Free The Annotated Milton: Complete English Poems by John Milton, Burton Raffel

fell
741
      
From Heav’n they fabled, 1879 thrown by angry Jove
742
      
Sheer 1880 o’er the crystal battlements. 1881 From morn
743
      
To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve
744
      
A summer’s day, and with the setting sun
745
      
Dropt from the zenith 1882 like a falling star
746
      
On Lemnos, th’Aegean isle. Thus they relate, 1883
747
      
Erring, for he with this rebellious rout 1884
748
      
Fell long before, nor aught availed him now
749
      
To have built in Heav’n high tow’rs, nor did he scape
750
      
By all his engines, 1885 but was headlong sent
751
      
With his industrious 1886 crew, to build in Hell
752
      
Meanwhile the wingèd heralds, by command
753
      
Of sov’reign power, with awful 1887 ceremony
754
      
And trumpet’s sound throughout the host 1888 proclaim
755
      
A solemn council forthwith to be held
756
      
At Pandemonium, the high capital
757
      
Of Satan and his peers. 1889 Their summons called
758
      
From every band and squarèd 1890 regiment
759
      
By place 1891 or choice the worthiest. They anon 1892
760
      
With hundreds and with thousands trooping came
761
      
Attended. 1893 All access 1894 was thronged, the gates
762
      
And porches wide, but chief the spacious hall
763
      
(Though like a covered field, where champions bold
764
      
Wont 1895 ride in armed, and at the Soldan’s 1896 chair
765
      
Defied the best of Paynim 1897 chivalry
766
      
To mortal combat, or career 1898 with lance
767
      
Thick swarmed, both on the ground and in the air
768
      
Brushed with the hiss of rustling wings. As bees
769
      
In spring-time, when the sun with Taurus rides
770
      
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
771
      
In clusters, they among fresh dews and flowers
772
      
Fly to and fro, or on the smoothèd plank
773
      
The suburb 1899 of their straw-built citadel
774
      
New rubbed with balm, expatiate 1900 and confer
775
      
Their state-affairs. So thick the airy crowd
776
      
Swarmed and were straitened, 1901 till, the signal given
777
      
Behold a wonder! They but now who seemed
778
      
In bigness to surpass earth’s giant sons
779
      
Now less than smallest dwarfs in narrow room
780
      
Throng numberless—like that pygmean race
781
      
Beyond the Indian mount, 1902 or faery elves
782
      
Whose midnight revels 1903 by a forest-side
783
      
Or fountain some belated 1904 peasant sees
784
      
Or dreams he sees, while overhead the moon
785
      
Sits arbitress, 1905 and nearer to the earth
786
      
Wheels 1906 her pale course. 1907 They, on their mirth and dance
787
      
Intent, with jocund 1908 music charm his 1909 ear
788
      
At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds
789
      
Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms
790
      
Reduced their shapes immense, and were at large, 1910
791
      
Though without number still, amidst the hall
792
      
Of that infernal court. 1911 But far within
793
      
And in their own dimensions like themselves
794
      
The great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim
795
      
In close recess and secret conclave 1912 sat
796
      
A thousand demi-gods on golden seats
797
      
Frequent 1913 and full. After short silence, then
798
      
And summons read, the great consult began
     
    The End of the First Book

 
    BOOK II

    THE ARGUMENT

    The consultation begun, Satan debates whether another battle be 1914 to be hazarded for the recovery of Heaven. Some advise it, others dissuade. A third proposal is preferred, 1915 mentioned before by Satan, to search the truth of that