O For that warning voice, which he who saw
Th Apocalyps, heard cry in Heaven aloud,
Thehe Dragon, put to sed rout,
Came furious down to be revengd on men,
Wo to the inhabitants oh! that now, [ 5 ]
While time was, our first-Parents had bin warnd
The ing of thir secret foe, and scapd
Haply so scapd his mortal snare; for now
Satan, now first inflamd with rage, came down,
The Tempter ere th Accuser of man-kind, [ 10 ]
To wre i frail man his loss
Of that first Battel, and his flight to Hell:
Yet not rejoyg in his speed, though bold,
Far off and fearless, nor with cause to boast,
Begins his dire attempt, whiigh the birth [ 15 ]
Now rowling, boiles in his tumultuous brest,
And like a devillish Engine back recoiles
Upon himself; horror and doubt distract
His troubld thoughts, and from the bottom stirr
The Hell within him, for within him Hell [ 20 ]
He brings, and round about him, nor from Hell
Oep no more then from himself fly
By ge of plaow sce wakes despair
That slumberd, wakes the bitter memorie
Of what he was, what is, and what must be [ 25 ]
Worse; of worse deeds worse sufferings must ensue.
Sometimes towards Eden whiow in his view
Lay pleasant, his grievd look he fixes sad,
Sometimes towards Heavn and the full-blazing Sun,
Whiow sat high in his Meridian Towre: [ 30 ]
Then much revolving, thus in sighs began.
O thou that with surpassing Glory d,
Lookst from thy sole Dominion like the God
Of this new World; at whose sight all the Starrs
Hide thir diminisht heads; to thee I call, [ 35 ]
But with no friendly voice, and add thy name
O Sun, to tell thee how I hate thy beams
That bring to my remembrance from what state
I fell, how glorious once above thy Spheare;
Till Pride and worse Ambition threw me down [ 40 ]
Warring in Heavn against Heavns matchless King:
Ah wherefore! he deservd no such return
From me, whom he created what I was
In that bright eminence, and with his good
Upbraided none; nor was his service hard. [ 45 ]
What could be less then to afford him praise,
The easiest repence, and pay him thanks,
How due! yet all his good provd ill in me,
And wrought but malice; lifted up so high
I sdeind subje, and thought oep higher [ 50 ]
Would set me highest, and in a moment quit
The debt immense of endless gratitude,
So burtheill paying, still to ow;
Fetful what from him I still receivd,
And uood not that a grateful mind [ 55 ]
By owing owes not, but still pays, at once
Ied and dischargd; what burden then?