Certabant curfuque Equites hastisque corufcis) Aula folo pariter perque aera conglomeratis Fervebat numeris: multus quaffantibus alis Sibilus increpitat refonans. Ut vere recenti
Stridulæ Apes, cum jam Taurum Sol aureus implet, Agminibus denfis numerofam alvearia propter Effundunt pubem; florefque & rofcida prata Læta cohors volitat circum, aut capit hospita lævi Planitie tabula errantes (pomaria turris Straminea) redolens herbis fragrantibus: illæ Difcurrunt caftris & regni munera curant. Haud fecus aeriæ fimul accurrere Cohortes Anguftis arctæ fpatiis: Sed claffica fignum Ut canerent, Qui terrigenas modò vincere vastâ Mole viderentur, minimas (mirabile visu !) Collecti fubitò in formas brevioraque membra Fluxere innumeri: quales in faltibus Indis Ludentes Nani, Lemurum-ve leviffima turba,
Wont ride in arm'd, and at the Soldan's Chair Defi'd the best of Panim Chivalry
To mortal combat, or carriere with lance) Thick swarm'd, both on the ground, and in the air, Brufh'd with the hifs of rufling Wings. As Bees In fpring time, when the Sun in Taurus rides, Pour forth their populous youth about the hive In clufiers; they among fresh dews and flow'rs, Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank, (The Suburb of their ftraw-built Cittadel.)
New rub'd with Baum, expatiate, and confer Their State affairs: fo thick the aery croud Swarm'd, and were ftreighten'd, till the Signal giv'n, Behold a wonder! they but now who feem'd In bigness to furpafs Earth's Giant Sons, Now lefs than fmalleft Dwarfs in narrow room Throng numberlefs, like that Pygmean Race Beyond the Indian Mount; or Fairy Elves, Whose midnight revels, by a foreft fide, Or fountain, fome belated Peasant sees,
Quos Paftor filvas propter, vel fontis ad oram, Aut videt aut vidiffe putat faltare per umbras Nocte fuper mediâ, dum confpicit arbitra Luna Pallentem inflectens terris vicinior axem; Aft olli argutas turbâ exercente choreas Cor micat, exultat dulci formidine pectus. Haud aliter formas tenui fub imagine claufæ Contraxere Animæ immenfas; & libera tandem Per fpatia innumeræ circum atria vasta vagantur. At procul interiore domo tacitoque receffu Semidei fe mole fuâ explicuere, Cherubum Millia, celforumque Seraphum, in fedibus aureis, Concilium fublime, frequens: filuere parumper ; Tum Caufæ patuere altique Exorfa Senatûs.
Or dreams he fees; while over-head the Moon
Sits Arbitrefs, and nearer to the Earth
Though without number ftill, amidst the Hall Of that infernal Court. But far within,
Wheels her pale courfe; they on their mirth and And in their own dimenfions like themselves,
Intent with jocund mufic charm his car:
At once with joy, and fear, his heart rebounds. Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim In close recefs and fecret conclave fat,
A thousand Demi-Gods on golden feats, Frequent and full; After fhort filence then,
Reduc'd their Shapes immenfe; and were at large, And fummons read, the great Confult began.
T celfi de fede throni, quæ fplendida luxu Regifico Indorum gazas fuperaret & Ormi, Vel quicquid gemmarum auri-ve remotior Eos Barbarici effundit, magnis decora alta tyrannis,
Eminuit Satanas, defpexitque arduus omnes, Infandum virtute immani nactus honorem. Cui modò Spes periit, se nunc fpe celfius ipsâ Evectum cernit, votisque ingentibus ardens Tendit adhuc ultra & cœlo nova bella minatur Demens! quem nondum pugnæ fortuna prioris Erudiit: tumidique aperit fic pectoris Orfa: Sceptra Poteftatesque, excelfi Numina cœli; Nam quoniam æthereum, cecidit fi forte, vigorem
HIGH on a of Royrmita, and of Ind; Beyond thus high, infatiate to purfue
IGH on a Throne of Royal State, which far Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires
Or where the gorgeous Eaft with richest hand Show'rs on her Kings Barbaric pearl, and gold, Satan exalted fat, by merit rais'd
To that bad eminence: and from despair
Vain War with Heaven; and by success untaught His proud imaginations thus display'd:
Pow'rs and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n! For fince no Deep within her gulph can hold
Nulli fas barathro clauftris compefcere, cœli
Cœlicolûm fpectata magis majorque videri Surgit ab excidio, fato adverfante renitens, Ipfa fuis opibus cladis fecura fecundæ.
