The first book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, Man's disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed: Then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent or rather Satan in the Serpent; who, revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of angels, was, by the command of God, driven out of Heaven with all his crew, into the great deep. Which action passed over, the poem hastens into the midst of things, presenting Satan and his angels now falling into Hell described here, not in the center (for Heaven and Earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed) but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest called Chaos: here Satan with his angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-struck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him: they confer of their miserable fall; Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded. They rise; their numbers; array of battle; their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. To these Satan directs his speech, comforts them with hope yet of regaining Heaven, but tells them lastly of a new world and new kind of creature to be created, according to an ancient prophecy or report in Heaven; for, that angels were long before this visible creation, was the opinion of many ancient fathers. To find out the truth of this prophecy, and what to determine thereon, he refers to a full council. What his associates thence attempt. Pandemonium, the palace of Satan, rises, suddenly built out of the deep: the infernal peers there sit in council. PARADISE LOST. BOOK I OF man's first disobedience, and the fruit Sing, heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flow'd Invoke thy aid to my adventurous song, Above the Aonian mount, while it pursues 15 And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer And justify the ways of God to men. Say first, for heaven hides nothing from thy view, Nor the deep tract of hell: say first what cause Mov'd our grand parents, in that happy state, Favour'd of heaven so highly, to fall off From their Creator, and transgress his will For one restraint, lords of the world beside? Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt? The infernal Serpent; he it was whose guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceiv'd The mother of mankind, what time his pride Had cast him out from heaven, with all his host Of rebel-Angels; by whose aid, aspiring To set himself in glory, above his peers, He trusted to have equall'd the Most High, If he oppos'd; and, with ambitious aim Against the throne and monarchy of God, 42 43-71 Rais'd impious war in heaven, and battle proud, Nine times the space that measures day and night Torments him: Round he throws his baleful eyes, A dungeon horrible on all sides round As one great furnace flam'd: yet from those flames Serv'd only to discover sights of woe, Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace 72-100 For those rebellious; here their prison ordain'd And thence in heaven call'd Satan, with bold words If thou beest he; But O, how fallen! how chang'd Join'd with me once, now misery hath join'd From what highth fallen; so much the stronger prov'd He with his thunder: and till then who knew Nor what the potent victor in his rage (Though chang'd in outward lustre) that fix'd mind, And high disdain from sense of injur'd merit, |