745

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 ile: 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 'fcape
By all his engins, but was headlong sent

With his induftrious crew to build in Hell.

Mean while the winged heralds by command

Of fovran pow'r, with awful ceremony

750

And trumpet's found, throughout the hoft proclame 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

755

With hundreds and with thousands trooping came 760
Attended: all access was throng'd, the gates
And porches wide, but chief the spacious 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
Brush'd with the hifs of rufling winds. 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 smoothed plank,

765

770

The fuburb of their ftraw-built citadel,

New rubb'd with balm, expatiate and confer

Their ftate affairs. So thick the aery croud

775

Swarm'd and were straiten'd; till, the fignal given,

Behold a wonder! they but now who seem'd

In bigness to furpafs earth's giant fons,

Now lefs than fmalleft dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that pygmean race
Beyond the Indian mount, or faery elves,
Whofe midnight revels by a forest fide
Or fountain fome belated peasant fees,

780

Or dreams he fees, while over-head the moon

Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth

785

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 Spi'rits to smallest forms

Reduc'd their shapes immense, 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 thousand Demi-gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full. After fhort filence then
And fummons read, the great confult began.

795

THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK,

THE

ARGUMENT.

The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: Some advise it, others diffuade: A third propofal is preferred, mention'd 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 honor'd and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft 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 shut, and who fate there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover 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.