天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》 《Paradise Lost Ⅱ》 THE ARGUMENT The sultation begun, Sataes whether another Battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: some advise it, others dissuade: A third proposal is preferd, mentiond before by Satan, to search the truth of that Prophesie or Tradition in Heaven ing another world, and another kind of creature equal or not muferiour to themselves, about this time to be created: Thir doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search: Satan thir chief uakes alo?９９ｌiｂ?藏书网eaiime till Sataurn. He passes on his jouro Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at length they are opnd, and discover to him the great Gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new World which he sought. 1 HIgh on a Throne of Royal State, which far Outshon the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the geous East with richest hand Showrs on her Kings Barbaric Pearl and Gold, Sataed sat, by merit raisd [ 5 ] To that bad eminence; and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue Vain Warr with Heavn, and by success untaught His proud imaginations thus displaid. [ 10 ] Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heavn, For sino deep within her gulf hold Immortal vigor, though opprest and falln, I give not Heavn for lost. From this dest Celestial vertues rising, will appear [ 15 ] Mlorious and more dread then from no fall, And trust themselves to fear no sed fate: Mee though just right, and the fixt Laws of Heavn Did first create your Leader, free choice, With what besides, in sel or in Fight, [ 20 ] Hath bin achievd of merit, yet this loss Thus farr at least recoverd, hath much more Establisht in a safe unenviebbr>d Throne Yielded with full sent. The happier state In Heavn, which follows dignity, might draw [ 25 ] Envy from eaferior; but who here Will envy whom the highest place exposes Formost to stand against the Thunderers aim Your bulwark, and ns to greatest藏书网 share Of endless pain? where there is then no good [ 30 ] For which to strive, no strife grow up there From Fa; for none sure will claim in Hell Preone, whose portion is so small Of present pain, that with ambitious mind Will ark>t more. With this advahen [ 35 ] To union, and firm Faith, and firm accord, More then be in Heavn, we now return To claim our just iance of old, Surer to prosper then prosperity Could have assurd us; and by what best way, [ 40 ] 2 Whether of open Warr or cuile, We now debate; who advise, may speak. He ceasd, a him Moloc, Scepterd King Stood up, the stro and the fiercest Spirit That fought in Heavn; now fiercer by despair: [ 45 ] His trust was with th Eternal to be deemd Equal in strength, and rather then be less Cared not to be at all; with that care lost Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse He reot, and these words thereafter spake. [ 50 ] My sentence is for open Warr: Of Wiles, More u, I boast not: them let those trive who need, or when they need, not now. For while they sit triving, shall the rest, Millions that stand in Arms, and longing wait [ 55 ] The Signal to asd, sit lingring here Heavns fugitives, and for thir dwelling place Accept this dark opprobrious Den of shame, The Prison of his Tyranny whns.９９lｉｂ? By our delay? no, let us rather choose [ 60 ] Armd with Hell flames and fury all at once Ore Heavns high Towrs to force resistless way, Turning our Tortures into horrid Arms Against the Torturer; when to meet the noise Of his Almighty Engin he shall hear [ 65 ] Infernal Thunder, and fhtning see Black fire and horror shot with equal rage Among his Angels; and his Thro self Mixt with Tartarean Sulphur, and strange fire, His own ied Torments. But perhaps [ 70 ] The way seems difficult and steep to scale With upright wing against a higher foe. Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench Of that fetful Lake benumm not still, That in our proper motion we asd [ 75 ] Up to our native seat: dest and fall To us is adverse. Who but felt of late When the fierce Foe hung on our brokn Rear Insulting, and p..ursud us through the Deep, With what pulsion and laborious flight [ 80 ] We sunk thus low? Th ast is easie then; Th event is feard; should we again provoke Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find To our destru: if there be in Hell Fear to be worse destroyd: what be worse [ 85 ] Then to dwell here, drivn out from bliss, nd In this abhorred deep to utter woe; 3 Where pain of uinguishable fire Must exercise us without hope of end The Vassals of his anger, when the Sce [ 90 ] Inexorably, and the t hour Calls us to Penance? More destroyd then thus We should be quite abolisht and expire. What fear we then? what doubt we to inse His utmost ire? which to the highth enragd, [ 95 ] Will either quite e us, and reduce To nothing this essential, happier farr Then miserable to have eternal being: Or if our substance be indeed Divine, And ot cease to be, we are at worst [ 100 ] On this side nothing; and by proof we feel Our power suffit to disturb his Heavn, And with perpetual io Allarme, Though inaccessible, his fatal Throne: Which if not Victory is yet Revenge. [ 105 ] He ended frowning, and his look denouncd Desperate revenge, and Battel dangerous To less then Gods. On th other side up rose Belial, in act mraceful and humane; A fairer person lost not Heavn; he seemd [ 110 ] Fnity posd and high exploit: But all was false and hollow; though his Tongue Dropt Manna, and could make the worse appear The better reason, to perplex and dash Maturest sels: for his thoughts were low; [ 115 ] To vidustrious, but to Nobler deeds Timorous a?9９liｂ?nd slothful: yet he pleasd the ear, And with perswasive at thus began. I should be much for open Warr, O Peers, As not behind in hate; if what was urgd [ 120 ] Main reason to persuade immediate Warr, Did not disswade me most, ao