17

Thrice he assayd, and thrice in spight of scorn,

Tears such as Angels weep, burst forth: at last [ 620 ]

Words interwove with sighs found out thir way.

O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O Powers

Matchless, but with th Almighty, and that strife

Was not inglorious, though th event was dire,

As this place testifies, and this dire change [ 625 ]

Hateful to utter: but what power of mind

Foreseeing or presaging, from the Depth

Of knowledge past or present, could have feard,

How such united force of Gods, how such

As stood like these, could ever know repulse? [ 630 ]

For who can yet beleeve, though after loss,

That all these puissant Legions, whose exile

Hath emptied Heavn, shall fail to re-ascend

Self-raisd, and repossess thir native seat?

For mee be witness all the Host of Heavn, [ 635 ]

If counsels different, or danger shund

By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns

Monarch in Heavn, till then as one secure

Sat on his Throne, upheld by old repute,

Consent or custome, and his Regal State [ 640 ]

Put forth at full, but still his strength conceald,

Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.

Henceforth his might we know, and know our own

So as not either to provoke, or dread

New warr, provokt; our better part remains [ 645 ]

To work in close design, by fraud or guile

What force effected not: that he no less

At length from us may find, who overcomes

By force, hath overcome but half his foe.

Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife [ 650 ]

There went a fame in Heavn that he ere long

Intended to create, and therein plant

A generation, whom his choice regard

Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven:

Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps

Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere: [ 655 ]

For this Infernal Pit shall never hold

Cælestial Spirits in Bondage, nor th Abyss

Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts

Full Counsel must mature: Peace is despaird, [ 660 ]

For who can think Submission? Warr then, Warr

Open or understood must be resolvd.