The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (37 page)

366

All as our own, and drive,
²⁰⁴⁵
as we were driven,

367

The puny
²⁰⁴⁶
habitants, or if not drive,

368

Seduce them to our party, that their God

369

May prove their foe, and with repenting hand

370

Abolish His own works. This would surpass

371

Common revenge, and interrupt His joy

372

In our confusion, and our joy upraise

373

In His disturbance, when His darling sons,

374

Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse

375

Their frail original,
²⁰⁴⁷
and faded bliss—

376

Faded so soon! Advise if this be worth

377

Attempting, or to sit in darkness here

378

Hatching vain empires.” Thus Beelzebub

379

Pleaded his devilish counsel—first devised

380

By Satan, and in part proposed, for whence

381

But from the author of all ill could spring

382

So deep a malice, to confound
²⁰⁴⁸
the race

383

Of mankind in one root,
²⁰⁴⁹
and earth with Hell

384

To mingle and involve, done all to spite

385

The great Creator? But their spite still serves

386

His glory to augment. The bold design

387

Pleased highly those infernal States,
²⁰⁵⁰
and joy

388

Sparkled in all their eyes. With full assent

389

They vote, whereat his speech he thus renews:

390

   
“Well have ye judged, well ended long debate,

391

Synod
²⁰⁵¹
of gods, and, like to what ye are,

392

Great things resolved, which from the lowest deep

393

Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,

394

Nearer our ancient seat—perhaps in view

395

Of those bright confines, whence, with neighboring arms,

396

And opportune
²⁰⁵²
excursion, we may chance

397

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 orient
²⁰⁵⁴
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 palpable
²⁰⁵⁶
obscure
²⁰⁵⁷
find out

407

His uncouth
²⁰⁵⁸
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 senteries
²⁰⁶¹
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 choice
²⁰⁶⁵
and prime
²⁰⁶⁶

424

Of those Heav’n-warring champions could be found

425

So hardy
²⁰⁶⁷
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, unmoved
²⁰⁶⁸
thus spoke:

430

   
“O progeny
²⁰⁶⁹
of Heaven! Empyreal
²⁰⁷⁰
Thrones!

431

With reason hath deep silence and demur
²⁰⁷¹

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 convex
²⁰⁷²
of fire,

435

Outrageous
²⁰⁷³
to devour, immures
²⁰⁷⁴
us round

436

Ninefold, and gates of burning adamant,
²⁰⁷⁵

437

Barred
²⁰⁷⁶
over us, prohibit all egress.
²⁰⁷⁷

438

These passed, if any pass, the void
²⁰⁷⁸
profound
²⁰⁷⁹

439

Of unessential
²⁰⁸⁰
Night receives him next,

440

Wide-gaping, and with utter loss of being

441

Threatens him, plunged in that abortive
²⁰⁸¹
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 moment
²⁰⁸³
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