cast Ominous jecture on the whole success: When he who most excels in fact of Arms, In what he sels and in what excels [ 125 ] Mistrustful, grounds his ce on despair And utter dissolution, as the scope Of all his aim, after some dire revenge. First, what Revehe Towrs of Heavn are filld With Armed watch, that render all access [ 130 ] Impregnable; oft on the b Deep Encamp thir Legions, or with obscure wing Scout farr and wide into the Realm of night, 4 Sing surprize. Or could we break our way By force, and at our heels all Hell should rise [ 135 ] With blackest Insurre, to ark>..nfound Heavns purest Light, yet reat Enemy All incorruptible would on his Throne Sit unpolluted, and th Ethereal mould Incapable of stain would soon expel [ 140 ] Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire Victorious. Thus repulsd, our final hope Is flat despair; we must exasperate Th Almighty Victor to spend all his rage, And that must end us, that must be our cure, [ 145 ] To be no more; sad cure; for who would loose, Though full of pain, this intellectual being, Those thoughts that wahrough Et?ernity, To perish rather, swallowd up and lost In the wide womb of ued night, [ 150 ] Devoid of sense and motion? and who knows, Let this be good, whether ry Foe give it, or will ever? how he Is doubtful; that he never will is sure. Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire, [ 155 ] Belike through impotence, or unaware, To give his Ehir wish, a end Them in his anger, whom his anger saves To punish endless? wherefore cease we then? Say they who sel Warr, we are decreed, [ 160 ] Reservd aind to Eternal woe; Whatever doing, what we suffer more, What we suffer worse? is this then worst, Thus sitting, thus sulting, thus in Arms? What when we fled amain, pursud and strook [ 165 ] With Heavns afflig Thunder, and besought The Deep to shelter us? this Hell then seemd A refuge from those wounds: or when we lay d on the burning Lake? that sure was worse. What if the breath that kindld those grim fires [ 170 ] Awakd should blow them into sevenfe And plunge us in the flames? or from above Should ited vengeance arm again His red right hand to plague us? what if all Her stores were opend, and this Firmament [ 175 ] Of Hell should spout her Cataracts of Fire, Impe horrors, threatning hideous fall One day upon our heads; while we perhaps Designing or exh glorious warr, Caught in a fierie Tempest shall be hurld [ 180 ] Ea his rock transfixt, the sport and prey Of rag whirlwinds, or for ever sunk Under yon boyling O, t in s; There to verse with everlasting groans, Ued, unpitied, unrepreevd, [ 185 ] Ages of hopeless end; this would be worse. 5 Warr therefore, open or ceald, alike My voice disswades; for what force uile With him, or who deceive his mind, whose eye Views all things at one view? he from heavns highth [ 190 ] All these our motions vain, sees and derides; Not more Almighty to resist ht Then wise to frustrate all our plots and wiles. Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heavn Thus trampld, thus expelld to suffer here [ 195 ] s and these Torments? better these then worse By my advice; sie iable Subdues us, and Omnipotent Decree The Victors will. To suffer, as to doe, Our strength is equal, nor the Law unjust [ 200 ] That so ordains: this was at first resolvd, If we were wise, agains藏书网t so great a foe tending, and so doubtful what might fall. I laugh, when those who at the Spear are bold Arous, if that fail them, shrink and fear [ 205 ] What yet they know must follow, to endure Exile, nominy, or bonds, or pain, The sentence of thir querour: This is now Our doom; which if we sustain and bear, Our Supream Foe in time may much remit [ 210 ] His anger, and perhaps thus farr removd Not mind us not offending, satisfid With what is punisht; whehese raging fires Will sla, if his breath stir not thir flames. Our purer essehen will overe [ 215 ] Thir noxious vapour, or enurd not feel, Or gd at length, and to９９ｌib? the place d In temper and in nature, will receive Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pa..in; This horror will grow milde, this darkness light, [ 220 ] Besides what hope the never-ending flight Of future dayes may bring, what ce, what ge Worth waiting, since our present lot appeers For happy though but ill, for ill not worst, If we procure not to our selves more woe. [ 225 ] 6 Thus Belial with words cloathd in reasons garb selld ignoble ease, and peaceful sloath, Not peace: and after him thus Mammon spake. Either to disinthrohe King of Heavn We warr, if Warr be best, or tain [ 230 ] Our ht lost: him to unthrohen May hope when everlasting Fate shall yeild To fickle ce, and Chaos judge the strife: The former vain to hope argues as vain The latter: for lace be for us [ 235 ] Within Heavns bound, unless Heavns Lord supream We overpower? Suppose he should relent And publish Grace to all, on promise made Of new Subje; with what eyes could we Stand in his presence humble, and receive [ 240 ] Strict Laws imposd, to celebrate his Throne With warbld Hymns, and to his Godhead sing Forct Halleluiahs; while he Lordly sits Our envied Sovran, and his Altar breathes Ambrosial Odours and Ambrosial Flowers, [ 245 ] Our servile s. This must be our task In Heavn, this our delight; how wearisom Eternity so spent in worship paid To whom we hate. Let us not then pursue By force impossible, by leave obtaind [ 250 ] Uable, though in Heavn, our state Of splendid vassal?