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19 - Paradise Lost - John Milton · Sacred Texts Archive

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Book two, Part one, High on a throne of royal state, which
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far outshone the wealth of Ormus and of innd Or, where the gorgeous east,
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with richest hand showers on her king's barbaric pearl and gold. Satan exalted
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sat by merit raised to that bad eminence, and from despair thus high uplifted
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beyond hope, aspires beyond. Thus high insatiate to pursue vain war with Heaven,
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and by success untaught his proud imaginations thus displayed powers and dominions deities of
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Heaven. For since no deep within her gulf can hold immortal vigor. Though
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oppressed and fallen, I give not Heaven for loss. From this descent,
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celestial virtues rising will appear more glorious and more dread than from no fall.
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And trust themselves to fear no second fate. Me though just right and the
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fixed laws of Heaven did first create your leader next free choice with what besides
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in counsel or in fight, hath been achieved of merit. Yet this lass
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thus far at least recovered, hath much more established in a safe, unenvied
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throne, yielded with full consent. The happier state in heaven which follows dignity
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might draw envy from each inferior. But who here will envy whom the highest
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place exposes foremost to stand against the thunderers, aim your bulwark and condemns to
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greatest share of endless pain. Where there is then no good from which to
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strive. No strife can grow up there from faction, For none sure will
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claim in hell precedence, None whose portion is so small of present pain,
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that, with ambitious mind will covet more with this advantage than to union and
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firm faith and firm accord, more than can be in heaven. We now
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return to claim our just inheritance of old surer to prosper than prosperity could have
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assured us. And by what best, whether of open war or covert guile,
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We now debate who can advise? May speak? He ceased, and
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next him, Moloch, sceptred King, stood up the strongest and the fiercest
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spirit that fought in heaven, now fiercer by despair. His trust was with
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the eternal to be deemed equal in strength, And rather than be less,
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cared not to be at all. With that care lost went all his fear
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of God. Or hell or worse he recked not, and these words thereafter
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spake My sentence is for open war of wiles. More an expert I boast
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not than let those contrive who need, or when they need not now,
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For while they sit contriving, shall the rest millions that stand in arms and
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longing wait the signal to ascend, sit lingering here Heaven's fugitives, and for
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their dwelling place except this dark, opprobrious den of shame, the prison of
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his tyranny, who, by our delay no let us rather choose, armed
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with hell, flames and fury, all at once o'er Heaven's high towers to
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force resistless way, turning our tortures into horrid arms against the torturer. When
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to meet the noise of his almighty engine, he shall hear infernal thunder,
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and for lightning see black fire and horror shot with equal rage among his angels,
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and his throne itself, mixed with tartarian sulfur and strange fire, his
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own invented torments. But perhaps the way seems difficult and steep to scale with
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upright wing against a higher foe. Let such bethink them. If the sleepy
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drench of that forgetful lake be numb, not still that in our proper motion
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we ascend up to our native seat. Descent and fall to us is adverse.
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Who but felt of late when the fierce foe hung on our broken rear,
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insulting and pursued us through the deep with what compulsion and laborious flight we
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sunk? Thus slow the ascent is easy, Then the event is feared.
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Should we again provoke our stronger some worse way his wrath may find to our
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destruction? If there be in hell fear to be worse destroyed? What can
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be worse than to dwell here, driven out from bliss, condemned in this
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abhorred deep to utter woe, where pain of unextinguishable fire must exercise us without
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hope of end the vassals of his anger. When the scourge inexorably and the
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torturing hour calls us to penance, more destroyed than thus we should be quite
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abolished and expire. What fear we then? What doubt we to incense his
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utmost ire, which, to the height enraged, will either quite consume us
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and reduce to nothing. This essential happier far than miserable, to have eternal
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being or if our substance be indeed divine and cannot cease to be, we
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are at worst on this side nothing, and by proof we feel our power
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sufficient to disturb his heaven, and with perpetual inroads to alarm, though inaccessible
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his fatal throne, which, if not victory, is yet revenge. He
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ended frowning, and his look denounced desperate revenge and battle dangerous to less than
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God's. On the other side rose Bellio, in act more graceful and humane,
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A fairer person lost not heaven. He seemed for dignity, composed and
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high exploit, but all was false and hollow, though his tongue dropped manna
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and could make the worse appear the better reason to perplex and dash maturest counsels
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for his thoughts were low to vites industrious, but to nobler deeds timorous and
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slothful. Yet he pleased the ear, and with persuasive accent, thus began
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I should be much for open war, or peers as not behind in hate.
