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Dive into John Milton's imaginative retelling of Adam and Eve's iconic story. This transformative work has left an indelible mark on art, inspiring music, film, and even video game adaptations. However, its rich language, rooted in its time, can be daunting for the modern reader. Fear not! BookCaps has crafted a vibrant, accessible rendition for today's audience.
Experience Milton's masterpiece in a renewed light, as BookCaps presents a language adaptation that resonates with contemporary sensibilities. For purists and scholars, the book also includes the timeless original, juxtaposed with its refreshed counterpart for a seamless comparison. Immerse yourself in this age-old tale, revitalized for the present day.
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Excerpt From Paradise Lost In Plain and Simple English
THE ARGUMENT
This first Book proposes, first in brief, the whole Subject, Mans disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was plac't: Then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to his side many Legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of Heaven with all his Crew into the great Deep. Which action past over, the Poem hasts into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into Hell, describ'd here, not in the Center (for Heaven and Earth may be suppos'd as yet not made, certainly not yet accurst) but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest call'd Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning Lake, thunder-struck and astonisht, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in Order and Dignity lay by him; they confer of thir miserable fall. Satan awakens all his Legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded; They rise, thir Numbers, array of Battel, thir chief Leaders nam'd, according to the Idols known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoyning. To these Satan directs his Speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them lastly of a new World and new kind of Creature to be created, according to an ancient Prophesie or report in Heaven; for that Angels were long before this visible Creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this Prophesie, and what to determin thereon he refers to a full Councel. What his Associates thence attempt. Pandemonium the Palace of Satan rises, suddenly built out of the Deep: The infernal Peers there sit in Councel.
This first book introduces, briefly at first, the whole subject of Man’s disobedience, and the loss of Paradise in which he had been placed.Then it touches on the main cause of his fall, the serpent, or rather Satan disguised as a serpent.He rebelled against God, and with the many regiments of Angels he had drawn to his side he was banished from Heaven by God into the great Deep.Passing over this action, the Poem goes straight to the center of things, showing Satan and his Angels fallen into Hell, which is described here, not in the Center of Earth (for it should be imagined that Heaven and Earth have not yet been made, and certainly not cursed) but in a place of utter darkness which has the appropriate name of Chaos.Here Satan and his Angels lie on the burning lake, astonished and stunned.After a while Satan recovers and calls up his leaders and they discuss their miserable fall.Satan wakes his armies, who had been in the same state.They rise up, and their numbers, battle order and the names of their chief leaders (those by which they were known in Canaan and neighboring lands) are listed.Satan speaks to them and comforts them with the hope of recapturing Heaven, but also tells them of a new world and a new kind of Creature which will be created according to an ancient prophesy and rumors in Heaven (because the opinion of many wise men is that Angels existed long before the creation of Earth).To find out the truth of this prophesy, and to decide what to do about it, he calls a full council, which all his confederates attend.Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, is suddenly built out of the pit, and the Lords of Hell meet there in debate.
Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of EDEN, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top
Of OREB, or of SINAI, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,
In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rose out of CHAOS: Or if SION Hill
Delight thee more, and SILOA'S Brook that flow'd
Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th' AONIAN Mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime.
Of the first disobedience of Man, and the fruit
Of the forbidden tree, the taste of which
Brought Death and sorrow into the world
And barred us from Paradise, until a greater Man
Led us back to the Heavenly lands,
Sing, sacred Inspiration, you who on the secret mountain
Of Oreb, or in the Sinai Desert, inspired
The Shepherd who first taught the chosen people
How in the beginning Heaven and Earth
Was created from disorder.Or if Sion Hill,
Is your chosen spot, or Siloa’s stream which flowed
Swiftly past God’s messenger; from there
I call you to help me as I sing my ambitious song,
Which I don’t intend to take the easy way
Above the mountain of inspiration, while it tries
Things never yet seen in either prose or poetry.
