162
��PARADISE LOST
��The starry flock, allured them, and with
lies Drew after him the third part of Heaven's
host. 71
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 721 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 im-
ploy 730
In our defence, lest unawares we lose This our high place, our Sanctuary, our
Hill.' " To whom the Son, with calm aspect' and
clear
Lightening 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 741 Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Hea- ven.' "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, dew-drops which the
sun Impearls on every leaf and every flower.
��Regions they passed, the mighty regencies Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones In their triple degrees regions to which All thy dominion, Adam, is no more 751 Than what this garden is to all the earth And all the sea, from one entire globose Stretched into longitude; which having
passed,
At length into the limits of the North They came, and Satan to his royal seat High on a hill, far-blazing, as a mount Raised on a mount, with pyramids and
towers From diamond quarries hewn and rocks of
gold
The palace of great Lucifer (so call 760 That structure, in the dialect of men Interpreted) which, not long after, he, Affecting all equality with God, In imitation of that mount whereon Messiah was declared in sight of Heaven, The Mountain of the Congregation called; For thither he assembled all his train, Pretending so commanded to consult About the great reception of their King Thither to come, and with calumnious art Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears: 771
" ' Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms,
Virtues, Powers If these magnific titles yet remain Not merely titular, since by decree Another now hath to himself ingrossed All power, and us eclipsed under the name Of King Anointed; for whom all this haste Of midnight march, and hurried meeting
here,
This only to consult, how we may best, With what may be devised of honours new, 7 8o
Receive him coming to receive from us Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile ! Too much to one ! but double how en- dured
To one and to his image now proclaimed ? But what if better counsels might erect Our minds, and teach us to cast off this
yoke ! Will ye submit your necks, and choose to
bend
The supple knee ? Ye will not, if I trust To know ye right, or if ye know yourselves Natives and Sons of Heaven possessed be- fore 790 By none, and, if not equal all, yet free,
�� �
