To human sense th' 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 dispensed, and what surmounts the reach
Of human sense I shall delineate so,

By lik'ning spiritual to corporal forms,

As may express them best; though what if earth
Be but the shadow of heav'n; 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 heav'ns now roll, where earth now rests
Upon her centre poised, when on a day,
For time, though in eternity, applied
To motion, measures all things durable

By present, past, and future; on such day

As heav'n's great year' brings forth, th' empyreal host

Of angels, by imperial summons call'd,

Innumerable before th' Almighty's throne
Forthwith from all the ends of heav'n appear'd:
Under their hierarchs in orders 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,

1 Plato's great year was probably in Milton's mind. It was a revolution of all the spheres. "Everything returns

to where it set out when their motion
first began."- From RICHARDSON,
Job i. 6. Dan. vii. 10.

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 my Self have sworn to him shall bow
All knees in heav'n, and shall confess him Lord.
Under his great vice-gerent 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 th' Omnipotent, and with his words
All seemed 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 smooths her charming tones, that God's own ear Listens delighted. Ev'ning now approach'd,

For we have also our ev'ning 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 heav'n.

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

1 See Psalm ii. Heb. i. 5.

Of surfeit where full measure only bounds
Excess, before th' all-bounteous King, who show'r'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 heav'n 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,
Such are the courts of GOD, th' 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 course
Melodious hymns about the sov'reign throne
Alternate all night long. But not so waked
Satan, so call him now, his former name
Is heard no more in heav'n; 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

Thro' pride that sight, and thought himself impair'd.
Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain,
Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour,
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolved
With all his legions to dislodge, and leave
Unworshipp'd, unobey'd, the throne supreme,
Contemptuous, and his next subordinate
Awak'ning, thus to him in secret spake.

Sleep'st thou, companion dear, what sleep can close
Thy eyelids? and remember'st what decree

Of yesterday so late hath past the lips

Psalm cxxi. 4; "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." Bev. xxii.

Of heav'n'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 see'st imposed;
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 th' 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 heav'n,
The great hierarchial 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 heav'n;
His count'nance, as the morning star that guides
The starry flock, allured them, and with lies

Drew after him the third part of heav'n's host.'
Meanwhile th' 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, whet 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 aspect and clear Light'ning 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
Giv'n me to quell their pride, and in event
Know whether I be dextrous to subdue
Thy rebels, or be found the worst in heav'n.

So spake the Son: but Satan with his powers Far was advanced on winged speed, an host Innumerable as the stars of night,

Or stars of morning, dewdrops, which the sun

1 Rev. xii. 3, 4

Rev. iv. 5.

Isaiah xiv. 12.

• Psalm ii. 4