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All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.

He scarce had finish'd, when such murmur fill'd Th' assembly, as when hollow rocks retain 285 The sound of blust'ring winds, which all night

long

Had rous'd the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull Seafaring men o'erwatch'd, whose bark by chance Or pinnace anchors in a craggy bay

After the tempest. Such applause was heard 290 As Mammon ended, and his sentence pleas'd, Advising peace; for such another field

They dreaded worse than Hell: so much the fear
Of thunder and the sword of Michael

Wrought still within them, and no less desire 295
To found this nether empire, which might rise
By policy and long process of time,
In emulation opposite to Heav'n :

Which when Beelzebub perceiv'd, than whom,
Satan except, none higher sat, with grave
Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem'd

300

A pillar of state: deep on his front engraven,
Deliberation sat and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone
Majestic, though in ruin: sage he stood,
With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear

305

The weight of mightiest monarchies; his look
Drew audience and attention still as night
Or summer's noon-tide air, while thus he spake:
Thrones and Imperial Pow'rs, Offspring of

Heav'n,

310

Ethereal Virtues; or these titles now

Must we renounce, and changing stile be call'd
Princes of Hell? for so the pop'lar vote

Inclines here to continue, and build up here
A growing empire; doubtless, while we dream,
And know not that the King of Heav'n hath
doom'd

316
This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat
Beyond his potent arm, to live exempt
From Heav'n's high jurisdiction, in new league
Banded against his throne, but to remain
In strictest bondage, though thus far remov'd,
Under th' inevitable curb, reserv'd

His captive multitude: for he, be sure,

320

In height or depth, still first and last will reign Sole King, and of his kingdom lose no part 325 By our revolt; but over Hell extend

His empire, and with iron sceptre rule

Us here, as with his golden those in Heav'n.
What sit we then projecting? peace and war?
War hath determin'd us, and foil'd with loss 330
Irreparable: terms of peace yet none
Vouchsaf'd or sought; for what peace will be giv'n
To us enslav'd, but custody severe,
And stripes, and arbitrary punishment
Inflicted? And what peace can we return, 335
But to our pow'r hostility and hate,

Untam'd reluctance, and revenge though slow,
Yet ever plotting how the Conqu'ror least

May reap

his

conquest, and may least rejoice

In doing what we most in suff'ring feel?
Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need
With dang'rous expedition to invade

340

Heav'n, whose high walls fear no assault or siege,
Or ambush from the deep. What if we find
Some easier enterprize? There is a place, 345
(If ancient and prophetic fame in Heav'n
Err not) another world, the happy seat
Of some new race call'd Man, about this time
To be created like to us, though less

In pow'r and excellence, but favour'd more 350
Of Him who rules above; so was his will
Pronounc'd among the Gods, and by an oath,
That shook Heav'n's whole circumference, con-
firm'd.

Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mould 355 Or substance, how endu'd, and what their pow'r, And where their weakness; how attempted best, By force or subtlety. Though Heav'n be shut, And Heav'n's high Arbitrator sit secure

In his own strength, this place may lie expos'd, The utmost border of this kingdom, left

361

To their defence who hold it. Here perhaps

Some advantageous act may be atchiev'd

By sudden onset, either with Hell fire

To waste his whole creation, or possess

365

All as our own, and drive, as we were driv'n,

The puny habitants; or if not drive,

Seduce them to our party, that their God

May prove their Foe, and with repenting hand
Abolish his own works. This would surpass
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy
In our confusion, and our joy upraise

In his disturbance; when his darling sons,

371

Hurl'd headlong to partake with us, shall curse Their frail original and faded bliss,

Faded so soon.

Advise if this be worth

Attempting, or to sit in darkness here

375

Hatching vain empires. Thus Beelzebub
Pleaded his dev'lish counsel, first devis'd
By Satan, and in part propos'd: for whence, 380
But from the author of all ill, could spring
So deep a malice, to confound the race

Of mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell
To mingle and involve, done all to spite
The great Creator? But their spite still serves
His glory to augment. The bold design 386
Pleas'd highly those infernal States, and joy
Sparkled in all their eyes. With full assent
They vote; whereat his speech he thus renews:
Well have ye judg'd, well ended long debate,
Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are, 391
Great things resolv'd, which from the lowest deep
Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate,
Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view
Of those bright confines, whence with neigh-

b'ring arms

And opportune excursion, we may chance

enter Heav'n; or else in some mild zone

395

Dwell not unvisited of Heav'n's fair light
Secure, and at the bright'ning orient beam
Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious air, 400
To heal the scar of these corrosive fires,

Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom shall we

send

In search of this new world? whom shall we find
Sufficient? who shall 'tempt with wand'ring feet
The dark unbottom'd infinite abyss,

And through the palpable obscure find out
His uncouth way, or spread his aery flight,
Upborne with indefatigable wings,

Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

405

411

The happy isle? What strength, what art can then
Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe
Through the strict senteries and stations thick
Of Angels watching round? Here he had need
All circumspection, and we now no less
Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send,
The weight of all and our last hope relies. 416
This said, he sat; and expectation held
His look suspense, awaiting who appear'd
To second or oppose, or undertake

420

The perilous attempt: but all sat mute, Pond'ring the danger with deep thoughts; and each

In other's count'nance read his own dismay Astonish'd. None among the choice and prime Of those Heav'n-warring champions could be found

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