登陆注册
5386800000007

第7章 Book 2(1)

High on a Throne of Royal State, which far Outshon the wealth of ORMUS and of IND, Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand Showrs on her Kings BARBARIC Pearl & Gold, Satan exalted sat, by merit rais'd To that bad eminence; and from despair Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue Vain Warr with Heav'n, and by success untaught His proud imaginations thus displaid.

Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n, For since no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigor, though opprest and fall'n, I give not Heav'n for lost. From this descent Celestial vertues rising, will appear More glorious and more dread then from no fall, And trust themselves to fear no second fate:

Mee though just right, and the fixt Laws of Heav'n Did first create your Leader, next, free choice, With what besides, in Counsel or in Fight, Hath bin achievd of merit, yet this loss Thus farr at least recover'd, hath much more Establisht in a safe unenvied Throne Yeilded with full consent. The happier state In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw Envy from each inferior; but who here Will envy whom the highest place exposes Formost to stand against the Thunderers aime Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share Of endless pain? where there is then no good For which to strive, no strife can grow up there From Faction; for none sure will claim in hell Precedence, none, whose portion is so small Of present pain, that with ambitious mind Will covet more. With this advantage then To union, and firm Faith, and firm accord, More then can be in Heav'n, we now return To claim our just inheritance of old, Surer to prosper then prosperity Could have assur'd us; and by what best way, Whether of open Warr or covert guile, We now debate; who can advise, may speak.

He ceas'd, and next him MOLOC, Scepter'd King Stood up, the strongest and the fiercest Spirit That fought in Heav'n; now fiercer by despair:

His trust was with th' Eternal to be deem'd Equal in strength, and rather then be less Car'd not to be at all; with that care lost Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse He reckd not, and these words thereafter spake.

My sentence is for open Warr: Of Wiles, More unexpert, I boast not: them let those Contrive who need, or when they need, not now.

For while they sit contriving, shall the rest, Millions that stand in Arms, and longing wait The Signal to ascend, sit lingring here Heav'ns fugitives, and for thir dwelling place Accept this dark opprobrious Den of shame, The Prison of his Tyranny who Reigns By our delay? no, let us rather choose Arm'd with Hell flames and fury all at once O're Heav'ns high Towrs to force resistless way, Turning our Tortures into horrid Arms Against the Torturer; when to meet the noise Of his Almighty Engin he shall hear Infernal Thunder, and for Lightning see Black fire and horror shot with equal rage Among his Angels; and his Throne it self Mixt with TARTAREAN Sulphur, and strange fire, His own invented Torments. But perhaps The way seems difficult and steep to scale With upright wing against a higher foe.

Let such bethink them, if the sleepy drench Of that forgetful Lake benumme not still, That in our proper motion we ascend Up to our native seat: descent and fall To us is adverse. Who but felt of late When the fierce Foe hung on our brok'n Rear Insulting, and pursu'd us through the Deep, With what compulsion and laborious flight We sunk thus low? Th' ascent is easie then;

Th' event is fear'd; should we again provoke Our stronger, some worse way his wrath may find To our destruction: if there be in Hell Fear to be worse destroy'd: what can be worse Then to dwell here, driv'n out from bliss, condemn'd In this abhorred deep to utter woe;

Where pain of unextinguishable fire Must exercise us without hope of end The Vassals of his anger, when the Scourge Inexorably, and the torturing houre Calls us to Penance? More destroy'd then thus We should be quite abolisht and expire.

What fear we then? what doubt we to incense His utmost ire? which to the highth enrag'd, Will either quite consume us, and reduce To nothing this essential, happier farr Then miserable to have eternal being:

Or if our substance be indeed Divine, And cannot cease to be, we are at worst On this side nothing; and by proof we feel Our power sufficient to disturb his Heav'n, And with perpetual inrodes to Allarme, Though inaccessible, his fatal Throne:

Which if not Victory is yet Revenge.

He ended frowning, and his look denounc'd Desperate revenge, and Battel dangerous To less then Gods. On th' other side up rose BELIAL, in act more graceful and humane;

A fairer person lost not Heav'n; he seemd For dignity compos'd and high exploit:

But all was false and hollow; though his Tongue Dropt Manna, and could make the worse appear The better reason, to perplex and dash Maturest Counsels: for his thoughts were low;

To vice industrious, but to Nobler deeds Timorous and slothful: yet he pleas'd the eare, And with perswasive accent thus began.

I should be much for open Warr, O Peers, As not behind in hate; if what was urg'd Main reason to perswade immediate Warr, Did not disswade me most, and seem to cast Ominous conjecture on the whole success:

When he who most excels in fact of Arms, In what he counsels and in what excels Mistrustful, grounds his courage on despair And utter dissolution, as the scope Of all his aim, after some dire revenge.

