Chapter 7 6
Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,
Unnamd in Heavn, now plentiful, as thou seest
These Acts of hateful strife, hateful to all,
Though heaviest by just measure on thy self [ 265 ]
And thy adherents: how hast thou disturbed
Heavns blessed peace, and into Nature brought
Miserie, uncreated till the crime
Of thy Rebellion? how hast thou instilled
Thy malice into thousands, once upright [ 270 ]
And faithful, now provd false. But think not here
To trouble Holy Rest; Heavn casts thee out
From all her Confines. Heavn the seat of bliss
Brooks not the works of violence and Warr.
Hence then, and evil go with thee along [ 275 ]
Thy of spring, to the place of evil, Hell,
Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broiles,
Ere this avenging Sword begin thy doome,
Or som more sudden vengeance wingd from God
Precipitate thee with augmented pain. [ 280 ]
So spake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus
The Adversary. Nor think thou with wind
Of airie threats to aw whom yet with deeds
Thou canst not. Hast thou turn the least of these
To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise [ 285 ]
Unvanquisht, easier to transact with mee
That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats
To chase me hence? erre not that so shall end
The strife which thou callst evil, but wee style
The strife of Glorie: which we mean to win, [ 290 ]
Or turn this Heavn it self into the Hell
Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,
If not to reign: mean while thy ultimate force,
And join him namd Almighty to thy aid,
I flie not, but have sought thee farr and night. [ 295 ]
They ended parle, and both addresses for fight
Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of Angels, can relate, or to what things
Like on Earth conscious, that may lift
Human imagination to such hight [ 300 ]
Of Godlike Power: for likest Gods they seemd,
Stood they or movd, in stature, motion, arms
Fit to decide the Empire of great Heavn.