９9ｌｉb.age, but rather seek Our own good from our selves, and from our own Live to our selves, though in this vast recess, Free, and to none atable, preferring [ 255 ] Hard liberty before the easie yoke Of servile Pomp. reatness will appeer Then most spicuous, whehings of small, Useful of hurtful, prosperous of adverse We create, and in lace so ere [ 260 ] Thrive under evil, and work ease out of pain Through labour and indurahis deep world Of darkness do we dread? How oft amidst Thick clouds and dark doth Heavns all-ruling Sire Choose to reside, his Glory unobscurd, [ 265 ] And with the Majesty of darkness round Covers his Throne; from whence deep thunders roar Mustring thir rage, and Heavn resembles Hell? 7 As he our darkness, ot we his Light Imitate when we please? This Desart soile [ 270 ] Wants not her hidden lu?stre, Gemms and Gold; Nor want we skill or Art, from wheo raise Magnifice; and what needs remove The sensible of pain. All things invite To peaceful sels, and the settld State Of order, how in safety best we may [ 280 ] pose our present evils, with regard Of what we are and were, dismissing quite All thoughts of warr: ye have what I advise. He scarce had finisht, when such murmur filld Th Assembly, as when hollow Rocks retain [ 285 ] The sound of blustring winds, which all night long Had rousd the Sea, now with hoarse ce lull Sea-faring mecht, whose Bark by ce Or Pinnachors in a craggy Bay After the Tempest: Such applause was heard [ 290 ] As Mammon ended, and his Sentence pleasd, Advising peace: for suother Field They dreaded worse then Hell: so much the fear Of Thunder and the Sword of Michael Wrought still within them; and no less desire [ 295 ] To found this her Empire, which might rise By pollicy, and long process of ９９lｉb.ime, In emulation opposite to Heavn. Which when Beelzebub perceivd, then whom, Satan except, none higher sat, with grave [ 300 ] Aspect he rose, and in his rising seemd A Pillar of State; deep on his Front engraven Deliberation sat and public care; And Princely sel in his face yet shon, Majestic though in ruin: sage he stood [ 305 ] With Atlantean shoulders fit to bear The weight of mightiest Monarchies; his look Drew audiend attention still as Night Or Summers Noon-tide air, while thus he spake. 8 Thrones and Imperial Powers, off-spring of heavn [ 310 ] Ethereal Vertues; or these Titles now Must we renounce, and ging stile be calld Princes of Hell? for so the popular vote Ines, here to tinue, and build up here A growing Empire; doubtless; while we dream, [ 315 ] And know not that the King of Heavn hath doomd This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat Beyond his Po.99liｂ.tent arm, to live exempt From Heavns high jurisdi, in new League Banded against his Throne, but to remaine [ 320 ] In strictest bohough thus far removd, Uh iable curb, reservd His captive multitude: For he, be sure Ih or depth, still first and last will Reign Sole King, and of his Kingdom loose no part [ 325 ] By our revolt, but over Hell extend His Empire, and with Iroer rule Us here, as with his Golden those in Heavn. What sit we then projeg pead Warr? Warr hath determind us, and foild with loss [ 330 ] Irreparable; tearms of peace yet none Voutsaft or sought; for eace will be givn To us enslavd, but custody severe, And stripes, and arbitrary punishment Inflicted? and eace we return, [ 335 ] But to our power hostility and hate, Untamd reluce, and revehough slow, Yet ever plotting how the queror least May reap his quest, and may least rejoyce In doing what we most in suffering feel? [ 340 ] Nor will occasion want, nor shall we need With dangerous expedition to invade Heavn, 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 a and prophetic fame in Heavn Err not) another World, the happy seat Of some new Race calld Man, about this time To be created like to us, though less In power and excellence, but favourd more [ 350 ] Of him who rules above; so was his will Pronouncd among the Gods, and by an Oath, That shook Heavns whol circumference, firmd. 9 Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mould, [ 355 ] Or substance, how endud, and what thir Power, And where thir weakness, how attempted best, By force or suttlety: Though Heavn be shut, And Heavns hig藏书网h Arbitrator sit secure In his own strength, this place may lye exposd [ 360 ] The utmost border of his Kingdom, left To their defence who hold it: here perhaps Som advantagious act may be achievd By sudden o, either with Hell fire To waste his whole Creation, or possess [ 365 ] All as our own, and drive as we were driven, The punie habitants, or if not drive, Seduce them to our Party, that thir God May prove thir foe, and with repenting hand Abolish his own works. This would surpass [ 370 ] on revenge, and interrupt his joy In our fusion, and our Joy upraise In his disturbance; when his darling Sons Hurld headlong to partake with us, shall curse Thir frail inal, and faded bliss, [ 375 ] Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth Attempting, or to sit in darkness here Hatg vain Empires. Thus Beelzebub Pleaded his devilish sel, first devisd By Satan, and in part proposd: f.or whence, [ 380 ] But from the Author of all ill could Spring So deep a malice, to found the race Of mankind in one root, ah with Hell To mingle and involve, done all to spite The great Creatour? But thir spite still serves [ 385 ] His glory to augment. The bold design Pleasd highly those infernal States, and joy Sparkld in all thir eyes; with full assent They vote: whereat his sp?eech he thus renews. 