And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first
Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss
And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark
Illumine, what is low raise and support;
That to the highth of this great Argument
I may assert th' Eternal Providence,
And justifie the wayes of God to men.
And chiefly, Spirit, which values
More than temples the pure and honest heart,
Guide me, for you have the wisdom;from the start
You were there, and with your great wings spread out
Sat like a dove, perched over the great gorge
And bred life from it:shine a light
Into the darkness inside me, lift up what is low,
So that I can do justice to this great subject
And show the actions of God,
And explain the ways of God to men.
Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view
Nor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what cause
Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State,
Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off
From their Creator, and transgress his Will
For one restraint, Lords of the World besides?
Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt?
Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile
Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd
The Mother of Mankinde, what time his Pride
Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host
Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring
To set himself in Glory above his Peers,
He trusted to have equal'd the most High,
If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim
Against the Throne and Monarchy of God
Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power
Hurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie
With hideous ruine and combustion down
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell
In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire,
Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms.
Firstly, because you see all that is in Heaven
And in the deep pit of Hell, say what made
Our grandparents, living that happy existence,
So much blessed by Heaven, break away
From their Creator, and disobey his orders,
His one law, apart from which they were Lords of the World.
Who led them into that awful rebellion?
The hellish snake; it was he whose cunning
Driven by envy and revenge, tricked
The Mother of Mankind, after his pride
Caused him to be thrown out of heaven, with his army
Of rebel Angels, with whose help he had planned
To set himself up in heaven as the highest,
Thinking he could even take on the role of God
If he fought Him; and driven by ambition
Against the throne and kingship of God
Started a blasphemous war in heaven and fought proudly
But in vain.The Almighty Power threw him
Down in flames from the skies of Heaven
With terrible flame and destruction, down
To the bottomless pit of hell, to live there
Bound in unbreakable chains, burned with punishing fire,
For having dared challenge the Almighty to battle.
Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquisht, rowling in the fiery Gulfe
Confounded though immortal: But his doom
Reserv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain
Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes
That witness'd huge affliction and dismay
Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate:
At once as far as Angels kenn he views
The dismal Situation waste and wilde,
A Dungeon horrible, on all sides round
As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames
No light, but rather darkness visible
Serv'd only to discover sights of woe,
Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
That comes to all; but torture without end
Still urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed
With ever-burning Sulphur unconsum'd:
Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd
For those rebellious, here their Prison ordain'd
In utter darkness, and their portion set
As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n
As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Pole.
For nine days, as they are measured
By men, he and his terrible gang
Lay beaten, thrashing in the fiery sea,
Defeated though still immortal: But his fate
Raised further anger in him; for now the thought
Of the happiness he had lost and the pain he now faces
Tortures him: he cast around his hate filled eyes
Which showed great pain and terror
Mixed with unyielding pride and unmoving hate:
As far as Angels can see he sees
The terrible place, bleak and wild,
A horrible dungeon, whose walls all around
Burned like one great oven, but from those flames
There is no light, but a visible darkness
Which only showed things of sadness,
Lands of sorrow, miserable shadows, where peace
And rest are unknown, where the hope that comes to all
Never comes; endless torture
Drives on forever, and there is a fiery storm, fed
By sulphur which burns forever and never runs out:
This was the place God’s justice had made
For these rebels, here he had ordered their prison built
In total darkness, and their allotted place
Was to be as far away from God and Heaven’s light
As three times distance from the equator to the Poles.
O how unlike the place from whence they fell!
There the companions of his fall, o'rewhelm'd
With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,
He soon discerns, and weltring by his side
One next himself in power, and next in crime,
Long after known in PALESTINE, and nam'd
BEELZEBUB. To whom th' Arch-Enemy,
And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words
Breaking the horrid silence thus began.
