Page:The prophetic books of William Blake, Milton.djvu/27

 Los gave to him the Harrow of the Almighty; alas, blamable

Palamabron fear'd to be angry lest Satan should accuse him of

Ingratitude, & Los believe the accusation thro' Satan's extreme

Mildness. Satan labour'd all day: it was a thousand years:

In the evening returning terrified, overlabour'd & astonish'd,

Embrac'd soft with a brother's tears Palamabron, who also wept.

Mark well my words! they are of your eternal salvation!

Next morning Palamabron rose: the horses of the Harrow

Were madden'd with tormenting fury, & the servants of the Harrow,

The Gnomes, accus'd Satan with indignation, fury and fire.

Then Palamabron, reddening like the Moon in an eclipse,

Spoke, saying: You know Satan's mildness and his self-imposition,

Seeming a brother, being a tyrant, even thinking himself a brother

While he is murdering the just; prophetic I behold

His future course thro' darkness and despair to eternal death.

But we must not be tyrants also: he hath assum'd my place

For one whole day, under pretence of pity and love to me!

My horses hath he madden'd! and my fellow servants injur'd!

How should he, he, know the duties of another? O foolish forbearance!

Would I had told Los all my heart! but patience, O my friends,

All may be well: silent remain, while I call Los and Satan.

Loud as the wind of Beulah that unroots the rocks & hills

Palamabron call'd: and Los & Satan came before him:

And Palamabron shew'd the horses & the servants. Satan wept,

And mildly cursing Palamabron, him accus'd of crimes

Himself had wrought. Los trembled: Satan's blandishments almost

Perswaded the Prophet of Eternity that Palamabron

Was Satan's enemy, & that the Gnomes, being Palamabron's friends,

Were leagued together against Satan thro' ancient enmity.

What could Los do? how could he judge, when Satan's self believ'd

That he had not oppressed the horses at the Harrow, nor the servants.

So Los said: Henceforth, Palamabron, let each his own station

Keep: nor in pity false, nor in officious brotherhood, where

None needs, be active. Mean time Palamabron's horses

Rag'd with thick flames redundant, & the Harrow madden'd with fury.

Trembling Palamabron stood, the strongest of Demons trembled:

Curbing his living creatures; many of the strongest Gnomes

They bit in their wild fury, who also madden'd like wildest beasts.

Mark well my words! they are of your eternal salvation!