Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/160

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��PARADISE LOST

��Err not) another World, the happy seat Of some new race, called Man, about this

time

To be created like to us, though less In power and excellence, but favoured

more 350

Of Him who rules above; so was His will Pronounced among the gods, and by an

oath That shook Heaven's whole circumference

confirmed. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to

learn What creatures there inhabit, of what

mould Or substance, how endued, and what their

power And where their weakness: how attempted

best, By force or subtlety. Though Heaven be

shut,

And Heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure In his own strength, this place may lie

exposed, 360

The utmost border of his kingdom, left To their defence who hold it: here, perhaps, Some advantageous act may be achieved By sudden onset either with Hell-fire To waste his whole creation, or possess All as our own, and drive, as we are driven, 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 sur- pass 370 Common revenge, and interrupt His joy In our confusion, and our joy upraise In His disturbance; when his darling sons, Hurled 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 Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub Pleaded his devilish counsel first devised By Satan, and in part proposed: 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 Pleased 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 judged, well ended long

debate, 39

Synod of Gods, and, like to what ye are, Great things resolved, which from the low- est deep

Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate, Nearer our ancient Seat perhaps in view Of those bright confines, whence, with

neighbouring arms,

And opportune excursion, we may chance Re-enter Heaven; or else in some mild

zone

Dwell, not unvisited of Heaven's fair light, Secure, and at the brightening orient beam Purge off this gloom: the soft delicious

air, 4

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 wandering

feet

The dark, unbottomed, infinite Abyss, And through the palpable obscure find out His uncouth way, or spread his aerie flight, Upborne with indefatigable wings Over the vast Abrupt, ere he arrive The happy Isle ? What strength, what art,

can then 41

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."

This said, he sat; and expectation held His look suspense, awaiting who appeared To second, or oppose, or undertake The perilous attempt. But all sat mute, 420 Pondering the danger with deep thoughts;

and each

In other's countenance read his own dis- may, Astonished. None among the choice and

prime

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