Paradise Lost

by John Milton

  His righteous altar, bowing lowly down

  To bestial gods; for which their heads as low

  Bowed down in battle, sunk before the spear

  Of despicable foes. With these in troop

  Came Astoreth,438 whom the Phoenicians called

  Astarte, Queen of Heav’n, with crescent horns;

  To whose bright image nightly by the moon

  Sidonian virgins paid their vows and songs,

  In Sion also not unsung, where stood

  Her temple on th’ offensive mountain, built

  By that uxorious king, whose heart though large,

  Beguiled by fair idolatresses, fell

  To idols foul444. Thammuz came next behind,446

  Whose annual wound in Lebanon allured

  The Syrian damsels to lament his fate

  In amorous ditties all a summer’s day,

  While smooth Adonis from his native rock

  Ran purple to the sea, supposed with blood

  Of Thammuz yearly wounded: the love-tale

  Infected Sion’s daughters with like heat,

  Whose wanton passions in the sacred porch

  Ezekiel455 saw, when by the vision led

  His eye surveyed the dark idolatries

  Of alienated Judah. Next came one457

  Who mourned in earnest, when the captive ark

  Maimed his brute image, head and hands lopped off

  In his own temple, on the grunsel edge,

  Where he fell flat, and shamed his worshippers:

  Dagon his name, sea monster, upward man

  And downward fish: yet had his temple high

  Reared in Azotus, dreaded through the coast

  Of Palestine, in Gath and Ascalon

  And Accaron and Gaza’s frontier bounds.

  Him followed Rimmon, whose delightful seat

  Was fair Damascus, on the fertile banks

  Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.

  He also against the house of God was bold:

  A leper once he lost and gained a king471,

  Ahaz his sottish472 conqueror, whom he drew

  God’s altar to disparage and displace

  For one of Syrian mode, whereon to burn

  His odious off’rings, and adore the gods

  Whom he had vanquished. After these appeared

  A crew who under names of old renown,

  Osiris478, Isis, Orus and their train

  With monstrous shapes and sorceries abused

  Fanatic Egypt and her priests, to seek

  Their wand’ring gods disguised in brutish forms

  Rather than human. Nor did Israel scape

  Th’ infection when their borrowed gold composed

  The calf484 in Oreb: and the rebel king

  Doubled that sin in Bethel and in Dan,

  Lik’ning his Maker to the grazèd ox,

  Jehovah, who in one night when he passed

  From Egypt marching, equaled488 with one stroke

  Both her first born and all her bleating gods.

  Belial490 came last, than whom a spirit more lewd

  Fell not from Heaven, or more gross to love

  Vice for itself: to him no temple stood

  Or altar smoked; yet who more oft than he

  In temples and at altars, when the priest

  Turns atheist, as did Eli’s sons495, who filled

  With lust and violence the house of God.

  In courts and palaces he also reigns

  And in luxurious cities, where the noise

  Of riot ascends above their loftiest tow’rs,

  And injury and outrage: and when night

  Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons

  Of Belial, flown502 with insolence and wine.

  Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night503

  In Gibeah, when the hospitable door

  Exposed a matron505 to avoid worse rape.

  These were the prime in order and in might;

  The rest were long to tell, though far renowned,

  Th’ Ionian gods, of Javan’s issue held

  Gods, yet confessed later than Heav’n and Earth509

  Their boasted parents; Titan Heav’n’s first born

  With his enormous brood, and birthright seized

  By younger Saturn, he from mightier Jove

  His own and Rhea’s son like measure found;

  So Jove usurping reigned: these first in Crete

  And Ida515 known, thence on the snowy top

  Of cold Olympus516 ruled the middle air

  Their highest heav’n; or on the Delphian cliff517,

  Or in Dodona518, and through all the bounds

  Of Doric land519; or who with Saturn old

  Fled over520 Adria to th’ Hesperian fields,

  And o’er the Celtic roamed the utmost isles.

  All these and more came flocking; but with looks

  Downcast and damp523, yet such wherein appeared

  Obscure some glimpse of joy, to have found their chief

  Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost

  In loss itself; which on his count’nance cast

  Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride

  Soon recollecting528, with high words, that bore

  Semblance of worth, not substance, gently raised

  Their fainting courage, and dispelled their fears.

  Then straight commands that at the warlike sound

  Of trumpets loud and clarions532 be upreared

  His mighty standard; that proud honor claimed

  Azazel534 as his right, a cherub tall:

  Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurled

  Th’ imperial ensign, which full high advanced

  Shone like a meteor537 streaming to the wind

  With gems and golden luster rich emblazed538,

  Seraphic arms and trophies: all the while

  Sonorous metal540 blowing martial sounds:

  At which the universal host upsent

  A shout that tore Hell’s concave542, and beyond

  Frighted the reign543 of Chaos and old Night.

