Read The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems for Free Online

astonished, after a certain space 1391 recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him.
    They confer of 1392 their miserable fall. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded. They rise, their numbers, array of battle, their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan 1393 and the countries adjoining. 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 prophecy 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 prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council.
    What his associates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep. The infernal peers there sit in council.
     
1
      
    Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
2
      
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal 1394 taste
3
      
Brought Death into the world, and all our woe
4
      
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man 1395
5
      
Restore us and regain the blissful seat
6
      
Sing, Heavenly Muse, that on the secret top
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Of Oreb, 1396 or of Sinai, didst inspire
8
      
That shepherd 1397 who first taught the chosen seed 1398
9
      
In the beginning how the heavens and earth
10
      
Rose out of Chaos. Or if Sion hill 1399
11
      
Delight thee more, and Siloa’s 1400 brook that flowed
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Fast by 1401 the oracle of God, 1402 I thence
13
      
Invoke thy aid to my adventurous 1403 song
14
      
That with no middle flight intends to soar
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Above th’Aonian mount, 1404 while it pursues
16
      
Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme
17
      
    And chiefly thou, O Spirit, 1405 that dost prefer
18
      
Before 1406 all temples th’ upright heart and pure
19
      
Instruct me, for Thou know’st, Thou from the first
20
      
Wast present and, with mighty wings outspread
2
      
Dove-like sat’st brooding 1407 on the vast abyss
22
      
And mad’st it pregnant. What in me is dark 1408
23
      
Illumine, what is low raise and support
24
      
That, to the height of this great argument
25
      
I may assert Eternal Providence
26
      
And justify the ways of God to men
27
      
    Say first—for Heav’n hides nothing from thy view
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Nor the deep tract of Hell—say first what cause
29
      
Moved our grand 1409 parents, in that happy state
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Favored of Heav’n so highly, to fall off 1410
31
      
From their Creator and transgress His will
32
      
For 1411 one restraint, lords of the world besides
33
      
Who first seduced them to that foul revolt
34
      
Th’ infernal Serpent, he it was whose guile
35
      
Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived
36
      
The mother of mankind, what time his pride
37
      
Had cast him out from Heav’n, with all his host
38
      
Of rebel Angels, by whose aid, aspiring
39
      
To set himself in glory above his peers
40
      
He trusted to have equalled the Most High
41
      
If he opposed and with ambitious aim
42
      
Against the throne and monarchy of God
43
      
Raised impious war in Heav’n and battle proud
44
      
With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power
45
      
Hurled headlong flaming from th’ ethereal 1412 sky
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With hideous 1413 ruin and combustion, 1414 down
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To bottomless perdition, 1415 there to dwell
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In adamantine 1416 chains and penal 1417 fire
49
      
Who durst defy th’ Omnipotent to