The Complete Poetry of John Milton (82 page)

   895     
To thee no reason; who knowst only good,

               
But evil hast not tri’d: and wilt object

               
His will who bound us? let him surer barr

               
His Iron Gates, if he intends our stay

               
In that dark durance: thus much what was askt

   900     
The rest is true, they found me where they say;

               
But that implies not violence or harm.

           
      
       Thus he in scorn. The warlike Angel mov’d,

               
Disdainfully half smiling thus repli’d.

               
O loss of one in Heav’n to judge of wise,

   905     
Since
Satan
fell, whom follie overthrew,

               
And now returns him from his prison scap’t,

               
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise

               
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither

               
Unlicenc’t from his bounds in Hell prescrib’d;

   910     
So wise he judges it to fly from pain

               
However, and to scape his punishment.

               
So judge thou still, presumptuous, till the wrauth,

               
Which thou incurr’st by flying, meet thy flight

               
Seavenfold, and scourge that wisdom back to Hell,

   915     
Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain

               
Can equal anger infinite provok’t.

               
But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee

               
Came not all Hell broke loose? is pain to them

               
Less pain, less to be fled, or thou then they

   920     
Less hardie to endure? courageous Chief,

               
The first in flight from pain, had’st thou alledg’d

               
To thy deserted host this cause of flight,

               
Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive.

           
      
       To which the Fiend thus answerd frowning stern.

   925     
Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain,

               
Insulting Angel, well thou knowst I stood

               
Thy fiercest, when in Battel to thy aid

               
The blasting volied Thunder made all speed

               
And seconded thy else not dreaded Spear.

   930     
But still thy words at random, as before,

               
Argue thy inexperience what behooves

               
From hard assaies and ill successes past

               
A faithful Leader, not to hazard all

               
Through wayes of danger by himself untri’d

   935     
I therefore, I alone first undertook

               
To wing the desolate Abyss, and spie

               
This new created World, whereof in Hell

               
Fame is not silent, here in hope to find

               
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers

   940     
To settle here on Earth, or in mid Air;

               
Though for possession put to try once more

               
What thou and thy gay Legions dare against;

               
Whose easier business were to serve thir Lord

               
High up in Heav’n, with songs to hymn his Throne,

   945     
And practis’d distances to cringe, not fight.

           
      
       To whom the warriour Angel soon repli’d.

               
To say and strait unsay, pretending first

               
Wise to flie pain, professing next the Spie,

               
Argues no Leader, but a lyar trac’t,

   950     
Satan
, and couldst thou faithful add? O name,

               
O sacred name of faithfulness profan’d!

               
Faithful to whom? to thy rebellious crew?

               
Armie of Fiends, fit body to fit head;

               
Was this your discipline and faith ingag’d,

   955     
Your military obedience, to dissolve

               
Allegeance to th’ acknowledg’d Power supream?

               
And thou sly hypocrite, who now wouldst seem

               
Patron of liberty, who more then thou

               
Once fawn’d, and cring’d, and servilly ador’d

   960     
Heav’ns awful Monarch? wherefore but in hope

               
To dispossess him, and thy self to reigne?

               
But mark what I arreed
⁶¹
thee now, avant;

               
Flie thither whence thou fledst: if from this hour

               
Within these hallowd limits thou appeer,

   965     
Back to th’ infernal pit I drag thee chaind,

               
And Seal thee so, as henceforth not to scorn

               
The facil gates of hell too slightly barrd.

           
      
       So threatn’d hee, but
Satan
to no threats

               
Gave heed, but waxing more in rage repli’d.

   970  
      
       Then when I am thy captive talk of chains,

               
Proud limitarie
⁶²
Cherub, but ere then

               
Farr heavier load thy self expect to feel

               
From my prevailing arm, though Heavens King

               
Ride on thy wings, and thou with thy Compeers,

   975     
Us’d to the yoak, draw’st his triumphant wheels

               
In progress through the rode of Heav’n Star-pav’d.

           
      
       While thus he spake, th’ Angelic Squadron bright

               
Turnd fierie red, sharpning in mooned horns

               
Thir Phalanx, and began to hemm him round

   980     
With ported Spears, as thick as when a field

               
Of
Ceres
ripe for harvest waving bends

               
Her bearded Grove of ears, which way the wind

               
Swayes them; the careful
⁶³
Plowman doubting stands

               
Least on the threshing floor his hopeful sheaves

   985     
Prove chaff. On th’ other side
Satan
allarm’d

               
Collecting all his might dilated stood,

               
Like
Teneriff
or
Atlas
⁶⁴
unremov’d:

               
His stature reacht the Skie, and on his Crest

               
Sat horror Plum’d; nor wanted in his grasp

   990     
What seemd both Spear and Shield: now dreadful deeds

               
Might have ensu’d, nor onely Paradise

               
In this commotion, but the Starrie Cope

               
Of Heav’n perhaps, or all the Elements

               
At least had gon to rack, disturb’d and torn

   995     
With violence of this conflict, had not soon

               
Th’ Eternal to prevent such horrid fray

               
Hung forth in Heav’n his golden Scales,
⁶⁵
yet seen

               
Betwixt
Astrea
and the
Scorpion
signe,

               
Wherein all things created first he weigh’d,

   1000   
The pendulous round Earth with ballanc’t Air

               
In counterpoise, now ponders all events,

               
Battels and Realms: in these he put two weights

               
The sequel each of parting and of fight;

               
The latter quick up flew, and kickt the beam;

   1005   
Which
Gabriel
spying, thus bespake the Fiend.

            
      
       
Satan
, I know thy strength, and thou knowst mine,

               
Neither our own but giv’n; what follie then

               
To boast what Arms can doe, since thine no more

               
Then Heav’n permits, nor mine, though doubl’d now

   1010   
To trample thee as mire: for proof look up,

               
And read thy Lot in yon celestial Sign

               
Where thou art weigh’d, and shown how light, how weak,

               
If thou resist. The Fiend lookt up and knew

               
His mounted scale aloft: nor more; but fled

   1015   
Murmuring, and with him fled the shades of night