Now when ambrosial night with clouds exhal'd

From that high mount of God, whence light and shade
Spring both, the face of brightest Heav'n had chang'd
To grateful twilight, (for night comes not there

In darker veil) and roseate dews dispos'd
All but th' unsleeping eyes of God to rest;
Wide over all the plain, and wider far

'Than all this globous earth in plain outspread,

645

(Such are the courts of God) th' angelic throng, 650 Dispers'd in bands and files, their camp extend

By living streams among the trees of life,
Pavillions 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 wak'd
Satan; so call him now, his former name

656

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

560

With envy' against the Son of God, that day

Honour'd by his great Father, and proclaim'd

Messiah King anointed, coul not bear

Through pride that sight, and thought himself impair'd. Deep malice thence conceiving and disdain,

666

Soon as midnight brought on the dusky hour
Friendliest to sleep and silence, he resolv'd
With all his legions to dislodge, and leave
Unworshipp'd, unobey'd the throne supreme
Contemptuous, and his next subordinate

670

Awak'ning thus, to him in secret spake.

SLEEP'ST thou, Companion dear, what sleep can close Thy eye-lids? and remember'st what decree

Of yesterday, so late hath pass'd the lips

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 seest impos'd;

675

681

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.

685

690

So spake the false Arch-Angel, and infus'd

Bad influence into th' unwary breast

695

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,

700

The great hierarchal 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

705

His name, and high was his degree in Heaven;

His count'nance, as the morning star that guides
The starry flock, allur'd 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, what multitudes
Were banded to oppose his high decree;
And smiling to his only Son thus said.

710

715

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

720

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 pow'r 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

725

730

This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill.

To whom the Son with calm aspéct and clear, Lightning divine, ineffable, serene,

Made answer, Mighty Father, thou thy foes

735

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 dext'rous to subdue
The rebels, or be found the worst in Heav'n.

740

So spake the Son; but Satan with his Powers

Far was advanc'd on winged speed, an host

Innumerable as the stars of night,

745

Or stars of morning, dew-drops, which the sun

Impearls on every leaf and every flower.

Regions they pass'd, the mighty regencies
Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones
In their triple degrees; regions to which
All thy dominion, Adam, is no more

750

Than what this garden is to all the earth,
And all the sea, from one entire globose

Stretch'd into longitude; which having pass'd

At length into the limits of the north

755

They came, and Satan to his royal seat

High on a hill, far blazing, as a mount

Rais'd 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 declar'd in sight of Heaven,
The Mountain of the Congregation call'd;
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 heart

Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears.

765

770

THRONES, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers,

If these magnific titles yet remain

Not merely titular, since by decree

Another now hath to himself ingross'd

775

All pow'r, and us eclips'd 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

780

With what may be devis'd of honours new
Receive him coming to receive from us
Knee-tribute yet unpaid, prostration vile,
Too much to one, but double how indur'd,
To one and to his image now proclaim'd?
But what if better counsels might erect

785

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 Heav'n possess'd before
By none, and if not equal all, yet free,

790