PARADISE LOST BOOK 1. The frat Book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, Man's dis abedience, and the loss thereupon of Para fise wherein he was paced en touches the prime cause of his Fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpeat; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of Angels, was, by the com mand of God, driven out of Heaven, with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action passed over, the Poem hastens into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his Angels now falling into Hell, described here, not in the centre (for leaven and Earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed,) but in a place of utter darkness fitliest called Chaos: Here Satan with his Angels lying on the burning lake, thunderstruck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him; They confer of their miserable fall, Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded. They rise; thei- numbers; array of battle; their chief leaders named, ac cording to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them last y of a new world and new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy or report in Heaven; for, that Angels were long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient Fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his associates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep: The infernal there sit in council. peers Or Man's first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song, 10 |
Get this book in print
0 Reviews Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified Write review |