inner concentric spheres, at whose centre is the earth, are revolving. For this theory of the universe see Longfellow's translation of the Divine Comedy, note on Paradiso 1 : 1. Orb might mean orbit, as sometimes in Latin; or, conceiving the earth, with the ancients, to be a flat disk, it might mean the rim of this disk. 1033. God and good Angels. So in Shak. Rich. III. v. 3. 1034. Sacred. Sophocles (Electro, 86) calls light 'holy' (fioj ayvov). But see particularly P. L. 3 :1-6. Note the exceeding beauty of this passage to the end. 1035. Walls. See v. 343. 1037. Dawn. Cf. P. L. 3 : 499-500. 1041. That. So that. 1043. Vessel. Cf. Browning, Flight of the Duchess: And at last, as its haven some buffeted ship sees, Holds. Makes for. A Latinism; so porlum tenet, AZn. 1 : 400. Some translate the Latin verb by' reach,' in such phrases as this; but the context seems to favor the other meaning here. 1046. Weighs. Balances; see poise, v. 906. 1047. Empyreal Heaven. Cf. P. L. 3 : 56-62. 1049-1050. Cf. P. L. 3 : 504-509. 1050. Sapphire. See Isa. 54 : 11; Rev. 21 : 19. Native seat. Cf. P. L. 1 : 85-87. 1052. Pendent world. Used by Shakespeare (Near III. i. 126) but perhaps originally from Ovid, Met. 1 : 12 'nee circumfuso pendebat in aere tellus ponderibus librata suis' (the earth did not as yet hang in the surrounding air, balanced by its own weight); cf. P. L. 7 : 242. Milton, in adopting the phrase, seems to have construed pendent more liberally, in connection with chain. Cf. Garnett, Milton, p. 158: 'This pendant world, observe, is not the earth, as Addison understood it, but the entire sidereal universe, depicted not as the infinity we now know it to be, but as a definite object, so insulated in the vastness of space as to be perceptible to the distant Fiend as a minute star, and no larger in comparison with the courts of Heaven — themselves not wholly seen — than such a twinkler matched with the full-orbed moon. Such a representation, if it diminishes the grandeur of the universe accessible to sense, exalts that of the supersensual and extramundane regions where the action takes its birth, and where Milton's gigantic imagination is most perfectly at home.' 1052. Star. Perhaps suggested by Hor., Epod. 15: 1-2, 'The moon was shining amid the lesser stars;' perhaps rather by Hor., Od. I. xii. 46-48: 'Shines among all the Julian star, like the moon among the lesser fires.' 1054. Revenge. Earlier occurrences of this word in P. L.I What ground for revenge had Satan? 1055. Cursed hour. Why? APPENDIX. Extracts From The Genesis Of The Pseudo-cjedmon, Morlev's Translation. (Vv. 20-45, 78-111, 246-260, 299-438, 442-457.) Even there A home and a high throne. Then God was wroth, That torture-house abide their joyless fall. But after as before was peace in Heaven, Then peace was among dwellers in the sky, Blaming and lawless malice were gone out, And angels feared no more, since plotting foes Who cast off Heaven were bereft of light. Their glory-seats behind them in God's realm, . 26 Enlarged with gifts, stood happy, bright with bloom, But ownerless since the curst spirits went Wretched to exile within bars of Hell. Then thought within His mind the Lord of Hosts How He again might fix within His rule 30 The great creation, thrones of heavenly light High in the Heavens for a better band, Since the proud scathers had relinquished them. The holy God, therefore, in His great might Willed that there should be set beneath Heaven's span 35 Earth, firmament, wide waves, created world, Replacing foes cast headlong from their home. Here yet was naught save darkness of the cave, The broad abyss, whereon the steadfast King Looked with His eyes and saw that space of gloom, 40 Saw the dark cloud lower in lasting night, Was deep and dim, vain, useless, strange to God, Black under Heaven, wan, waste, till through His word The King of Glory had created life. The Almighty had disposed ten angel-tribes, 45 The holy Father by His strength of hand, That they whom He well trusted should serve Him And work His will. For that the holy God Gave intellect, and shaped them with His hands. In happiness He placed them, and to one 50 He added prevalence and might of thought, Sway over much, next highest to Himself In Heaven's realm. Him He had wrought so bright That pure as starlight was in Heaven the form Which God the Lord of Hosts had given him. 55 Praise to the Lord his work, and cherishing Of heavenly joy, and thankfulness to God For his share of that gift of light, which then Had long been his. But he perverted it, Against Heaven's highest Lord he lifted war, 60 Against the Most High in His sanctuary. Then was the Mighty wroth, Heaven's highest Lord Cast him from his high seat, for he had brought His Master's hate on him. His favor lost, The Good was angered against him, and he 05 Must therefore seek the depth of Hell's fierce pains, Because he strove against Heaven's highest Lord, Who shook him from His favor, cast him down To the deep dales of Hell, where he became Devil, The Fiend with all his comrades fell 70 From Heaven, angels, for three nights and days, From Heaven to Hell, where the Lord changed them all To devils, because they His Deed and Word Refused to worship. Therefore in worse light Under the earth beneath, Almighty God 75 Had placed them triumphless in the swart Hell. There evening, immeasurably long, Brings to each fiend renewal of the fire; Then comes, at dawn, the east wind keen with frost; Its dart, or fire continual torment sharp, so The punishment wrought for them, they must bear. Their world was changed, and those first times filled Hell |