A summer's day; and with the setting sun
Dropt from the zenith like a falling star,

On Lemnos the Ægean isle: thus they relate,
Erring; for he with this rebellious rout

Fell long before; nor aught availed him now

744

To have built in Heaven high towers; nor did he 'scape

By all his engines, but was headlong sent

With his industrious crew to build in Hell.

Mean while the winged heralds, by command

Of sovran power, with awful ceremony

And trumpets' sound, throughout the host proclaim
A solemn council, forthwith to be held

At Pandemonium; the high capital

Of Satan and his peers: their summons called band and squared regiment

From every

By place or choice the worthiest; they anon,
With hundreds and with thousands, trooping came,
Attended: all access was thronged; the gates
And porches wide, but chief the spacious hall
(Though like a covered field, where champions bold
Wont ride in armed, and at the Soldäns chair
Defied the best of Panim chivalry

To mortal combat, or career with lance,)
Thick swarmed, both on the ground and in the air
Brushed with the hiss of rusling wings. As bees

752

760

768

In spring time, when the sun with Taurus rides,
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
In clusters: they among fresh dews and flowers
Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank,
The suburb of their straw-built citadel,

New rubbed with balm, expatiate and confer
Their state affairs. So thick the aery croud
Swarmed and were straitened; till, the signal given,
Behold a wonder! They but now who seemed
In bigness to surpass Earth's giant sons,
Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that Pygmean race
Beyond the Indian mount; or faery elves,
Whose midnight revels, by a forest side

Or fountain, some belated peasant sees,

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777

Or dreams he sees, while over-head the moon

Sits arbitress, and nearer to the earth

785

Wheels her pale course; they, on their mirth and dance

Intent, with jocund musick charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.

Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms

Reduced their shapes immense, and were at large,
Though without number still, amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimensions, like themselves,
The great Seraphick Lords and Cherubim

VOL. I.

D

794

In close recess and secret conclave sat;
A thousand Demi-gods on golden seats,
Frequent and full. After short silence then,
And summons read, the great consult began.

798

PARADISE LOST.

BOOK II.

THE ARGUMENT.

THE Consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven: Some advise it, others dissuade: A third proposal is preferred, mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that prophecy or tradition in Heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature equal or not much inferiour to themselves, about this time to be created: Their doubt, who shall be sent on this difficult search; Satan their chief undertakes alone the voyage, is honoured and applauded. The council thus ended, the rest betake them several ways, and to several employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time till Satan return. He passes on his journey to Hell gates; finds them shut, and who sat there to guard them; by whom at length they are opened, and discover to him the great gulf between Hell and Heaven; with what difficulty he passes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the sight of this new world which he sought.