880

Sole victor from th' 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,
With jubilee advanc'd; and as they went,
Shading with branching palm, each order bright,
Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King,

885

Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given,

Worthiest to reign: he celebrated rode

Triumphant through mid Heav'n, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father thron'd

890

On high; who into glory him receiv'd,

Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.

895

"Thus measuring things in Heav'n 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 th' angelic Pow'rs, 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;

900

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

905

Thy weaker; let it profit thee to' have heard,
By terrible example, the reward

910

Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,
Yet fell: remember, and fear to transgress."

END OF THE SIXTH BOOK.

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 reascension into Heaven.

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK VII.

DESCEND from Heav'n, Urania, by that name
If rightly thou art call'd, whose voice divine
Following, above th' 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, heav'nly born,
Before the hills appear'd, or fountains flow'd,
Thou with eternal wisdom didst converse,
Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play
In presence of th' almighty Father, pleas'd
With thy celestial song. Up led by thee
Into the Heav'n of Heav'ns I have presum❜d,
An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air,
Thy temp'ring; 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 th' Aleian field I fall,
Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn.
Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound
Within the visible diurnal sphere;

Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole,
More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang'd
To hoarse or mute, though fall'n on evil days,
On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues;
In darkuess, and with dangers compass'd round,
And solitude; yet not alone, while thou

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