  All in a moment through the gloom were seen

  Ten thousand banners rise into the air

  With orient546 colors waving: with them rose

  A forest huge of spears: and thronging helms

  Appeared, and serried548 shields in thick array

  Of depth immeasurable: anon they move

  In perfect phalanx to the Dorian550 mood

  Of flutes and soft recorders; such as raised

  To highth of noblest temper heroes old

  Arming to battle, and instead of rage

  Deliberate valor breathed, firm and unmoved

  With dread of death to flight or foul retreat,

  Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage556

  With solemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chase

  Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain

  From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they

  Breathing united force with fixèd thought

  Moved on in silence to soft pipes that charmed

  Their painful steps o’er the burnt soil; and now

  Advanced in view they stand, a horrid563 front

  Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise

  Of warriors old565 with ordered spear and shield,

  Awaiting what command their mighty chief

  Had to impose: he through the armèd files567

  Darts his experienced eye, and soon traverse

  The whole battalion views, their order due,

  Their visages and stature as of gods,

  Their number last he sums571. And now his heart

  Distends with pride, and hard’ning in his strength

  Glories: for never since created man573,

  Met such embodied force, as named with these

  Could merit more than that small infantry575

  Warred on by cranes: though all the giant
brood

  Of Phlegra577 with th’ heroic race were joined

  That fought578 at Thebes and Ilium, on each side

  Mixed with auxiliar579 gods; and what resounds

  In fable or romance of Uther’s son580

  Begirt with British and Armoric knights;

  And all who since, baptized or infidel,

  Jousted in Aspramont or Montalban583,

  Damasco, or Marocco, or Trebisond,

  Or whom Biserta585 sent from Afric shore

  When Charlemagne with all his peerage fell586

  By Fontarabia. Thus far these beyond

  Compare of mortal prowess, yet observed588

  Their dread commander: he above the rest

  In shape and gesture proudly eminent

  Stood like a tow’r; his form had yet not lost

  All her original brightness, nor appeared

  Less than Archangel ruined, and th’ excess

  Of glory594 obscured: as when the sun new ris’n

  Looks through the horizontal misty air

  Shorn596 of his beams, or from behind the moon

  In dim eclipse disastrous twilight sheds

  On half the nations, and with fear of change

  Perplexes599 monarchs. Darkened so, yet shone

  Above them all th’ Archangel: but his face

  Deep scars of thunder had intrenched601, and care

  Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows

  Of dauntless courage, and considerate603 pride

  Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but cast

  Signs of remorse and passion605 to behold

  The fellows of his crime, the followers rather

  (Far other once beheld in bliss) condemned

  For ever now to have their lot in pain,

  Millions of spirits for his fault amerced609

  Of Heav’n, and from eternal splendors flung

  For his revolt, yet faithful how they stood,

  Their glory withered. As when heaven’s fire

  Hath scathed the forest oaks or mountain pines,

  With singèd top their stately growth though bare

  Stands on the blasted heath615. He now prepared

  To speak; whereat their doubled ranks they bend

  From wing to wing, and half enclose him round

  With all his peers: attention held them mute.

  Thrice he assayed, and thrice in spite of scorn,

  Tears such as angels weep burst forth620: at last

  Words interwove with sighs found out their way.

  O myriads of immortal spirits, O powers

  Matchless, but with th’ Almighty, and that strife

  Was not inglorious, though th’ event624 was dire,

  As this place testifies, and this dire change

  Hateful to utter: but what power of mind

  Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth

  Of knowledge past or present, could have feared,

  How such united force of gods, how such

  As stood like these, could ever know repulse?

  For who can yet believe, though after loss,

  That all these puissant632 legions, whose exile

  Hath emptied Heav’n, shall fail to reascend

  Self-raised, and repossess their native seat?

  For me be witness all the host of Heav’n,

  If counsels different, or danger shunned

  By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns

  Monarch in Heav’n, till then as one secure

  Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute,

  Consent or custom, and his regal state

  Put forth at full, but still641 his strength concealed,

  Which tempted our attempt642, and wrought our fall.

  Henceforth his might we know, and know our own

  So as not either to provoke, or dread

  New war, provoked; our better part remains

  To work in close646 design, by fraud or guile

  What force effected not: that he no less

  At length from us may find, who overcomes

  By force, hath overcome but half his foe.