If thou beest he; But O how fall'n! how chang'd
From him, who in the happy Realms of Light
Cloth'd with transcendent brightnes didst outshine
Myriads though bright: If he whom mutual league,
United thoughts and counsels, equal hope,
And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,
Joynd with me once, now misery hath joynd
In equal ruin: into what Pit thou seest
From what highth fal'n, so much the stronger provd
He with his Thunder: and till then who knew
The force of those dire Arms? yet not for those
Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage
Can else inflict do I repent or change,
Though chang'd in outward lustre; that fixt mind
And high disdain, from sence of injur'd merit,
That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend,
And to the fierce contention brought along
Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd
That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring,
His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd
In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n,
And shook his throne. What though the field be lost?
All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield:
And what is else not to be overcome?
That Glory never shall his wrath or might
Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace
With suppliant knee, and deifie his power
Who from the terrour of this Arm so late
Doubted his Empire, that were low indeed,
That were an ignominy and shame beneath
This downfall; since by Fate the strength of Gods
And this Empyreal substance cannot fail,
Since through experience of this great event
In Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc't,
We may with more successful hope resolve
To wage by force or guile eternal Warr
Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe,
Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy
Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n.
Oh, how different it was to their former home!
There those who fell with him, beaten down
With floods and whirlwinds of stormy flames,
He soon makes out, and in turmoil by his side
Is one almost equal in power, as bad in crime,
Who in later times appeared in Palestine, and his name
Was Beelzebub.The Arch Enemy,
Who was now called Satan in Heaven, with bold words
Breaking through the ghastly silence, spoke to him:
“Is that you?How you have fallen, how changed you are
From the one who in the happy Lands of Light,
Dressed in heavenly brightness outshone
So many others, though bright themselves.If it’s you
Who joined with me in thought, plans, hope
And risk in our great adventure,
Then now we’re joined again in suffering,
In our destruction:you see the pit,
How low we have fallen, which shows how much stronger
God’s thunder was: but before we fought Him who knew
Just how strong He was?But for all his strength
And anything else the winner might do in his anger,
I have no regret, I won’t change my mind,
Even though my appearance has changed: I am staying
True to my hatred, caused by my sense of injustice,
Which led me to take on the Mighty in battle,
And to bring along to the fight
A numberless force of Spirits
Who also hated His rule, and preferred me.
We took on the ultimate power with the power of our own,
In a hard fought battle on the fields of Heaven
And shook his throne.So what if we lost the battle?
All is not lost:we shall keep our unquenchable ambition,
And look out for revenge, hating forever,
And be brave enough never to give in,
And so what has He truly won?
All His strength and anger will never
Take that away from me.To bow and beg for pardon
On bended knee, and worship the power
That so recently feared for his rule in the face
Of my own power, that would be too low,
That would be a disgrace and shame far worse
Than this fall: the Eternal Laws state that our strength
And this stuff we’re made of cannot be destroyed,
So our experience in this great battle hasn’t
Taken our strength and has increased our cunning,
So we can hope for greater success as we set out
To fight an everlasting war with strength or cunning,
Never giving in to our great enemy,
Who has won, for now, and with great happiness
Has sole possession of the title of Tyrant of Heaven.”
So spake th' Apostate Angel, though in pain,
Vaunting aloud, but rackt with deep despare:
And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer.
O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers,
That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr
Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds
Fearless, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King;
And put to proof his high Supremacy,
Whether upheld by strength, or Chance, or Fate,
Too well I see and rue the dire event,
That with sad overthrow and foul defeat
Hath lost us Heav'n, and all this mighty Host
In horrible destruction laid thus low,
As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences
Can Perish: for the mind and spirit remains
Invincible, and vigour soon returns,
Though all our Glory extinct, and happy state
Here swallow'd up in endless misery.
But what if he our Conquerour, (whom I now
Of force believe Almighty, since no less
Then such could hav orepow'rd such force as ours)
Have left us this our spirit and strength intire
Strongly to suffer and support our pains,
That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,
Or do him mightier service as his thralls
By right of Warr, what e're his business be
Here in the heart of Hell to work in Fire,
Or do his Errands in the gloomy Deep;
What can it then avail though yet we feel
Strength undiminisht, or eternal being
To undergo eternal punishment?