10 Well have ye judgd, well ended loe, [ 390 ] Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are, Great things resolvd; which from the lowest deep Will once more lift us up, in spight of Fate, Neerer our a Seat; perhaps in view O藏书网f those bright fines, wheh neighb Arms [ 395 ] And opportune excursion we may ce Re-enter Heavn; or else in some milde Zone Dwell not unvisited of Heavns fair Light Secure, and at the brightning Orient beam Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious Air, [ 400 ] To heal the scarr of these corrosive Fires Shall breath her balme. But first whom shall we send In search of this new world, whom shall we find Suffit? who shall tempt with wandri The dark unbottomd infinite Abyss [ 405 ] And through the palpable obscure find out His uncouth way, or spread his aerie flight Upborn with iigable wings Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive The happy Ile; what strength, what art then [ 4..t>10 ] Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe Through the strict Senteries and Stations thick Of Angels watg round? Here he had need All circumspe, and we now no less Choi our suffrage; for on whom we send, [ 415 ] The weight of all and our last hope relies. This said, he sat; and expectation held His look suspence, awaiting eerd To sed, or oppose, or uake The perilous attempt; but all sat mute, [ 420 ] P the dange..r with deep thoughts; and each In others tnance read his own dismay Astonisht: none among the choid prime Of those Heavn-warring Champions could be found So hardie as to proffer or accept [ 425 ] Alohe dreadful voyage; till at last Satan, whom now transdent glory raisd Above his fellows, with Monarchal pride scious of highest worth, unmovd thus spake. eny of Heavn, Empyreal Thrones, [ 430 ] With reason hath deep silend demurr Seisd us, though undismaid: long is the way And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light; Our prison strong, this huge vex of Fire, eous to devour, immures us round [ 435 ] Ninefold, and gates of burning Adamant Barrd藏书网 over us prohibit all egress. 11 These past, if any pass, the void profound Of uial Night receives him Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being [ 440 ] Threatens him, plungd in that abortive gulf. If thence he scape into whatever world, Or unknion, what remains him less Then unknown dangers and as hard escape. But I should ill bee this Throne, O Peers, [ 445 ] And this Imperial Sovranty, adornd With splendor, armd with power, if aught proposd And judgd of publient, in the shape Of difficulty or danger could deterr Mee from attempting. Wherefore do I assume [ 450 ] These Royalties, and not refuse tn, Refusing to accept as great a share Of hazard as of honour, due alike To him ..Reigns, and so mu due Of hazard more, as he above the rest [ 455 ] High honourd sits? Go therefore mighty Powers, Terror of Heavn, though falln; intend at home, While here shall be our home, what best may ease The present misery, and render Hell More tollerable; if there be cure or charm [ 460 ] To respite or deceive, or slack the pain Of this ill Mansion: i no watch Against a wakeful Foe, whi..le I abroad Through all the Coasts of dark destru seek Deliverance for us all: this enterprize [ 465 ] None shall partake with me. Thus saying rose The Monarch, and prevented all reply, Prudent, least from his resolution raisd Others among the chief might offer now (Certain to be refusd) wha?t erst they feard; [ 470 ] And so refusd might in opinion stand His Rivals, winning cheap the high repute Which he th99ｌib?ing all at once was as the sound Of Thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend With awful reverence prone; and as a God Extoll him equal to the highest in Heavn: Nor faild they to express how much they praisd, [ 480 ] That for the general safety he despisd His own: for her do the Spirits damnd Loose all thir vertue; least bad men should boast Thir specious deeds oh, which glory excites, Or bition varnisht ore with zeal. [ 485 ] 12 Thus they thir doubtful sultations dark Ended rejoyg in thir matchless Chief: As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds Asding, while the North wind sleeps, Orespread Heavns chearful face, the l Element [ 490 ] Scowls ore the darknd lantskip Snow, or showre; If ce the radiant Sun with farewell sweet Extend his evning beam, the fields revive, The birds thir notes renew, and bleating herds Attest thir joy, that hill and valley rings. [ 495 ] O shame to men! Devil with Devil damnd Firm cord holds, men onely disagree Of Creatures rational, though under hope Of heavenly Grace; and God proclaiming peace, Yet live in hatred, enmity, and strife [ 500 ] Among themselves, and levie cruel warres, Wasting the Earth, each other to destroy: As if (which might induce us to accord) Man had not hellish foes anow besides, That day and night for his destru waite. [ 505 ] The Stygian sel thus dissolvd; and forth In order came the grand infernal Peers: Midst came thir mighty Paramount, and seemd Aloh Antagonist of Heavn, nor less Than Hells dread Emperour with pomp Supream, [ 510 ] And God-like imitated State; him round A Globe of fierie Seraphim inclosd With bright imblazonri?.e, and horrent Arms. Then of thir Session ehey bid cry With Trumpets regal sound the great result: [ 515 ] Toward the four winds four speedy Cherubim Put to thir mouths the sounding Alchymie By Haralds voice explaind: the hollow Abyss Heard farr and wide, and all the host of Hell With deafning shout, returnd them.. loud acclaim. [ 520 ] Thence more at ease thir minds and somwhat raisd By false presumptuous hope, the ranged powers Disband, and wandring, each his several way Pursues, as ination or sad choice Leads him perplext, where he may likeliest .find [ 525 ] Truce to his restless thoughts, aertain The irksom hours, till his great Chief return. 