PARADISE LOST.

BOOK I.

The ARGUMENT.

This first book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, man's disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein be was placed. Then touches the prime cause of his fall, the ferpent, or rather Satan in the ferpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to his fide many legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of heaven with all his crew into the great deep. Which action pass'd over, the Poem hastes into the midst of things, presenting Satan with bis Angels now fallen into hell, defcrib'd here, not in the centre (for heav'n and earth may be suppos'd as yet not made, certainly not yet accurs'd) but in a

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place of utter darkness, fitliest call'd Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-struck and astonish'd, after a certain space recovers, as from confufion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him: they confer of their miferable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay 'till then in the same manner confounded: they rife; their numbers, array of battel, their chief leaders nam'd, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan, and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining heaven: but tells them lastly of a new world, and new kind of creature to be created; according to an antient prophecy or report in heaven: for that Angels were long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his associates thence attempt. Pandæmonium, the palace of Satan, rises, fuddenly built out of the deep: the infernal peers there fit in council.

F Man's first disobedience, and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With lofs of Eden, till one Greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful feat, Sing heav'nly Muse! that on the fecret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire That shepherd, whe first taught the chosen seed, In the beginning how the heav'ns, and earth, Rofe out of Chaos. Or if Sion hill Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Fast by the oracle of God; I thence Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous fong: That with no middle flight intends to foar Above th' Aonian mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in profe or rhyme. And chiefly thou, O Spirit! that dost prefer Before all temples th' upright heart and pure, Instruct me, for thou know'st: thou from the first. Wast present, and with mighty wings out-spread, 20 Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast Abyss, And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark,

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Illumine! what is low, raise and support!
That to the height of this great argument

I may affert eternal Providence,

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And justifie the ways of God to men.

Say first, (for heav'n hides nothing from thy view,

Nor the deep tract of hell) say first what cause
Mov'd our grand Parents, in that happy state

Favour'd of heav'n so highly, to fall off
From their Creator, and transgress His will
For one restraint, lords of the world besides?
Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt?
Th' infernal ferpent! he it was, whose guile,
Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd
The mother of mankind, what time his pride
Had cast him out from heav'n, with all his hoft
Of rebel Angels: by whose aid aspiring

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To fet himself in glory above his Peers,
He trusted to have equall'd the Most High,
If He oppos'd: and with ambitious aim,
Against the throne, and monarchy of God,
Rais'd impious war in heav'n, and battel proud,
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Pow'r
Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky, 45
With hideous ruin and combuftion, down
To bottomless perdition: there to dwell
In adamantine chains and penal fire,
Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms.
Nine times the space that measures day and night 50
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquish'd, rolling in the fiery gulf,
Confounded though immortal! But his doom
Reserv'd him to more wrath: for now the thought
Both of loft happiness, and lasting pain,
Torments him. Round he throws his baleful eyes,
That witness'd huge affliction and dismay,
Mix'd with obdurate pride, and stedfast hate.
At once, as far as angels ken, he views

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The dismal fituation waste and wild:
A dungeon horrible, on all fides round,
As one great furnace, flam'd: yet from those flames

No light, but rather darkness visible,

Serv'd only to discover fights of woe,

Regions of forrow! doleful shades! where peace 65
And rest can never dwell! hope never comes,
That comes to all: but torture without end

Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed

With ever-burning fulphur unconfum'd!
Such place eternal justice had prepar'd

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For those rebellious; here their prifon ordain'd,
In utter darkness; and their portion fet

As far remov'd from God, and light of heav'n,
As from the centre thrice to th' utmost Pole.

O how unlike the place from whence they fell! 75
There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd
With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,
He soon difcerns: and welt'ring by his fide
One next himself in power, and next in crime,
Long after known in Palaftine, and nam'd

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Beelzebub: To whom th' arch-enemy,

(And thence in heav'n call'd Satan) with bold words Breaking the horrid filence thus began.

If thou beeft He-- But O how fall'n! how chang'd From him, who in the happy realms of light 85 Cloath'd with transcendent brightness, didst out-shine Myriads tho' bright! If He, whom mutual league, United thoughts and counsels, equal hope, And hazard in the glorious enterprize,