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BOOK II.

The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven. Some advise it, others dissuade: a third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created. Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage, is honored and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to hell-gates; finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them; by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between hell and heaven; with what difficulty he passes through directed by Chaos, the power of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.

HIGH on a throne of a royal state, which far

Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,¹

Or where the gorgeous East, with richest hand,

Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,

Satan exalted sat, by merit raised

To that bad eminence; and, from despair

Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires

Beyond thus high; insatiate to pursue

Vain war with Heaven; and, by success untaught,²

His proud imaginations thus displayed:

Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heaven!

For since no deep within her gulf can hold

Immortal vigour, though oppressed and fallen,

I give not Heaven for lost. From this descent

Celestial virtues rising, will appear

More glorious and more dread than from no fall,

And trust themselves to fear no second fate.

Me though just right, and the fixed laws of Heaven,

Did first create your leader; next, free choice,

With what besides, in counsel or in fight,

Hath been achieved of merit; yet this loss,

Thus far at least recovered, hath much more

¹ Wealth of Ormus and of Ind.—Precious stones which came from India, and of which Ormus, on the Red Sea, was the great mart.

² By success untaught.—A classical form of expression, meaning untaught by events—by experience.

BOOK II.—23-58] PARADISE LOST. 27

Established in a safe unenvied throne,

Yielded with full consent. The happier state

In Heaven, which follows dignity, might draw

Envy from each inferior; but who here

Will envy whom the highest place exposes

Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim,

Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share

Of endless pain? Where there is then no good

For which to strive, no strife can grow up there

From faction. For none sure will claim in Hell

Precedence,—none, whose portion is so small

Of present pain, that with ambitious mind

Will covet more. With this advantage then

To union, and firm faith, and firm accord,

More than can be in Heaven, we now return

To claim our just inheritance of old,

Surer to prosper than prosperity

Could have assured us; and, by what best way,

Whether of open war, or covert guile,

We now debate: who can advise, may speak.

He ceased; and next him Moloch, sceptred king,

Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest spirit

That fought in Heaven, now fiercer by despair.

His trust was with the Eternal to be deemed

Equal in strength, and rather than be less,

Cared not to be at all. With that care lost

Went all his fear; of God, or hell, or worse,

He recked not; and these words thereafter spake:

My sentence is for open war. Of wiles,

More unexpert, I boast not; them let those

Contrive who need, or when they need, not now.

For, while they sit contriving, shall the rest,

Millions that stand in arms, and longing wait

The signal to ascend, sit lingering here,

Heaven's fugitives, for their dwelling-place

Accept this dark opprobrious den of shame,