13 Part on the Plain, or in the Air sublime Upon the wing, or in swift Race tend, As at th Olympian Games or Pythian fields; [ 530 ] Part curb thir fierie Steeds, or shun the Goal With rapid wheels, or fronted Brigads f藏书网orm. As when to roud Cities warr appears Wagd iroubld Skie, and Armies rush To Battel in the Clouds, before each Van [ 535 ] Prick forth the Aerie Knights, and couch thir Spears Till thickest Legions close; with feats of Arms From either end of Heavn the welkin burns. Others with vast Typh?an rage more fell Rend up both Rocks and Hills, and ride the Air [ 540 ] In whirlwind; Hell scarce holds ９９ｌib?he wilde uproar. As when Alcides from Oechalia d With quest, felt th envenomd robe, and tore Through pain up by the roots Thessalian Pines, And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw [ 545 ] Into th Euboic Sea. Others more milde, Retreated in a silent valley, sing With notes Angelical to many a Harp Thir own Heroic deeds and hapless fall By doom of Battel; and plain that Fate [ 550 ] Free Vertue should enthrall to Force or ce. Thir Song artial, but the harmony (What could it less when Spirits immortal sing?) Suspended Hell, and took with ravishment The thronging audience. In discourse more sweet [ 555 ] (For Eloquehe Soul, Song charms the Sense,) Others apart sat on a Hill retird, In thoughts more elevate, and reasond high Of Providence, Foreknowledge, Will and Fate, Fixt Fate, free will, foreknowledg absolute, [ 560 ] And found no end, in wandring mazes lost. Of good and evil much they argud then, Of happiness and final misery, Passion and Apathie, and glory and shame, Vain wisdom all, and false Philosophie: [ 565 ] Yet with a pleasing sorcerie could charm Pain for a while uish, ae Fallacious hope, or arm th obdured brest With stubborn patience as with triple steel. 14 Another part in Squadrons and gross Bands, [ 570 ] On bold adveo discover wide That dismal world, if any Clime perhaps Might yield them easier habitation, bend Four ways thir flying March, along the Banks Of four infernal Rivers that disge [ 575 ] Into the burning Lake thir baleful streams; Abhorred Styx the flood of deadly hate, Sad Acheron of sorrow, blad deep; Cocytus, namd of lamentation loud Heard on the ruful stream; fierce Phlegeton [ 580 ] Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage. Farr off from these a slow and silent stream, Lethe the River of Oblivion roules Her watrie Labyrinth, whereof who drinks, Forthwith his former state and being fets, [ 585 ] Fets both joy and grief, pleasure and pain. Beyond this flood a frozen ti Lies dark and wilde, beat with perpetual storms Of Whirlwind and dire Hail, whi firm land Thaws not, but gathers heap, and ruin seems [ 590 ] Of a pile; all else deep snow and ice, A gulf profound as that Serbonian Bog Betwixt Damiata and Mount Casius old, Where Armies whole have sunk: the parg Air Burns frore, and cold performs th effect of Fire. [ 595 ] Thither by harpy-footed Furies haild, At certain revolutions all the damnd Are brought: and feel by turns the bitter ge Of fierce extreams, extreams by ge more fierce, From Beds ing Fire to starve in Ice [ 600 ] Thir soft Ethereal warmth, and there to pine Immovable, infixt, and frozen round, Periods of time, thence hurried back to fire. They ferry over this Lethean Sound Both to and fro, thir sorrow to augment, [ 605 ] And wish and struggle, as they pass, to reach The tempting stream, with one small drop to loose I fetfulness all pain and woe, All in one moment, and so he brink; But fate withstands, and to oppose th attempt [ 610 ] Medusa with Gonian terruards The Ford, and of it self the water flies All taste of living wight, as o fled The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on In fusd march forlorn, th adventrous Bands [ 615 ] With shuddring horror pale, and eyes agast Viewd first thir lamentable lot, and found : through many a dark and drearie Vaile They passd, and many a Region dolorous, Oer many a Frozen, many a fierie Alpe, [ 620 ] Rocks, Caves, Lakes, Fens, Bogs, Dens, and shades of death, A Universe of death, which God by curse Created evil, for evil only good, Where all life dies, death lives, and Nature breeds, Perverse, all monstrous, all prodigious things, [ 625 ] Abominable, inutterable, and wor.9９ｌib?se Then Fables yet have feignd, or fear ceivd, Gons and Hydras, and Chimeras dire. 15 Mean while the Adversary of God and Man, Satan with thoughts inflamd of highest design, [ 630 ] Puts on swift wings, and towards the Gates of Hell Explores his solitary flight; som times He scours the right hand coast, som times the left, Now shaves with level wing the Deep, then soares Up to the fiery cave t high. [ 635 ] As when farr off at Sea a Fleet descrid Hangs in the Clouds, by ?quinoctial Winds Close sailing from Bengala, or the Iles Of Ternate and Tidore, whence Merts bring Thir spicie Drugs: they orading Flood [ 640 ] Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape Ply stemming nightly toward the Pole. So seemd Farr off the flying Fiend: at last appeer Hell bounds high reag to the horrid Roof, And thrice threefold the Gates; three folds were Brass, [ 645 ] Three Iron, three of Adamantine Rock, Imperable, impald with cirg fire, Yet und. Before the Gates there sat Oher side a formidable shape; The one seemd Woman to the waste, and fair, [ 650 ] But ended foul in many a scaly fould Voluminous and vast, a Serpent armd With mortal sting: about her middle round A cry of H.ell Hounds never ceasing barkd With wide Cerberian mouths full loud, and rung [ 655 ] A hideous Peal: yet, when they list, would creep, If aught disturbd thir noyse, into her woomb, And kehere, yet there still barkd and howld Within unseen. Farr less abhorrd than these Vexd Scylla bathing in the Sea that parts [ 660 ] Calabria from the hoarse Trina shore: Nlier follow the Night-Hag, when calld I, riding through the Air she es Lurd with the sme>.ll of infant blood, to dance With Lapland Witches, while the lab Moon [ 665 ] Eclipses at thir charms. The other shape, If shape it might be calld that shape had none Distinguishable in member, joynt, or limb, Or substance might be calld that shadow seemd, For each seemd either; black it stood as Night, [ 670 ] Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell, And shook a dreadful Dart; what seemd his head The likeness of a Kingly had on. 16 Satan was now at hand, and from his seat The Monster moving onward came as fast [ y way To yates? through them I mean to pass, That be assured, without leave askt of thee: [ 685 ] Retire, or taste thy folly, and learn by proof, Hell-born, not to tend with Spirits of Heavn. To whom the Goblin full