Paradise Lost + Paradise Regained (2 Unabridged Classics + Original Illustrations by Gustave Doré). Джон Мильтон

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СКАЧАТЬ among the Gods, and by an Oath,

      That shook Heav’ns whol circumference, confirm’d.

      Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn

      What creatures there inhabit, of what mould,

      Or substance, how endu’d, and what thir Power,

      And where thir weakness, how attempted best,

      By force or suttlety: Though Heav’n be shut,

      And Heav’ns high Arbitrator sit secure

      In his own strength, this place may lye expos’d

      The utmost border of his Kingdom, left

      To their defence who hold it: here perhaps

      Som advantagious act may be achiev’d

      By sudden onset, either Hell fire

      To waste his whole Creation, or posses

      All as our own, and drive as we were driven,

      The punie habitants, or if not drive,

      Seduce them to our Party, that thir God

      May prove thir 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

      Hurl’d headlong to partake with us, shall curse

      Thir frail Originals, and and faded bliss,

      Faded so soon. Advise if this be worth

      Attempting, or to sit in darkness here

      Hatching or Empires. Thus Beelzebub

      Pleaded his devilish Counsel, first devis’d

      By Satan, and in part propos’d: 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 Creatour? But thir spite still serves

      His glory to augment. The bold design

      Pleas’d highly those infernal States, and joy

      Sparkl’d in all thir eyes; with full assent

      They vote: whereat his speech he thus renews.

      Well have ye judg’d, well ended long debate,

      Synod of Gods, and like to what ye are,

      Great things resolv’d; which from the lowest deep

      Will once more lift us up, in spight of Fate,

      Neerer our ancient Seat; perhaps in view

      Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring Arms

      And opportune excursion we may chance

      Re-enter Heav’n; or else in some milde Zone

      Dwell not unvisited of Heav’ns fair Light

      Secure, and at the brightning Orient beam

      Purge off this gloom; the soft delicious Air,

      To heal the scarr of these corrosive Fires

      Shall breath her balme. But first whom shall we send

      In search of this new world, whom shall we find

      Sufficient? who shall tempt with wandring feet

      The dark unbottom’d infinite Abyss

      And through the palpable obscure find out

      His uncouth way, or spread his aerie flight

      Upborn with indefatigable wings

      Over the vast abrupt, ere he arrive

      The happy Ile; what strength, what art can then

      Suffice, or what evasion bear him safe

      Through the strict Senteries and Stations thick

      Of Angels watching round? Here he had need

      All circumspection, and wee now no less

      Choice in our suffrage; for on whom we send,

      The weight of all and our last hope relies.

      This said, he sat; and expectation held

      His look suspence, awaiting who appeer’d

      To second, or oppose, or undertake

      The perilous attempt; but all sat mute,

      Pondering the danger with deep thoughts; and each

      In others count’nance red his own dismay

      Astonisht: none among the choice and prime

      Of those Heav’n-warring Champions could be found

      So hardie as to proffer or accept

      Alone the dreadful voyage; till at last

      Satan, whom now transcendent glory rais’d

      Above his fellows, with Monarchal pride

      Conscious of highest worth, unmov’d thus spake.

      O Progeny of Heav’n, Empyreal Thrones,

      With reason hath deep silence and demur

      Seis’d us, though undismaid: long is the way

      And hard, that out of Hell leads up to Light;

      Our prison strong, this huge convex of Fire,

      Outrageous to devour, immures us round

      Ninefold, and gates of burning Adamant

      Barr’d over us prohibit all egress.

      These past, if any pass, the void profound

      Of СКАЧАТЬ