POETRY-1 (ENG403)

LECTURE – 18

REVIEW OF LECTURE 17

• Invocation • Theme• Contents of the poem• Satan Fallen from Heaven

REVIEW OF LECTURE 17

• Satan’s First Speech• Beelzebub’s Reply• Satan’s Second Speech• Satan Proposes to Summon His Followers• Description of Satan• Satan is Permitted to Rise

Forthwith upright he rears from off the PoolHis mighty Stature; on each hand the flames

Drivn backward slope thir pointing spires, androwldIn billows, leave i'th' midst a horrid Vale.

Then with expanded wings he steers his flight [ 225 ]• Forthwith- at once• Rear- back • Horrid- unpleasant• Vale- valley• Steers- push

Aloft, incumbent on the dusky AirThat felt unusual weight, till on dry LandHe lights, if it were Land that ever burn'd

With solid, as the Lake with liquid fire;And such appear'd in hue, as when the force [ 230 ]

• Aloft- uphill• Incumbent- resting his weight on• Dusky- gloomy• Hue- colour, shade

Of subterranean wind transports a HillTorn from Pelorus, or the shatter'd sideOf thundring Ætna, whose combustible

And fewel'd entrails thence conceiving Fire,Sublim'd with Mineral fury, aid the Winds, [ 235 ]

• subtranean- underground• Pelorous- cape faro• the shatter'd- broken• Entrails- bowels• Mineral fury- force generated in the earth

And leave a singed bottom all involv'dWith stench and smoak: Such resting found the sole

Of unblestfeet. Him followed his next Mate,Both glorying to have scap't the Stygian flood

As Gods, and by thir own recover'd strength, [ 240 ] Not by the sufferance of supernal Power.

• Singed- burnt• Stench- smell• scap't- escaped• Stygian- pertaining to help

Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime,Said then the lost Arch-Angel, this the seat

That we must change for Heav'n, this mournful gloomFor that celestial light? Be it so, since he [ 245 ]

• Clime- region• Lost- fallen• Celestial- heavenly

Who now is Sovran can dispose and bidWhat shall be right: fardest from him is best

Whom reason hath equald, force hath made supreamAbove his equals. Farewel happy Fields

Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours, hail [ 250 ]

• Sovran- soverign• Hail- welcome

Infernal world, and thou profoundest HellReceive thy new Possessor: One who bringsA mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.

The mind is its own place, and in it selfCan make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n. [ 255 ]

• Infernal word- hell• Profoundest- deepest

What matter where, if I be still the same,And what I should be, all but less then he

Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at leastWe shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built

Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: [ 260 ]

• Matter- issue• Thunder- noise • Envy- jealousy

Here we may reign secure, and in my choyceTo reign is worth ambition though in Hell:

Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n.But wherefore let we then our faithful friends,Th' associates and copartners of our loss [ 265 ]

• Secure- free from anxiety• Wherefore- why• Copartners- sharers

Lye thus astonisht on th' oblivious Pool,And call them not to share with us their part

In this unhappy Mansion, or once moreWith rallied Arms to try what may be yet

Regaind in Heav'n, or what more lost in Hell? [ 270 ]

• Oblivious- unconscious• Mansion- house• Rallied- assembled

So Satan spake, and him BeelzebubThus answer'd. Leader of those Armies bright,

Which butth' Omnipotent none could have foyld,If once they hear that voyce, thir liveliest pledgeOf hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft [ 275 ]

• Omnipotent- God• liveliest pledge- vital promise• Pledge- assurance

In worst extreams, and on the perilous edgeOf battel when it rag'd, in all assaults

Thir surest signal, they will soon resumeNew courage and revive, though now they lye

Groveling and prostrate on yonLake of Fire, [ 280 ]

• Perilous- dangerous• Assaults- attacks• Groveling-humbled• Prostrate- pron, upright, flat

As we erstwhile, astounded and amaz'd,No wonder, fall'n such a pernicious highth.

He scarce had ceas't when the superiour FiendWas moving toward the shoar; his ponderous shield

Ethereal temper, massy, large and round, [ 285 ]

• Erstwhile- formally• Astounded- stunned• Pernicious- destructive• Ponderous- heavy• Ethereal temper- manufactured in heaven • Massy- massive

Behind him cast; the broadcircumferenceHung on his shoulders like the Moon, whose Orb

Through Optic Glass the Tuscan Artist viewsAt Ev'ning from the top of Fesole,

Or in Valdarno, to descry new Lands, [ 290 ]Rivers or Mountains in her spotty Globe.

