2

Whether of open Warr or covert guile,

We now debate; who can advise, may speak.

He ceasd, and next him Moloc, Scepterd King

Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest Spirit

That fought in Heavn; now fiercer by despair: [ 45 ]

His trust was with th Eternal to be deemd

Equal in strength, and rather then be less

Cared not to be at all; with that care lost

Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse

He reckd not, and these words thereafter spake. [ 50 ]

My sentence is for open Warr: Of Wiles,

More unexpert, I boast not: them let those

Contrive who need, or when they need, not now.

For while they sit contriving, shall the rest,

Millions that stand in Arms, and longing wait [ 55 ]

The Signal to ascend, sit lingring here

Heavns fugitives, and for thir dwelling place

Accept this dark opprobrious Den of shame,

The Prison of his Tyranny who Reigns

By our delay? no, let us rather choose [ 60 ]

Armd with Hell flames and fury all at once

Ore Heavns high Towrs to force resistless way,

Turning our Tortures into horrid Arms

Against the Torturer; when to meet the noise

Of his Almighty Engin he shall hear [ 65 ]

Infernal Thunder, and for Lightning see

Black fire and horror shot with equal rage

Among his Angels; and his Throne it self

Mixt with Tartarean Sulphur, and strange fire,

His own invented Torments. But perhaps [ 70 ]

The way seems difficult and steep to scale

With upright wing against a higher foe.

Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench

Of that forgetful Lake benumm not still,

That in our proper motion we ascend [ 75 ]

Up to our native seat: descent and fall

To us is adverse. Who but felt of late

When the fierce Foe hung on our brokn Rear

Insulting, and pursud us through the Deep,

With what compulsion and laborious flight [ 80 ]

We sunk thus low? Th ascent is easie then;

Th event is feard; should we again provoke

Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find

To our destruction: if there be in Hell

Fear to be worse destroyd: what can be worse [ 85 ]

Then to dwell here, drivn out from bliss, condemnd

In this abhorred deep to utter woe;