Book I.
Paradiſe loſt.
Above th' Aonian Mount, while it purſuesThings unattempted yet in Proſe or Rhime.And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that doſt preferBefore all Temples th’ upright heart and pure,Inſtruct me,for Thou know’ſt; Thou from the firſtWaſt preſent, and with mighty wings outſpread20Dove-like ſatſt brooding on the vaſt AbyſsAnd mad’ſt it pregnant: What in me is darkIllumine, what is low raiſe and ſupport That to the highth of this great ArgumentI may aſſert th’ Eternal Providence,And juſtifie the wayes of God to men. Say firſt,for Heav’n bides nothing from thy viewNor the deep Tract of Hell, ſay firſt what cauſeMov’d our Grand Parents in that happy State,30 Favour’d of Heav’n ſo highly, to fall offFrom their Creator, and tranſgreſs his WillFor one reftraint. Lords of the World beſidesWho firſt ſeduc’d them to that fowl revolt Th’ infernal Serpent; he it was, whoſe guileStird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv’dThe Mother of Mankinde, what time his PrideHad caſt him out from Heav’n, with all his HoſtOf Rebel Angels, by whoſe aid aſpiringTo ſet himſelf in Glory above his Peers,’40He truſted to have equal’d the moſt High,If he oppos’d; and with ambitious aimAgainſt the Throne and Monarchy of GodRais'd impious War in Heav’n and Battel proudWith vain attpempt. Him the Almighty PowerHurld headlong flaming from th Etheral SkieWith hideous ruine and combuſtion down
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