That shook Heaven’s whole circumference, confirmed. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mould, Or substance, how endued, and what their power, And where their weakness, how attempted best, By force or subtlety. Though Heaven be shut, And Heaven’s high Arbitrator sit secure In his own strength, this place may lie exposed, The utmost border of his kingdom, left To their defence who hold it; here perhaps, Some advantagious act may be achieved By sudden onset: either with Hell-fire To waste his whole creation, or possess All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, The puny habitants; or if not drive, Seduce them to our party, that their God May prove their foe, and with repenting hand Abolish his own works. This would surpass Common revenge, and interrupt his joy In our confusion, and our joy upraise In his disturbance; when his darling sons, Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse Their frail original, and faded bliss, Faded so soon! Advise if this be worth Attempting, or to sit in darkness here Hatching vain empires.” Thus Beelzebub Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devised By Satan, and in part proposed; for whence, But from the author of all ill, could spring So deep a malice, to confound the race Of Mankind in one root, and Earth with Hell To mingle and involve, done all to spite The great Creator? But their spite still serves His glory to augment. The bold design Pleased highly those infernal States, and joy Sparkled in all their eyes; with full assent They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews:
“Well have ye judged, well ended long debate, Synod of gods, and, like to what ye are, Great things resolved; which from the lowest deep Will once more lift us up, in spite of fate, Nearer our ancient seat; perhaps in view Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring arms And opportune excursion, we may chance Reenter Heaven; or else in some mild zone Dwell not unvisited of Heaven’s fair light, Secure, and at the brightening orient beam Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious air, To heal the scar of these corrosive fires, Shall breathe her balm. But first, whom shall we send In search of this new world? whom shall we find