3

Where pain of unextinguishable fire

Must exercise us without hope of end

The Vassals of his anger, when the Scourge [ 90 ]

Inexorably, and the torturing hour

Calls us to Penance? More destroyd then thus

We should be quite abolisht and expire.

What fear we then? what doubt we to incense

His utmost ire? which to the highth enragd, [ 95 ]

Will either quite consume us, and reduce

To nothing this essential, happier farr

Then miserable to have eternal being:

Or if our substance be indeed Divine,

And cannot cease to be, we are at worst [ 100 ]

On this side nothing; and by proof we feel

Our power sufficient to disturb his Heavn,

And with perpetual inrodes to Allarme,

Though inaccessible, his fatal Throne:

Which if not Victory is yet Revenge. [ 105 ]

He ended frowning, and his look denouncd

Desperate revenge, and Battel dangerous

To less then Gods. On th other side up rose

Belial, in act more graceful and humane;

A fairer person lost not Heavn; he seemd [ 110 ]

For dignity composd and high exploit:

But all was false and hollow; though his Tongue

Dropt Manna, and could make the worse appear

The better reason, to perplex and dash

Maturest Counsels: for his thoughts were low; [ 115 ]

To vice industrious, but to Nobler deeds

Timorous and slothful: yet he pleasd the ear,

And with perswasive accent thus began.

I should be much for open Warr, O Peers,

As not behind in hate; if what was urgd [ 120 ]

Main reason to persuade immediate Warr,

Did not disswade me most, and seem to cast

Ominous conjecture on the whole success:

When he who most excels in fact of Arms,

In what he counsels and in what excels [ 125 ]

Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair

And utter dissolution, as the scope

Of all his aim, after some dire revenge.

First, what Revenge? the Towrs of Heavn are filld

With Armed watch, that render all access [ 130 ]

Impregnable; oft on the bordering Deep

Encamp thir Legions, or with obscure wing

Scout farr and wide into the Realm of night,