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 heaven;
His countenance, as the morning-star that guides
The starry flock, allur'd them, and with lies
Drew after him the third part of heaven's host.
Meanwhile the 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 sons 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 power 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 aspect and clear,

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 power
Given me to quell their pride, and in event
Know whether I be dextrous to subdue
Thy rebels, or be found the worst in heaven. »
So spake the son: but Satan, with his powers,
Far was advanc'd on winged speed; an host
Innumerable as the stars of night,

Or stars of morning, dew-drops, which the sun
Impearls on every leaf and every flower.
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

Rais'd on a mount, with pyramids and towers
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 declar'd in sight of heaven,

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, powers;

If these magnific titles yet remain

Not merely titular, since by decree
Another now hath to himself ingross'd
All power, and us eclips'd 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 devis'd of honours new,
Receive him, coming to receive from us
Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile!
Too much to one! but double how endur'd;
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 heaven, possess'd before
By none; and if not equal all, yet free,
Equally free; for orders and degrees
Jar nor with liberty, but well consist.
Who can in reason then or right, assume
Monarchy over such as live by right
His equals, if in power 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 adoration, to the abuse

Of those imperial titles, which assert

Our being ordain'd to govern, not to serve. »
Thus far his bold discourse without controul
Had audience; when among the seraphim
Abdiel, than whom none with more zeal ador'd
The deity, and divine commands obey'd,
Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe
The current of his fury thus oppos'd:

— « O argument blasphemous, false and proud!
Words which no ear ever to hear in heaven
Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate,
In place thyself so high above thy peers.
Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn
The just decree of God, pronounc'd and sworn,
That to his only son by right endued

With regal sceptre, every soul in heaven

Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due
Confess him rightful King? unjust, thou say'st,
Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free,
And equal over equals to let reign,

One over all with unsucceeded power.

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 powers of heaven

Such as he pleas'd, and circumscrib'd their being?

Yet, by experience taught, we know how good,

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, even thee; and all the spirits of heaven
By him created in their bright degrees,

Crown'd them with glory, and to their glory nam'd
Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers,
Essential powers; nor by his reign obscur'd,
But more illustrious made; since he, the head,
One of our number thus reduc'd 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
The incensed father, and the incensed son,
While pardon may be found in time besought. »
So spake the fervent angel; but his zeal
None seconded, as out of season judg'd
Or singular and rash: whereat rejoic'd

The 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 saw
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-rais'd
By our own quickening power, when fatal course