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Torment with ease, and foonest recompenfe

Dole with delight, which in this place I fought;
To thee no reason, who know'ft only good,

But evil haft not try'd: and wilt object
His will who bound us? let him furer bar

His iron gates, if he intends our stay

In that dark durance: thus much what was afk'd.
The reft is true, they found me where they say;
But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in fcorn. The warlike Angel mov'd,
Disdainfully half fmiling thus reply'd.

O lofs of one in Heav'n to judge of wife,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,
And now returns him from his prifon fcap'd,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wife
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicenc'd from his bounds in Hell prefcrib'd;
So wife he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment.
So judge thou still, prefumptuous, till the wrath,
Which thou incurr'ft by flying, meet thy flight
Sev'nfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell,
Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain
Can equal anger infinite provok'd.

895

900

995

910

915

But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all Hell broke loofe? is pain to them
Lefs pain, lefs to be fled? or thou than they

Lefs hardy to indure? courageous Chief,
The first in flight from pain, hadft thou alledg'd
To thy deferted hoft this cause of flight,
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920

Thou

Thou furely hadft not come fole fugitive.

925

To which the Fiend thus answer'd frowning stern.
Not that I lefs indure, or fhrink from pain,
Infulting Angel; well thou know'ft I stood
Thy fierceft, when in battel to thy aid

The blafting volied thunder made all speed,
And feconded thy elfe not dreaded spear.
But still thy words at random, as before,
Argue thy inexperience what behoves
From hard assays and ill fucceffes past

930

A faithful leader, not to hazard all

Through ways of danger by himself untry'd :

I therefore, I alone first undertook

935

To wing the defolate abyfs, and spy

940

This new created world, whereof in Hell
Fame is not filent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To fettle here on earth, or in mid air;
Though for poffeffion put to try once more
What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
Whofe cafier bufinefs were to ferve their Lord
High up in Heav'n, with songs to hymn his throne,
And practis'd diftances to cringe, not fight.

945

To whom the warrior Angel foon reply'd.

To fay and ftrait unfay, pretending first

Wife to fly pain, profeffing next the spy,

Argues no leader but a liar trac'd,

Satan, and couldft thou faithful add? O name,
O facred name of faithfulnefs profan'd!

950

Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?

Army

Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head.

Was this your discipline and faith engag'd,

Your military obedience, to diffolve

Allegiance to th' acknowledg'd Power fupreme?
And thou, fly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem
Patron of liberty, who more than thou

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955

Once fawn'd, and cring'd, and fervily ador'd
Heav'n's awful monarch? wherefore but in hope 960
To difpoffefs him, and thyself to reign?
But mark what I arreed thee now, Avant;

Fly thither whence thou fledst: if from this hour
Within thefe hallow'd limits thou appear,
Back to th' infernal pit I drag thee chain'd,
And feal thee fo, as henceforth not to scorn
The facil gates of Hell too flightly barr'd.

So threaten'd he; but Satan to no threats
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage reply'd.

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Then when I am thy captive talk of chains, Proud limitary Cherub, but ere then

Far heavier load thyself expect to feel

965

970

From my prevailing arm, though Heaven's king
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy compeers,
Us'd to the yoke, draw'ft his triumphant wheels 975
In progress through the road of Heav'n ftar-pav'd.
While thus he fpake, th' angelic fquadron bright
Turn'd fiery red, fharp'ning in mooned horns
Their phalanx, and began to hem him round
With ported fpears, as thick as when a field

Of Ceres ripe for harvest waving bends
Her bearded grove of ears, which way the wind
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980

Sways

Sways them; the careful plowman doubting ftands,
Left on the threshing floor his hopeful theaves
Prove chaff. On t'other fide Satan alarm'd
Collecting all his might dilated ftood,
Like Teneriff or Atlas unremov'd:

His ftature reach'd the sky, and on his crest
Sat horror plum'd; nor wanted in his grafp

985

What feem'd both fpear and fhield: now dreadful deeds
Might have enfu'd, nor only Paradife
In this commotion, but the starry cope
Of Heav'n perhaps, or all the elements

At least had gone to wrack, disturb'd and torn
With violence of this conflict, had not foon
Th' Eternal to prevent fuch horrid fray

Hung forth in Heav'n his golden scales, yet seen
Betwixt Aftrea and the Scorpion fign,

Wherein all things created first he weigh'd,
The pendulous round earth with balanc'd air
In counterpoife, now ponders all events,
Battels and realms: in these he put two weights
The fequel each of parting and of fight;

995

1000

The latter quick up flew, and kick'd the beam;
Which Gabriel fpying, thus befpake the Fiend. 1005
Satan, I know thy strength, and thou know'st mine;
Neither our own, but giv'n: what folly then
To boast what arms can do? fince thine no more
Than Heav'n permits, nor mine, though doubled now
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,
And read thy lot in yon celeftial fign,

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Where thou art weigh'd, and thown how light, how weak,

If

If thou refift.

The Fiend look'd up, and knew

His mounted fcale aloft: nor more; but fled Murm'ring, and with him fled the fhades of night. 1015

THE END OF THE FOURTH BOOK.

THE

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