Me quanquam jus æquum æternaque fœdera coli, Deinde etiam veftrum fuffragia, quicquid & altis Confiliis meruive manu, cœleftibus armis Ductorem pofuere: At diræ damna ruinæ
Hac reparata tenus jam certius integra firmant Sceptra fine invidiâ, facili stabilita meorum Confenfu. Hoc fceptrum & felicior addita fceptro Sors olim poterat ftimulis vexare minores, Dum fortuna fuit: fed enim quis lumine iniquo Spectet eum, folus capiens qui tela Tonantis Omnia defendit vobis, qui mole laborum
Infigni fine fine gemit? Quà præmia belli
Cuncta abfunt, aberunt lites; nam merfus Averno
Immortal vigour, though opprefs'd and fall'n,
I give not Heav'n for loft: from this descent Celestial virtues rifing will appear
More glorious and more dread than from no fall, And truft themselves to fear no fecond fate.) Me though just right, and the fix'd laws of Heav'n Did first create your Leader; next, free choice; With what befides, in council or in fight, Hath been atchiev'd of merit: yet this lofs, Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more
Establish'd in a fafe unenvied Throne, Yielded with full confent. The happier state In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw Envy from each inferior: but who here Will envy whom the highest place expofes Foremost to ftand against the Thund'rer's aim, Your bulwark; and condemns to greatest share Of endless pain? Where there is then no good For which to strive, no ftrife can grow up there From Faction: for none fure will claim in Hell
Quis cupiat primas? cui pars tantilla doloris, Majorem ut fitiat demens & poftulet ultrò? His igitur cum tanta ligat concordia nodis,
Tanta fides, quantam haud fuperis fas jungere in oris, Jus patrium reduces & noftra repofcimus astra. Quin cautos adverfa facit, quos læta fefellit Securos fortuna. At quæ via præstat, aperta Bellane moliri, an tacitas clam nectere fraudes, Confulite in medium & rebus fuccurrite lapfis.
Finierat Satanas. Confurgit deinde Molochus Sceptripotens Princeps: cœlo non fortior alter Non armis congreffus atrocior: acer ademptâ Spe demùm ingeminans furor imo in pectore gliscit. Majorem agnofcat? fit ab Omnipotente fecundus? Maluit in nihilum folvi: Cura omnis & omnes
Inde metus abiere; DEUмque & Tartara temnens, Et fiquod gravius, fic verbis ora refolvit :
Bella mihi manifefta placent;
Precedence; none, whose portion is so small Of prefent pain, that with ambitious mind Will covet more! With this advantage then To union, and firm faith, and firm accord, More than can be in Heav'n, we now return To claim our juft inheritance of old, Surer to profper than prosperity
Could have affur'd us: and by what best way, Whether of open War, or covert guile, We now debate: who can advise may speak.
He ceas'd; and next him Molor, fceptred King, Stood up, the ftrongest and the fierceft Spirit That fought in Heav'n, now fiercer by despair: His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd Equal in ftrength; and rather than be less, Car'd not to be at all; with that care loft Went all his fear: of GoD, or Hell, or worse, He reck'd not; and these words hereafter spake: My fentence is for open War: of Wiles, More inexpert, I boaft not: them let those
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