His end of being on earth, and mission high :
For Satan with sly preface to return
Had left him vacant, and with speed was gone Up to the middle region of thick air,
Where all his potentates in council sat; There without sign of boast, or sign of joy, Solicitous and blank he thus began.
Princes, Heav'n's ancient Sons, ethereal Thrones, Demonian Spirits now, from th' element Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call'd
Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath, So may we hold our place and these mild seats 125 Without new trouble; such an enemy
Is risen to invade us, who no less
Threatens than our expulsion down to Hell; I, as I undertook, and with the vote
Consenting in full frequence was impower'd,
Have found him, view'd him, tasted him, but find Far other labor to be undergone
Than when I dealt with Adam first of men,
Though Adam by his wife's allurement fell, However to this Man inferior far,
If he be man by mother's side at least,
With more than human gifts from Heav'n adorn'd, Perfections absolute, graces divine,
And amplitude of mind to greatest deeds : Therefore I am return'd, lest confidence Of my success with Eve in Paradise Deceive ye to persuasion over-sure Of like succeeding here; I summon all
What I see excellent in good, or fair, Or virtuous, I should so have lost all sense. What can be then less in me than desire To see thee and approach thee, whom I know Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent Thy wisdom, and behold thy Godlike deeds? Men generally think me much a foe To all mankind: why should I? they to me Never did wrong or violence; by them
I lost not what I lost, rather by them
I gain'd what I have gain'd, and with them dwell Copartner in these regions of the world, If not disposer; lend them oft my aid, Oft my advice by presages and signs, And answers, oracles, portents and dreams, Whereby they may direct their future life. Envy they say excites me, thus to gain Companions of my misery and woe. At first it may be; but long since with woe Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof, That fellowship in pain divides not smart, Nor lightens ought each man's peculiar load. Small consolation then, were man adjoin'd: This wounds ine most (what can it less?) that man, Man fall'n, shall be restor'd, I never more.
To whom our Saviour sternly thus reply'd: Deservedly thou griev'st, compos'd of lies From the beginning, and in lies wilt end; Who boast'st release from Hell, and leave to come Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns: thou com'st indeed,
By the agris, and must confess i mare trak Among the nations: Leat hallacen tay craft, By mixing somewhat true to vent mortales. But what have uken tay answers, what out dars, Ambiguous, and with doubit schst aciding, 435 Which they who ask & have stidom understooŮ, And not well understood as good not known ? Whoever by consulting at thy shrine Return'd the wiser, or the more instruct To fly or follow what concern'd him most,
What I see excellent in good, or fair, Or virtuous, I should so have lost all sense. What can be then less in me than desire To see thee and approach thee, whom I know Declar'd the Son of God, to hear attent Thy wisdom, and behold thy Godlike deeds? Men generally think me much a foe
To all mankind: why should I? they to me Never did wrong or violence; by them
I lost not what I lost, rather by them
I gain'd what I have gain'd, and with them dwell Copartner in these regions of the world, If not disposer; lend them oft my aid, Oft my advice by presages and signs, And answers, oracles, portents and dreams, Whereby they may direct their future life. Envy they say excites me, thus to gain Companions of my misery and woe. At first it may be; but long since with woe Nearer acquainted, now I feel by proof, That fellowship in pain divides not smart, Nor lightens ought each man's peculiar load. Small consolation then, were man adjoin'd: This wounds me most (what can it less?) that man, Man fall'n, shall be restor'd, I never more. To whom our Saviour sternly thus reply'd: Deservedly thou griev'st, compos'd of lies From the beginning, and in lies wilt end; Who boast'st release from Hell, and leave to come Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns: thou com'st indeed,
As a poor miserable captive thrall Comes to the place where he before had sat Among the prime in splendor, now depos'd, Ejected, emptied, gaz'd, unpitied, shunn'd, A spectacle of ruin or of scorn
To all the host of Heav'n: the happy place Imparts to thee no happiness, no joy, Rather inflames thy torment, representing Lost bliss, to thee no more communicable, So never more in Hell than when in Heav'n. But thou art serviceable to Heav'n's King. Wilt thou impute to' obedience what thy fear Extorts, or pleasure to do ill excites ?
What but thy malice mov'd thee to misdeem Of righteous Job, then cruelly to' afflict him 425 With all inflictions? but his patience won. The other service was thy chosen task, To be a liar in four hundred mouths; For lying is thy sustenance, thy food. Yet thou pretend'st to truth; all oracles By thee are giv'n, and what confess'd more true Among the nations? that hath been thy craft, By mixing somewhat true to vent more lies. But what have been thy answers, what but dark, Ambiguous, and with double sense deluding, 435 Which they who ask'd have seldom understood, And not well understood as good not known? Whoever by consulting at thy shrine
Return'd the wiser, or the more instruct
To fly or follow what concern'd him most, 440
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