Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/203

 BOOK FIFTH

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��They eat, they drink, and in communion

sweet

Quaff immortality and joy, secure Of surfeit where full measure only bounds Excess, before the all-bounteous King, who showered 640

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 Heaven

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 out- spread

(Such are the Courts of God), the Angelic

throng, 650

Dispersed in bands and files, their camp

extend

By living streams among the trees of life Pavilions numberless and sudden reared, Celestial tabernacles, where they slept, Fanned with cool winds ; save those who, in

their course,

Melodious hymns about the sovran Throne Alternate all night long. But not so waked Satan so call him now; his former name Is heard no more in Heaven. He, of the

first,

If not the first Archangel, great in power, 660

In favour, and preeminence, yet fraught With envy against the Son of God, that

day

Honoured by his great Father, and pro- claimed

Messiah, King Anointed, could not bear, Through pride, that sight, and thought him- self impaired.

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 Unworshiped, uuobeyed, the Throne su- preme, 670 Contemptuous, and, his next subordinate Awakening, thus to him in secret spake : " ' Sleep'st thou, companion dear ? what sleep can close

��Thy eyelids ? and rememberest what de- cree,

Of yesterday, so late hath passed the lips Of Heaven'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

imposed ;

New laws from him who reigns new minds may raise 680

In us who serve new counsels, to de- bate 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 pre- pare

Fit entertainment to receive our King, 690 The great Messiah, and his new commands, Who speedily through all the Hierarchies Intends to pass triumphant, and give laws.' " So spake the false Archangel, and in- fused

Bad influence into the 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 disincumbered

Heaven, 700

The great hierarchal standard was to

move;

Tells the suggested cause, and casts be- tween

Ambiguous words and jealousies, to sound Or taint integrity. But all obeyed The wonted signal, and superior voice Of their great Potentate ; for great indeed His name, and high was his degree in Hea- ven:

His countenance, as the morning-star that guides

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