of wrauth replyd, Art thou that Traitel, art thou hee, Who first broke pea Heavn and Faith, till t.hen [ 690 ] Unbrokn, and in proud rebellious Arms Drew after him the third part of Heavns Sons jurd against the highest, for which both Thou And they outcast from God, are here nd To waste Eternal dayes in ain? [ 695 ] And rest thou thy self with Spirits of Heavn, Hell-doomd, and breathst defiance here and s Where I reign King, and te thee more, Thy King and Lord? Back to thy punishment, False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings, [ 700 ] Least with a whip of Scorpions I pursue Thy lingring, or with oroke of this Dart Strange horror seise thee, and pangs u before. So spake the grieslie terror, and in shape, So speaking and so threatning, grew tenfold [ 705 ] More dreadful and deform: on th other side I with indignation Satan stood Unterrifid, and like a et burnd, That fires the length of Ophiucus huge In th Artick Sky, and from his horrid hair [ 710 ] Shakes Pestilend Warr. Each at the Head Leveld his deadly aime; thir fatall hands No sed stroke intend, and such a frown Each cast at th other, as when two black Clouds With Heavns Artillery fraught, e rattling on [ 715 ] Over the Caspian, then stand front to front H a space, till Winds the signal blow To join thir dark Enter in mid air: So frownd the mighty batants, that Hell Grew darker at thir frown, so matcht they stood; [ 720 ] For never but once more was either like To meet so great a foe: and now great deeds Had been achievd, whereof all Hell had rung, Had not the Snakie Sorceress that sat Fast by Hell Gate, ahe fatal Key, [ 725 ] Risn, and with hideous outcry rushd between. O Father, what intends thy hand, she cryd, Against thy only Son? What fury O Son, Possesses thee to bend that mortal Dart Against thy Fathers head? and knowst for whom; [ 730 ] For him who sits above and laughs the while At thee ordaind his drudge, to execute What ere his wrath, which he calls Justice藏书网, bids, His wrath whie day will destroy ye both. 17 She spake, and ９9lｉb?at her words the hellish Pest [ 735 ] Forbore, theo her Sataurnd: Se thy outcry, and thy words se Thou interposest, that my sudden hand Prevented spares to tell thee yet by deeds What it intends; till first I know of thee, [ 740 ] What thing thou art, thus double-formd, and why In this infernal Vaile first met thou callst Me Father, and that Fantasm callst my Son? I know thee not, nor ever saw till now Sight more detestable then him and thee. [ 745 ] T whom thus the Portress.９９lib? of Hell Gate replyd; Hast thou fot me then, and do I seem Now in thine eye so foul, once deemd so fair In Heavn, when at th Assembly, and in sight Of all the Seraphim with thee bind [ 750 ] In bold spiracy against Heavns King, All on a sudden miserable pain Surprisd thee, dim thine eyes, and dizzie swumm In darkness, while thy head flames thid fast Threw forth, till on the left side opning wide, [ 755 ] Likest to thee in shape and tnance bright, Then shining Heavnly fair, a Goddess armd Out of thy head I sprung; amazement seisd All th Host of Heavn back they recoild affraid At first, and calld me Sin, and for a Sign [ 760 ] Portentous held me; but familiar grown, I pleasd, and with attractive graces won The most averse, thee chiefly, who full oft Thy self ihy perfect image viewing Becamst enamourd, and such joy thou tookst [ 765 ] With me i, that my womb ceivd A growing burden. Mean while Warr arose, And fields were fought in Heavn; wherein remaind (For what could else) to our Almighty Foe Cleer Victory, to our part loss and rout [ 770 ] Through all the Empyrean: down they fell Drivn headlong from the Pitch of Heaven, down Into this Deep, and in the general fall I also; at which time .99liｂ.his powerful Key Into my hand was givn, with charge to keep [ 755 ] These Gates for ever shut, whione pass Without my opning. Pensive here I sat Alone, but long I sat not, till my womb Pregnant by thee, and now excessive grown Prodigious motio and rueful throes. [ 780 ] At last this odious offspring whom thou seest Thine owen, breaking violent way Tore through my entrails, that with fear and pain Distorted, all my her shape thus grew Transformd: but he my inbred enemie [ 785 ] Forth issud, brandishing his fatal Dart Made to destroy: I fled, and cryd out Death; Hell trembld at the hideous Name, and sighd From all her Caves, and back resounded Death. I fled, but he pursud (though more, it seems, [ 790 ] Inflamd with lust then rage) and swifter far, Mee overtook his mother all dismaid, And in embraces forcible and foule Ingendring with me, of that rape begot These yelling Mohat with ceasless cry [ 795 ] Surround me, as thou sawst, hourly ceivd And hourly born, with sorrow infinite To me, for when they list into the womb That bred them they return, and howle and gnaw My Bowels, thir repast; then bursting forth [ 800 ] A fresh with scious terrours vex me round, That rest or intermission none I find. 18 Before mine eyes in opposition sits Grim Death my Son and f.９９ｌｉb?oe, who sets them on, And me his Parent would full soon devour [ 805 ] For want of other prey, but that he knows His end with mine involvd; and knows that I Should prove a bitter Morsel, and his bane, Whehat shall be; so Fate pronouncd. But thou O Father, I forewarn thee, shun [ 810 ] His deadly arrow; her vainly hope To be invulnerable in those bright Arms, Though temperd heavnly, for that mortal dint, Save he who reigns above, none resist. She finishd, and the suttle Fiend his lore [ 815 ] Soon learnd, now milder, and thus answerd smooth. Dear Daughter, sihou claimst me for thy Sire, And my fair Son here showst me, the dear pledge Of dalliance had with thee in Heavn, and joys The.