As from a fky. The hafty multitude
Admiring enter'd, and the work fome praise,
And fome the architect: his hand was known
In heav'n by many a towred structure high,
Where fceptred angels held their refidence,
And fat as Princes; whom the fupreme King
Exalted to fuch pow'r, and gave to rule,
Each in his Hierarchy, the Orders bright:
Nor was his name unheard, or unador'd,
In ancient GREECE; and in AUSONIAN land
Men call'd him MULCIBER; and how he fell
From heav'n they fabled, thrown by angry Jove
Sheer o'er the cryftal battlements; from morn
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,
A fummer's day; and with the setting fun
Dropt from the Zenith like a falling ftar,
On LEMNOS th'EGEAN ifle: thus they relate,
Erring; for he with this rebellious rout

730

735

740

745

Fell long before; nor ought avail'd him now

T' have built in heav'n high tow'rs; nor did he fcape
By all his engins, but was headlong fent

750

With his induftrious crew to build in hell.

Mean while the winged heralds by command

Of fov'reign pow'r, with awful ceremony

And trumpets found, throughout the hoft proclaim

A folemn council forthwith to be held

755

At PANDEMONIUM, the high Capital

Of SATAN and his Peers: their fummons call'd,

From every band and fquared regiment,

By place or choice the worthieft, they anon

With hundreds, and with thousands, trooping came
Attended all accefs was throng'd, the gates

761

And porches wide, but chief the spacious hall
(Though like a cover'd field, where champions bold
Wont ride in arm'd, and at the SOLDAN'S Chair
Defi'd the best of PANIM chivalry

765

To mortal combat, or carriere with lance)

Thick fwarm'd, both on the ground, and in the air,
Brush'd with the hifs of rufling wings. As bees

In

In fpring time, when the fun with TAURUS rides,
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
In clusters; they among fresh dews, and flow'rs,
Fly to and fro, or on the fmoothed plank,
(The fuburb of their ftraw-built citadel,)
New rub'd with baulm, expatiate, and confer
Their state affairs: fo thick the aery crowd
Swarm'd, and were ftraiten'd, till the fignal giv'n:
Behold a wonder! they but now who seem'd
In bigness to surpass Earth's Giant fons,

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775

Now lefs than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberlefs, like that PYGMEAN race
Beyond the INDIAN mount; or Fairy Elves;
Whofe midnight revels, by a forest fide,
Or fountain, fome belated peafant fees,
Or dreams he fees; while over-head the moon
Sits arbitrefs, and nearer to the earth

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785

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

Intent, with jocund music charm his ear:

At once with joy, and fear, his heart rebounds.

Thus incorporeal fpirits to fmalleft forms

Reduc'd their fhapes immense; and were at large,
Though without number ftill, amidst the hall
Of that infernal court. But far within,
And in their own dimenfions like themselves,
The great Seraphic Lords, and Cherubim,
In close recefs, and fecret Conclave fat;
A thousand Demi-Gods on golden feats,
Frequent and full! After short filence then,
And fummons read, the great confult began.

The end of the first Book.

791

THE

SECOND BOOK

OF

PARADISE LOST.

The ARGUMENT.

The confultation begun, Satan debates whether another battel be to be hazarded for the recovery of heaven: fome advife it, others diffuade. A third propofal is prefer'd, mentioned before by Satan, to fearch the truth of that prophefy or tradition in heaven concerning another world, and another kind of creature, equal, or not much inferior to themfelves about this time to be created: their doubt who shall be sent on this difficult fearch: Saturn their chief undertakes alone the voyage; is honour'd and applauded. The council thus ended, the reft betake them several ways, and to feveral employments, as their inclinations lead them, to entertain the time 'till Satan return. He passes on his journey to hell gates, finds them fout, and who fat there to guard them, by whom at length they are open'd, and difcover to him the great gulf between hell and heaven: with what difficulty be paffes through, directed by Chaos, the Power of that place, to the fight of this new world which he fought.

HIGH