同类推荐
  • 所知录

    所知录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Age of Invention

    The Age of Invention

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 涅槃经义记

    涅槃经义记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 乐府阳春白雪

    乐府阳春白雪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 沙弥十戒法并威仪

    沙弥十戒法并威仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 医盛

    医盛

    他是乱世枭雄,情深似海,情比金坚,却不是对她。她是苍灵山上人人敬仰,聪颖过人的神医之女初遇,他身中剧毒,她为报恩而来,救他性命……这是一个救命之恩当以身相许的故事。我想写一个一半江湖,一半朝堂的故事,男主端王现下为情所困所伤,女主医术高明且美丽,男主大约就是其他书中深情款款爱而不得的男配,不忍心看他孤苦。他那么好,该有一个好姑娘全心全意的爱他。
  • 太上戒经

    太上戒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大唐乐圣

    大唐乐圣

    老大:每一个时代,都需要有一些人代表正义和光明,所以,我来了。老二:那么,每一个时代,也需要人代表邪恶和黑暗。老三:人就不可以太聪明,否则,烦恼的事情就越来越多。所以,我傻,我的欢乐多。李龟年:我只是带给这个世界欢乐,并不是让所有人变成傻冒,虽然,各位都是······已有完本作品《大唐农圣》,欢迎各位书友品鉴。
  • 抱真堂诗话

    抱真堂诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 难忘的亲情

    难忘的亲情

    在这个物欲横流的年代,人们都习惯家丑不可外扬,家底不可示人。作者则以百倍的勇气,真实的情感,细腻的笔法,写《长哥未必当父》里的大哥的欠债烂赌与不负责任不守信用的习性;《童年的期盼》中自己虽处贫寒家庭却生活在亲情与爱的包围中的感动;《哭泣的木香花》写二姐倔强的性格与命运;《飘拂的山羊胡中》的阿公的偏心;《心中的父亲》中父亲的辛劳与眷顾;《要强的女人》岳母的一家子人的爱情与生活;《永远的爸》中的亲情,《走进无声的世界中》大姐不幸的一生,这些原汁原味的生活,勾勒出一个农家人鲜活的亲情世界。
  • 古神纪:山海奇缘

    古神纪:山海奇缘

    云端之境,半步之巅,长问亭,不归居……这里居住着六界九天最后一位古神,荼夭掌管异兽之力,见过异兽与外界的爱恨别离。一生中,总有那么一个重要的人,是你无法忘记。不论你是高高在上的权威,还是轮回百载的常人……闻羲:“荼夭,我乃三司上神之司命,掌命格,执天命。却唯独,解不开你的心,看不透你的命……”夙白:“为你成妖,为你化魔。为你生,为你死。荼夭,早在你将我拾回不归居那日起,我此生所背负,只因你。”
  • 倾世医妃:相公从了吧

    倾世医妃:相公从了吧

    洛浅兮完全没想到,自己穿越了也就算了,为了救人强吻了一个美人儿,从此就被这个美人缠上……倾国倾城,倾山倾水的靠山王祁臻完全没想到,自己有生之年竟然会被一个女人强吻,当然要对他负责。“本王不管,你亲了本王就要对我负责!”祁臻清眸流转,艳华无双。“作为当朝靠山王,你能不能有点容人之量。”洛浅兮愤愤而语,“我们就不能一笑泯恩仇吗?”祁臻薄唇微翘:“比起一笑泯恩仇,本王更喜欢一炮泯恩仇。”“……”“娘子,来一发?”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 故事会(2018年2月上)

    故事会(2018年2月上)

    《故事会》是中国最通俗的民间文学小本杂志,是中国的老牌刊物之一。先后获得两届中国期刊的最高奖——国家期刊奖。1998年,它在世界综合类期刊中发行量排名第5。从1984年开始,《故事会》由双月刊改为月刊,2003年11月份开始试行半月刊,2007年正式改为半月刊。现分为红、绿两版,其中红版为上半月刊,绿版为下半月刊。
  • 闲梦远南国正芳春(上)

    闲梦远南国正芳春(上)

    车过松山,外头是一片漆黑,只有远远基隆河畔的点点灯火,被泪水汪得模模糊糊,像团团的火球,一个个忙碌地飞过天边。真的,什么都是会去的,然而怎么办,我是那样一个赖皮的人,我只要上帝,让每一个人都能永远停在他自己喜欢的时刻里。我和卡洛刚看完东南亚的《畸恋》,出得电影院,竟是阳光郁郁,地上半湿半干的已经下过一场雨了。
  • 穿书之拐个刺客当老公

    穿书之拐个刺客当老公

    【正文已完结,可放心食用,番外不定时掉落】#焦点话题##论此书到底走得是什么流派#民间神话流?例如:龙王庙里供玄龟,半烧焦的求和木,青阳镇的姻缘庙,大周国圣贤君主与石身皇后的唯美爱情……探险解谜流?例如:神庙下为何会有一间密室,密室的石壁上为何会刻有一无目美男子?百年地陵之中为何会有条机关白龙?围困毁灭者的灯笼界究竟有何用处?为何一普通话本竟能抵三年束脩?守护阴界入口的两大冥兽究竟还有何隐藏的通天之能……唯美爱情流?例如:深情机关师与单纯小可爱不得不说的唯美之恋,睿智小将军与傲气小书生的奇妙冒险之旅,忠犬帅刺客与怂萌小农女的恋爱日志,媚艳小狐妖与板正梦神的互怼燃情史……so,想知道这到底是个怎样的故事吗?很简单——点!点进去,然后使劲看,接着you就明白的。最后,本故在此期待读者君的留言,等待读者君的总结哦!??)?*??