So the rebel Angel spoke, although he was in pain,
Boasting out loud, but inside torn with despair,
And soon his arrogant comrade replied:
“Oh Prince, the ruler over many thrones,
Who led the Angels in armor to war
Under your orders, and with terrible deeds, without
Fear, challenged the power of Heaven’s eternal King,
And tested his mighty rule.
Whether he won through strength, or luck, or fate,
I can see and regret the terrible result all too well.
Our terrible loss and casting down
Has barred us from Heaven, and all this great army
Has been thrown down in ruin,
As close to death as Gods and Heavenly forms
Can come, for the mind and spirit
Cannot be beaten, and strength will come back, even if
All our light has been extinguished, and our happiness
Is drowned here in this endless suffering.
But what if he who beat us (who I now
Must acknowledge as Almighty in strength, since only
Such a one could have beaten our armies)
Has left our spirit and strength intact
So that we can better feel pain,
So He can go on taking his revenge,
Or carry on serving him as slaves,
His by right of victory: to order us, whatever he’s up to,
To work in the fire here in the heart of Hell,
To do his errands in these gloomy depths;
In that case how will it help us to feel
Undiminished strength, or eternal life?
It’ll just help us to suffer eternal punishment.”
Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-fiend reply'd.
Fall'n Cherube, to be weak is miserable
Doing or Suffering: but of this be sure,
To do ought good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight,
As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist. If then his Providence
Out of our evil seek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,
And out of good still to find means of evil;
Which oft times may succeed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb
His inmost counsels from their destind aim.
But see the angry Victor hath recall'd
His Ministers of vengeance and pursuit
Back to the Gates of Heav'n: The Sulphurous Hail
Shot after us in storm, oreblown hath laid
The fiery Surge, that from the Precipice
Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling, and the Thunder,
Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage,
Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now
To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep.
Let us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn,
Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe.
Seest thou yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wilde,
The seat of desolation, voyd of light,
Save what the glimmering of these livid flames
Casts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend
From off the tossing of these fiery waves,
There rest, if any rest can harbour there,
And reassembling our afflicted Powers,
Consult how we may henceforth most offend
Our Enemy, our own loss how repair,
How overcome this dire Calamity,
What reinforcement we may gain from Hope,
If not what resolution from despare.
The leader of the demons swiftly replied:
“Fallen Angel, weakness is a miserable thing,
In action or in suffering: but I can promise you,
We will never do anything good.
To always do harm will be our only pleasure,
Because it will go against the desires
Of him we are fighting.If God tries
To create good from our evil
Then we must work to twist his goal
And make sure that evil comes out of good;
This might happen often, and perhaps
Cause him grief, if my plans work, and knock
His most cherished plans off course.
But look, the furious winner has called back
His agents of revenge who chased us,
To the Gates of Heaven: the fiery hail
That stormed after us has blown out now.
The wave of fire that followed us
As we fell from the edge of Heaven, and the thunder,
Accompanied by red lightning and furious anger
Has perhaps been exhausted, and has stopped
Bellowing through this huge and bottomless pit.
Let’s not miss our chance, whether it is contempt
Or the end of his anger that makes our enemy give it to us.
Do you see that miserable plain, abandoned and wild,
Desolate, without light
Apart from the flicker which these angry flames
Give, pale and horrid?Let us go there,
Away from these waves of fire,
And rest, if there is any rest to be had there,
And gather up our damaged forces,
Debate how from now on we can do most damage
To our enemy, how we can make up for our loss,
How we can overcome this terrible disaster,
How we can get strength from hope,
Or at least how we can gain determination from despair.”