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If what was urged main reason to persuade immediate war did not dissuade me
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most and seemed to cast ominous conjecture on the whole success when he who most
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excels in fact of arms, in what he counsels, and what excels mistrustful,
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grounds his courage on despair and utter dissolution as the scope of all his
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aim after some dire revenge. First, what revenge? The towers of heaven
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are filled with armed watch that render all access impregnable. Oft on the bordering,
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deep in camp their legions, or with obscure wings scout far and wide
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into the realm of night, scorning surprise. Or could we break our way
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by force and at our heels all hell should rise with blackest insurrection to confound
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Heaven's purest light. Yet our great enemy, all incorruptible, would on his
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throne sit unpolluted, and the ethereal mold, incapable of stain, would soon
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expel her mischief and purge off the baser fire. Victorious thus repulsed, our
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final hope is flat despair. We must exasperate the almighty victor to spend all
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his rage, and that must end us. That must be our cure,
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to be no more sad cure, For who would lose? Though full of
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pain, this intellectual being, those thoughts that wander through eternity to perish,
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rather swallowed up and lost in the wide womb of uncreated knight, devoid of
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sense and motion. And who knows? Let this be good, whether our
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angry foe can give it or will ever how he can, is doubtful that
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he never will, is sure? Will he so wise let loose at once
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his ire be like through impotence or unaware, to give his enemies their wish
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and end them in his anger, whom his anger saves to punish endless.
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Wherefore cease, we then, say, they who counsel war, We are
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decreed, reserved, and destined to eternal woe, whatever doing, What can
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we suffer more? What can suffer worse? Is this then worst? Thus
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sitting thus consulting, thus in arms. What when we fled a main,
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pursued and strick with Heaven's afflicting thunder, and besought the deep to shelter us
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this hell then seemed a refuge from those wounds, Or when we lay chained
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on the burning lake, that shore was worse. What if the breath that
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kindled those grim fires awaked should blow them into sevenfold rage and plunge us into
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flames, or from above should intermitted vengeance, arm again his red right hand
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to plague us. What if all her stores were opened, and this firmament
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of Hell should spout her cataracts of fire, impendent horrors, threatening hideous fall
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one day upon our heads, while we, perhaps designing or exhorting glorious war,
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caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurled each on his rock,
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transfixed the sport and prey of racking whirlwinds, or forever sunk under yon boiling
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ocean, wrapped in chains, there to converse with everlasting groans, unrespited,
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unpitied, unreprieved ages of hopeless end. This would be worse war. Therefore
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open or concealed alike, My voice dissuades, for what can force or guile
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with him? Or who deceived leave his mind? Whose eye views all things
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at one view he from Heaven's height, All these our motions vain sees and
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derides not more almighty to resist our might than wise to frustrate all our plots
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and wiles. Shall we then live thus vile the race of Heaven, thus
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trampled, thus expelled to suffer here chains in these torments, better these than
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worse, by my advice, Since fate inevitable, subdues us and omnipotent decree
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the victor's will to suffer as to do our strength is equal, nor the
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law unjust that so ordains. This was at first resolved. If we were
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wise against so great a foe contending, and so doubtful, what might fall?
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I laugh when those who at the spear are bold and venturous. If
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that fail them shrink and fear what they yet know must follow, to endure
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exile or ignominy, or bonds or pain, the sentence of their conqueror.
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This is now our doom, which, if we can sustain and bear our
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supreme foe, in time may admit his anger, and perhaps thus far removed,
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not mind us, not offending, satisfied with what is punished. Whence
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these raging fires will slacken, if his breath stir not their flames. Our
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purer essence then will overcome their noxious vapor or inured, not feel or changed.
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At length, and to the plates conformed in temper and in nature will
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receive familiar the fierce heat and void of pain. This horror will grow mild,
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this darkness light. Besides what hope the never ending flight of future days
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may bring, what chance? What change worth waiting? Since our present lot
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appears for happy, though but ill, for ill, not worst, if
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we procure not to ourselves more woe. Thus belial with words cloaked in reason's
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garb, counseled ignoble, ease and peaceful sloth, not peace and after him,
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Thus Mammon spoke either to disenthrone the King of Heaven we war if Warrid's
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best, or to regain our own right lost him too unthrone. We then
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may hope when everlasting fate shall yield to fickle chance and chaos. Judge the
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strife, The former vain to hope, argues as vain the latter, For
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what place can be for us within Heaven's bound Unless Heaven's Lord supreme we overpower.
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Suppose he should relent and publish grace to all, on promise made of
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new subjection. With what eyes? Could we stand in his presence? Humble
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and receive strict laws imposed to celebrate his throne with warbaled hymns and to his
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godhead sing forced hollelujahs, whilst he lordly sits our envied sovereign and his altar
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breaths ambrosial odors and ambrosial flowers, our servile offerings. This must be our
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task in heaven, this our delight. How wearisome eternity spent so in worship,
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paid to whom we hate. Let us not then pursue by force impossible,
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by leave obtained unacceptable though in heaven our state of splendid vassalage. But
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rather seek our own good from ourselves and from our own live to ourselves,
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though in this vast recess, free and to none accountable, preferring hard liberty
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before the easy yoke of servile pomp. Our greatness will appear, then most
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conspicuous, when great things of small, useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse,
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we can create. And in what place soe'er thrive under evil and work
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ease out of pain through labor and endurance. This deep world of darkness do
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we dread? How oft amidst thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all ruling sire
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choose to reside his glory unobscured, and with the majesty of darkness round covers
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his throne. From whence deep thunders roar, mustering their rage, and Heaven
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resembles hell, as he our darkness, cannot we his light imitate when we
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please. This desert soil wants not her hidden luster gems and gold, nor
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want we skill or art from whence to raise magnificence, And what can Heaven
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show more? Our torments also may, in length of time, become our
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elements. These piercing fires, as soft as now severe. Our temper changed
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into their temper, which must needs remove the sensible of pain. All things
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invite to peaceful counsels and the settled state of order. How in safety best
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we may compose our present evils, with regard of what we are and where,
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dismissing quite all thoughts of war, ye have what I advise He had
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scarce finished when such murmur filled the assembly, as when hollow rocks retain the
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sound of blustering winds which all night long had roused the sea now with horse
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cadence, lull seafaring men, or watched whose bark by chance, or pinnace
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anchors in a craggy bay. After the tempest. Such applause was heard,
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as Mammon ended, and his sentence pleased, advising peace for such another field
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they dreaded worse than hell, so much the fear of thunder and the sword
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of Michael wrought still within them, and no less desire to found this nether
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empire, which might raise by policy and long process of time, in emulation,
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opposite to Heaven, which, when beels above perceived, then whom Satan
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accept none higher, sat with grave aspect he rose, and in his rising
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seemed a pillar of state. Deep on his front engraven deliberations, sat,
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and public care and princely counsel in his face yet shone majestic, Though in
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ruin sage he stood with atlanteans shoulders fit to bear the weight of mightiest monarchies.
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His look drew audience and attentions still as night or summer's noontide air.
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While thus he spake thrones and imperial powers, offspring of Heaven ethereal virtues,
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or these titles now must we renounce and changing still be called princes of Hell.
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For so the popular vote inclines here to continue and build up here a
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growing empire. Doubtless, while we dream and know noth but that the King
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of Heaven hath doomed this place our dungeon, not our safe retreat, beyond
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his potent arm to live, exempt from Heaven's high jurisdiction in new league,
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banded against his throne, but to remain in strictest bondage, though thus far
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removed under the inevitable curb, reserved his captive multitude. For he be sure
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in height or depth, still first and last will reign sole king and of
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his kingdom. Lose no part by our revolt, but over Hell extend his
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empire, and with iron scepter rule us here as with his golden those in
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Heaven. What sit we then, projecting peace and war? War hath determined
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us and foiled with loss irreparable terms of peace, yet none vouchsafed or sought
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for. What peace will be given to us enslaved but custody severe and stripes
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and arbitrary punishment inflicted. And what peace can we return but to our power,
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hostility, and hate, untamed, reluctance, and revenge. Though slow
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yet ever plotting how the conqueror least may reap his conquest, and may least
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rejoice in doing what we most in suffering feel. Nor will occasion want,
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nor shall we need with dangerous expedition to invade Heaven, whose high walls fear
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no assault or siege or ambush from the deep. What if we find some
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easier enterprise. There is a place, if ancient and prophetic fame in heaven,
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err not another world, the happy seat of some new race called man,
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about this time, to be created like to us, though less in
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power and excellence, but favored more of him who rolls above. So was
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his will pronounced among the gods, and by an oath that shook Heaven's whole
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circumference confirmed. Thither, let us bend all our thoughts to learn what creatures
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there inhabit of, what mold or substance, how endued, and what their
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power, and where their weakness, how attempted best by force or subtlety.
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Though Heaven be shut, and Heaven's high arbitrators it secure in his own strength.
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This way, as may lie exposed the utmost border of his kingdom,
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left to their defense, who can hold it? Here? Perhaps some advantageous
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act may be achieved by sudden onset, either with hell fire to waste his
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whole creation, or possess as all our own, and drive as we were
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driven the puny inhabitants, or, if not drive, seduce them to our
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party, that their God may prove their foe, and with repenting hand abolish
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his own works. This would surpass common revenge and interrupt his joy in our
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confusion, and our joy uprays in his disturbance. When his darling sons hurled
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headlong to partake with us, shall curse their frail originals and fated bliss faded.
