BOOK TENTH
��2I 5
��High proof ye now have given to be the
race
Of Satan (for I glory in the name, Antagonist of Heaven's Almighty King), Amply have merited of me, of all The Infernal Empire, that so near Heaven's
door
Triumphal with triumphal act have met, 390 Mine with this glorious work, and made one
realm
Hell and this World one realm, one con- tinent
Of easy thoroughfare. Therefore, while I Descend through Darkness, on your road
with ease,
To my associate Powers, them to acquaint With these successes, and with them re- joice, You two this way, among these numerous
orbs,
All yours, right down to Paradise descend; There dwell, and reign in bliss; thence on
the Earth
Dominion exercise and in the air, 400
Chiefly on Man, sole lord of all declared; Him first make sure your thrall, and lastly
kill.
My substitutes I send ye, and create Plenipotent on Earth, of matchless might Issuing from me. On your joint vigour now My hold of this new kingdom all depends, Through Sin to Death exposed by my ex- ploit. If your joint power prevail, the affairs of
Hell
No detriment need fear; go, and be strong." So saying, he dismissed them ; they with speed 410
Their course through thickest constella- tions held, Spreading their bane; the blasted stars
looked wan,
And planets, planet-strook, real eclipse Then suffered. The other way Satan went
down
The causey to Hell-gate; on either side Disparted Chaos overbuilt exclaimed, And with rebounding surge the bars assailed, That scorned his indignation. Through the
gate,
Wide open and unguarded, Satan passed, And all about found desolate; for those 420 Appointed to sit there had left their charge, Flown to the upper World ; the rest were all Far to the inland retired, about the walls
��Of Pandemonium, city and proud seat Of Lucifer, so by allusion called Of that bright star to Satan paragoned. There kept their watch the legions, while
the Grand
In council sat, solicitous what chance Might intercept their Emperor sent; so he Departing gave command, and they ob- served. 43 o As when the Tartar from his Russian foe, By Astracan, over the snowy plains, Retires, or Bactrian Sophi, from the horns Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste be- yond
The realm of Aladule, in his retreat To Tauris or Casbeen; so these, the late Heaven-banished host, left desert utmost
Hell Many a dark league, reduced in careful
watch
Round their Metropolis, and now expecting Each hour their great Adventurer from the
search 440
Of foreign worlds. He through the midst
unmarked,
In shew plebeian Angel militant Of lowest order, passed, and, from the door Of that Plutonian hall, invisible Ascended his high Throne, which, under
state
Of richest texture spread, at the upper end Was placed in regal lustre. Down a while He sat, and round about him saw, unseen. At last, as from a cloud, his fulgent head And shape star-bright appeared, or brighter,
clad 450
With what permissive glory since his fall Was left him, or false glitter. All amazed At that so sudden blaze, the Stygian throng Bent their aspect, and whom they wished
beheld, Their mighty Chief returned: loud was the
acclaim. Forth rushed in haste the great consulting
Peers, Raised from their dark Divan, and with
like joy Congratulant approached him, who with
hand Silence, and with these words attention,
won: " Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms,
Virtues, Powers ! 460
For in possession such, not only of right, I call ye, and declare ye now, returned,
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