As by his Word the mighty Father made All things, even thee; and all the Spirits of Heaven Crowned them with glory, and to their glory named The Apostate, and more haughty thus replied: 841 850 'That we were formed then sayest thou? and the work Of secondary hands, by task transferred From Father to his Son? strange point, and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learned. Who saw When this creation was? rememberest thou Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being? We know no time when we were not as now; Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised 860 842. since he the head, etc. This place is difficult to understand, and the commentators of course give no aid. It seems to be that as earthly kings are of the same nature as their subjects, so the Son, who is the head, by becoming king over the angels, lowered himself down, as it were, to their nature, and thus, as it were, raised them to his. The poet's favourite text, Phil. ii. 6, may have influenced him in the formation of this theory. 861. fatal course, i.e. the course of fate. 862. the birth mature, etc., i.e. born when heaven was mature, ripe for such a production. 839. “Thou hast crowned him with glory." Ps. viii. 5.——K. 847. "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little." Ps. ii. 12.—K. 848. "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found." Is. lv. 6.—G. Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons. "He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, 870 880 869. Beseeching, etc. Another jingle, but in its proper place, according to the poet's idea. 880. perfidious fraud, i.e. guilt of perfidy; fraus, frode, It. 864. "Our lips are our own: who is lord over us?" Ps. xii. 4.-G. "Thine own right-hand shall teach thee terrible things." Ps. xlv. 4. "Dextra mihi deus, et telum quod missile libro." En. x. 773.-B. 871. ̓Αλλ ̓ ἴθι μή μ' ἐρέθιζε σαώτερος ὥς κε νέηαι. I. i. 32.-Κ. 872. "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, saying, Alleluia!" Rev. xix. 6.-N. Ως ἔφατ' Αργεῖοι δὲ μέγ' ἴαχον, ὡς ὅτε κῦμα 875. Ἔνθ ̓ οὐδὲ, ξεῖνός περ ἐὼν, ἱππηλάτα Τυδεὺς Il. iv. 387.-K. 885. "From the going forth of the commandment." Dan. ix. 25.-K. That golden sceptre, which thou didst reject, When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.' His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor number, nor example with him wrought And, with retorted scorn, his back he turned On those proud towers, to swift destruction doomed. 890 900 904. Long way, etc., i.e. He had to pass a long way through the ranks of the rebels, who treated him with scorn and contempt as he passed; i.e. to run a kind of moral gantlope. 903. retorted, i.e. thrown back, retortus. 887. "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron." Ps. ii. 9. 890. "Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, lest ye be consumed in all their sins." Numb. xvi. 26.-N. 907. "Bring upon themselves swift destruction." 2 Pet. ii. 1.—K. 417 BOOK VI. THE ARGUMENT. Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his Angels. The first fight described: Satan and his Powers retire under night: he calls a council, invents devilish engines, which in the second day's fight put Michael and his Angels to some disorder: but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan: yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends MESSIAH his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory: he, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them unable to resist toward the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the Deep: MESSIAH returns with triumph to his Father. "ALL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued, Through Heaven's wide champaign held his way, till Morn, 2. till Morn, etc. Morn is here Aurora, Dawn. In the Ilias (v. 749) the task of keeping the gates of heaven is assigned to the Hours. "La rosada Aurora, que dejando la cama del celoso marido, por las puertas y balcones del manchego horizonte á los mortales se mostraba." Don Quijote, i. 2.-K. "Aurora bright her crystal gates unbarred." VOL. I. Fairfax, Godf. i. 71.—T. 2 E Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heaven Light issues forth, and at the other door To veil the heaven; though darkness there might well Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain, 10. enters, sc. and remains. Verbum prægnans. 15. orient beams. See on v. 175. 10 20 19. in procinct, i.e. ready. Alluding to the custom of the Roman soldiers' drawing their garments tightly about them previous to battle (pro cingere). Chapman (Iliad, xii. 89) has “in all procinct of war." 7. Οθι Νύξ τε καὶ Ἡμέρα ἀμφὶς ἰοῦσαι Hes. Theog. 748.-N. 15. "Hunc igitur terrorem animi, tenebrasque necesse est Discutiant, sed naturæ species et res." Lucr. i. 147.—T. 16. "And behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire ro und about Elisha." 2 Kings vi. 17.—K. 25. "Aonias in montes ut duxerit una sororum, Utque viro Phoebi chorus adsurrexerit omnis, Dixerit." Virg. Buc. vi. 65.-K. |