In wealth and luxury.

The ascending pile

Stood fixed her stately height; and straight the d
Opening their brazen folds discover, wide
Within, her ample spaces o'er the smooth
And level pavement: from the arched roof,
Pendent by subtle magic, many a row
Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed
With naphtha and asphaltus, yielded light
As from a sky. The hasty multitude
Admiring entered, and the work some praise
And some the architect; his hand was known
In Heaven by many a towered structure high,
Where sceptred angels held their residence,
And sat as princes, whom the supreme King
Exalted to such power, and gave to rule,
Each in his hierarchy, the orders bright:
Nor was his name unheard or unadored
In ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land
Men called him Mulciber; and how he fell
From Heaven they fabled, thrown by angry Jove
Sheer o'er the crystal battlements; from morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,
A summer's day; and with the setting sun
Dropped from the zenith like a falling star,
On Lemnos the Ægean isle: thus they relate,
Erring; for he with this rebellious rout

Fell long before; nor aught availed him now
To have built in Heaven high towers; nor did I

scape

723. fixed, fixed in, or as to. But if a comma be put after stood, height may be considered as the nominative case absolute. straight. See line 531.

729. naphtha and asphaltus are bituminous substances, the former liquid, the latter solid, and both very inflammable.

736. rule, rule over.

737. hierarchy, sacred rank.

739-746. Hephæstos, the g of fire, was called Vulcan, or M ciber, by the Romans, who dwe in Ausonian land, or Italy. Ha ing taken part with his mothe Hera, or Juno, in a quarrel b tween his parents, he was hurle by his father, angry Jove, fro heaven. He fell on the island o Lemnos in the Egean Sea. 749. scape. See line 482.

engines, but was headlong sent dustrious crew to build in Hell.

ile the winged heralds, by command power, with awful ceremony

et's sound, throughout the host proclaim council forthwith to be held

nonium, the high capital

and his peers: their summons called y band and squared regiment

or choice the worthiest; they anon

750

755

Ireds and with thousands trooping came 760 all access was thronged, the gates es wide, but chief the spacious hall ike a covered field, where champions bold in armed, and at the Soldan's chair best of Panim chivalry

combat, or career with lance)

765

770

rmed, both on the ground and in the air, with the hiss of rustling wings. As bees time, when the sun with Taurus rides, their populous youth about the hive s; they among fresh dews and flowers fro, or on the smoothed plank, b of their straw-built citadel, ed with balm, expatiate, and confer e affairs: so thick the aery crowd and were straitened; till, the signal given, wonder! they but now who seemed

es, ingenious devices

ces.

n. See line 246. emonium, place of all

See line 325.

775

bat with Panim (Paynim or Pagan) chivalry. They used (wont) to ride in (into the lists) in armor.

Soldan, Sultan, the Saracen chief or emperor.

769. when the sun with Taurus ccess, every way of ac- rides, when the sun is in Taurus,

-oach.

In the wars between ians and Saracens, Sold of the true faith engaged in single com

the sign of the Bull.

774. expatiate, move at large; walk abroad. - confer, confer up

on.

775. See line 430.

In bigness to surpass earth's giant sons,
Now less than smallest dwarfs in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that pygméan race
Beyond the Indian mount; or fairy elves,
Whose midnight revels by a forest side
Or fountain some belated peasant sees,
Or dreams he sees; while overhead the moon
Sits arbitress, and nearer to the earth

Wheels her pale course; they, on their mirth 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
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 demi-gods on golden seats,
Frequent and full. After short silence then
And summons read, the great consult began.

785. arbitress, witness; spectator from the Latin.

790. were at large, had room enough.

797. Frequent, crowded; thronged.

798. consult, consultation.

BOOK II.

THE ARGUMENT.

ion begun, Satan debates whether another battle is to for the recovery of Heaven: some advise it, others A third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by arch the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven another world, and another kind of creature, equal or inferior to themselves, about this time to be created; s who shall be sent on this difficult search: Satan, their rtakes alone the voyage; is honored and applauded. 1 thus ended, the rest betake them several ways and to ployments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain 11 Satan return. He passes on his journey to Hell gates, I shut, and who sat there to guard them, by whom at ey are opened, and discover to him the great gulf be1 and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, y Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this I which he sought.

a throne of royal state, which far
the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
the gorgeous East with richest hand

on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
alted sat, by merit raised

oad eminence; and, from despair h uplifted beyond hope, aspires thus high, insatiate to pursue

r with Heaven; and, by success untaught, ad imaginations thus displayed:

5

10

5. by merit, because he had so deserved.

7. beyond hope, beyond what he had lately hoped for.

8. insatiate, eager with insatiate passion.

9. success, the event. 10. displayed, set forth.

"Powers and Dominions, deities of Heaven For since no deep within her gulf can hold Immortal vigor, though oppressed and fallen, I give not Heaven for lost; from this descent Celestial virtues rising will appear

More glorious and more dread than from no fall
And trust themselves to fear no second fate

Me though just right and the fixed laws of Hea
Did first create your leader, next free choice,
With what besides in council or in fight
Hath been achieved of merit; yet this loss
Thus far at least recovered hath much more
Established in a safe unenvied throne,

Yielded with full consent. The happier state
In Heaven, which follows dignity, might draw
Envy from each inferior; but who here
Will envy whom the highest place exposes
Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aim
Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share
Of endless pain? Where there is then no good
For which to strive, no strife can grow up there
From faction; for none sure will claim in Hell
Precedence, none whose portion is so small
Of present pain that with ambitious mind
Will covet more. With this advantage then
To union and firm faith and firm accord,
More than can be in Heaven, we now return
To claim our just inheritance of old,
Surer to prosper than prosperity

Could have assured us; and by what best way,
Whether of open war or covert guile,

We now debate; who can advise may speak."

22. recovered, made up.

23. established. For the object of this verb, see line 18.

25. follows dignity, accompa

nies high rank.

27. whom, him whom.

29. Your bulwark, as your wark.

33. none, there is none. 40. by what best way, by way we may best return.