John Milton(1608–1674)

From Book 4 [lines 1-113]

From Book 4 9

O for that warning voice, which he who saw

Th' Apocalypse, heard cry in heaven aloud,

T h e n w h e n the Dragon, put to s e c o n d rout,defeat

C a m e furious down to be revenged on men,

"Woe to the inhabitants on earth!' that now,

While time was,2 our first parents had been warned

The coming of their secret foe, and scaped 0escaped

Haply so scaped his mortal snare; 3 for now

S a t a n , now first inflamed with rage, c a m e down,

T h e tempter ere th' a c c u s e r of mankind,before being

To wreck 0 on innocent frail man his loss 4avenge, wreak

Of that first battle, and his flight to Hell:

Yet not rejoicing in his speed, though bold,

Far off and fearless, nor with c a u s e to boast,

Begins his dire attempt, which nigh the birth

N o w rolling, boils in his t u m u l t u o u s breast,moving on

And like a devilish engine5 b a c k recoils

U p o n himself; horror a n d doubt distract

His troubled thoughts, and f r o m the bottom stir

T h e Hell within him, for within him Hell

He brings, and round about him, nor f r o m Hell

O n e step no more than f r o m himself can fly

By c h a n g e of place: now c o n s c i e n c e wakes despair

That slumbered, wakes the bitter m e m o r y

Of what he was, what is, and what m u s t be

Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue.

Sometimes towards Eden which now in his view

Lay pleasant, his grieved look he fixes sad,

Sometimes towards Heav'n and the full-blazing sun,

Which now sat high in his meridian tow'r:6

Then much revolving, thus in sighs began.pondering

"O thou that with surpassing glory crowned,

Look'st from thy sole dominion like the god

Of this new world: at whose sight all the stars

Hide their diminished heads; to thee I call,

But with no friendly voice, and add thy name

sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams

That bring to my remembrance from what state

fell, how glorious once above thy sphere;

Till pride and worse ambition threw me down

Warring in Heav'n against Heav'n's matchless King:

Ah wherefore! he deserved no such return

From me, whom he created what I was

In that bright eminence, and with his good

Upbraided none,7 nor was his service hard.

What could be less than to afford him praise,

The easiest recompense, and pay him thanks,

How due! yet all his good proved ill in me,

And wrought but malice; lifted up so high

I 'sdained 0 subjection, and thought one step higherdisdained

Would set me highest, and in a moment quit 0repay

The debt immense of endless gratitude,

So burthensome still 0 paying, still to owe;always

Forgetful what from him I still received,

And understood not that a grateful mind

By owing owes not, but still pays, at once

Indebted and discharged; what burden then

O had his powerful destiny ordained

Me some inferior angel, I had stood

Then happy; no unbounded hope had raised

Ambition. Yet why not some other Power 0angel

As great might have aspired, and me though mean 0inferior, low

Drawn to his part; but other Powers as great

Fell not, but stand unshaken, from within

Or from without, to all temptations armed.

Hadst thou8 the same free will and power to stand

Thou hadst: whom hast thou then or what to accuse,

But Heav'n's free love dealt equally to all

Be then his love accursed, since love or hate,

To me alike, it deals eternal woe.

Nay cursed be thou; since against his thy will

Chose freely what it now so justly rues.regrets

Me miserable!9 which way shall I fly

Infinite wrath, and infinite despair1

W h i c h way I fly is Hell; myself am Hell;

And in the lowest deep a lower deep

Still threat'ning to devour me opens wide,

To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heav'n.

O then at last relent! is there no place

Left for repentance, none for pardon left

N o n e left but by submission; and that word

Disdain forbids me, a n d my dread of s h a m e

A m o n g the Spirits beneath, w h o m I s e d u c e d

With other promises and other vaunts 0boasts

T h a n to submit, boasting I could s u b d u e

Th' O m n i p o t e n t . Ay m e , they little know

How dearly I abide 0 that boast so vain,pay the penalty far

U n d e r what torments inwardly I groan:

While they adore me on the throne of Hell,

With d i a d e m 0 and scepter high advancedcrown

T h e lower still I fall, only s u p r e m e

In misery; s u c h joy ambition finds.

But say I could repent and could obtain

By act of grace2 my former state; how soon

W o u l d hight recall high thoughts, how soo n unsa y

W h a t feigned submission swore: ease would recant3

Vows made in pain, as violent 0 and void.forced

For never can true reconcilement grow

W h e r e w o u n d s of deadly hate have pierced so deep:

Which would but lead me to a worse relapse,

And heavier fall: so should I p u r c h a s e dear

Short intermission bought with double smart.sting

This knows my punisher; therefore as far

F r o m granting he, as I f r o m begging peace:

All h o p e excluded thus, behold instead

Of us outcast, exiled, his new delight,

M a n k i n d created, and for him this world.

So farewell hope, and with h o p e farewell fear,

Farewell remorse: all good to me is lost;

Evil be thou my good; by thee at least

Divided empire with Heav'n's King I hold

By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign;4

As m a n ere long, a n d this new world shall know.