There the companions of his fall, o'erwhelm'd 80 If thou beest 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 90 Myriads, though bright! Ifhe, whom mutual league, 85 Isaiah, xiv. 12. Virg. Æn. ii. 274. 95 100 'Hei mihi! qualis erat! quantum mutatus ab illo !' Newton. 98 high] Spens. F. Queen. b. i. c. i. s. 19. 'grief, and high disdain. Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd, That durst dislike his reign; and, me preferring, [lost? 110 And what is else not to be overcome; That glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me: to bow and sue for grace With suppliant knee, and deify his power, Who from the terror of this arm so late Doubted his empire, that were low indeed, That were an ignominy and shame beneath This downfal; since by fate the strength of Gods And this empyreal substance cannot fail; Since through experience of this great event, In arms not worse, in foresight much advanc'd, We may with more successful hope resolve 115 120 So spake th'apostate Angel, though in pain,125 Vaunting aloud, but rack'd with deep despair: And him thus answer'd soon his bold compeer. O Prince, O chief of many throned Powers, That led th' imbattell'd Seraphim to war Under thy conduct, and, in dreadful deeds 130 BOOK I. Fearless, endanger'd heav'n's perpetual King, 135 140 That with sad overthrow and foul defeat 131 perpetual] Consult Newton's note on the word 'perpetual.' 130 mind and spirit] So Satan in the Adamus Exsul of Grotius, p. 32, ed. Lauder. -Abstulit sortem Deus Quam potuit, animis pristinum mansit decus, Sunt reliqua nobis regna, sunt vires suæ, Multa et potestas' 140 Invincible] v. Æschyli Prometheus, ver. 1060. Ες τε κελαινον Τάρταρον ἄρδην ῥίψειε δέμας 150 By right of war, whate'er his business be, 155 160 Fall'n Cherub, to be weak is miserable, Doing or suffering: but of this be sure, To do ought good never will be our task, But ever to do ill our sole delight; As being the contrary to his high will, Whom we resist. If then his providence Out of our evil seek to bring forth good, Our labour must be to pervert that end, And out of good still to find means of evil; 165 Which oft-times may succeed, so as perhaps Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb His inmost counsels from their destin'd aim. But see! the angry victor hath recall'd His ministers of vengeance and pursuit Back to the gates of heav'n: the sulphurous hail, Shot after us in storm, o'erblown hath laid The fiery surge, that from the precipice Of heav'n receiv'd us falling, and the thunder, Wing'd with red lightning and impetuous rage, 1:5 Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now 'Quodvis pati, quidvis facere.' See Pricæum ad Apulei Apolog. 158 Doing or suffering] Plauti Miles. v. 9. p. 165. 170 To bellow through the vast and boundless deep. Seest thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, 180 Save what the glimmering of these livid flames 185 What reinforcement we may gain from hope, 190 If not, what resolution from despair. Thus Satan talking to his nearest mate, With head up-lift above the wave, and eyes That sparkling blaz'd; his other parts besides Prone on the flood, extended long and large, 195 Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge As whom the fables name of monstrous size, Titanian, or Earth-born, that warr'd on Jove, Briareos, or Typhon, whom the den By ancient Tarsus held, or that sea-beast 177 To bellow] See Henry More's Poems, p. 314. 'The hoarse bellowing of the thunder.' 161 void] Dante Inf. c. v. 28. 200 Luogo d'ogni luce muto.' Todd. sea-beast] Equoreo similem per litora monstro.' ་ 200 Val. Flacc, iv. 750. |