Awaiting next command. To whom their chief Gabriël from the front thus call'd aloud. 865

O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet
Hafting this way, and now by glimpse discern
Ithuriel and Zephon through the shade,
And with them comes a third of regal port,

gate

But faded fplendor wan; who by his
And fierce demeanour feems the prince of Hell,
Not likely to part hence without contest;

Stand firm, for in his look defiance lours.

870

He scarce had ended, when those two approach'd, And brief related whom they brought, where found, How bufied, in what form and posture couch'd. 876 To whom with stern regard thus Gabriel spake.

865. Gabriël from the front] Gabriel is pronounced here as a word of three fyllables, tho' commonly it is ufed as only of two; a liberty.

which Milton takes in the names of the Angels.

866. O friends, I hear &c.] Gabriel's discovering Satan's approach at a diftance is drawn with great ftrength and livelinefs of imaginaAddifon. tion.

The learned Mr. Upton in his Critical Obfervations on Shakespear remarks that Milton in this whole epifode keeps clofe to his mafter Homer, who fends out Ulyffes and VOL. I.

880

Why haft thou, Satan, broke the bounds prefcrib'd
To thy tranfgreffions, and difturb'd the charge
Of others, who approve not to tranfgrefs
By thy example, but have pow'r and right
To queftion thy bold entrance on this place;
Employ'd it seems to violate fleep, and those
Whose dwelling God hath planted here in blifs?

To whom thus Satan with contemptuous brow. 885
Gabriel, thou hadst in Heav'n th'efteem of wife,
And fuch I held thee; but this question ask’d
Puts me in doubt. Lives there who loves his pain?
Who would not, finding way, break loofe from Hell,
Though thither doom'd? Thou wouldft thyself, no
And boldly venture to whatever place

[doubt, Fartheft

zo, Iliad. III. and ropa greffions, but he could tranfgrefs in day, torve intuitus, Iliad. IV.

his thought and mind every mo Hume. ment; yet it is good fenfe, if Mil878.-broke the bounds prefcrib'd ton meant (as I fuppofe he did) To thy tranfgreffions,] Dr. Bentley that the bounds of Hell were by reads tranfcurfions; and Mr. Ri- God prefcrib'd to Satan's tranfgrefchardfon understands tranfgreffions fions, fo as that it was intended he in the fame fenfe. But as Dr. Pearce fhould tranfgrefs no where elfe, but obferves, though it is right to fay within thofe bounds; whereas he that bounds are prefcrib'd to hinder was now attempting to tranfgrefs tranfcurfions, yet I think it is not without them. And by this interproper to fay, that bounds are pre- pretation we fhall not understand ferib'd to tranfcurfions. And the tranfgreffions in the fenfe of the pure common reading is juftifiable for Latin, and tranfgrefs in the very though (as Dr. Bentley fays) no next line in the ufual English acbounds could be fet to Satan's tranfceptation, but fhall affix the fame

Fartheft from pain, where thou might'ft hope to change
Torment with eafe, and fooneft recompenfe
Dole with delight, which in this place I fought;
To thee no reason, who know'ft only good,
But evil haft not try'd: and wilt object

His will who bound us? let him furer bar
His iron gates, if he intends our stay

895

In that dark durance: thus much what was afk'd. The reft is true, they found me where they fay; 909 But that implies not violence or harm.

Thus he in fcorn. The warlike Angel mov❜d,
Disdainfully half smiling thus reply'd.

O lofs of one in Heav'n to judge of wise,
Since Satan fell, whom folly overthrew,

905 And

And now returns him from his prison scap'd,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wife
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
Unlicenc'd from his bounds in Hell prefcrib'd;
So wife he judges it to fly from pain
However, and to scape his punishment.

910

So judge thou ftill, prefumptuous, till the wrath, Which thou incurr'ft by flying, meet thy flight Sev'nfold, and fcourge that wisdom back to Hell, Which taught thee yet no better, that no pain 915 Can equal anger infinite provok'd.

920

But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all Hell broke loofe? is pain to them
Lefs pain, lefs to be fled? or thou than they
Lefs hardy to indure? courageous Chief,
The first in flight from pain, hadft thou alledg'd
To thy deserted host this cause of flight,
Thou surely hadft not come fole fugitive.
To which the Fiend thus answer'd frowning ftern.

gation, by joining it in conftruction with what goes before; but afking the question gives a fpirit and quickness to it.

926.well thou know'ft I flood Thy fierceft,] Dr. Bentley reads

Not

The fierceft, that is pain: but Thy fierceft is right, and we may understand it with Dr. Pearce Thy fierce attack, or with Mr. Richardson Ty fierceft enemy. Fierceft is ufed as a fubftantive, as our author often ufes

adjectives

Not that I lefs indure, or fhrink from pain,
Infulting Angel; well thou know'ft I stood
Thy fierceft, when in battel to thy aid
The blasting volied thunder made all speed,
And feconded thy else not dreaded spear.
But still thy words at random, as before,
Argue thy inexperience what behoves

925

930

From hard affays and ill fucceffes past
A faithful leader, not to hazard all

Through ways of danger by himself untry'd:

I therefore, I alone firft undertook

935

To wing the defolate abyfs, and spy

This new created world, whereof in Hell

Fame is not filent, here in hope to find
Better abode, and my afflicted Powers
To settle here on earth, or in mid air;

940

Though for poffeffion put to try once more
What thou and thy gay legions dare against;
Whose easier business were to ferve their Lord