The suburb of their straw-built citadel, New rubb'd with balm, expatiate and confer Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth Wheels her pale course, they on their mirth and dance Intent, with jocund music charm his ear; At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds. THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK. THE ARGUMENT. The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: Some advise it, others diffuade: A third proposal is preferr'd, mention'd before by Satan, to fearch the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferior to themfelves, about this time to be created: Their doubt who fhall be fent on this difficult fearch: Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honor'd and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft betake them feveral ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to Hell gates, finds them fhut, and who fate there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought. PARADISE LOST. H' воок II. IGH on a throne of royal state, which far To that bad eminence; and from despair Vain war with Heav'n, and by fuccefs untaught Pow'rs and Dominions, Deities of Heaven, More glorious and more dread than from no fall, D 2 Yielded |