This first Book proposes, first in brief, the whole Subject, Mans disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was plac't: Then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent; who revolting from God, and drawing to his side many Legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of Heaven with all his Crew into the great Deep. Which action past over, the Poem hasts into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into Hell, describ'd here, not in the Center (for Heaven and Earth may be suppos'd as yet not made, certainly not yet accurst) but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest call'd Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning Lake, thunder-struck and astonisht, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in Order and Dignity lay by him; they confer of thir miserable fall. Satan awakens all his Legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded; They rise, thir Numbers, array of Battel, thir chief Leaders nam'd, according to the Idols known afterwards in Canaan and the Countries adjoyning. To these Satan directs his Speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them lastly of a new World and new kind of Creature to be created, according to an ancient Prophesie or report in Heaven; for that Angels were long before this visible Creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this Prophesie, and what to determin thereon he refers to a full Councel. What his Associates thence attempt. Pandemonium the Palace of Satan rises, suddenly built out of the Deep: The infernal Peers there sit in Councel.
This first book introduces, briefly at first, the whole subject of Man’s disobedience, and the loss of Paradise in which he had been placed.Then it touches on the main cause of his fall, the serpent, or rather Satan disguised as a serpent.He rebelled against God, and with the many regiments of Angels he had drawn to his side he was banished from Heaven by God into the great Deep.Passing over this action, the Poem goes straight to the center of things, showing Satan and his Angels fallen into Hell, which is described here, not in the Center of Earth (for it should be imagined that Heaven and Earth have not yet been made, and certainly not cursed) but in a place of utter darkness which has the appropriate name of Chaos.Here Satan and his Angels lie on the burning lake, astonished and stunned.After a while Satan recovers and calls up his leaders and they discuss their miserable fall.Satan wakes his armies, who had been in the same state.They rise up, and their numbers, battle order and the names of their chief leaders (those by which they were known in Canaan and neighboring lands) are listed.Satan speaks to them and comforts them with the hope of recapturing Heaven, but also tells them of a new world and a new kind of Creature which will be created according to an ancient prophesy and rumors in Heaven (because the opinion of many wise men is that Angels existed long before the creation of Earth).To find out the truth of this prophesy, and to decide what to do about it, he calls a full council, which all his confederates attend.Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, is suddenly built out of the pit, and the Lords of Hell meet there in debate.
Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of EDEN, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat,
Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top
Of OREB, or of SINAI, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,
In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth
Rose out of CHAOS: Or if SION Hill
Delight thee more, and SILOA'S Brook that flow'd
Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence
Invoke thy aid to my adventrous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th' AONIAN Mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhime.
Of the first disobedience of Man, and the fruit
Of the forbidden tree, the taste of which
Brought Death and sorrow into the world
And barred us from Paradise, until a greater Man
Led us back to the Heavenly lands,
Sing, sacred Inspiration, you who on the secret mountain
Of Oreb, or in the Sinai Desert, inspired
The Shepherd who first taught the chosen people
How in the beginning Heaven and Earth
Was created from disorder.Or if Sion Hill,
Is your chosen spot, or Siloa’s stream which flowed
Swiftly past God’s messenger; from there
I call you to help me as I sing my ambitious song,
Which I don’t intend to take the easy way
Above the mountain of inspiration, while it tries
Things never yet seen in either prose or poetry.
And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all Temples th' upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for Thou know'st; Thou from the first
Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread
Dove-like satst brooding on the vast Abyss
And mad'st it pregnant: What in me is dark
Illumine, what is low raise and support;
That to the highth of this great Argument
I may assert th' Eternal Providence,
And justifie the wayes of God to men.
And chiefly, Spirit, which values
More than temples the pure and honest heart,
Guide me, for you have the wisdom;from the start
You were there, and with your great wings spread out
Sat like a dove, perched over the great gorge
And bred life from it:shine a light
Into the darkness inside me, lift up what is low,
So that I can do justice to this great subject
And show the actions of God,
And explain the ways of God to men.
Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view
Nor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what cause
Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State,
Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off
From their Creator, and transgress his Will
For one restraint, Lords of the World besides?
