
knee, and deify His power

113

Who, from
¹⁴⁴⁸
the terror
¹⁴⁴⁹
of this arm, so late
¹⁴⁵⁰

114

Doubted
¹⁴⁵¹
His empire: that were low indeed

115

That were an ignominy and shame beneath

116

This downfall, since, by fate, the strength of gods

117

And this empyreal
¹⁴⁵²
substance, cannot fail

118

Since, through experience of this great event

119

In arms not worse, in foresight
¹⁴⁵³
much advanced,
¹⁴⁵⁴

120

We may with more successful hope resolve

121

To wage by force or guile eternal war

122

Irreconcilable to our grand foe

123

Who now triumphs, and in th’ excess of joy

124

Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heav’n.”

125

   
So spoke th’ apostate Angel, though in pain

126

Vaunting
¹⁴⁵⁵
aloud, but racked with deep despair

127

And him thus answered, soon, his bold compeer:
¹⁴⁵⁶

128

   
“O Prince, O chief of many thronèd Powers
¹⁴⁵⁷

129

That led th’ embattled Seraphim
¹⁴⁵⁸
to war

130

Under thy conduct
¹⁴⁵⁹
and, in dreadful deeds

131

Fearless, endangered Heav’n’s perpetual
¹⁴⁶⁰
King

132

And put to proof
¹⁴⁶¹
His high supremacy

133

Whether upheld by strength, or chance, or fate

134

Too well I see and rue
¹⁴⁶²
the dire event

135

That, with sad overthrow and foul defeat

136

Hath lost us Heav’n, and all this mighty host

137

In horrible destruction laid thus low

138

As far as gods and Heav’nly Essences
¹⁴⁶³

139

Can perish—for the mind and spirit remains

140

Invincible,
¹⁴⁶⁴
and vigor soon returns

141

Though all our glory extinct, and happy state

142

Here swallowed up in endless misery

143

But what if He our conqueror (whom I now

144

Of force
¹⁴⁶⁵
believe almighty, since no less

145

Than such could have o’erpowered such force as ours

146

Have left us this our spirit and strength entire,
¹⁴⁶⁶

147

Strongly to suffer
¹⁴⁶⁷
and support
¹⁴⁶⁸
our pains

148

That we may so suffice
¹⁴⁶⁹
His vengeful ire

149

Or do Him mightier service as His thralls
¹⁴⁷⁰

150

By right of war, whate’er His business be,

151

Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire

152

Or do His errands in the gloomy deep

153

What can it then avail, though yet we feel

154

Strength undiminished, or eternal being

155

To undergo eternal punishment

156

Whereto with speedy words th’ arch-fiend replied

157

   
“Fall’n Cherub, to be weak is miserable

158

Doing or suffering. But of this be sure

159

To do aught
¹⁴⁷¹
good never will be our task

160

But ever to do ill our sole delight

161

As being the contrary to His high will

162

Whom we resist. If then His providence

163

Out of our evil seek to bring forth good

164

Our labor must be to pervert that end

165

And out of good still
¹⁴⁷²
to find means of evil

166

Which oft-times may succeed so as, perhaps

167

Shall grieve Him, if I fail not, and disturb
¹⁴⁷³

168

His inmost counsels
¹⁴⁷⁴
from their destined
¹⁴⁷⁵
aim

169

   
“But see! the angry victor hath recalled

170

His ministers of vengeance and pursuit

171

Back to the gates of Heav’n. The sulphurous hail

172

Shot after us in storm
¹⁴⁷⁶
o’erblown, hath laid
¹⁴⁷⁷

173

The fiery surge
¹⁴⁷⁸
that from the precipice

174

Of Heav’n received us falling, and the thunder

175

Winged with red lightning and impetuous rage

176

Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now

177

To bellow through the vast and boundless deep

178

Let us not slip
¹⁴⁷⁹
th’ occasion, whether scorn

179

Or satiate
¹⁴⁸⁰
fury yield it from our foe