Thou knowest it well; And hast thou, driveller, panting sore for age, Come with a force to bid us spare one fool ?" And Satan answered, "Nay you! be not wroth; Yet true it is, and yet not all the truth.
Your servant would have told the rest, if now (For fulness of your life being fretted sore At mine infirmities, which God in vain I supplicate to heal) ye had not caused My speech to stop." And he they called "the Oak" Made answer, "'Tis a good snake; let him be.
Why would ye fright the poor old craven beast?
Look how his lolling tongue doth foam for fear.
Ye should have mercy, brethren, on the weak.
Speak, dragon, thou hast leave; make stout thy heart.
What! hast thou lied to this great company?
It was, we know it was, for humbleness; Thou wert not willing to offend with truth." "Yea, majesties," quoth Satan, "thus it was," And lifted up appealing eyes, and groaned; "O, can it be, compassionate as brave, And housed in cunning works themselves have reared, And served in gold, and warmed with minivere, And ruling nobly,--that He, not content Unless alone He reigneth, looks to bend O break them in, like slaves to cry to Him, 'What is Thy will with us, O Master dear ?' Or else to eat of death?
"For my part, lords, I cannot think it: for my piety And reason, which I also share with you, Are my best lights, and ever counsel me, 'Believe not aught against thy God; believe, Since thou canst never reach to do Him wrong, That He will never stoop to do thee wrong.
Is He not just and equal, yea, and kind ?' Therefore, O majesties, it is my mind Concerning him ye wot of, thus to think The message is not like what I have learned By reason and experience, of the God.
Therefore no message 'tis.

The man is mad." Thereat the great Leader laughed for scorn.

"Hold, snake; If God be just, there SHALL be reckoning days.
We rather would He were a partial God, And being strong, He sided with the strong.
Turn now thy reason to the other side, And speak for that; for as to justice, snake, We would have none of it." And Satan fawned: "My lord is pleased to mock at my poor wit; Yet in my pious fashion I must talk: For say that God was wroth with man, and came And slew him, that should make an empty world, But not a bettor nation." This replied, "Truth, dragon, yet He is not bound to mean A better nation; may be, He designs, If none will turn again, a punishment Upon an evil one." And Satan cried, "Alas! my heart being full of love for men, I cannot choose but think of God as like To me; and yet my piety concludes, Since He will have your fear, that love alone Sufficeth not, and I admire, and say, 'Give me, O friends, your love, and give to God Your fear.'" But they cried out in wrath and rage, "We are not strong that any we will fear, Nor specially a foe that means us ill.".