Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/158

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��PARADISE LOST

��That so ordains. This was at first re- solved, 201 If we were wise, against so great a foe Contending, and so doubtful what might

fall. I laugh when those who at the spear are

bold And ventrous, if that fail them, shrink, and

fear

What yet they know must follow to en- dure

Exile, or ignominy, or bonds, or pain, The sentence of their conqueror. This is

now

Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, 209

Our Supreme Foe in time may much re- mit

His anger, and perhaps, thus far removed, Not mind us not offending, satisfied With what is punished; whence these ra- ging fires Will slacken, if his breath stir not their

flames.

Our purer essence then will overcome Their noxious vapour; or, inured, not feel; Or, changed at length, and to the place

conformed

In temper and in nature, will receive Familiar the fierce heat; and, void of pain, This horror will grow mild, this dVkness light; 220

Besides what hope the never-ending flight Of future days may bring, what chance,

what change

Worth waiting since our present lot ap- pears

For happy though but ill, for ill not worst, If we procure not to ourselves more woe." Thus Belial, with words clothed in rea- son's garb,

Counselled ignoble ease and peaceful sloth, Not peace; and after him thus Mammon

spake :

" Either to disinthrone the King of Hea- ven

We war, if war be best, or to regain 230 Our own right lost. Him to unthrone we

then May hope, when everlasting Fate shall

yield To fickle Chance, and Chaos judge the

strife.

The former, vain to hope, argues as vain The latter; for what place can be for us

��Within Heaven's bound, unless Heaven's

Lord Supreme

We overpower ? Suppose he should re- lent,

And publish grace to all, on promise made Of new subjection; with what eyes could we 239

Stand in his presence humble, and receive Strict laws imposed, to celebrate his throne With warbled hymns, and to his Godhead

sing

Forced Halleluiahs, while he lordly sits Our envied sovran, and his altar breathes Ambrosial odours and ambrosial flowers, Our servile offerings ? This must be our

task

In Heaven, this our delight. How weari- some

Eternity so spent in worship paid To whom we hate ! Let us not then pur- sue,

By force impossible, by leave obtained 250 Unacceptable, though in Heaven, our state Of splendid vassalage ; but rather seek Our own good from ourselves, and from

our own

Live to ourselves, though in this vast re- cess,

Free and to none accountable, preferring Hard liberty before the easy yoke Of servile pomp. Our greatness will ap- pear Then most conspicuous when great things

of small,

Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse, We can create, and in what place soe'er Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain 261

Through labour and indurance. This deep

world Of darkness do we dread ? How oft

amidst

Thick clouds and dark doth Heaven's all- ruling Sire

Choose to reside, his glory unobscured, And with the majesty of darkness round Covers his throne, from whence deep thun- ders roar,

Mustering their rage, and Heaven resem- bles Hell !

As He our darkness, cannot we His light Imitate when we please ? This desart soil 270

Wants not her hidden lustre, gems and gold;

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