９９ｌｉｂ?, now sad to mention, through dire ge [ 820 ] Befalln us unforeseen, unthought of, know I e no enemie, but to set free From out this dark and dismal house of pain, Both him and thee, and all the heavnly Host Of Spirits that in our just pretenses armd [ 825 ] Fell with us from on high: from them I go This uncouth errand sole, and one for all Myself expose, with lonely steps to tread Th unfounded deep, and through the void immense To search with wandring quest a place foretold [ 830 ] Should be, and, by curring signs, ere now Created vast and round, a place of bliss In the Purlieues of Heavn, and therein plact A race of upstart Creatures, to supply Perhaps our vat room, though more removd, [ 835 ] Least Heavn surchargd with藏书网 potent multitude Might hap to move new broiles: Be this ht Then this more secret now designd, I haste To know, and this onown, shall soourn, And brio the place where Thou ah [ 840 ] Shall dwell at ease, and up and down unseen Wing silently the buxom Air, imbalmd With odours; there ye shall be fed and filld Immeasurably, all things shall be your prey. He ceasd, for both seemd highly pleasd, ah [ 845 ] Grinnd horrible a gastly smi..le, to hear His famine should be filld, and blest his mawe Destind to that good hour: no less rejoycd His mother bad, and thus bespake her Sire. 19 The key of this infernal Pit by due,bbr> [ 850 ] And by and of Heavns all-powerful King I keep, by him forbidden to unlock These Adamaes; against all force Death ready stands to interpose his dart, Fearless to be ormatcht by living might. [ 855 ] But what ow I to his ands above Who hates me, and hath 藏书网hither thrust me down Into this gloom of Tartarus profound, To sit in hateful Office here find, Inhabitant of Heavn, and heavnlie-born, [ 860 ] Here iual agonie and pain, With terrors and with clamors passt round Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed: Thou art my Father, thou my Author, thou My being gavst me; whom should I obey [ 865 ] But thee, whom follow? thou wilt bring me soon To that new world of light and bliss, among The Gods who l.９9lib?ive at ease, where I shall Reign At thy right hand voluptuous, as beseems Thy daughter and thy darling, without end. [ 870 ] Thus saying, from her side the fatal Key, Sad instrument of all our woe, she took; And towards the Gate rouling her bestial train, Forthwith the huge Porcullis high up drew, Which but her self not all the Stygian powers [ 875 ] Could once have movd; then in the key-hole turns Th intricate wards, and every Bolt and Bar Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease Unfastns: on a sudden opn flie With impe..tuous recoile and jarring sound [ 880 ] Th infernal dores, and on thir hinges grate Harsh Thuhat the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus. She opnd, but to shut Exceld her power; the Gates wide opn stood, That with extended wings a Bannerd Host [ 885 ] Under spread Ensigns marg might pass through With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array; So wide they stood, and like a Furnace mouth Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame. 19 The key of this infernal Pit by ..due, [ 850 ] And by and of Heavns all-powerful King I keep, by him forbidden to unlock These Adamaes; against all force Death ready stands to interpose his dart, Fearless to be ormatcht by living might. [ 855 ] But what ow I to his ands above Who hates me, and hath hither thrust me down Into this gloom of Tartarus profound, To sit in hateful Office here find, Inhabitant of Heavn, and heavnlie-born, [ 860 ] Here iual agonie and pain, With terrors and with clamors passt round Of mine own brood, that on my bowels feed: Thou art my Father, thou my Author, thou My being gavst me; whom should I obey [ 865 ] But thee, whom follow? thou wilt bring me soon To that new world of light and bliss, among The Gods who live at ease, where I shall Reign At thy right hand voluptuous, as beseems Thy daughter and thy darling, without end. [ 870 ] Thus saying, from her side the fatal Key, Sad instrument of all our woe, she took; And towards the Gate rouling her bestial train, Forthwith the huge Porcullis high up drew, Which but her self not all the Stygian powers [ 875 ] Could once have movd; then in the key-hole turns Th intricate wards, and every Bolt and Bar Of massie Iron or sollid Rock with ease Unfastns: on a sudden opn flie With impetuous recoile and jarring sound [ 880 ] Th infernal dores, and on thi.9９ｌｉｂ.r hinges grate Harsh Thuhat the lowest bottom shook Of Erebus. She opnd, but to shut Exceld her power; the Gates wide opn stood, That with extended wings a Bannerd Host [ 885 ] Under spread Ensigns marg might pass through With Horse and Chariots rankt in loose array; So wide they stood, and like a Furnace mouth Cast forth redounding smoak and ruddy flame. 20 Before thir eyes in sudden vieear [ 890 ] The secrets of the hoarie deep, a dark Illimitable O without bound, Without dimension, where length, breadth, & highth, And time and place are lost; where eldest Night And Chaos, Aors of Nature, hold [ 895 ] Eternal Anarchie, amidst the noise Of endless Warrs, and by fusion stand. For hot, cold, moist, and dry, four Champions fierce Strive here for Maistrie, and to Battel bring Thir embryon Atoms; they around the flag [ 900 ] Of each his fa, in thir several s, Light-armd or heavy, sharp, smooth, swift or slow, Sopulous, unnumberd as the Sands Of Barca or es torrid soil, Levied to side with warring Winds, and poise [ 905 ] Thir lighter wings. To whom these most adhere, H>..ee rules a moment; pire sits, And by deore imbroiles the fray By which he Reigns: him high Arbiter ce governs all. Into this wilde Abyss, [ 910 ] The Womb of nature and perhaps her Grave, Of her Sea, nor Shore, nor Air, nor Fire, But all these in thir pregnant causes mixt fusdly, and which thus must ever fight, Uh Almighty Maker them ordain [ 915 ] His dark materials to c..reate more Worlds, Into this wild Abyss the warie fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and lookd a while, P his