With naphtha and afphaltus, yielded light
As from a fky. The hafty multitude
Admiring enter'd; and the work fome praife,
And fome the architect: His hand was known
In heav'n by many a towred structure high,
Where feepter'd angels held their refidence,
And fat as princes; whom the fupreme King
Exalted to fuch pow'r, and gave to rule,
Each in his hierarchy, the orders bright.
Nor was his name unheard, or unador'd,
In ancient Greece; and in Aufonian land
Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell
From heav'n, they fabled, thrown by angry Jove
Sheer o'er the crystal battlements; from morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,
A fummer's day; and with the setting fun
Dropt from the zenith like a falling star,
On Lemnos th' Egean ifle: Thus they relate,
Erring; for he with this rebellious rout
Fell long before; nor ought avail'd him now
T' have built in heav'n high tow'rs; nor did he 'scape
By all his engines, but was headlong fent
With his induftrious crew to build in hell.
Mean while the winged heralds by command Of fov'reign pow'r, with awful ceremony And trumpet's found, throughout the host proclaim A folemn council forthwith to be held
At Pandemonium, the high capital
Of Satan and his peers: Their fummons call'd
From every band and fquared regiment
By place or choice the worthieft; they anon
With hundreds and with thousands trooping came
Attended: All accefs was throng'd, the gates
And porches wide, but chief the fpacious hall
(Though like a cover'd field where champions bold
Wont ride in arm'd, and at the Soldan's chair
Defy'd the best of Panim chivalry
To mortal combat, or career with lance)
Thick fwarm'd, both on the ground and in the air
Brufh'd with the hifs of rufling wings. As bees
In fpring-time, when the fun with Taurus rides,
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers
Fly to and fro, or on the fmoothed plank,
The fuburb of their ftraw-built citadel,
New rubb'd with balm, expatiate, and confer
Their ftate-affairs. So thick the airy crowd
Swarm'd and were ftraiten'd; till the fignal given,
Behold a wonder! they but now who seem'd
In bigness to furpass earth's giant fons,
Now lefs than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberlefs, like that pygmean race
Beyond the Indian mount; or fairy elves,
Whose midnight-revels by a forest-side
Or fountain fome belated peasant fees,
Or dreams he fees; while over-head the moon
Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth
Wheels her pale course; they on their mirth and dance
Intent, with jocund music charm his ear;
At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal fp'rits to smallest forms
Reduc'd their fhapes immenfe, and were at large,
Though without number ftill amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimenfions like themselves,
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim
In clofe recofs and fecret conclave fat,
A thoufand demi-gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full. After fhort filence then,
And fummons read, the great confult began.
The end of the first book
The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven: Some advise it, others diffuade. A third propofal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to fearch the truth of that prophecy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal, or not much inferior to themselves, about this time to be created: Their doubt who fhall be fent on this difficult fearch: Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He paffes on his journey to hell-gates, finds them fhut, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between hell and heaven; with what difficulty he paffes through, directed by Chaos, the power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.
IGH on a throne of royal fiate, which far Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous Eaft with richeft hand Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted fat, by merit rais'd
To that bad eminence; and from defpair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, afpires
Beyond thus high; infatiate to purfue
Vain war with heav'n; and, by fuccefs untaught,
His proud imaginations thus difplay'd.
Pow'rs and dominions, deities of heaven;
For fince no deep within her gulf can hold
Immortal vigor, though opprefs'd and fall'n,
I give not heav'n for loft. From this defcent
Celestial virtues rifing will appear
More glorious and more dread than from no fall,
And trust themselves to fear no fecond fate.
Me, though juft right and the fix'd laws of heaven,
Did first create your leader; next, free choice;
With what befides, in council or in fight,
Hath been achiev'd of merit; yet this loss
Thus far at least recover'd, hath much more
Eftablifh'd in a fafe unenvied throne
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