Page:Milton - Milton's Paradise Lost, tra il 1882 e il 1891.djvu/21

252–285.] Receive thy new possessor! One who brings A mind not to be changed by place or time. The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven. What matter where, if I be still the same, And what I should be, all but less than He Whom thunder hath made greater? Here at least We shall be free; the Almighty hath not built Here for His envy; will not drive us hence. Here we may reign secure, and, in my choice, To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell. Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven. But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, The associates and copartners of our loss, Lie thus astonished on the oblivious pool, And call them not to share with us their part In this unhappy mansion; or once more With rallied arms to try what may be yet Regained in Heaven, or what more lost in Hell? So Satan spake; and him Beelzebub Thus answered: Leader of those armies bright, Which but the Omnipotent none could have foiled! If once they hear that voice, their liveliest pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft In worse extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battle, when it raged, in all assaults Their surest signals, they will soon resume New courage and revive, though now they lie Grovelling and prostrate on yon lake of fire, As we erewhile, astounded and amazed. No wonder, fallen such a pernicious height. He scarce had ceased, when the superior fiend Was moving towards the shore, his ponderous shield, Ethereal temper, massy, large, and round, 2