  Space may produce650 new worlds; whereof so rife

  There went a fame651 in Heav’n that he ere long

  Intended to create, and therein plant

  A generation653, whom his choice regard

  Should favor equal to the sons of Heav’n:

  Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps

  Our first eruption656, thither or elsewhere:

  For this infernal pit shall never hold

  Celestial spirits in bondage, nor th’ abyss

  Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts

  Full counsel must mature: peace is despaired,

  For who can think submission? War then, war

  Open or understood must be resolved.”

  He spake: and to confirm his words, out flew

  Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs

  Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze

  Far round illumined Hell: highly they raged

  Against the Highest, and fierce with graspèd arms

  Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war,

  Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heav’n.

  There stood a hill not far whose grisly top

  Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire

  Shone with a glossy scurf672, undoubted sign

  That in his womb673 was hid metallic ore,

  The work of sulfur674. Thither winged with speed

  A numerous brigade hastened. As when bands

  Of pioneers676 with spade and pickax armed

  Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field,

  Or cast a rampart. Mammon678 led them on,

  Mammon, the least erected679 spirit that fell

  From Heav’n, for ev’n in Heav’n his looks and thoughts

  Were always downward bent, admiring more

  The riches of Heav’n’s pavement682, trodden gold,

  Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed

  In vision beatific684: by him first

  Men also, and by his suggestion taught,

  Ransacked the center686, and with impious hands

  Rifled the bowels of their mother Earth

  For treasures better hid. Soon688 had his crew

  Opened into the hill a spacious wound

  And digged out ribs690 of gold. Let none admire

  That riches grow in Hell; that soil may best

  Deserve the precious bane. And here let those

  Who boast in mortal things, and wond’ring tell

  Of Babel,694 and the works of Memphian kings,

  Learn how their greatest monuments of fame,

  And strength and art are easily outdone

  By spirits reprobate, and in an hour

  What in an age they with incessant toil

  And hands innumerable scarce perform.

  Nigh on the700 plain in many cells prepared,

  That underneath had veins of liquid fire

  Sluiced from the lake, a second multitude

  With wondrous art founded the massy ore,

  Severing each kind, and scummed the bullion dross:

  A third as705 soon had formed within the ground

  A various mold, and from the boiling cells

  By strange conveyance filled each hollow nook,

  As in an organ from one blast of wind

  To many a row of pipes the soundboard breathes.

  Anon out of the earth a fabric710 huge

  Rose like an711 exhalation, with the sound

  Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet,

  Built713 like a temple, where pilasters round

  Were set, and Doric714 pillars overlaid

  With golden architrave715; nor did there want

  Cornice or frieze716, with bossy sculptures grav’n;

  The roof was fretted gold717. Not Babylon,

  Nor great Alcairo718 such magnificence


  Equaled in all their glories, to enshrine

  Belus720 or Serapis their gods, or seat

  Their kings, when Egypt with Assyria strove

  In wealth and luxury. Th’ ascending pile722

  Stood fixed her stately highth, and straight the doors

  Op’ning their brazen folds discover wide

  Within, her ample spaces, o’er the smooth

  And level pavement: from the archèd roof

  Pendant by subtle magic many a row

  Of starry lamps and blazing cressets728 fed

  With naphtha729 and asphaltus yielded light

  As from a sky. The hasty multitude

  Admiring entered, and the work some praise

  And some the architect: his hand was known

  In Heav’n by many a towered structure high,

  Where sceptered angels held their residence,

  And sat as princes, whom the supreme King

  Exalted to such power, and gave to rule,

  Each in his hierarchy, the orders bright.

  Nor was his name unheard or unadored

  In ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land739

  Men740 called him Mulciber; and how he fell

  From Heav’n, they fabled, thrown by angry Jove

  Sheer o’er the crystal battlements; from morn

  To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve,

  A summer’s day; and with the setting sun

  Dropped from the zenith745 like a falling star,

  On Lemnos th’ Aegean isle: thus they relate,

  Erring; for he with this rebellious rout

  Fell long before; nor aught availed him now

  To have built in Heav’n high tow’rs; nor did he scape

  By all his engines750, but was headlong sent

  With his industrious crew to build in Hell.

  Meanwhile the wingèd heralds by command

  Of sov’reign power, with awful ceremony

  And trumpets’ sound throughout the host proclaim

  A solemn council forthwith to be held

  At Pandaemonium756, the high capital

  Of Satan and his peers: their summons called

  From every band and squarèd regiment

  By place or choice759 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

  Wont764 ride in armed, and at the soldan’s chair

  Defied the best of paynim765 chivalry

  To mortal combat or career766 with lance)

  Thick swarmed767, both on the ground and in the air,

  Brushed with the hiss of rustling wings. As bees

  In springtime, when the sun with Taurus769 rides,

  Pour forth their populous youth about the hive

  In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowers