The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (36 page)

Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems Online

Authors: John Milton,Burton Raffel

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary Collections, #Poetry, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #English poetry

BOOK: The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems
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277

      

Into their temper, which must needs remove

278

      

The sensible
2004
of pain. All things invite

279

      

To peaceful counsels, and the settled state

280

      

Of order, how in safety best we may

281

      

Compose
2005
our present evils, with regard

282

      

Of what we are and where, dismissing quite

283

      

All thoughts of war. Ye have what I advise.

284

      

   
He scarce had finished, when such murmur filled

285

      

Th’ assembly as when hollow rocks retain

286

      

The sound of blust’ring winds, which all night long

287

      

Had roused the sea, now with hoarse cadence lull

288

      

Seafaring men o’erwatched,
2006
whose barque
2007
by chance,

289

      

Or pinnace,
2008
anchors in a craggy bay

290

      

After the tempest. Such applause was heard

291

      

As Mammon ended, and his sentence
2009
pleased,

292

      

Advising peace, for such another field
2010

293

      

They dreaded worse than Hell, so much the fear

294

      

Of thunder and the sword of Michael

295

      

Wrought
2011
still within them, and no less desire

296

      

To found
2012
this nether
2013
empire, which might rise,

297

      

By policy
2014
and long process
2015
of time,

298

      

In emulation
2016
opposite
2017
to Heav’n.

299

      

Which when Beelzebub perceived—than whom,

300

      

Satan except, none higher sat—with grave

301

      

Aspect he rose, and in his rising seemed

302

      

A pillar of state. Deep on his front
2018
engrav’n

303

      

Deliberation sat, and public care,

304

      

And princely counsel in his face yet shone,

305

      

Majestic, though in ruin. Sage he stood

306

      

With Atlantean
2019
shoulders, fit to bear

307

      

The weight of mightiest monarchies. His look

308

      

Drew audience
2020
and attention still as night

309

      

Or summer’s noontide air, while thus he spoke:

310

      

   
“Thrones and Imperial Powers, offspring of Heav’n,

311

      

Ethereal Virtues! Or these titles now

312

      

Must we renounce and, changing style, be called

313

      

Princes of Hell? For so the popular vote

314

      

Inclines—here to continue, and build up here

315

      

A growing empire. Doubtless! While we dream,

316

      

And know not that the King of Heav’n hath doomed
2021

317

      

This place our dungeon, not our safe retreat

318

      

Beyond His potent arm, to live exempt

319

      

From Heav’n’s high jurisdiction, in new league

320

      

Banded against His throne, but to remain

321

      

In strictest bondage, though thus far removed,

322

      

Under th’ inevitable
2022
curb,
2023
reserved
2024

323

      

His captive multitude. For He, to be sure,

324

      

In height or depth, still first and last will reign

325

      

Sole king, and of His Kingdom lose no part

326

      

By our revolt, but over Hell extend

327

      

His empire, and with iron scepter rule

328

      

Us here, as with His golden
2025
those in Heav’n.

329

      

What sit we then projecting peace and war?

330

      

War hath determined
2026
us and foiled
2027
with loss

331

      

Irreparable; terms of peace yet none

332

      

Vouchsafed
2028
or sought. For what peace will be giv’n

333

      

To us enslaved, but custody severe,

334

      

And stripes
2029
and arbitrary punishment

335

      

Inflicted? And what peace can we return,
2030

336

      

But, to our power, hostility and hate,

337

      

Untamed reluctance,
2031
and revenge, though slow,

338

      

Yet ever plotting how the conqueror least

339

      

May reap
2032
His conquest, and may least rejoice

340

      

In doing what we most in suffering feel?

341

      

Nor will occasion
2033
want,
2034
nor shall we need

342

      

With dangerous expedition
2035
to invade

343

      

Heav’n, whose high walls fear no assault or siege,

344

      

Or ambush from the deep. What if we find

345

      

Some easier enterprise?
2036
There is a place

346

      

(If ancient and prophetic fame
2037
in Heav’n

347

      

Err not)—another world, the happy seat

348

      

Of some new race, called man, about this time

349

      

To be created like to us, though less

350

      

In power and excellence, but favored more

351

      

Of Him who rules above. So was His will

352

      

Pronounced among the gods, and by an oath

353

      

That shook Heav’n’s whole circumference
2038
confirmed.

354

      

Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn

355

      

What creatures there inhabit, of what mould
2039

356

      

Or substance, how endued,
2040
and what their power

357

      

And where their weakness: how attempted best,

358

      

By force or subtlety. Though Heav’n be shut,

359

      

And Heav’n’s high arbitrator
2041
sit secure

360

      

In His own strength, this place
2042
may lie exposed,

361

      

The utmost border of His Kingdom, left

362

      

To their defence who hold it. Here, perhaps,

363

      

Some advantageous act may be achieved

364

      

By sudden onset
2043
—either with Hell-fire

365

      

To waste
2044
His whole creation, or possess

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