Who first seduc'd them to that fowl revolt?
Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile
Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd
The Mother of Mankinde, what time his Pride
Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host
Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring
To set himself in Glory above his Peers,
He trusted to have equal'd the most High,
If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim
Against the Throne and Monarchy of God
Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power
Hurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie
With hideous ruine and combustion down
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell
In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire,
Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms.
Firstly, because you see all that is in Heaven
And in the deep pit of Hell, say what made
Our grandparents, living that happy existence,
So much blessed by Heaven, break away
From their Creator, and disobey his orders,
His one law, apart from which they were Lords of the World.
Who led them into that awful rebellion?
The hellish snake; it was he whose cunning
Driven by envy and revenge, tricked
The Mother of Mankind, after his pride
Caused him to be thrown out of heaven, with his army
Of rebel Angels, with whose help he had planned
To set himself up in heaven as the highest,
Thinking he could even take on the role of God
If he fought Him; and driven by ambition
Against the throne and kingship of God
Started a blasphemous war in heaven and fought proudly
But in vain.The Almighty Power threw him
Down in flames from the skies of Heaven
With terrible flame and destruction, down
To the bottomless pit of hell, to live there
Bound in unbreakable chains, burned with punishing fire,
For having dared challenge the Almighty to battle.
Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night
To mortal men, he with his horrid crew
Lay vanquisht, rowling in the fiery Gulfe
Confounded though immortal: But his doom
Reserv'd him to more wrath; for now the thought
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain
Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes
That witness'd huge affliction and dismay
Mixt with obdurate pride and stedfast hate:
At once as far as Angels kenn he views
The dismal Situation waste and wilde,
A Dungeon horrible, on all sides round
As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames
No light, but rather darkness visible
Serv'd only to discover sights of woe,
Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace
And rest can never dwell, hope never comes
That comes to all; but torture without end
Still urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed
With ever-burning Sulphur unconsum'd:
Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd
For those rebellious, here their Prison ordain'd
In utter darkness, and their portion set
As far remov'd from God and light of Heav'n
As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Pole.
For nine days, as they are measured
By men, he and his terrible gang
Lay beaten, thrashing in the fiery sea,
Defeated though still immortal: But his fate
Raised further anger in him; for now the thought
Of the happiness he had lost and the pain he now faces
Tortures him: he cast around his hate filled eyes
Which showed great pain and terror
Mixed with unyielding pride and unmoving hate:
As far as Angels can see he sees
The terrible place, bleak and wild,
A horrible dungeon, whose walls all around
Burned like one great oven, but from those flames
There is no light, but a visible darkness
Which only showed things of sadness,
Lands of sorrow, miserable shadows, where peace
And rest are unknown, where the hope that comes to all
Never comes; endless torture
Drives on forever, and there is a fiery storm, fed
By sulphur which burns forever and never runs out:
This was the place God’s justice had made
For these rebels, here he had ordered their prison built
In total darkness, and their allotted place
Was to be as far away from God and Heaven’s light
As three times distance from the equator to the Poles.
O how unlike the place from whence they fell!
There the companions of his fall, o'rewhelm'd
With Floods and Whirlwinds of tempestuous fire,
He soon discerns, and weltring by his side
One next himself in power, and next in crime,
Long after known in PALESTINE, and nam'd
BEELZEBUB. To whom th' Arch-Enemy,
And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold words
Breaking the horrid silence thus began.
If thou beest he; But O how fall'n! how chang'd
From him, who in the happy Realms of Light
Cloth'd with transcendent brightnes didst outshine
Myriads though bright: If he whom mutual league,
United thoughts and counsels, equal hope,
And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,
Joynd with me once, now misery hath joynd
In equal ruin: into what Pit thou seest
From what highth fal'n, so much the stronger provd
He with his Thunder: and till then who knew
The force of those dire Arms? yet not for those
Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage
Can else inflict do I repent or change,
Though chang'd in outward lustre; that fixt mind
And high disdain, from sence of injur'd merit,
That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend,
And to the fierce contention brought along
Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd
That durst dislike his reign, and me preferring,
His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd
In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n,
And shook his throne. What though the field be lost?
