To whom thus Satan with ptuous brow. [ 885 ]
Gabriel, thou hadst in Heavn th esteem of wise,
And such I held thee; but this question askt
Puts me in doubt. Lives ther who loves his pain?
Who would not, finding way, break loose from Hell,
Though thither doomd? Thou wouldst thyself, no doubt, [ 890 ]
And boldly veo whatever place
Farthest from pain, where thou mightst hope to ge
Torment with ease, and; soo repence
Dole with delight, whi this place I sought;
To thee no reason; who knowst only good, [ 895 ]
But evil hast not trid: and wilt object
His will who bound us? let him surer barr
His Iron Gates, if he intends our stay
In that dark durahus much what was askt.
The rest is true, they found me where they say; [ 900 ]
But that implies not violence or harme.
Thus he in s. The warlike Angel movd,
Disdainfully half smiling thus replid.
O loss of one in Heavn to judge of wise,
Sian fell, whom follie overthrew, [ 905 ]
And now returns him from his prison scapt,
Gravely in doubt whether to hold them wise
Or not, who ask what boldness brought him hither
U from his bounds in Hell prescribd;
So wise he judges it to fly from pain [ 910 ]
However, and to scape his punishment.
So judge thou still, presumptuous, till the wrauth,
Which thou incurrst by flying, meet thy flight
Seavenfold, and sce that wisdom back to Hell,
Which taught thee yet er, that no pain [ 915 ]
equal anger infinite provokt.
But wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee
Came not all Hell broke loose? is pain to them
Less paio be fled, or thou then they
Less hardie to endure? ceous Chief, [ 920 ]
The first in flight from pain, hadst thou allegd
To thy deserted host this cause of flight,
Thou surely hadst not e sole fugitive.
To which the Fiend thus answerd frowning stern.
Not that I less endure, or shrink from pain, [ 925 ]
Insulting Angel, well thou knowst I stood
Thy fiercest, when in Battel to thy aide
The blasting volied Thunder made all speed
And seded thy else not dreaded Spear.