Voyage: for no narrow frith He had to cross. Nor was his eare less peald [ 920 ] With noises loud and ruinous (to pare Great things with small) then when Bellona storms, With all her battering Engines bent to rase Som Capital City; or less then if this frame Of Heavn were falling, and these Elements [ 925 ] In mutinie had from her Axle torn The stedfast Earth. At last his Sail-broad Vannes He spreads for flight, and in the surging smoak Uplifted spurns the ground, thence many a League As in a cloudy Chair asding rides [ 930 ] Audacious, but that seat soon failing, meets A vast vacuitie: all unawares Fluttring his pennons vain plumb down he drops Ten thousand fadom deep, and to this hour Down had been falling, had not by ill ce [ 935 ] The strong rebuff of som tumultuous cloud Instinct with Fire and Nitre hurried him As many miles aloft: that furie stayd, Quencht in a Boggy Syrtis, her Sea, Nood dry Land: nigh founderd on he fares, [ 940 ] Treading the crude sistence, half on foot, Half flying; behoves him now both Oare and Saile. As when a Gryfon through the Wilderness With winged course ore Hill or moarie Dale, Pursues the Arimaspian, who by stelth [ 945 ] Had from his wakeful custody purloind The guarded Gold: So eagerly the fiend Ore bog or steep, through strait, rough, dense, or rare, With head, hands, wings, or feet pursues his way, And swims or sinks, or wades, or creeps, or flyes: [ 950 ] At length a universal hubbub wilde Of stunning sounds and voices all fusd Borhrough the hollow dark assaults his eare With loudest vehemehither he plyes, Undauo meet there what ever power [ 955 ] Or Spirit of the hermost Abyss Might in that noise reside, of whom to ask Which way the coast of darkness ly?es B on light; when strait behold the Throne Of Chaos, and his dark Pavilion spread [ 960 ] Wide on the wasteful Deep; with him Enthrond Sat Sable-vested Night, eldest of things, The sort of his Reign; and by them stood Orcus and Ades, and the dreaded name Of Demon; Rumor and ce, [ 965 ] And Tumult and fusion all imbroild, And Discord with a thousand various mouths. 21 T whom Satan turning boldly, thus. Ye Powers And Spirits of this hermost Abyss, Chaos and a Night, I e no Spy, [ 970 ] With purpose to explore or to disturb The secrets of your Realm, but by straint Wandring this darksome Desart, as my way Lies through your spacious Empire up to light, Alone, and without guide, half lost, I seek [ 975 ] What readiest path leads where you?r gloomie bounds fih Heavn; or if som other place From your Dominion won, th Ethereal King Possesses lately, thither to arrive I travel this profound, direct my course; [ 980 ] Directed no mean repe brings To your behoof, if I that Region lost, All usurpation thence expelld, reduce To her inal darkness and your sway (Which is my present journey) and once more [ 985 ] Erect the Standard there of a Night; Yours be th advantage all, mihe revenge. Thus Satan; and him thus the Anarch old With faultring speed visage?99lｉｂ. inposd Answerd. I know thee, stranger, who thou art, [ 990 ] That mighty leading Angel, who of late Made head against Heavns King, though overthrown. I saw and heard, for such a numerous Host Fled not in silehrough the frighted deep With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout, [ 995 ] fusion worse founded; and Heavn Gates Pourd out by millions her victorious Bands Pursuing. I upon my Frontieres here Keep residence; if all I will serve, That little which is left so to defend [ 1000 ] Encroacht on still through our iine broiles Weakning the Scepter of old Night: first Hell Your dungeon stretg far and wide beh; Now lately Heaven ah, another World Hung ore my Realm, linkd in a golden [ 1005 ] To that side Heavn from whence yions fell: If that way be your walk, you have not farr; So much the neerer danger; go and speed; Havod spoil and ruin are my gain. 22 He ceasd; and Satan staid not to reply, [ 1010 ] But glad that now his Sea should find a shore, With fresh alacritie and force renewd Springs upward like a Pyramid of fire Into the wilde expanse, and through the shock Of fighting Elements, on all sides round [ 1015 ] Environd wins his way; harder beset And more endangerd, then when Argo passd Through Bosporus betwixt the justling Rocks: Or when Ulysses on the Larbord shunnd Charybdis, and by th other whirlpool steard. [ 1020 ] So he with difficulty and labour hard Movd on, with difficulty and labour hee; But hee once past, soon after when man fell, Straeration! Sin ah amain Following his track, such was the will of Heavn, [ 1025 ] Pavd after him a broad an way Over the dark Abyss, whose boiling Gulf Tamely endurd a Bridge of wondrous length Fr藏书网om Hell tinud reag th utmost Orbe Of this frail World; by which the Spirits perverse [ 1030 ] With easie intercourse pass to and fro To tempt or punish mortals, except whom God and good Angels guard by special grace. But now at last the sacred influence Of light appears, and from the walls of Heavn [ 1035 ] Shoots farr into the bosom of dim Night A glimmering dawn; here Nature first begins Her fardest verge, and Chaos to retire As from her outmost works a brokn foe With tumult less and with less hostile din, [ 1040 ] That Satan with less toil, and now with ease Wafts on the calmer wave by dubious light And like a weather-beaten Vessel holds Gladly the Port, though Shrouds and Tackle torn; Or in the emptier waste, resembling Air, [ 1045 ] Weighs his spread wings, at leasure to behold Farr off th Empyreal Heavended wide In circuit, uermind square or round, With Opal Towrs and Battlements adornd Of living Saphire, once his native Seat; [ 1050 ] And fast by hanging in a golden This pendant world, in bigness as a Starr Of smallest Magnitude close by the Moon. Thither full fraught with mischievous revenge, Accurst, and in a cursed hour he hies. [ 1055 ] The End of the Sed Book.天涯在线书库《www.tianyabook.com》