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HIgh on a Throne of Royal State, which far

Outshon the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,

Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand

Showrs on her Kings Barbaric Pearl and Gold,

Satan exalted sat, by merit raisd [ 5 ]

To that bad eminence; and from despair

Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires

Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue

Vain Warr with Heavn, and by success untaught

His proud imaginations thus displaid. [ 10 ]

Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heavn,

For since no deep within her gulf can hold

Immortal vigor, though opprest and falln,

I give not Heavn for lost. From this descent

Celestial vertues rising, will appear [ 15 ]

More glorious and more dread then from no fall,

And trust themselves to fear no second fate:

Mee though just right, and the fixt Laws of Heavn

Did first create your Leader, next free choice,

With what besides, in Counsel or in Fight, [ 20 ]

Hath bin achievd of merit, yet this loss

Thus farr at least recoverd, hath much more

Establisht in a safe unenvied Throne

Yielded with full consent. The happier state

In Heavn, which follows dignity, might draw [ 25 ]

Envy from each inferior; but who here

Will envy whom the highest place exposes

Formost to stand against the Thunderers aim

Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share

Of endless pain? where there is then no good [ 30 ]

For which to strive, no strife can grow up there

From Faction; for none sure will claim in Hell

Precedence, none, whose portion is so small

Of present pain, that with ambitious mind

Will covet more. With this advantage then [ 35 ]

To union, and firm Faith, and firm accord,

More then can be in Heavn, we now return

To claim our just inheritance of old,

Surer to prosper then prosperity

Could have assurd us; and by what best way, [ 40 ]