The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (63 page)

882

      

To question thy bold entrance on this place,

883

      

Employed, it seems, to violate sleep, and those

884

      

Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss!

885

      

   
To whom thus Satan, with contemptuous brow:

886

      

“Gabriel, thou had’st in Heav’n th’ esteem
³¹⁹⁸
of wise,

887

      

And such I held thee. But this question asked

888

      

Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain?

889

      

Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,

890

      

Though thither doomed?
³¹⁹⁹
Thou would’st thyself, no doubt,

891

      

And boldly venture to whatever place

892

      

Farthest from pain, where thou might’st hope to change
³²⁰⁰

893

      

Torment with ease, and soonest recompense
³²⁰¹

894

      

Dole
³²⁰²
with delight, which in this place I sought.

895

      

To thee no reason, who know’st only good,

896

      

But evil hast not tried. And wilt object

897

      

His will who bound us? Let him surer
³²⁰³
bar

898

      

His iron gates, if he intends our stay

899

      

In that dark durance.
³²⁰⁴
Thus much what was asked.

900

      

The rest is true, they found me where they say,

901

      

But that implies not violence or harm.

902

      

   
Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel, moved,
³²⁰⁵

903

      

Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied:

904

      

   
“O loss of one in Heav’n to judge of wise,
³²⁰⁶

905

      

Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,

906

      

And now returns him from his prison ’scaped,

907

      

Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise

908

      

Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither

909

      

Unlicensed
³²⁰⁷
from his bounds
³²⁰⁸
in Hell prescribed.

910

      

So wise he judges it to fly
³²⁰⁹
from pain,

911

      

However,
³²¹⁰
and to ’scape his punishment!

912

      

So judge thou still, presumptuous! till the wrath,

913

      

Which thou incurr’st by flying, meet
³²¹¹
thy flight

914

      

Sevenfold, and scourge
³²¹²
that wisdom back to Hell,

915

      

Which taught thee yet no better, than no pain

916

      

Can equal anger infinite provoked.

917

      

But wherefore thou alone? Wherefore with thee

918

      

Came not all Hell broke loose? Is pain to them

919

      

Less pain, less to be fled, or thou than they

920

      

Less hardy
³²¹³
to endure? Courageous chief,

921

      

The first in flight from pain! Had’st thou alleged
³²¹⁴

922

      

To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

923

      

Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.

924

      

   
To which the fiend thus answered, frowning stern:

925

      

“Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,

926

      

Insulting Angel! Well thou know’st I stood

927

      

Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid

928

      

The blasting vollied thunder made all speed
³²¹⁵

929

      

And seconded
³²¹⁶
thy else
³²¹⁷
not dreaded spear.

930

      

But still thy words at random,
³²¹⁸
as before,

931

      

Argue thy inexperience what
³²¹⁹
behooves
³²²⁰

932

      

From hard assays
³²²¹
and ill successes
³²²²
past

933

      

A faithful leader, not to hazard all

934

      

Through ways
³²²³
of danger by himself untried.

935

      

I, therefore, I alone first undertook

936

      

To wing
³²²⁴
the desolate abyss, and spy

937

      

This new created world, whereof in Hell

938

      

Fame
³²²⁵
is not silent, here in hope to find

939

      

Better abode, and my afflicted Powers

940

      

To settle here on earth, or in mid air,

941

      

Though
³²²⁶
for possession put
³²²⁷
to try once more

942

      

What thou and thy gay legions dare against,

943

      

Whose easier business were to serve their Lord

944

      

High up in Heav’n, with songs to hymn His throne,

945

      

And practised distances to cringe, not fight.

946

      

To whom the warrior Angel soon
³²²⁸
replied:

947

      

   
“To say and straight unsay, pretending first

948

      

Wise to fly
³²²⁹
pain, professing
³²³⁰
next the spy,

949

      

Argues
³²³¹
no leader but a liar traced,
³²³²

950

      

Satan—and couldst thou faithful add? O name,

951

      

O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!

952

      

Faithful to whom? To thy rebellious crew?

953

      

Army of fiends, fit body to fit head!

954

      

Was this your discipline and faith engaged,

955

      

Your military obedience, to dissolve

956

      

Allegiance to th’ acknowledged Power supreme?

957

      

And thou, sly hypocrite, who now would’st seem

958

      

Patron of liberty, who more than thou

959

      

Once fawned, and cringed, and servilely
³²³³
adored

960

      

Heav’n’s awful
³²³⁴
Monarch? Wherefore,
³²³⁵
but in hope

961

      

To dispossess Him, and thyself to reign?

962

      

But mark what I agreed
³²³⁶
thee now. Avaunt!
³²³⁷

963

      

Fly thither whence thou fled’st! If from this hour

964

      

Within these hallowed limits
³²³⁸
thou appear,

965

      

Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained,

966

      

And seal
³²³⁹
thee so as henceforth not to scorn

967

      

The facile
³²⁴⁰
gates of Hell too slightly barred.

968

      

   
So threatened he, but Satan to no threats

969

      

Gave heed, but waxing
³²⁴¹
more in rage
³²⁴²
replied: