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He, after Eve seduced, unminded slunk Into the wood fast by; and changing shape To observe the sequel, saw his guileful act, By Eve, though all unweeting, seconded Upon her husband; saw their shame that sought Vain covertures. But when he saw descend The Son of God to judge them, terrified He fled; not hoping to escape, but shun The present; fearing, guilty, what His wrath Might suddenly inflict; that past, returned By night, and listening where the hapless pair Sat in their sad discourse, and various plaint, Thence gathered his own doom; which understood Not instant, but of future time, with joy And tidings fraught, to hell he now returned, And at the brink of Chaos, near the foot Of this new wondrous pontifice, unhoped Met, who to meet him came, his offspring dear. Great joy was at their meeting, and at sight Of that stupendous bridge his joy increased.

Long he admiring stood, till Sin, his fair

Enchanting daughter, thus the silence broke:

O Parent, these are thy magnific deeds,

Thy trophies! which thou view'st as not thine own;

Thou art their author, and prime architect;

For I no sooner in my heart divined—

My heart, which by a secret harmony

Still moves with thine, joined in connection sweet—

That thou on earth hadst prospered, which thy looks

Now also evidence, but straight I felt,

Though distant from thee worlds between, yet felt

That I must after thee, with this thy son;

Such fatal consequence unites us three.

Hell could no longer hold us in her bounds,

Nor this unvoyageable gulf obscure

Detain from following thy illustrious track.

Thou hast achieved our liberty, confined

Within Hell-gates till now; thou us empowered

To fortify thus far, and overlay,

With this portentous bridge, the dark abyss.

Thine now is all this world; thy virtue hath won

What thy hands builded not; thy wisdom gained,

With odds, what war hath lost, and fully avenged

Our foil in heaven. Here thou shalt monarch reign,

There didst not. There let Him still victor sway,

As battle hath adjudged; from this new world

Retiring, by his own doom alienated,

And henceforth monarchy with thee divide

Of all things, parted by the empyreal bounds,

His quadrature, from thy orbicular world;

Or try thee now more dangerous to his throne.

Whom thus the Prince of Darkness answered glad: Fair daughter, and thou son and grandchild both; High proof ye now have given to be the race Of Satan-for I glory in the name, Antagonist of heaven's Almighty King-Amply have merited of me, of all The infernal empire, that so near heaven's door Triumphal with triumphal act have met, Mine, with this glorious work, and made one realm, Hell and this world, one realm, one continent Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore-while I Descend through darkness, on your road, with ease, To my associate Powers, them to acquaint With these successes, and with them rejoice-You two this way, among these numerous orbs, All yours, right down to Paradise descend; There dwell, and reign in bliss: thence on the earth Dominion exercise, and in the air, Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declared. Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly kill. My substitutes I send ye, and create