Stream in the air, and for distinction serve
Of hierarchies, of orders, and degrees;
Or in their glittering tissues bear imblazed
Holy memorials, acts of zeal and love
Recorded eminent. Thus when in orbs
Of circuit inexpressible they stood,
Orb within orb, the Father Infinite,

By whom in bliss imbosom'd sat the Son,

Amidst as from a flaming mount, whose top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake :
Hear, all ye Angels, progeny of light,

595

60

605

Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Fowers;
Hear my decree, which unrevoked shall stand.
This day I have begot whom I declare

My only Son, and on this holy hill

Him have anointed, whom ye now behold

610

At my right hand; your head I him appoint ;

And by myself have sworn, to him shall bow

All knees in Heaven, and shall confess him Lord;
Under his great vicegerent reign abide
United, as one individual soul,

615

For ever happy: him who disobeys,
Me disobeys, breaks union, and that day,
Cast out from God and blessed vision, falls

Into utter darkness, deep ingulf'd, his place

Ordain'd without redemption, without end.

620

So spake the Omnipotent, and with his words

All seem'd well pleased; all seem'd, but were not all.

That day, as other solemn days, they spent

In song and dance about the sacred hill;
Mystical dance, which yonder starry sphere

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Of planets, and of fix'd, in all her wheels
Resembles nearest, mazes intricate,

Eccentric, intervolved, yet regular

Then most, when most irregular they seem;

And in their motions harmony divine

634

So smooths her charming tones, that Gods own ear

Listens delighted. Evening now approach'd

(For we have also our evening and our morn,
We ours for change delectable, not need ;)
Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn
Desirous: all in circles as they stood,

Tables are set, and on a sudden piled
With Angels' food, and rubied nectar flows

633

In pearl, in diamond, and(massy gold,)

Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heaven.

640

On flowers reposed, and with fresh flowerets crcwn'd,
They eat, they drink, and in communion sweet
Quaff immortality and joy, secure

Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds

646

Excess, before the all bounteous King, who shower'd
With copious hand, rejoicing in their joy.
Now when ambrosial night, with clouds exhaled
From that high mount of God whence light and shade
Spring both, the face of brightest Heaven had changed
To grateful twilight (for night comes not there
In darker veil,) and roseate dews disposed
All but the unsleeping eyes of God to rest;
Wide over all the plain, and wider far
Than all this globous earth in plain outspread

650

(Such are the courts of God,) the angelic throng, 655 Dispersed in bands and files, their camp extend

By living streams among the trees of life,
Pavilions numberless, and sudden rear'd,

Celestial tabernacles, where they slept

"Fann'd with cool winds; save those, who in their course,

Melodious hymns about the sov'reign throne

661

Alternate all night long but not so waked

Satan; so call him now, his former name

Is heard no more in Heaven; he of the first,

If not the first Archangel, great in power,

668

In favour, and preeminence, yet fraught

With envy against the Son of God, that day

Honour'd by his great Father, and proclaim'd

Messian King anointed, could not bear

Through pride that sight, and thought himself impair'd

Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain,
Soon as nidnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolved
With all his legions to dislodge, and leave
Unworship'd, unobey'd, the throne supreme,
Contemptuous; and his next subordinate
Awakening, thus to him in secret spake :

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675

Sleep'st thou, companion dear? What sleep can close Thy eyelids? and remember'st what decree Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips

680

Of Heaven's Almighty. Thou to me thy thoughts
Wast wont, I mine to thee was wont to impart :
Both waking we were one; how then can now
Thy sleep dissent ? new laws thou seest imposed;
New laws from him who reigns new minds may raise
In us who serve, new counsels to debate

686

What doubtful may ensue: More in this place
To utter is not safe. Assemble thou

Of all those myriads which we lead the chief;

Tell them, that by command, ere yet dim night 690
Her shadowy cloud withdraws, I am to haste,

And all who under me their banners wave,
Homeward, with flying march, where we possess
The quarters of the north; there to prepare
Fit entertainment to receive our king,
The great Messiah, and his new commands,
Who speedily through all the hierarchies
Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws.

So spake the false Archangel, and infused
Bad influence into the unwary breast
Of his associate: he together calls,

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700

Or several one by one, the regent Powers,

Under him Regent; tells, as he was taught,

That the Most High commanding, now ere night
Now ere dim night had disencumber'd Heaven,

700

The great hierarchal standard was to mcve;
Tells the suggested cause, and cast between

Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound

Or taint integrity. but all obey'd

The wonted signal, and superior voice

710

Of their great Potentate; for great indeed

His name, and high was his degree in Heaven;

His countenance, as the morning star that guides
The starry flock, allured them, and with lies

720

Drew after him the third part of Heaven's host. 715
Meanwhile the Eternal eye, whose sight discerns
Abstrusest thoughts, from forth his holy mount,
And from within the golden lamps that burn
Nightly before him, saw without their light
Rebellion rising; saw in whom, how spread
Among the sons of morn, what multitudes
Were banded to oppose his high decree ;
And, smiling, to his only Son thus said :
Son, thou in whom my glory I behold
In full resplendence, Heir of all my might,
Nearly it now concerns us to be sure
Of our Omnipotence, and with what arms
We mean to hold what anciently we claim
Of deity or empire: such a foe

725

Is rising, who intends to erect his throne

730

Equal to ours, throughout the spacious north;
Nor so content, hath in his thought to try,
In battle, what our power is, or our right.
Let us advise, and to this hazard draw
With speed what force is left, and all employ
In our defence; lest unawares we lose
This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill.

739

To whom the Son with calm aspéct and clear, Lightning divine, ineffable, serene,

Made answer: Mighty Father, thou thy foes
Justly hast in derision, and, secure,

744

Laugh'st at their vain designs and tumults rain;
Matter to me of glory, whom their hate

Illustrates, when they see all regal power

Given me to quell their pride and in event
Know whether I be dexterous to subdue

745

Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Heaven.

30 Spake the Son; but Satan, with his Powers Far was advanced on winged speed; a host

Innumerable as the stars of night,

750

Or stars of morning, dewdrops, which the sun

Impearls on every leaf and every flower.
Regions they pass'd, the mighty regencies
Of Seraphim, and Potentates, and Thrones,
In their triple degrees; regions to which
All thy dominion, Adam, is no more

755

Than what this garden is to all the earth
And all the sea, from one entire globose

Stretch'd into longitude; which having pass'd,

At length into the limits of the north

760

They came; and Satan to his royal seat

High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount

Raised on a mount, with pyramids and towers

From diamond quarries hewn, and rocks of gold;

The palace of great Lucifer (so call

765

That structure in the dialect of men
Interpreted,) which, not long after, he
Affecting all equality with God,
In imitation of that mount whereon

Messiah was declared in sight of Heaven,

770

The Mountain of the Congregation call'd;

For thither he assembled all his train,
Pretending so commanded to consult
About the great reception of their King,
'Thither to come, and with calumnious art

Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears:

775

'I'hrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,

If these magnific titles yet remain

Not merely titular, since by decrce

Another now hath to himself engross'd

All power, and us eclipsed, under the name
Of King nointed, for whom all this haste

780