i6o
��PARADISE LOST
��And we have yet large day, for scarce the
Sun Hath finished half his journey, and scarce
begins
His other half in the great zone of hea- ven." 56 Thus Adam made request; and Raphael, After short pause assenting, thus began: " High matter thou injoin'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 perfet while they stood ? how, last,
unfold
The secrets of another world, perhaps Not lawful to reveal ? Yet for thy good 570 This is dispensed; and what surmounts the
reach
Of human sense I shall delineate so, By likening spiritual to corporal 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 Reigned where these heavens now rowl,
where Earth now rests Upon her centre poised, when on a day (For Time, though in Eternity, applied 580 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 called, Innumerable before the Almighty's throne Forthwith from all the ends of Heaven ap- peared
Under their hierarchs in orders bright. Ten thousand thousand ensigns high ad- vanced, Standards and gonfalons, 'twixt van and
rear
Stream in the air, and for distinction serve 590
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 imbosomed sat the Son, Amidst, as from a flaming Mount, whose
top
Brightness had made invisible, thus spake: " ' Hear, all ye Angels, Progeny of Light, 600
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vir- tues, 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 nov, r behold At my right hand. Your head I him ap- point, 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, 610
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 ingulfed, his place Ordained without redemption, without end.' " So spake the Omnipotent, and with his
words All seemed well pleased; all seemed, 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 620
Of planets and of fixed 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. Evening now approached (For we have also our evening and our
morn
We ours for change delectable, not need) ; Forthwith from dance to sweet repast they turn 630
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 Hea- ven.
On flowers reposed, and with fresh flower- ets crowned,
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