Bad influence into th' unwary breast
Of his associate: he together calls,
Or sev'ral one by one, the regent pow'rs,
Under him regent: tells, as he was taught,
That the Most High commanding, now ere night, Now ere dim night had disencumber'd Heav'n, 700 The great hierarchal standard was to move; Tells the suggested cause, and casts between Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound Or taint integrity: but all obey'd The wonted signal and superior voice Of their great potentate; for great indeed His name, and high was his degree in Heav'n! His count'nance, as the morning star that guides The starry flock, allured them, and with lies Drew after him the third part of Heav'n's host. 710 Mean while th' Eternal Eye, whose sight discerns Abstrusest thoughts, from forth his holy mount, And from within the golden lamps that burn Nightly before him, saw without their light Rebellion rising, saw in whom, how spread Among the suns of morn, what multitudes Were banded to oppose his high decree; And smiling to his only Son, thus said: Son, thou in whom my glory I behold
In full resplendence, Heir of all my might, Nearly it now concerns us to be sure Of our omnipotence, and with what arms We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of Deity or empire; such a foe
Is rising, who intends to' erect his throne Equal to ours, throughout the spacious north; Nor so content, hath in his thought to try In battle what our pow'r is, or our right. Let us advise, and to this hazard draw With speed what force is left, and all employ
In our defence, lest unawares we lose This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill. To whom the Son, with calm aspéct and clear,
711. Th' Eternal Eye; this expression must be taken as a me tonomy for God, to give the proper sense to line 718.
Lightning divine, ineffable, serene,
Made answer: Mighty Father, thou thy foes Justly hast in derision, and secure
Laugh'st at their vain designs and tumults vain, Matter to me of glory, whom their hate Illustrates, when they see all regal pow'r Giv'n me to quell their pride, and in event Know whether I be dextrous to subdue Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Heav'n. So spake the Son; but Satan with his pow'rs Far was advanced on winged speed, an host Innumerable as the stars of night,
Or stars of morning, dew-drops, which the Sun
Impearls on ev'ry leaf and ev'ry flow'r. Regions they pass'd, the mighty regencies
Of Seraphim, and Potentates, and Thrones, In their triple degrees; regions to which All thy dominion, Adam, is no more
Than what this garden is to all the earth, And all the sea, from one entire globose
Stretch'd into longitude; which having pass'd, At length into the limits of the north
They came, and Satan to his royal seat
High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount
Raised on a mount, with pyramids and tow'rs
From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold;
The palace of great Lucifer (so call
That structure in the dialect of men Interpreted) which not long after, he Affecting all equality with God, In imitation of that mount whereon Messiah was declared in sight of Heav'n, The Mountain of the Congregation call'd; For thither he assembled all his train. Pretending so commanded to consult About the great reception of their King, Thither to come, and with calumnious art
Of counterfeited truth, thus held their ears: Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues,
734. Lightning is taken for a substantive by Newton, but it is evidently an adjective, or we should have ineffable lightning,' an expression Milton would never have made use of.
If these magnific titles yet remain
Not merely titular, since by decree Another now hath to himself ingross'd
All pow'r, and us eclipsed under the name
Of King Anointed, for whom all this haste
Of midnight march, and hurried meeting here, This only to consult, how we may best, With what may be devised of honours new, Receive him coming to receive from us Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile, Too much to one, but double how endured, To one and to his image now proclaim'd? But what if better counsels might erect Our minds, and teach us to cast off this yoke? Will ye submit your necks, and choose to bend The supple knee? Ye will not, if I trust To know ye right; or if ye know yourselves
Natives and sons of Heav'n possess'd before
By none, and if not equal all, yet free, Equally free; for orders and degrees Jar not with liberty, but well consist. Who can in reason then or right assume Monarchy over such as live by right
His equals, if in pow'r and splendour less, In freedom equal? or can introduce Law and edict on us, who without law
Err not? much less for this to be our Lord, And look for adoration to th' abuse Of those imperial titles which assert.
Our being ordain'd to govern, not to serve.
Thus far his bold discourse without control
Had audience, when among the Seraphim
Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal adored 805 The Deity', and divine commands obey'd, Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe, The current of his fury thus opposed:
O argument, blasphemous, false, and proud! Words which no ear ever to hear in Heav'n Expected, least of all from thee, Ingrate, In place thyself so high above thy peers.
799. There is a difficulty in the construction of this passage; but it is explained by taking for this to be our Lord,' in connexion with can introduce law and edict.'
Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn
The just decree of God, pronounced and sworn,
That to his only Son, by right endued
With regal sceptre, ev'ry soul in Heav'n
Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due
Confess him rightful King? Unjust, thou say'st, Platly unjust, to bind with laws the free, And equal over equals to let reign,
One over all with unsucceeded pow'r.
Shalt thou give law to God? Shalt thou dispute With him the points of liberty, who made
Thee what thou art, and form'd the pow'rs of Heav'n Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being? Yet, by experience taught, we know how good, 826 And of our good and of our dignity
How provident he is, how far from thought To make us less, bent rather to exalt
Our happy state under one head more near United. But to grant it thee unjust,
That equal over equals monarch reign:
Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count, Or all angelic nature join'd in one,
Equal to him begotten Son? by whom
As by his Word the mighty Father made
All things, ev'n thee; and all the Spirits of Heav'n By him created in their bright degrees, Crown'd them with glory', and to their glory named Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Pow'rs, Essential Pow'rs; nor by his reign obscured, But more illustrious made; since he the Head One of our number thus reduced becomes; His laws our laws; all honour to him done Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, And tempt not these; but hasten to appease Th' incensed Father and th' incensed Son, While pardon may be found, in time besought. So spake the fervent Angel; but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judged, Or singular and rash, whereat rejoiced Th' Apostate, and more haughty thus replied:
That we were form'd then, say'st thou ? and the work
Of secondary hands, by task transferr'd
From Father to his Son? Strange point, and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd: who When this creation was? Remember'st thou Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being; We know no time when we were not as now; Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised By our own quick'ning pow'r, when fatal course Had circled his full orb, the birth mature Of this our native Heav'n, ethereal sons. Our puissance is our own; our own righ, band Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold Whether by supplication we intend Address, and to begirt th' almighty throne Beseeching or besieging. This report, These tidings, carry to th' Anointed King; And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.
Hə said, and as the sound of waters deep Hoarse murmur echo'd to his words applause Through the infinite host; nor less for that The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone Encompass'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold: O alienate from God, O Spirit accursed,
Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall
Determined, and thy hapless crew involved In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread
Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth No more be troubled how to quit the yoke Of God's Messiah: those indulgent laws Will not be now vouchsafed; other decrees Against thee are gone forth without recall; That golden sceptre, which thou didst reject, Is now an iron rod, to bruise and break Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise, Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath Impendent, raging into sudden flame, Distinguish not; for soon expect to feel His thunder on thy head, devouring fire; Then who created thee lamenting learn, 672. Rev. xix. 6.
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