The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems (79 page)

444		Unhurt our minds, and understanding sound,
445		Due search and consultation will disclose.
446		“He sat; and in the assembly next upstood
447		Nisroch, 3909 of Principalities 3910 the prime. 3911
448		As one he stood escaped from cruel fight,
449		Sore toiled, 3912 his riven 3913 arms 3914 to havoc 3915 hewn,
450		And cloudy 3916 in aspect 3917 thus answering spoke:
451		“‘Deliverer from new Lords, leader to free
452		Enjoyment of our right as gods! Yet hard
453		For gods, and too unequal work we find,

454

      

Against unequal arms to fight in pain,

455

      

Against unpained, impassive,
³⁹¹⁸
from which evil

456

      

Ruin must needs ensue. For what avails

457

      

Valor or strength, though matchless, quelled
³⁹¹⁹
with pain

458

      

Which all subdues, and makes remiss
³⁹²⁰
the hands

459

      

Of mightiest? Sense of pleasure we may well

460

      

Spare
³⁹²¹
out of life, perhaps, and not repine,
³⁹²²

461

      

But live content, which is the calmest life.

462

      

But pain is perfect misery, the worst

463

      

Of evils and, excessive, overturns

464

      

All patience. He who therefore can invent
³⁹²³

465

      

With what more forcible we may offend
³⁹²⁴

466

      

Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm

467

      

Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves

468

      

No less than for deliverance what we owe.

469

      

Whereto with look composed Satan replied:

470

      

   
“‘Not uninvented that, which thou aright
³⁹²⁵

471

      

Believ’st so main
³⁹²⁶
to our success, I bring.

472

      

Which of us who beholds the bright surface

473

      

Of this ethereous
³⁹²⁷
mould
³⁹²⁸
whereon we stand,

474

      

This continent of spacious Heav’n, adorned

475

      

With plant, fruit, flow’r ambrosial, gems, and gold—

476

      

Whose eye so superficially
³⁹²⁹
surveys

477

      

These things, as not to mind
³⁹³⁰
from whence they grow

478

      

Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,

479

      

Of spiritous and fiery spume,
³⁹³¹
till touched

480

      

With Heav’n’s ray, and tempered,
³⁹³²
they shoot forth

481

      

So beauteous, opening to the ambient
³⁹³³
light?

482

      

These in their dark nativity
³⁹³⁴
the deep

483

      

Shall yield us, pregnant with infernal flame,

484

      

Which into hollow engines, long and round,

485

      

Thick rammed,
³⁹³⁵
at th’ other bore
³⁹³⁶
with touch of fire

486

      

Dilated
³⁹³⁷
and infuriate, shall send forth

487

      

From far, with thund’ring noise, among our foes

488

      

Such implements of mischief as shall dash

489

      

To pieces and o’erwhelm whatever stands

490

      

Adverse,
³⁹³⁸
that they shall fear we have disarmed

491

      

The Thunderer of His only dreaded bolt.

492

      

Nor long shall be our labor: yet ere dawn,

493

      

Effect
³⁹³⁹
shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive,

494

      

Abandon fear, to strength and counsel joined

495

      

Think nothing hard, much less to be despaired.

496

      

   
“He ended, and his words their drooping cheer
³⁹⁴⁰

497

      

Enlightened,
³⁹⁴¹
and their languished
³⁹⁴²
hope revived.

498

      

Th’ invention all admired, and each, how he

499

      

To be the inventer missed, so easy it seemed

500

      

Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought

501

      

Impossible. Yet, haply,
³⁹⁴³
of thy race

502

      

In future days, if malice should abound,

503

      

Someone intent on mischief, or inspired

504

      

With devilish machination,
³⁹⁴⁴
might devise

505

      

Like
³⁹⁴⁵
instrument to plague the sons of men

506

      

For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent.

507

      

Forthwith from council to the work they flew.

508

      

None arguing stood; innumerable hands

509

      

Were ready. In a moment up they turned

510

      

Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath

511

      

The originals
³⁹⁴⁶
of Nature in their crude

512

      

Conception. Sulphurous and nitrous foam

513

      

They found, they mingled and, with subtle art,

514

      

Concocted
³⁹⁴⁷
and adjusted,
³⁹⁴⁸
they reduced

515

      

To blackest grain,
³⁹⁴⁹
and into store conveyed.

516

      

Part
³⁹⁵⁰
hidden veins digged up (nor hath this earth

517

      

Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,

518

      

Whereof to found
³⁹⁵¹
their engines and their balls

519

      

Of missive ruin;
³⁹⁵²
part incentive
³⁹⁵³
reed

520

      

Provide, pernicious
³⁹⁵⁴
with one touch to fire.

521

      

So all ere day-spring, under conscious Night,
³⁹⁵⁵

522

      

Secret they finished, and in order set,

523

      

With silent circumspection,
³⁹⁵⁶
unespied.

524

      

   
“Now when fair morn orient
³⁹⁵⁷
in Heav’n appeared,

525

      

Up rose the victor-Angels, and to arms

526

      

The matin trumpet sung. In arms they stood

527

      

Of golden panoply,
³⁹⁵⁸
refulgent
³⁹⁵⁹
host,
³⁹⁶⁰

528

      

Soon banded.
³⁹⁶¹
Others from the dawning hills

529

      

Look round, and scouts each coast light-armèd scour,

530

      

Each quarter to descry
³⁹⁶²
the distant foe,