And felt tenfold eonfusion in their fall
Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout,
Incumber'd him with ruin: hell at last
Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd:
Hell their fit habitation, fraught with fire
Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.
Disburden'd heaven rejoic'd, and soon repair'd'
Her mural breach, returning whence it roll'd.
Sole victor, from the expulsion of his foes,
Messiah his triumphal chariot turn'd;
To meet him all his saints, who silent stood
Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,
With jubilee advanc'd; and, as they went,
Shaded with branching palm, each order bright
Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King,
Son, heir, and lord, to him dominion given,
Worthiest to reign. He, celebrated, rode
Triumphant through mid heaven, into the courts
And temple of his Mighty Father, thron'd
On high; who into glory him receiv'd,
Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.
Thus, measuring things in heaven by things on earth.
At thy request, and that thou may'st beware
By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd
What might have else to human race been hid;
The discord which befel, and war in heaven
Among the angelic powers, and the deep fall
Of those too high aspiring, who rebell'd
With Satan; he who envies now thy state,
Who now is plotting how he may seduce
Thee also from obedience, that, with him
Bercay'd of happiness, thou may'st partake
Caos, e dieci volte orror più strinselo
Al cader pe' suoi regni, si alta rotta
Ruinosa ingombrollo. Inferno alfine
S' aprì, vorolli, e sopra lor si chiuse.
Inferno, degna stanza lor, vorago
D' igne eterno, magion di pianto e omei.
Sgravato il ciel sorrise, e tosto il muro
Tornó piegando al loco suo primiero.
Sol vincitor dall' espulsion nemica
Il Messia torse il trionfal suo carro;
Incontro i santi suoi, che muti e attenti
Stean spettatori di sue forti prove,
Gli mossero esultanti; e in man ramose
Palme tenendo, ogni ordine lucente
Cantò trionfo, e lui Re vincitore,
Figlio, crede e signor cui dato è impero,
Sol degno di regnar. Lodato incede
Ei trionfando in mezzo al cielo all' aula
E al tempio del gran Padre suo sublime.
In trono, che l'accol e nella gloria
Ove or tra il gaudio alla sua destra è assiso.
Cosi a terrene dive cose equando,
Come chiedesti, onde tu cauto apprenda
Ai danni altrui, t'ebbi svelato quanto
Fora altrimenti al seme uman celato;
Qual contesa fervè, qual guerra in ciclo
Fra l'angeliche posse, e il caso amaro
Di que' superbi che s'alzar rubelli
Con Satano. A tuo stato or cgli invidia,
E meditando or va come sedurte
Dall' obbedire, e seco trarti ancora
Scusso di tua felicitade a parte
His punishment, eternal misery;
Which would be all his solace and revenge, As a despite done against the Most High, Thee once to gain companion of his woe. But listen not to his temptations; warn
Thy weaker let it profit thee to have heard, By terrible example, the reward
Of disobedience; firm they might have stood, Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress.
Di suo supplicio, suo dannaggio cterno.
Ciò suo diletto fora e sua vendetta,
Quale un oltraggio gettato all' Eccelso,
Te guadagnare un di a' suoi guai compagno.
Ma non udir lusinghe sue; governa
Lei ch'è men forte: e giovi a te il sapere
Dall' esemplo terribil la mercede
D' inobbedir; potean star saldi, e insani
Cadèr; ricorda e di fallir paventa.
Raphael, at the request of Adam, relates how and wherefore this world was first created; thad God, after the expelling of Satan and his angels out of heaven, declared his pleasure to create another world, and other creatures to dwell therein: sends his Son with glory, and attendance of angels, to perform the work of creation in six days; the angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his reascension into beaven.
Descend from heaven, Urania, by that name
If rightly thou art call'd, whose voice divine
Following, above the Olympian hill I soar,
Above the flight of Pegaséan wing.
The meaning, not the name, I call: for thou
Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top
Of old Olympus dwell'st; but, heavenly-born,
Before the hills appear'd, or fountain flow'd,
Thou with eternal wisdom didst converse,
Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play
In presence of the Almighty Father, pleas'd
With thy celestial song. Up led by thee
Into the heaven of heavens I have presumed,
As earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
Thy tempering; with like safety guided down
Return me to my native element:
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