Well hast thou taught the way, that might direct
Our knowledge, and the scale of nature set,
From centre to circumference, whereon,
In contemplation of created things,
By steps we may ascend to God. But say,
What meant that caution join'd, ' if ye be found
Obedient? Can we want obedience then
To him, or possibly his love desert,
Who form'd us from the dust, and placed us here,
Full to the utmost measure of what bliss
Human desires can seek, or apprehend?"
To whom the Angel. "Son of Heaven and Earth Attend that thou art happy, owe to God; That thou continuest such, owe to thyself; That is, to thy obedience; therein stand. This was that caution given thee; be advis'd. God made thee perfect, not immutable; And good he made thee; but to persevere He left it in thy power, ordain'd thy will By nature free, not over-ruled by fate Inextricable, or strict necessity; Our voluntary service he requires, Not our necessitated; such with him Finds no acceptance, nor can find; for how Can hearts, not free, be try'd whether they serve Willing or no, who will, but what they must By destiny, and can no other choose? Myself and all the Angelic host, that stand In sight of God enthroned, our happy state Hold, as you yours, while our obedience holds On other surety none; freely we serve, Because we freely love, as in our will To love or not; in this we stand or fall: And some are fallen, to disobedience fallen, And so from Heaven to deepest Hell. O fall, From what high state of bliss, into what woe!" To whom our great progenitor. "Thy words Attentive, and with more delighted ear, Divine instructor, I have heard, than when Cherubic songs, by night from neighbouring hills, Aerial music send: nor knew I not To be both will and deed created free; Yet, that we never shall forget to love Our Maker, and obey him, whose command Single is yet so just, my constant thoughts Assured me, & still assure: though what thou tell'st Hath pass'd in Heaven, some doubt within me move,
But more desire to hear, if thou consent,
The full relation, which must needs be strange,
Worthy of sacred silence to be heard;
And we have yet large day, for scarce the sun
Hath finish'd half his journey, and scarce begins
His other half, in the great zone of Heaven
Thus Adam made request; and Raphael, After short pause, assenting, thus began.
High matter thou enjoin'st me, O prime of men,
Sad task and hard; for how shall I relate,
To human sense, the invisible exploits
Of warring spirits? how, without remorse,
The ruin of so many, glorious once,
And perfect while they stood? how last unfold
The secrets of another world, perhaps
Not lawful to reveal? yet for thy good
This is dispens'd; and what surmounts the reach
Of human sense, I shall delineate so,
By likening spiritual to corporeal forms,
As
may express them best; though, what if Earth
Be but the shadow of Heaven, and things therein,
Each to other like, more than on earth is thought?
"As yet this world was not; and Chaos wild Reign'd where these Heavens now roll, where Earth Upon her centre pois'd; when on a day, [now rests, For time, though in eternity, applied
To motion, measures all things durable
By present, past, and future; on such day,
As Heaven's great year brings forth, the empyreal host
Of angels, by imperial summons call'd,
Innumerable, before the Almighty's throne,
Forthwith from all the ends of Heaven appear'd,
Under their hierarchs, in order bright;
Ten thousand thousand ensigns high advanced,
Standards and gonfalons, 'twixt van and rear,
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, Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers,
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
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,
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."
"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
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
So smoothes her charming tones, that God's own
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
In pearl, in diamond, and massy gold,
Fruit of delicious vines, the growth of Heaven.
On flowers reposed, and with fresh flowrets crown'd
They eat, they drink, and, in communion sweet,
Quaff immortality and joy, secure
Of surfeit, where full measure only bounds
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 & shade
Spring both, the face of brightest Heaven had chang'd
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 globose earth, in plain outspread,
Such are the courts of God, the angelic throng,
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
Melodious hymns about the sovereign throne
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 arch-angel, great in power,
In favour and pre-eminence, yet fraught
With envy against the Son of God, that day
Honour'd by his great Father, and proclaim'd
Messiah, King anointed, could not bear,
Through pride, that sight, and thought himself im ·
Deep malice thence conceiving, and disdain, [pair'd.
Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour,
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolv'd,
With all his legions, to dislodge, and leave
Unworshipp'd, unobey'd, the throne supreme,
Contemptuous; and his next subordinate
Awakening, thus to him in secret spake.
"Sleep'st thou, companion dear, what sleep can
Thy eye-lids? and remember'st what decree [close
Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips
O. 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 impos'd;
New laws from him who reigns, new minds may
raise
In us who serve; new counsels, to debate
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
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 arch-angel, and infused
Bad influence into the unwary breast
Of his associate: he together calls,
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 disincumber'd Heaven,
The great hierarchal standard was to move;
Tells the suggested cause, and casts between
Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound
Or taint integrity: but all obey'd
The wonted signal, and superior voice
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
Drew after him the third part of Heaven's host.
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
Is rising, who intends to erect his throne
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.'
"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,
Laugh'st at their vain designs, and tumults vain
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 dextrous to subdue
Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Heaven.
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