Down from the empyréan, to forewarn
Us timely of what might else have been our loss, Unknown, which human knowledge could not reach. For which to the infinitely Good, we owe Immortal thanks, and his admonishment Receive, with solemn purpose to observe Immutably his sovran will, the end
Of what we are. But since thou hast vouchsaf'd Gently, for our instruction, to impart
Things above earthly thought, which yet concern'd Our knowing, as to highest wisdom seem'd,
Deign to descend now: lower, and relate What may no less perhaps avail us known, How first began this. Heaven which we behold Distant so high, with moving fires adorn'd Innumerable; and this which yields or fills All space, the ambient air wide interfus'd Embracing round this florid Earth; what cause Mov'd the Creator, in his holy rest Through all eternity, so late to build
In Chaos; and the work begun, how soon Absolv'd; if unforbid thou may'st unfold. What we, not to explore the secrets ask Of his Eternal Empire, but the more To magnify his works, the more we know. And the great light of day yet wants to run Much of his race though steep; suspense in Heaven,
Held by thy voice, thy potent voice, he hears,
And longer will delay to hear thee tell His generation, and the rising birth, Of Nature from the unapparent Deep: Or if the star of evening and the moon
Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring Silence; and Sleep, listening to thee, will watch; Or we can bid his absence, till thy song End, and dismiss thee ere the morning shine. Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought: And thus the Godlike Angel answer'd mild. This also thy request, with caution ask'd, Obtain; though to recount almighty works What words or tongue of Seraph can suffice, Or heart of man suffice to comprehend?
Yet what thou canst attain, which best may serve To glorify the Maker, and infer
Thee also happier, shall not be withheld Thy hearing; such commission from above I have receiv'd, to answer thy desire
Of knowledge within bounds; beyond, abstain To ask; nor let thine own inventions hope Things not reveal'd, which the invisible King, Only Omniscient, hath suppress'd in night; To none communicable in Earth or Heaven: Enough is left besides to search and know. But knowledge is as food, and needs no less Her temperance over appetite, to know In measure what the mind may well contain;
Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns Wisdom to folly, as nourishment to wind.
Know then, that, after Lucifer from Heaven (So call him, brighter once amidst the host Of Angels, than that star the stars among,) Fell with his flaming legions through the deep Into his place, and the great Son return'd Victorious with his Saints, the Omnipotent Eternal Father from his throne beheld Their multitude, and to his Son thus spake. At last our envious Foe hath fail'd, who thought All like himself rebellious, by whose aid This inaccessible high strength, the seat Of Deity supreme, us dispossess'd,
He trusted to have seis'd, and into fraud
Drew many, whom their place knows here no more Yet far the greater part have kept, I see,
Their station; Heaven, yet populous, retains Number sufficient to possess her realms Though wide, and this high temple to frequent With ministeries due, and solemn rites : But, lest his heart exalt him in the harm Already done, to have dispeopled Heaven, My damage fondly deem'd, I can repair That detriment, if such it be to lose Self-lost; and in a moment will create Another world, out of one man a race Of men innumerable, there to dwell,
Not here; till, by degrees of merit rais'd,
They open to themselves at length the way Up hither, under long obedience tried;
And Earth be chang'd to Heaven, and Heaven to Earth,
One kingdom, joy and union without end. Mean while inhabit lax, ye Powers of Heaven; And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee This I perform; speak thou, and be it done! My overshadowing Spirit and Might with thee I send along; ride forth, and bid the Deep Within appointed bounds be Heaven and Earth; Boundless the Deep, because I Am who fill Infinitude, nor vacuous the space. Though I, uncircumscrib'd myself, retire, And put not forth my goodness, which is free To act or not, Necessity and Chance Approach not me, and what I will is Fate.
So spake the Almighty, and to what he spake His Word, the Filial Godhead, gave effect. Immediate are the acts of God, more swift Than time or motion, but to human ears Cannot without procéss of speech be told, So told as earthly notion can receive. Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven, When such was heard declar'd the Almighty's will; Glory they sung to the Most High, good will
To future men, and in their dwellings peace;
Glory to Him, whose just avenging ire
Had driven out the ungodly from his sight And the habitations of the just; to Him Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd Good out of evil to create; instead
2 Of Spirits malign, a better race to bring
Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse His good to worlds and ages infinite.
So sang the Hierarchies; Mean while the Spa On his great expedition now appear'd, Girt with Omnipotence, with radiance crown'd Of Majesty Divine; sapience and love Immense, and all his Father in him shone. About his chariot numberless were pour'd Cherub, and Seraph, Potentates, and Thrones, And Virtues, winged Spirits, and chariots wing'd From the armoury of God; where stand of old Myriads, between two brazen mountains lodg'd Against a solemn day, harness'd at hand, Celestial equipage; and now came forth Spontaneous, for within them Spirit liv'd, Attendant on their Lord; Heaven open'd wide Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound On golden hinges moving, to let forth The King of Glory, in his powerful Word And Spirit, coming to create new worlds. On heavenly ground they stood; and from the shore They view'd the vast immeasurable abyss
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