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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,

695

705

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

715

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

720

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

725

730

In our defence, lest unawares we lose
This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill.
To whom the Son, with calm aspéct and clear,

710. Rev. xii. 3, 4.

711. Th' Eternal Eye; this expression must be taken as a me tonomy for God, to give the proper sense to line 718.

718. See Ps. ii. 1, &c.

713. Rev. iv. 5.

719. Heb. i. 2 3.

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,

735

740

745

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

750

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

755

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

760

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

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770

Of counterfeited truth, thus held their ears:
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues,

Pow'rs,

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

775

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

780

[graphic]

785

Natives and sons of Heav'n possess'd before

790

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

795

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.

800

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.

610

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

815

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,

820

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:

830

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

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841

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:

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850

That we were form'd then, say'st thou ? and the work

835. Col, i. 16, 17.

Of secondary hands, by task transferr'd

854

[saw

860

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.

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870

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,

875

Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall

Determined, and thy hapless crew involved
In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread

880

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.

887. P. ii. 9.

885

890

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