Book 1, Winds of Success (Dying to Succeed)

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So stretcht out huge in length the Arch-fiend lay Chain'd on the burning Lake , nor ever thence [ ] Had ris'n or heav'd his head, but that the will And high permission of all-ruling Heaven Left him at large to his own dark designs, That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation, while he sought [ ] Evil to others, and enrag'd might see How all his malice serv'd but to bring forth Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shewn On Man by him seduc't , but on himself Treble confusion, wrath and vengeance pour'd. Such resting found the sole Of unblest feet.

Him followed his next Mate, Both glorying to have scap't the Stygian flood As Gods , and by thir own recover'd strength, [ ] Not by the sufferance of supernal Power.

John Maxwell is a Leader of Leaders

Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime , Said then the lost Arch-Angel, this the seat That we must change for Heav'n , this mournful gloom For that celestial light? Be it so, since he [ ] Who now is Sovran can dispose and bid What shall be right: Farewel happy Fields Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours , hail [ ] Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell Receive thy new Possessor: One who brings A mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.

404 NOT FOUND

Here at least We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n. But wherefore let we then our faithful friends, Th' associates and copartners of our loss [ ] Lye thus astonisht on th' oblivious Pool , And call them not to share with us their part In this unhappy Mansion, or once more With rallied Arms to try what may be yet Regaind in Heav'n , or what more lost in Hell?

So Satan spake, and him Beelzebub Thus answer'd.

Leader of those Armies bright, Which but th' Onmipotent none could have foyld , If once they hear that voyce , thir liveliest pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft [ ] In worst extreams , and on the perilous edge Of battel when it rag'd , in all assaults Thir surest signal, they will soon resume New courage and revive, though now they lye Groveling and prostrate on yon Lake of Fire, [ ] As we erewhile, astounded and amaz'd , No wonder, fall'n such a pernicious highth.

He scarce had ceas't when the superiour Fiend Was moving toward the shoar ; his ponderous shield Ethereal temper , massy, large and round, [ ] Behind him cast; the broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the Moon, whose Orb Through Optic Glass the Tuscan Artist views At Ev'ning from the top of Fesole , Or in Valdarno, to descry new Lands, [ ] Rivers or Mountains in her spotty Globe.

His Spear, to equal which the tallest Pine Hewn on Norwegian hills, to be the Mast Of some great Ammiral , were but a wand, He walkt with to support uneasie steps [ ] Over the burning Marle , not like those steps On Heavens Azure, and the torrid Clime Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with Fire; Nathless he so endur'd , till on the Beach Of that inflamed Sea, he stood and call'd [ ] His Legions, Angel Forms, who lay intrans't Thick as Autumnal Leaves that strow the Brooks In Vallombrosa, where th' Etrurian shades High overarch't imbowr ; or scatterd sedge Afloat, when with fierce Winds Orion arm'd [ ] Hath vext the Red-Sea Coast, whose waves orethrew Busiris and his Memphian Chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they pursu'd The Sojourners of Goshen, who beheld From the safe shore thir floating Carkases [ ] And broken Chariot Wheels, so thick bestrown Abject and lost lay these, covering the Flood, Under amazement of thir hideous change.

He call'd so loud, that all the hollow Deep Of Hell resounded.

Marcus Aurelius

Princes, Potentates, [ ] Warriers , the Flowr of Heav'n , once yours, now lost, If such astonishment as this can sieze Eternal spirits; or have ye chos'n this place After the toyl of Battel to repose Your wearied vertue , for the ease you find [ ] To slumber here, as in the Vales of Heav'n? Or in this abject posture have ye sworn To adore the Conquerour? Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n.

They heard, and were abasht , and up they sprung Upon the wing, as when men wont to watch On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread, Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake. Nor did they not perceave the evil plight [ ] In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel; Yet to thir Generals Voyce they soon obeyd Innumerable. So numberless were those bad Angels seen Hovering on wing under the Cope of Hell [ ] 'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding Fires; Till, as a signal giv'n , th' uplifted Spear Of thir great Sultan waving to direct Thir course, in even ballance down they light On the firm brimstone, and fill all the Plain; [ ] A multitude, like which the populous North Pour'd never from her frozen loyns , to pass Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous Sons Came like a Deluge on the South, and spread Beneath Gibralter to the Lybian sands.

Nor had they yet among the Sons of Eve Got them new Names , till wandring ore the Earth, [ ] Through Gods high sufferance for the tryal of man, By falsities and lyes the greatest part Of Mankind they corrupted to forsake God thir Creator, and th' invisible Glory of him that made them, to transform [ ] Oft to the Image of a Brute, a dorn'd With gay Religions full of Pomp and Gold, And Devils to adore for Deities: First Moloch, horrid King besmear'd with blood Of human sacrifice, and parents tears, Though for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loud Thir childrens cries unheard , that past through fire [ ] To his grim Idol.

