73

Beløs or Serapis their Gods, or seat

720 Their Kings, when Ægypt with Allyria strove In wealth and luxury. Th’ascending pile Stood fixt her stately heighth, and freight the doors Op’ning their brazen folds discover wide Within her ample spaces, o'er the smooth 725 And level pavement : from the arched roof, Pendent by subtle Magic, many a row Of Starry Lamps and blazing Cressers, fed With Naphtha and Asphaltus, yielded light As from a Sky. The hasty multitude Admiring enter'd, and tlre work some praise And some the Architect: his hand was known In Heav'n by many a Towred structure high, Where Sceptred Angels held their residence, And sate as Princes, whom the supreme King 735 Exalted to such power, and gave to rule, Each in his Hierarchy, the Orders bright. Nor was his name unheard or unador'd In ancient Greece; and in Aufonian Land Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell From Heav'n, they fabld thrown by angry Jove Sheer o'er the Chryftal Battlements ; from Morn To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve, A Summer's day; and with the setting Sun Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star,

745 On Lemnos th’ Ægean Ile: thus they relate, Erring; for he with this rebellious rout Fell long before; nor auglit availd him now T'have built in Heay'n high Towrs; nor did hescape

By all his Engins, but was headlong sent 750
With his induftrious crew to build in Hell.
Mean while the winged Heralds by command
Of Sov'reign Pow'r, with awful Ceremony
And Trumpets sound, throughout the Hoft pr claim
A foleman Council fort hwith to be held

755 At Pandamonium, the high Capital of Satan and his Peers: their summons call'd From every Band and squared Regiment By place or choice the worthieft; they aron With hundreds and with thousands trooping came Attended: all access 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 swarm’d, both on the ground and in the air, Brush'd with the hiss of ruling Winds. As Bees In spring time, when the Sun with Taurus rides, Pour forth their populous youth about the Hive 770 In clusters ; they among fresh Dews and Flowrs Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed Plank, The Suburb of their Straw-built Cittadel, New rubb’d with Baum, expatiate and confer Their State affairs. So thick the aery crowd 775 Swarm’d and were straitn'd; till the Signal giv'n. Behold a wonder! they but now who seem'd In Bigness to surpass Earth's Giant Sons Now less than smallest Dwarfs, in narrow room

Ihrong numberless, like that Pigmean Race 780
Beyond the Indian Mount, or Faery Elves,
Whose midnight Revels, by a Forest fide
Or Fountain somne belated Peasant sces,
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 Music charm his Ear;
At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.
Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms
Reduc'd their Shapes immense, and were at large, 790
Though without number ftill amidAt the Hall
Of that infernal Court. But far within,
And in their own dimensions like themselves,
The great Seraphick Lords and Cherubim,
In close recess and secret conclave fate
A thousand Demy Gods on golden seats,
Frequent and full. After short filence then
And summons read, the great Consult began,

795

The Confultation begun, Satan debates whe

ther another Battel he to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven : some advise it, others disuade : A third proposal is preferr'd, mention'd 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 foall be sent on this difficult search ; Satan their Chief