Shone with a gloffy fcurf undoubted fignon
That in his womb was hid metallic ore,
The work of fulphur. Thither wing'd with speed!
A numerous brigad haften'd; as when bands
Of pioneers, with fpade and pickax arm'd,
Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field,
Or caft a rampart. Maminon led them on,
Mammon, the leaft erected spirit that fell
From Heav'n; for ev'n in Heav'n his looks and thoughts -
Where always downward bent; adiniring more
The riches of Heav'n's pavement, trodden geld,
Than ought divine or holy elfe, enjoy'd v
In vifion beatifice by him first &
Men alfo, and by his fuggeftien taught, 685
Ranfack'd the center, and with impious hands
Rifled the bowels of their mother earth,
For treasures better hid. Spon had his crew
Open'd into the hill a fpacious wound, she vå ta i
And dig'd out ribs of gold. Let none admired 1690
That riches grow in Hell; that soil may bestrije Mis
Deferve the precious bane. And here let those
Who boast in mortal things, and wond'ring tell
Of Babel, and the works of Memphian kings,
Learn how their greatest monuments of fame,
And strength and art are easily out-done
By fpirits reprobate, and in an houran
What in an age they with incessant toil
And hands innumerable fcarce perform.
Nigh on the plain in many cells prepar'd,
That underneath had veins of liquid, fire
Sluc'd from the lake, a fecond multitude
With wondrous art found out the maffy ore;
Severing each kind, and fcumm'd the bullion drofs;
A third as foon had form'd within the ground
A various mold; and from the boiling cells
By frange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook:
As in an Organ from one blaft of wind
To many a row of pipes the found-board breathes.
Anon out of the earth a fabric hugecola a mhier - 710
Rofe like an exhalation, with the found
Of dulcet fymphonies and voices sweet,
Built like a temple, where pilafters round
Were fet, and Doric pillars overlaid
Wich golden architrave: nor did there want
Cornice or freeze, with boffy fculptures graven; 900 1
The roof was fretted gold. Not Babylon,
Nor great Alcairo fuch magnificence,
Equal'd in all their glories, to infhrine
Belus, or Serapis their, Gods, or feat oilo zubi 7201
Their kings, when Egypt with Affyria ftrove, IL AT
In wealth and luxury. Th' afcending pile oz of
Stood fix'd her ftately height, and ftrait the doors e not
Opening their brazen folds, dicover wide
Within, her ample spaces, o'erithe fmooth
And level pavement: from the arched roof,
Pendent by fubtle, magic many a row
Of starry lamps and blazing creffets, fed o
With Naphtha and Asphaltus, yielded light
As from a fky. The hafty multitude op
Adiniring enter'd, and the work fome praife
And fome the architect his hand was known
In Heav'n by many a tow'red ftructure high,
Where sceptered angels held their refidence,
And fate as Princes; whom the fupreme king
Exalted to fuch power, and gave to rule,
Each in Hierarchy, the orders bright.
Not was his name unheard, or unador'd,
In ancient Greece; and in Aufoniam land maz ore judi
Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell on 174012
From Heav'n they fabled, thrown by angry Joven uni A
Sheer o'er the chrystal battlements; from morn, patovez
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy events. a bit. n.
A fuminer's day and with the setting fun
Dropt from the zenith like a falling ftar:
On Lemnos th' Aegean ifle; thus they relate,
Errings for he with this rebellious rout
Fell long before; nor ought.evail'd him nows
T' have built in Heave'n high tow'rs; nor did he 'scape
By all his engines, but was headlong fent dow
With his industrious crew to build in Hell.
Mean while the winged heralds by command
Of fov'reign pow'r, with awful, ceremony w
And trumpets found, troughout the hoft proclaime
A folemn council forthwith to be held
At Pandemonium, the high capital shogg më 15.
Of Satan and his Peers: their fummons call'den
From every band and squared regiment no ManeSA
By place or choise the worthieft; they anons, th
With hundreds and with thousands trooping came 760
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 Soldans 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 air90
Brush'd with the hifs of ruling winds. As bees
In fpring time, when the fun with Taurus rides, pron?
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers i
Fly to and fro, or on the fmoothed plank, dypá vodľ
The fuburb of their straw-built citadelgid auds Turskol
New rubb'd with balm, expatiate, and conferv
Their ftate affairs. So thick the aery croudicc 7751
Swarm'd and were ftraiten'd; till, the fignal giv'n, I
Behold a wonder! they but now who seem'd
In bigness to furpafs earth's giant fons,
genome【
Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room.
Throng numberlefs, like that pygmean race
`Beyond the Indian mount, or fairy elveszeite
Whose midnight revels by a forest fide
Or fountain, fome belated peafant fees,
Or dreams he fees, while over-head the moon
Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth
Weehls her pale courfe; they on their mirth and dance
Intent, with jocund mufic charm his ear;
At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal fpirits to fmalleft forms
Reduc'd their fhapes iminenfe, and were at large, 790
Though without number still 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 recefs and fecret conclave fat;
A thoufand Demi-gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full: after short filence then
And fummons read, the great confult began. kodi na
The End of First Book.
High on a throne of royal ftate, which far
Outfhone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous eaft with richest hand wi
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 pursue
Vain war with Heav'n, and by fuccefs untaught
His proud imaginations thus difplay'd.
Powers and Dominions, Deities of Heav'n!
For fince no deep within her gulph 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 just right, and the fix'd laws of Heav'n
Did first create your leader, next free choice, bla
With what besides, in council or in fight,
Hath been achiev'd of merit, yet this lofs
Thus far at least recover'd, hath much moresory
Establish'd in a fafe unenvied throne,
Yielded with full confent. The happier state.
In Heav'n, which follows dignity, might draw
Envy from each inferior; but who here on
Will envy whom the highest place expofes A
Foremost to stand against the Thunderer's aime
Your bulwark, and condemns to greatest share
Of endless pain? Where there is then no good
For which to ferive, no strife can grow up there.
From faction; for none fure will claim in Hell
Precedence; none, whofe portion is fo fmallow
Of prefent pain, that with ambitious mindr
Will covet more! With this advantage then a 35
To union, and firm faith, and firm accord,
More than can be in Heav'n, we now return
To claim our just inheritance of old,
Surer to profper than profperity
Could have affur'd us; and by what best way,
Whether of open war or covert guile, b
We now debate; who can advise may speak.
He ceas'd, and next him Moloch, fceptred king,
Stood up, the strongest and the fierceft fpirit
That fought in Heav'n, now fiercer by despair;
His truft was with th' Eternal to be deem'd
Equal in ftrength, and rather than be lefs
Car'd not to be at all; with that care lofth or as
Went all his fear: of God, or Hell, or worse,
He reck'd not; and thefe words thereafter spake:
My fentence is for open war: of wiles, phonez3
More unexpert, I boast not: them let those walki
Contrive who need, or when they need, not now:
For while they fit contriving, fhall the reft,
Millions that ftand in arms, and longing wait
The fignal to afcend, fit lingering here a
Heav'n's fugitives, and for their dwelling-placer
Accept this dark opprobrious den of fhaine,
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