Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/202

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��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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