All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield:
And what is else not to be overcome?
That Glory never shall his wrath or might
Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace
With suppliant knee, and deifie his power
Who from the terrour of this Arm so late
Doubted his Empire, that were low indeed,
That were an ignominy and shame beneath
This downfall; since by Fate the strength of Gods
And this Empyreal substance cannot fail,
Since through experience of this great event
In Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc't,
We may with more successful hope resolve
To wage by force or guile eternal Warr
Irreconcileable, to our grand Foe,
Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy
Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n.
Oh, how different it was to their former home!
There those who fell with him, beaten down
With floods and whirlwinds of stormy flames,
He soon makes out, and in turmoil by his side
Is one almost equal in power, as bad in crime,
Who in later times appeared in Palestine, and his name
Was Beelzebub.The Arch Enemy,
Who was now called Satan in Heaven, with bold words
Breaking through the ghastly silence, spoke to him:
“Is that you?How you have fallen, how changed you are
From the one who in the happy Lands of Light,
Dressed in heavenly brightness outshone
So many others, though bright themselves.If it’s you
Who joined with me in thought, plans, hope
And risk in our great adventure,
Then now we’re joined again in suffering,
In our destruction:you see the pit,
How low we have fallen, which shows how much stronger
God’s thunder was: but before we fought Him who knew
Just how strong He was?But for all his strength
And anything else the winner might do in his anger,
I have no regret, I won’t change my mind,
Even though my appearance has changed: I am staying
True to my hatred, caused by my sense of injustice,
Which led me to take on the Mighty in battle,
And to bring along to the fight
A numberless force of Spirits
Who also hated His rule, and preferred me.
We took on the ultimate power with the power of our own,
In a hard fought battle on the fields of Heaven
And shook his throne.So what if we lost the battle?
All is not lost:we shall keep our unquenchable ambition,
And look out for revenge, hating forever,
And be brave enough never to give in,
And so what has He truly won?
All His strength and anger will never
Take that away from me.To bow and beg for pardon
On bended knee, and worship the power
That so recently feared for his rule in the face
Of my own power, that would be too low,
That would be a disgrace and shame far worse
Than this fall: the Eternal Laws state that our strength
And this stuff we’re made of cannot be destroyed,
So our experience in this great battle hasn’t
Taken our strength and has increased our cunning,
So we can hope for greater success as we set out
To fight an everlasting war with strength or cunning,
Never giving in to our great enemy,
Who has won, for now, and with great happiness
Has sole possession of the title of Tyrant of Heaven.”
So spake th' Apostate Angel, though in pain,
Vaunting aloud, but rackt with deep despare:
And him thus answer'd soon his bold Compeer.
O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers,
That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr
Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds
Fearless, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King;
And put to proof his high Supremacy,
Whether upheld by strength, or Chance, or Fate,
Too well I see and rue the dire event,
That with sad overthrow and foul defeat
Hath lost us Heav'n, and all this mighty Host
In horrible destruction laid thus low,
As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences
Can Perish: for the mind and spirit remains
Invincible, and vigour soon returns,
Though all our Glory extinct, and happy state
Here swallow'd up in endless misery.
But what if he our Conquerour, (whom I now
Of force believe Almighty, since no less
Then such could hav orepow'rd such force as ours)
Have left us this our spirit and strength intire
Strongly to suffer and support our pains,
That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,
Or do him mightier service as his thralls
By right of Warr, what e're his business be
Here in the heart of Hell to work in Fire,
Or do his Errands in the gloomy Deep;
What can it then avail though yet we feel
Strength undiminisht, or eternal being
To undergo eternal punishment?
