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Beyond the Indian mount; or faery elves,
Whose midnight revels, by a forest-side
Or fountain, some belated peasant sees,
Or dreams he sees, while over head the moon

Sits arbitress, and nearer to the earth

785

Wheels her pale course; they, on their mirth and

dance

Intent, with jocund music charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal spirits to smallest forms

Reduced their shapes immense, and were at large, 790
Though without number still, amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimensions, like themselves,
The great seraphic lords and cherubim
In close recess and secret conclave sat;
A thousand demigods on golden seats
Frequent and full. After short silence then,
And summons read, the great consult began.

795

of India, or, according to others, in Ethiopia.' LEMPRIERE. See above 575. Indian mount, the Imaus.

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784. Virg. Æn. vi. 454. • Aut videt, aut vidisse putat." N. 785. arbitress: witness, spectatress. Hor. Epod. v. 49. rebus meis Non infideles arbitræ Nox et Diana." N. Arbiter pugnæ, Od. iii. 20.

Carmina

nearer to the earth. 'In allusion to the superstitious notion of witches and fairies having great power over the moon. vel cælo possunt deducere Lunam.' Virg. Ecl. viii. 69.' N. 790. at large: at liberty, without restraint.

797. frequent and full: So we have in Latin frequens senatus, a full house.' N.

798. consult, for consultation: accented on the last syllable, as usual with Milton in substantives: so exíle' 632.aspéct' ii. 301.procéss' 297: analogy would require the accent on the first, to distinguish it from the verb: as in convérse v., converse n,, concert v., cóncert n.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK II.

:

THE ARGUMENT.

The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven: some advise it, others dissuade a third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal, or not much inferior, to themselves, about this time to be created. Their doubt, who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to hell-gates; finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them; by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between hell and heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK II.

HIGH on a throne of royal state, which far
Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sat, by merit raised

To that bad eminence: and, from despair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires
Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue

5

2. The wealth of Ormus and of Ind: 'i. e. diamonds, a principal part of the wealth of India where they are found, and of the island Ormus (in the Persian gulf) which is the mart for them.' Br. PEARCE. 'I do not observe that it was known by that name either to the Greeks or Romans. It is, it seems, a very barren island, and not above 9 miles in circumference; and yet, while the Portuguese held it, was exceeding rich, being the place where all the trade of the Indies was then transacted. It is said to be but a poor place now.' MASSEY.

3. the gorgeous East. The distinction is not between the wealth of the West and of the East; but between three sorts of riches, all in the East, diamonds, pearls, and gold; and thus these three are joined in v. 634. In pearl and diamond and massy gold."

BP. PEARCE.

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4. Virgil, Æn. ii. 504. 'Barbarico postes auro spoliisque 'superbi;' and viii. 685.

• Hinc ope barbaricâ variisque Antonius armis
Victor ab Aurora populis." N.

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