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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,

6

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
Bereav'd of happiness, thou may'st partake
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."

END OF BOOK VI.

THE

SEVENTH BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOST.

THE ARGUMENT.

Raphael, at the request of Adam, relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that 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 re ascension into Heaven.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VII.

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 presum❜d,
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
Thy tempering: with like safety guided down
Return me to my native element:

Lest from this flying steed unrein'd, (as once
Bellerophon, though from a lower clime,)
Dismounted, on the' Aleian field I fall,
Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn.

Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound

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