So the rebel Angel spoke, although he was in pain,
Boasting out loud, but inside torn with despair,
And soon his arrogant comrade replied:
“Oh Prince, the ruler over many thrones,
Who led the Angels in armor to war
Under your orders, and with terrible deeds, without
Fear, challenged the power of Heaven’s eternal King,
And tested his mighty rule.
Whether he won through strength, or luck, or fate,
I can see and regret the terrible result all too well.
Our terrible loss and casting down
Has barred us from Heaven, and all this great army
Has been thrown down in ruin,
As close to death as Gods and Heavenly forms
Can come, for the mind and spirit
Cannot be beaten, and strength will come back, even if
All our light has been extinguished, and our happiness
Is drowned here in this endless suffering.
But what if he who beat us (who I now
Must acknowledge as Almighty in strength, since only
Such a one could have beaten our armies)
Has left our spirit and strength intact
So that we can better feel pain,
So He can go on taking his revenge,
Or carry on serving him as slaves,
His by right of victory: to order us, whatever he’s up to,
To work in the fire here in the heart of Hell,
To do his errands in these gloomy depths;
In that case how will it help us to feel
Undiminished strength, or eternal life?
It’ll just help us to suffer eternal punishment.”
Whereto with speedy words th' Arch-fiend reply'd.
Fall'n Cherube, to be weak is miserable
Doing or Suffering: but of this be sure,
To do ought good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight,
As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist. If then his Providence
Out of our evil seek to bring forth good,
Our labour must be to pervert that end,
And out of good still to find means of evil;
Which oft times may succeed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not, and disturb
His inmost counsels from their destind aim.
But see the angry Victor hath recall'd
His Ministers of vengeance and pursuit
Back to the Gates of Heav'n: The Sulphurous Hail
Shot after us in storm, oreblown hath laid
The fiery Surge, that from the Precipice
Of Heav'n receiv'd us falling, and the Thunder,
Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage,
Perhaps hath spent his shafts, and ceases now
To bellow through the vast and boundless Deep.
Let us not slip th' occasion, whether scorn,
Or satiate fury yield it from our Foe.
Seest thou yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wilde,
The seat of desolation, voyd of light,
Save what the glimmering of these livid flames
Casts pale and dreadful? Thither let us tend
From off the tossing of these fiery waves,
There rest, if any rest can harbour there,
And reassembling our afflicted Powers,
Consult how we may henceforth most offend
Our Enemy, our own loss how repair,
How overcome this dire Calamity,
What reinforcement we may gain from Hope,
If not what resolution from despare.
The leader of the demons swiftly replied:
“Fallen Angel, weakness is a miserable thing,
In action or in suffering: but I can promise you,
We will never do anything good.
To always do harm will be our only pleasure,
Because it will go against the desires
Of him we are fighting.If God tries
To create good from our evil
Then we must work to twist his goal
And make sure that evil comes out of good;
This might happen often, and perhaps
Cause him grief, if my plans work, and knock
His most cherished plans off course.
But look, the furious winner has called back
His agents of revenge who chased us,
To the Gates of Heaven: the fiery hail
That stormed after us has blown out now.
The wave of fire that followed us
As we fell from the edge of Heaven, and the thunder,
Accompanied by red lightning and furious anger
Has perhaps been exhausted, and has stopped
Bellowing through this huge and bottomless pit.
Let’s not miss our chance, whether it is contempt
Or the end of his anger that makes our enemy give it to us.
Do you see that miserable plain, abandoned and wild,
Desolate, without light
Apart from the flicker which these angry flames
Give, pale and horrid?Let us go there,
Away from these waves of fire,
And rest, if there is any rest to be had there,
And gather up our damaged forces,
Debate how from now on we can do most damage
To our enemy, how we can make up for our loss,
How we can overcome this terrible disaster,
How we can get strength from hope,
Or at least how we can gain determination from despair.”
Translation missing: en.general.search.loading