Peor his other Name, when he entic'd Israel in Sittim on thir march from Nile To do him wanton rites, which cost them woe. Yet thence his lustful Orgies he enlarg'd [ ] Even to that Hill of scandal , by the Grove Of Moloch homicide, lust hard by hate; Till good Josiah drove them thence to Hell.

For Spirits when they please Can either Sex assume, or both; so soft And uncompounded is thir Essence pure , [ ] Not ti'd or manacl'd with joynt or limb, Nor founded on the brittle strength of bones, Like cumbrous flesh; but in what shape they choose Dilated or condens't , bright or obscure, Can execute thir aerie purposes, [ ] And works of love or enmity fulfill. For those the Race of Israel oft forsook Thir living strength , and unfrequented left His righteous Altar, bowing lowly down To bestial Gods; for which thir heads as low [ ] Bow'd down in Battel , sunk before the Spear Of despicable foes.

Thammuz came next behind, Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur'd The Syrian Damsels to lament his fate In amorous dittyes all a Summers day, While smooth Adonis from his native Rock [ ] Ran purple to the Sea, suppos'd with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded: Next came one Who mourn'd in earnest, when the Captive Ark Maim'd his brute Image, head and hands lopt off In his own Temple, on the grunsel edge, [ ] Where he fell flat, and sham'd his Worshipers: He also against the house of God was bold: Belial came last, then whom a Spirit more lewd [ ] Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love Vice for it self: Witness the Streets of Sodom, and that night In Gibeah, when the hospitable door Expos'd a Matron to avoid worse rape.

All these and more came flocking; but with looks Down cast and damp, yet such wherein appear'd Obscure some glimps of joy, to have found thir chief Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost [ ] In loss it self; which on his count'nance cast Like doubtful hue: All in a moment through the gloom were seen Ten thousand Banners rise into the Air [ ] With Orient Colours waving: Anon they move In perfect Phalanx to the Dorian mood [ ] Of Flutes and soft Recorders; such as rais'd To hight of noblest temper Hero's old Arming to Battel , and in stead of rage Deliberate valour breath'd , firm and unmov'd With dread of death to flight or foul retreat, [ ] Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage With solemn touches, troubl'd thoughts, and chase Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain From mortal or immortal minds.

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Thus they Breathing united force with fixed thought [ ] Mov'd on in silence to soft Pipes that charm'd Thir painful steps o're the burnt soyle ; and now Advanc't in view, they stand, a horrid Front Of dreadful length and dazling Arms, in guise Of Warriers old with order'd Spear and Shield, [ ] Awaiting what command thir mighty Chief Had to impose: He through the armed Files Darts his experienc't eye, and soon traverse The whole Battalion views, thir order due, Thir visages and stature as of Gods, [ ] Thir number last he summs.

And now his heart Distends with pride, and hardning in his strength Glories: For never since created man, Met such imbodied force, as nam'd with these Could merit more then that small infantry [ ] Warr'd on by Cranes: Thus far these beyond Compare of mortal prowess, yet observ'd Thir dread commander: Dark'n'd so, yet shon Above them all th' Arch Angel: He now prepar'd [ ] To speak; whereat thir doubl'd Ranks they bend From wing to wing, and half enclose him round With all his Peers: Thrice he assayd , and thrice in spight of scorn, Tears such as Angels weep , burst forth: O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O Powers Matchless, but with th' Almighty, and that strife Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire, As this place testifies, and this dire change [ ] Hateful to utter: For mee be witness all the Host of Heav'n , [ ] If counsels different, or danger shun'd By me, have lost our hopes.

But he who reigns Monarch in Heav'n , till then as one secure Sat on his Throne, upheld by old repute, Consent or custome , and his Regal State [ ] Put forth at full, but still his strength conceal'd , Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.

25 Lessons Learned from John Maxwell

Henceforth his might we know, and know our own So as not either to provoke, or dread New warr , provok't ; our better part remains [ ] To work in close design, by fraud or guile What force effected not: Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife [ ] There went a fame in Heav'n that he ere long Intended to create , and therein plant A generation, whom his choice regard Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven: Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere: But these thoughts Full Counsel must mature: Peace is despaird , [ ] For who can think Submission?

If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. No printed sources exist for this prior to , and this seems to have been an attribution which arose on the internet, as indicated by web searches and rationales provided at "Marcus Aurelius and source checking" at Three Shouts on a Hilltop 14 June This quote may be a paraphrase of "Since it is possible that thou mayest depart from life this very moment, regulate every act and thought accordingly.

But to go away from among men, if there are gods, is not a thing to be afraid of, for the gods will not involve thee in evil; but if indeed they do not exist, or if they have no concern about human affairs, what is it to me to live in a universe devoid of gods or devoid of Providence?

Which are the best motivational books? - Quora

But Gods there are, undoubtedly, and they regard human affairs; and have put it wholly in our power, that we should not fall into what is truly evil. Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth. Cited as being from The Meditations.

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This quote does not exist there; although there are several other statements about everything being an opinion, none of these are connected to a sentence about perspectives. The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane. First cited by Leo Tolstoy in Bethink Yourselves!

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