The Complete Poetry of John Milton (88 page)

   750     
In thir triple Degrees,
⁴⁵
Regions to which

               
All thy Dominion,
Adam
, is no more

               
Then what this Garden is to all the Earth,

               
And all the Sea, from one entire globose
⁴⁶

               
Stretcht into Longitude; which having pass’d

   755     
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

               
Rais’d on a Mount, with Pyramids and Towrs

               
From Diamond Quarries hew’n, and Rocks of Gold,

   760     
The Palace of great
Lucifer
(so call

               
That Structure in the Dialect of men

               
Interpreted), which not long after, he

               
Affecting all equality with God,

               
In imitation of that Mount whereon

   765     
Messiah
was declar’d in sight of Heav’n,

               
The Mountain of the Congregation call’d;

               
For thither he assembl’d all his Train,

               
Pretending so commanded to consult

               
About the great reception of thir King,

   770     
Thither to come, and with calumnious Art

               
Of counterfeted truth thus held thir ears.

           
      
       Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers,

               
If these magnific Titles yet remain

               
Not meerly titular, since by Decree

   775     
Another now hath to himself ingross’t

               
All Power, and us eclipst under the name

               
Of King anointed, for whom all this haste

               
Of midnight march, and hurried meeting here,

               
This onely 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 endur’d,

               
To one and to his image now proclaim’d?

   785     
But what if better counsels might erect

               
Our minds and teach us to cast off this Yoke?

               
Will ye submit your necks, and chuse to bend

               
The supple knee? ye will not, if I trust

               
To know ye right, or if ye know your selves

   790     
Natives and Sons of Heav’n possest before

               
By none, and if not equal all, yet free,

               
Equally free; for Orders and Degrees

               
Jarr not with liberty, but well consist.

               
Who can in reason then or right assume

   795     
Monarchic over such as live by right

               
His equals, if in power and splendor less,

               
In freedom equal? or can introduce

               
Law and Edict on us, who without law

               
Err not, much less for this to be our Lord,

   800     
And look for adoration to th’ abuse

               
Of those Imperial Titles which assert

               
Our being ordain’d to govern, not to serve?

           
      
       Thus farr his bold discourse without controul

               
Had audience, when among the Seraphim

   805     
Abdiel
, then whom none with more zeal ador’d

               
The Deitie, and divine commands obei’d,

               
Stood up, and in a flame of zeal severe

               
The current of his fury thus oppos’d.

           
      
       O argument blasphemous, false and proud!

   810     
Words which no ear ever to hear in Heav’n

               
Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate

               
In place thy self so high above thy Peers.

               
Canst thou with impious obloquie condemn

               
The just Decree of God, pronounc’t and sworn,

   815     
That to his only Son by right endu’d

               
With Regal Scepter, every Soul in Heav’n

               
Shall bend the knee, and in that honour due

               
Confess him rightful King? unjust thou saist

               
Flatly unjust, to bind with Laws the free,

   820     
And equal over equals to let Reigne,

               
One over all with unsucceeded power.

               
Shalt thou give Law to God, shalt thou dispute

               
With him the points of libertie, who made

               
Thee what thou art, and formd the Pow’rs of Heav’n

   825     
Such as he pleas’d, and circumscrib’d thir being?

               
Yet by experience taught we know how good,

               
And of our good, and of our dignitie

               
How provident he is, how farr from thought

               
To make us less, bent rather to exalt

   830     
Our happie state under one Head more neer

               
United. But to grant it thee unjust,

               
That equal over equals Monarch Reigne:

               
Thy self though great and glorious dost thou count,

               
Or all Angelic Nature joind in one,

   835     
Equal to him begotten Son, by whom

               
As by his Word the mighty Father made

               
All things, ev’n thee, and all the Spirits of Heav’n

               
By him created in thir bright degrees,

               
Crownd them with Glory, and to thir Glory nam’d

   840     
Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Vertues, Powers,

               
Essential Powers, nor by his Reign obscur’d,

               
But more illustrious made, since he the Head

               
One of our number thus reduc’t becomes,

               
His Laws our Laws, all honour to him done

   845     
Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage,

               
And tempt not these; but hast’n to appease

               
Th’ incensed Father, and th’ incensed Son,

               
While Pardon may be found in time besought

           
      
       So spake the fervent Angel, but his zeal

   850     
None seconded, as out of season judg’d,

               
Or singular and rash, whereat rejoic’d

               
Th’ Apostat, and more haughty thus repli’d.

               
That we were formd then saist thou? and the work

               
Of secondarie hands, by task transferd

   855     
From Father to his Son? strange point and new!

               
Doctrin which we would know whence learnt: who saw

               
When this creation was? rememberst thou

               
Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?

               
We know no time when we were not as now;

   860     
Know none before us, self-begot, self-rais’d

               
By our own quiek’ning power, when fatal course

               
Had circl’d his full Orb, the birth mature

               
Of this our native Heav’n, Ethereal Sons.

               
Our puissance is our own, our own right hand

   865     
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try

               
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold

               
Whether by supplication we intend

               
Address, and to begirt th’ Almighty Throne

               
Beseeching or besieging. This report,

   870     
These tidings carrie to th’ anointed King;

               
And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.

    
             He said, and as the sound of waters deep

               
Hoarce murmur echo’d to his words applause

               
Through the infinite Host, nor less for that

   875     
The flaming Seraph fearless, though alone

               
Encompass’d round with foes, thus answerd bold.

           
      
       O alienate from God, O spirit accurst,

               
Forsak’n of all good; I see thy fall

               
Determind, and thy hapless
⁴⁷
crew involv’d

   880     
In this perfidious fraud, contagion spred

               
Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth

               
No more be troubl’d how to quit the yoke

               
Of Gods
Messiah;
those indulgent Laws

               
Will not be now voutsaf’t, other Decrees

   885     
Against thee are gon forth without recall;

               
That Golden Scepter which thou didst reject

               
Is now an Iron Rod to bruise and break

               
Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise,

               
Yet not for thy advise or threats I fly

   890     
These wicked Tents devoted,
⁴⁸
least the wrauth

               
Impendent, raging into sudden flame

               
Distinguish not: for soon expect to feel

               
His Thunder on thy head, devouring fire.

               
Then who created thee lamenting learn,

   895     
When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.

           
      
       So spake the Seraph
Abdiel
faithful found,

               
Among the faithless, faithful only hee;

               
Among innumerable false, unmov’d,

               
Unshak’n, unseduc’d, unterrifi’d

   900     
His Loyaltie he kept, his Love, his Zeal;

               
Nor number, nor example with him wrought

               
To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind

               
Though single. From amidst them forth he pass’d,

               
Long way through hostile scorn, which he susteind

   905     
Superior, nor of violence fear’d aught;

               
And with retorted
⁴⁹
scorn his back he turn’d

               
On those proud Towrs to swift destruction doom’d.