Blown up with high conceits ingendering pride.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
Touch'd lightly; for no falsehood can endure
Touch of celestial temper, but returns

Of force to its own likeness: Up he starts
Discover'd and surprised. As when a spark
Lights on a heap of nitrous powder, laid
Fit for the tun some magazine to store
Against a rumour'd war, the smutty grain,
With sudden blaze diffused, inflames the air;
So started up in his own shape the Fiend.
Back stepp'd those two fair Angels, half amazed
So sudden to behold the grisly king ;

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Yet thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon:
Which of those rebel Spirits adjudged to Hell
Comest thou, escaped thy prison? and, transform'd,
Why sat'st thou like an enemy in wait,
Here watching at the head of these that sleep?
know ye not then, said Satan, fill'd with scorn,
Know ye not me? ye knew me once no mate
For you, there sitting where ye durst not soar :
Not to know me argues yourselves unknown,
The lowest of your throng; or, if ye know,
Why ask ye, and superfluous begin

Your message, like to end as much in vain?

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To whom thus Zephon, answering scorn with scorn: Think not, revolted Spirit, thy shape the same, Or undiminish'd brightness to be known, As when thou stood'st in Heaven upright and pure; That glory then, when thou no more wast good, Departed from thee; and thou resemblest now Thy sin and place of doom, obscure and foul. But come; for thou, be sure, shalt give account To him who sent us, whose charge is to keep This place inviolable, and these from harm.

So spake the Cherub: and his grave rebuke, Severe in youthful beauty, added grace Invincible: Abash'd the Devil stood,

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and pined

And felt how awful goodness is, and saw
Virtue in her shape how lovely; saw,
His loss; but chiefly to find here observed
His lustre visibly impair'd; yet seem'd
Undaunted. If I must contend, said he,
Best with the best, the sender, not the sent,
Or all at once; more glory will be won,
Or less be lost. Thy fear, said Zephon bold,
Will save us trial what the least can do
Single against thee wicked, and thence weak.

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The Fiend replied not, overcome with rage; But, like a proud steed rein'd, went haughty on, Champing his iron curb: To strive or fly He held it vain; awe from above had quell'd His heart, not else dismay'd. Now drew they nigh The western point, where those half-rounding guards Just mety and closing stood in squadron join'd, Awaiting next command. To whom their Chief, Gabriel, from the front thus call'd aloud:

865

O friends! I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hasting this way, and now by glimpse discern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade;
And with them comes a third of regal port,
But faded splendour wan; who by his gait
And fierce demeanour seems the Prince of Hell,

870

Not likely to part hence without contest;
Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.

He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found, 875 How busied, in what form and posture couch'd.

To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake
Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescribe
To thy transgressions, and disturb'd the charge
Of others, who approve not to transgress
By thy example, but have power and right
To question thy bold entrance on this place;
Employ'd, it seems, to violate sleep, and those
Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss?

880

To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow: 885 Gabriel! thou hadst in Heaven the esteem of wise, And such I held thee; but this question ask'd Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell, Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt, And boldly venture to what ever place

891

Furthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to change
Torment with ease, and soonest recompense
Dole with delight, which in this place I sought;

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

But evil hast not tried: and wilt object

His will who bounds us? Let him surer bar

His iron gates, if he intends our stay

895

In that dark durance: thus much what was ask'd. The rest is true, they found me where they say; 900 But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel moved,
Disdainfully half smiling, thus replied:

O loss of one in Heaven to judge of wise
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prison scaped,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicensed from his bounds in Hell prescribed;
So wise he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment!

So judge thou still presumptuous! till the wrath,
Which thou incurr'st by flying, meet thy flight
Sevenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell,
Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain
Can equal anger infinite provoked.

But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all hell broke loose? is pain to them
Less pain, less to be fled; or thou than they
Less hardy to endure? Courageous Chief!
The first in flight from pain! hadst thou alleged

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To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.

To which the Fiend thus answer'd, frowning stern: Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain, Insulting Angel! well thou know'st I stood Thy fiercest, when in battle to thy aid The blasting vollied thunder made all speed, And seconded thy else not dreaded spear. But still thy words at random, as before, Argue thy inexperience what behoves From hard assays and ill successes pass'd A faithful leader, not to hazard all

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Through ways of danger by himself untried:
I, therefore, I alone first undertook

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To wing the desolate abyss, and spy

This new created world, whereof in Hell
Fame is not silent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To settle here on earth, or in mid air;

940

Though for possession put to try once more

What thou and thy gay legions dare against;

Whose easier business were to serve their Lord

*High up in Heaven, with songs to hymn his throne, And practised distances to cringe, not fight:

To whom the warrior Angel soon replied:

To say and straight unsay, pretending first
Wise to fly pain, professing next the spy,
Argues no leader but a liar traced,

645

Satan, and couldst thou 'faithful' add? O name, 950 O sacred name of faithfulness profaned!

Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?

Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.

Was this your discipline and faith engaged,
Your military obedience, to dissolve
Allegiance to the acknowledged Power supreme?
And thou, sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou

955

Once fawn'd, and cringed, and servilely adored
Heaven's awful Monarch? wherefore, but in hope 960
To dispossess him, and thyself to reign?
But mark what I aread thee now, Avaunt!

Fly thither whence thou fledst! If from this hour
Within these hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to the' infernal pit I drag thee chain'd,
And seal thee so as henceforth not to scorn
The facile gates of Hell too slightly barr'd.

So threatened he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage replied:
Then when I am thy captive talk of chains,
Proud limitary Cherub! but ere then
Far heavier load thyself expect to feel

965.

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From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's King
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers,
Used to the yoke, draw'st his triumphant wheels 975
In progress through the road of Heaven star-paved.
While thus he spake, the angelic squadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, sharpening in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round
With ported spears, as thick as when a field
Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends

980

Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind
Sways them; the careful ploughman doubting stands,
Lest on the threshing-floor his hopeless sheaves
Prove chaff. On the other side, Satan, alarm'd, 985
Collecting all his might, dilated stood,

Like Teneriff or Atlas, unremoved:

His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest

Sat Horror plumed; nor wanted in his grasp

What seem'd both spear and shield: now dreadful deeds

Might have ensued, nor only Paradise

991

In this commotion, but the starry cope

Of Heaven perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wreck, disturb'd and torn
With violence in this conflict, had not soon
The Eternal, to prevent such horrid fray,

995