Or equal what between us made the odds,
In nature none: if other hidden cause
Left them fuperior, while we can preserve
Unhurt our minds and understanding found,
Due fearch and confultation will disclose.

He fat; and in th' affembly next upstood
Nifroch, of Principalities the prime;
As one he stood efcap'd from cruel fight,
Sore toil'd, his riven arms to havoc hewn,
And cloudy in afpéct thus anfw'ring spake.
Deliverer from new Lords, leader to free
Enjoyment of our right as Gods; yet hard
For Gods, and too unequal work we find,
Against unequal arms to fight in pain,
Againft unpain'd, impaffive; from which evil

Ruin muft needs enfue; for what avails

445

450

455

Valor or strength, though matchless, quell'd with pain

Which

Ti sav poloμeny, Dave & The Seventy call him Meferach in μορσιμον; Thyer.

447. Nifroch,] A God of the Affyrians, in whofe temple at Niniveh Sennacherib was kill'd by his two fons, 2 Kings XIX. 37. and Ifaiah XXXVII. 37. 'Tis not known who this God Nifroch was.

Kings, and Nafarach in Ifaiah Jofephus calls him Arakes. He muft have been a principal idol, being worshipped by fo great a prince, and at the capital city Niniveh; which may justify Milton in calling him of Principalities the prime.

462. - the

Which all fubdues, and makes remifs the hands
Of mightiest? Senfe of pleasure we may well
Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine,

But live content, which is the calmeft life:
But pain is perfect mifery, the worst
Of evils, and exceffive, overturns

All patience. He who therefore can invent
With what more forcible we may offend
Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm
Qurselves with like defense, to me deferves
No less than for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto with look compos'd Satan reply'd.
Not uninvented that, which thou aright
Believ'ft fo main to our fuccefs, I bring.

460

465

470

Which of us who beholds the bright surface
Of this ethereous mold whereon we stand,
This continent of fpacious Heav'n, adorn'd

With plant, fruit, flow'r ambrofial, gems and gold; Whose eye so fuperficially furveys

476

These things, as not to mind from whence they grow
Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,
Of spiritous and fiery fpume, till touch'd

With Heaven's ray, and temper'd they shoot forth
So beauteous, opening to the ambient light?
These in their dark nativity the deep

Shall yield us pregnant with infernal flame;
Which into hollow engins long and round

481

Thick-ramm'd, at th' other bore with touch of fire 485

Dilated

not as it is commonly pronounc'd, Whose eye fo fuperficially surveys

for Milton would hardly use a trochaic foot at the end of the verse. Dr. Bentley reads likewife this ethereal mold; and it is true Milton commonly uses the word ethereal, but that is no reason why he may not fay likewise ethereous which is nearer the Latin ethereus. The conftruction of this fentence is, Which of us who beholds &c fo fuperficially furveys thefe things: but as the nominative cafe which of us is mention'd fo many lines before the verb furveys, he throws in another nominative case,

&c.

482. monly used for Hell, but here is the deep] It is comonly oppos'd to furface, ver. 472. and is the fame as deep under ground, ver. 478. which may likewife explain the word infernal in the next line. Not but infernal flame may mean flame like that of Hell, Hell having been frequently mention'd before by the Angels, and the idea being very well known.

484. Which into hollow &c.] Which that is the materials, ver. 478. Thefe

490

Dilated and infuriate, fhall fend forth
From far with thund'ring noise among our foes
Such implements of mifchief, as shall dash
To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands
Adverse, that they fhall fear we have difarm'd
The Thund'rer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labor; yet ere dawn,
Effect shall end our wifh. Mean while revive;
Abandon fear; to strength and counsel join'd
Think nothing hard, much less to be defpair'd. 495
He ended, and his words their drooping chear
Inlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv❜d.

478. Thefe ver. 482. the deep fhall yield, which into hollow engins ramm'd, with touch of fire fhall fend forth &c. Hollow engins, great guns, the first invention whereof is very properly afcribed to the author of all evil. And Ariofto has described them in the fame manner in his Orlando Furiofo, Cant. 9. St. 28. or 24. of Harrington's tranflation; and attributes the invention to the Devil.

Un ferro bugio, &c.

A trunk of iron hollow made within,

And there he puts powder and pellet in.

25. All clofed fave a little hole behind,

Th' invention all admir'd, and each, how he

To be th' inventor mifs'd; fo eafy' it seem'd

Once found, which yet unfound most would have

thought

Impoffible: yet haply of thy race

In future days, if malice fhould abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or infpir'd
With devilish machination, might devise
Like inftrument to plague the fons of men
For fin, on war and mutual flaughter bent.
Forthwith from council to the work they flew;
None arguing ftood; innumerable hands

And Spenfer has the fame thought,
Fairy Queen, B. 1. Cant. 7. St. 13.
As when that devilish iron engin
wrought

In deepeft Hell, and fram'd by

Furies skill,
With windy nitre and quick ful-
phur fraught,
And ramm'd with bullet round,

ordain'd to kill &c.

But tho' the poets have agreed to attribute the invention to the Devil from a notion of its being fo deftructive to mankind, yet many authors have obferved, that fince the use of artillery there has lefs flaughter been made in battels than was before, when the engagements were closer and lafted longer,

500

505

Were

502. In future days- Some one in

tent, &c.] This speaking in the fpirit of prophecy adds great dignity to poetry. It is in the fame fpirit that Dido makes the imprecation, Virg. Æn. IV. 625.

Exoriare aliquis noftris ex offibus ultor &c.

This here very properly comes from the mouth of an Angel.

507. Forthwith from council to

the work they flew ; &c.] This and the two following lines are admirably contriv'd to express the hurry of the Angels; and confift therefore of fhort periods, without any particles to connect them.

512.-fal