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So soon advise if this be worth attempting, or to sit in darkness
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here hatching vain empires. Thus beels above pleaded his devilish council, first devised
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by Satan, and in part proposed for whence but from the author of all
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ill could spring so deep a malice to confound the race of mankind in one
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root and earth, withhell to mingle and involve done all to spite the great
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creator. But their spite still serves his glory to augment The bold design pleased
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highly those infernal states, and joy sparkled in all their eyes. With full
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assent. They vote whereat his speech. He thus renews, well have you
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judged and well ended? Long debate sign not of gods, and like to
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what you are, great things resolved, which from the lowest deep will once
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more lift us up in spite of fate. Nearer our ancient seat, perhaps
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in view of those bright confines. Whence, with neighboring arms and opportune excursion,
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we may chance re enter Heaven, or else in some mild zone,
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dwell not unvisited of Heaven's fair light. Secure, and at the brightening orient
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beam, purge off this gloom. The soft, delicious air to heal the
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scar of these corrosive fires, shall breathe her balm. But first, whom
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shall we send in search of this new world? Whom shall we find sufficient?
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Who shall tempt with wandering feet the dark, unbottomed, infinite abyss,
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and through the palpable obscure, find out his uncouth way, or spread his
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airy flight upborne with indefatigable wings over the vast, abrupt ere he arrived the
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happy isle. What strength, what art can then suffice? Or what evasion
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bear him safe? Through the strict sentries and stations thick of angels watching round
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here? He had need all circumspection, And we now no less choice in
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our suffrage. For on whom we send the weight of all and our last
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hope relies. This said he sat, and expectation held his look suspense,
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a waiting who appeared to second or oppose, or undertake the perilous attempt.
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But all sat mute, pondering the danger with deep thoughts, and each in
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other's countenance read his own dismay, astonished, None among the choice and prime
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of those heaven warring champions could be found so heardy as to proffer or accept
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alone the dreadful voyage, Till at last say whom now transcendent glory, raised
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above his fellows with monarchical pride, conscious of highest worth. Unmoved, thus
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spake o progeny of heaven, Imperial thrones, with reason have silence and demure
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seized us, though undismayed, long as the way and hard that out of
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hell leads up to light our prisons strong, This huge convex of fire,
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outrageous to devour, immures us round ninefold, and gates of burning adamant barred
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over us, prohibit all egress these past. If any pass the void profound
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of unessential night, receive him next wide gaping, and with utter loss of
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being, threatens him plunged in that abortive gulf. If thence escape into whatever
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world of unknown region what remains him less than unknown dangers and as hard escape.
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But I should ill become, this throne appears, and this imperial sovereignty,
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adorned with splendor, armed with power, if aught, proposed and judged
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of public moment in the shape of difficulty or danger, could deter me from
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attempting. Wherefore do I assume these royalties and not refuse to reign, refusing
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to accept as great a share of hazard as of honor, do you alike
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to him who reigns, and so much to him, do of hazard more
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as he above the rest high honored sits go Therefore, mighty powers, terror
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of heaven, though fallen, intend at home, while here shall be our
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home. What best may ease the present misery and render hell more tolerable?
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If there be cure or charm to respite, or deceive or slack the pain
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of this ill mansion. Intermit no watch against a wakeful foe, while I
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abroad, through all the coasts of dark destruction, seek deliverance for us all
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this enterprise. None shall partake with me. Thus saying the monarch, and
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prevented all reply prudent lest from his resolution raised others among the chief might offer
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now certain to be refused, what erst they feared, and so refused,
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might, in opinion, stand his rivals winning cheap the high repute which he,
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through hazard huge, must earn. But they dreaded not more the adventure
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than his voice forbidding. And at once with him they rose. Their rising
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all at once was as the sound of thunder heard remote towards him. They
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bend with awful reverence, prone, and as a god, extol him equal
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to the highest in heaven. Nor failed they to express how much they praised
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that for the general safety he despised his own. For neither do the spirits
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damned lose all their virtue, lest bad men should boast their specious deeds on
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earth, which glory excites, or close ambition varnished, or with zeal.
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Thus they their doubtful consultations dark ended, rejoicing in their matchless chief, as
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when from mountain tops the dusky clouds ascending, while the north wind sleeps or
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spread Heaven's cheerful face, the lowering elements scowls o'er the darkened landscap's snow or
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shower. If chance, the radiant sun, with farewell sweet extend his evening
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beam. The fields revive, the birds, their notes renew and bleating,
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herds attest their joy, that hill and valley rings, Oh shame to men,
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devil with devil, damned. Firm concord holds men only disagree of creatures,
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rational, though under hope of heavenly grace and God proclaiming peace, yet
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live in hatred, enmity, and strife among themselves, and levy cruel wars,
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wasting the earth each other to destroy. As if which might induce us
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to accord, men had not hellish foes, And now besides that day and
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night for his destruction wait end of Book two, Part one