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Of hazard more, as he above the rest
High honored sits? Go therefore, mighty
Powers,

Terror of Heaven, though fallen; intend at home,

While here shall be our home, what best may ease

The present misery, and render Hell
More tolerable; if there be cure or charm
To respite, or deceive, or slack the pain 461
Of this ill mansion; intermit no watch
Against a wakeful foe, while I abroad
Through all the coasts of dark destruction
seek

Deliverance for us all. This enterprise 465 None shall partake with me." Thus saying, rose

The Monarch, and prevented all reply; Prudent, lest, from his resolution raised,1 Others among the chief might offer now, Certain to be refused, what erst they feared,

470

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The Stygian council thus dissolved; and forth

In order came the grand Infernal Peers: Midst came their mighty Paramount, and seemed

Alone the antagonist of Heaven, nor less Than Hell's dread Emperor, with pomp

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Forbidding; and at once with him they And god-like imitated state; him round
A globe of fiery Seraphim enclosed
With bright emblazonry and horrent2

rose.

475

Their rising all at once was as the sound Of thunder heard remote. Towards him they bend

With awful reverence prone, and as a god Extol him equal to the Highest in Heaven. Nor failed they to express how much they praised

1 encouraged by his resolution.

480

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Medusa with Gorgonian terror guards
The ford, and of itself the water flies
All taste of living wight, as once it fled
The lip of Tantalus. Thus roving on
In confused march forlorn, the adventur-
ous bands,

615 With shuddering horror pale, and eyes aghast,

Viewed first their lamentable lot, and found

No rest. Through many a dark and dreary vale

They passed, and many a region dolorous, O'er many a frozen, many a fiery Alp, 620 Rocks, caves, lakes, fens, bogs, dens, and shades of death

A universe of death, which God by curse Created evil, for evil only good;

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Distinguishable in member, joint, or limb; Or substance might be called that shadow seemed,

For each seemed either-black it stood as Night, 670

Fierce as ten Furies, terrible as Hell, And shook a dreadful dart; what seemed his head

The likeness of a kingly crown had on. Satan was now at hand, and from his seat The monster moving onward came as fast, With horrid strides; Hell trembled as he strode. 676

The undaunted Fiend what this might be admired1

Admired, not feared-God and his Son except,

Created thing naught valued he nor shunned

And with disdainful look thus first began: "Whence and what art thou, execrable Shape,

681

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Shakes pestilence and war. Each at the head

Levelled his deadly aim; their fatal hands No second stroke intend; and such a frown Each cast at the other as when two black clouds,

715

With Heaven's artillery fraught, come
rattling on
Over the Caspian-then stand front to
front

Hovering a space, till winds the signal blow
To join their dark encounter in mid-air.
So frowned the mighty combatants that
Hell

Grew darker at their frown; so matched they stood;

720

For never but once more was either like To meet so great a foe. And now great deeds

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For him who sits above, and laughs the while

At thee, ordained his drudge to execute Whate'er his wrath, which he calls justice, bids

His wrath, which one day will destroy ye both!"

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Clear victory; to our part loss and rout 770 She spake, and at her words the hellish Through all the Empyrean. Down they

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