“He sat; and in the assembly next upstood Nisroch, of Principalities the prime; As one he stood escaped from cruel fight, Sore toiled, his riven arms to havoc hewn, And, cloudy in aspect, thus answering 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, Against unpained, impassive; from which evil Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails Valour or strength, though matchless, quelled with pain, Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands Of mightiest? Sense of pleasure we may well Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, But live content, which is the calmest life; But pain is perfect misery, the worst Of evils, and, excessive, overturns All patience. He who, therefore, can invent With what more forcible we may offend Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves No less than for deliverance what we owe.’
“Whereto, with look composed, Satan replied: ‘Not uninvented that, which thou aright Believ’st so main to our success, I bring. Which of us who beholds the bright surface Of this ethereous mould whereon we stand— This continent of spacious Heaven, adorned With plant, fruit, flower ambrosial, gems and gold— Whose eye so superficially surveys These things, as not to mind from whence they grow Deep under ground, materials dark and crude, Of spiritous and fiery spume, till touched With Heaven’s ray, and tempered, 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 engines long and round Thick-rammed, at the other bore with touch of fire Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth From far, with thundering noise, among our foes Such implements of mischief as shall dash To pieces and o’erwhelm whatever stands Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarmed The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt. Nor long shall be our labour; yet ere dawn Effect shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive; Abandon fear; to strength and counsel joined Think nothing hard, much less to be despaired.’