Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Listens delighted. Evening now approach'd
(For we have also our evening and our morn,
We ours for change delectable, not need);
Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn
Desirous; all in circles as they stood,
Tables are set, and on a sudden piled
With angels' food; and rubied nectar flows

In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold,

Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of heaven.

On flowers reposed, and with fresh flow'rets crown'd, They eat, they drink; and in communion sweet Quaff immortality and joy, secure

Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds

Excess, before the all-bounteous King, who shower'd
With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy.

Now when ambrosial night, with clouds exhaled
From that high mount of God, whence light and shade
Spring both, the face of brightest heaven had changed
To grateful twilight (for night comes not there
In darker veil), and roseate dews disposed
All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest;
Wide over all the plain, and wider far
Than all this globous earth in plain outspread
(Such are the courts of God), the angelic throng,
Dispersed in bands and files, their camp extend
By living streams among the trees of life,
Pavilions numberless, and sudden rear'd,

Celestial tabernacles, where they slept,

Fann'd with cool winds; save those, who, in their course,

Melodious hymns about the sovereign throne

Alternate all night long but not so waked

Satan; so call him now, his former name

Is heard no more in heaven; he of the first,
If not the first archangel, great in power,

In favour and pre-eminence, yet fraught
With envy against the Son of God, that day
Honour'd by his great Father, and proclaim'd
Messiah King anointed, could not bear,

Through pride, that sight, and thought himself impair'd.
Deep malice thence conceiving, and disdain,
Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolved
With all his legions to dislodge, and leave
Unworshipp'd, unobey'd, the throne supreme,
Contemptuous; and his next subordinate
Awakening, thus to him in secret spake :

666

[close

Sleep'st thou, companion dear? What sleep can Thy eyelids? and remember'st what decree Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips Of heaven's Almighty? Thou to me thy thoughts Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart ; Both waking we were one; how, then, can now Thy sleep dissent? New laws thou seest imposed; New laws from him who reigns, new minds may raise In us who serve; new counsels, to debate What doubtful may ensue: more in this place To utter is not safe. Assemble thou, Of all those myriads which we lead, the chief; Tell them that, by command, ere yet dim night Her shadowy clouds withdraws, I am to haste, And all who under me their banners wave, Homeward, with flying march, where we possess The quarters of the north; there to prepare Fit entertainment to receive our King, The Great Messiah, and his new commands; Who speedily, through all the hierarchies, Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws.'

"So spake the false archangel, and infused

[graphic]

Bad influence into the unwary breast
Of his associate: he together calls,

Or several one by one, the regent powers,
Under him regent; tells, as he was taught,
That the Most High commanding, now ere night,
Now ere dim night had disencumber'd heaven,
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 heaven :
His countenance, as the morning-star that guides
The starry flock, allured 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 aspéct 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 advanced on winged speed; a 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

Raised 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 declared 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;

« ZurückWeiter »