Free The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems by John Milton, Burton Raffel Page A

prophesy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created.
    Their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult search. Satan, their chief, undertakes alone the voyage, is honored and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain 1916 the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to Hell Gates, finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf 1917 between Hell and Heaven.
    With what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.
     
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    High on a throne of royal state, which far
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Outshone the wealth of Ormus 1918 and of Ind, 1919
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Or where the gorgeous 1920 East with richest hand
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Show’rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold
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Satan exalted sat, by merit raised
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To that bad eminence and, from despair
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Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires
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Beyond thus high, insatiate 1921 to pursue
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Vain war with Heav’n and, by success 1922 untaught
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His proud imaginations thus displayed
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    “Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav’n!—
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For since no deep within her gulf 1923 can hold
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Immortal vigor, 1924 though oppressed and fall’n,
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I give not Heav’n for lost. From this descent
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Celestial Virtues 1925 rising will appear
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More glorious and more dread than from no fall
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And trust themselves to fear no second fate
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Me, though, just right 1926 and the fixed laws of Heav’n
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Did first create your leader, next free choice
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With what besides in council or in fight
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Hath been achieved of merit, yet this loss
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Thus far at least recovered, 1927 hath much more
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Established in a safe, unenvied throne
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Yielded with full consent. The happier 1928 state
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In Heav’n, which follows 1929 dignity, 1930 might draw
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Envy from each inferior. But who here
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Will envy whom the highest place exposes
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Foremost to stand against the Thunderer’s aim
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Your bulwark, 1931 and condemns to greatest share
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Of endless pain? Where there is then no good
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For which to strive, no strife can grow up there
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From faction, 1932 for none sure will claim in Hell
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Precedence, none whose portion is so small
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Of present pain that with ambitious mind
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Will covet more! With this advantage, then
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To union, and firm faith, and firm accord
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More than can be in Heav’n, we now return
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To claim our just inheritance of old
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Surer to prosper than prosperity
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Could have assured us. And by what best way
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Whether of open war or covert guile
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We now debate. Who can advise may speak
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    He ceased. And next 1933 him Moloch, sceptered king,
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Stood up—the strongest and the fiercest Spirit
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That fought in Heav’n, now fiercer by despair
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His trust 1934 was with th’ Eternal to be deemed
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Equal in strength, and rather than be less
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Cared not to be at all. With that care lost
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Went all his fear—of God, or Hell, or worse
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He recked 1935 not—and these words thereafter spoke:
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    My sentence 1936 is for open war. Of wiles
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More unexpert, I boast not. Then let