• Orb- sphere• Optic glass- telescope• Tuscan artist- galileo• Fesole- a hill near Florence• Voldarno- the valley in which florence situated• Descry- discover

His Spear, to equal which the tallest PineHewn on Norwegian hills, to be the Mast

Of some great Ammiral flag, were but a wand,He walkt with to support uneasie steps [ 295 ]

• Spear- Spear• Hewn- cutdown• Ammiral flag- ship• Wand- stick

Over the burning Marle, not like those stepsOn Heavens Azure, and the torrid Clime

Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with Fire;Nathless he so endur'd, till on the Beach

Of that inflamed Sea, he stood and call'd [ 300 ]• Marle- soil• Azure- blueness• Torrid- extremely hot• Smote- afflicted• Sore- excessively• Vaulted- arched• Nathless- nevertheless

His Legions, Angel Forms, who lay intrans'tThick as Autumnal Leaves that strow the Brooks

In Vallombrosa, where th' Etrurian shadesHigh overarch't imbowr; or scatterd sedge

Afloat, when with fierce Winds Orion arm'd [ 305 ]

• Legions- army• Intranced- stupefied• Strow- cover• Orion arm'd- armed with belt and sword

Hath vexed the Red-Sea Coast, whose waves orethrewBusiris and his Memphian Chivalry,

While with perfidious hatred theypursu'dThe Sojourners of Goshen, who beheld

From the safe shore thir floating Carkases [ 310 ]

• Vexed- aggitated• Busiris- legendary king of egypt• Memphian- egyptian• Perfidious- treacherous• Carkases- dead bodies

And broken Chariot Wheels, so thick bestrownAbject and lost lay these, covering the Flood,

Under amazement of thir hideous change.He call'd so loud, that all the hollow Deep

Of Hell resounded. Princes, Potentates, [ 315 ]

• Bestrown- scattered• Potentates- rulers

Warriers, the Flowr of Heav'n, once yours, now lost,If such astonishment as this can sieze

Eternal spirits; or have ye chos'n this placeAfter the toyl of Battelto repose

Your wearied vertue, for the ease you find [ 320 ]To slumber here, as in the Vales of Heav'n?

• Eternal spirits- immortal angels• Toil- labour

Or in this abject posture have ye swornTo adore the Conquerour? who now beholds

Cherube and Seraph rowling in the FloodWith scatter'd Arms and Ensigns, till anon [ 325 ]

• Cherube and Seraph- higher order of angels• Ensigns- banners• Anon- immediately

His swift pursuers fromHeav'n Gates discernTh' advantage, and descending tread us down

Thus drooping, or with linked ThunderboltsTransfix us to the bottom of this Gulfe.

Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n. [ 330 ]

• Discern- discover• Transfix- fasten down

They heard, and were abasht, and up they sprungUpon the wing, as when men wont to watch

On duty, sleeping found by whom they dread,Rouse and bestir themselves ere well awake.

Nor did they not perceave the evil plight[ 335 ]

• Abasht- filled with shame• Wont- accustomed• Bestir- show signs of movement• Potent rod- powerful magic wand• Pitchy- black as pitch

In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel;Yet to thir Generals Voyce they soon obeyd

Innumerable. As when the potent RodOf Amrams Son in Egypts evill day

Wav'd round the Coast, up call'd a pitchy cloud [ 340 ]

Fierce- violent

Of Locusts, warping on the Eastern Wind,That ore the Realm of impious Pharaoh hungLike Night, and darken'd all the Land of Nile:So numberless were those bad Angels seen

Hovering on wing under the Cope of Hell [ 345 ]

• Warping- changing shape• Realm- kingdom• Impious- unholy• Cope- roof

'Twixt upper, nether, and surrounding Fires;Till, as a signal giv'n, th' uplifted SpearOf thir great Sultan waving to direct

Thir course, in even ballance down they lightOn the firm brimstone, and fill all the Plain; [ 350 ]

• Nether- lower• Brimstone- sulphur

A multitude, like which the populous NorthPour'd never from her frozen loyns, to pass

Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous SonsCame like a Deluge on the South, and spreadBeneathGibralter to the Lybiansands. [ 355 ]

• Rhene- Rhine• Danaw- Danube• Deluge- flood

Forthwith from every Squadron and each BandThe Heads and Leaders thither hast where stood

Thir great Commander; Godlike shapes and formsExcelling human, Princely Dignities,

And Powers that earst in Heaven sat on Thrones; [360]

• Forthwith- at once• Squadron- division• Erst- formerly

Though of thir Names in heav'nly Records nowBe no memorial blotted out and ras'd

By thir Rebellion, from the Books of Life.Nor had they yet among the Sons of Eve [364]

Got them new Names,till wandring ore the Earth,

Rased- erasedRebellion- revolution

Through Gods high sufferance for the tryal of man,By falsities and lyes the greatest part

Of Mankind they corrupted to forsakeGod thir Creator, andth' invisible

Glory of him that made them, to transform [ 370 ]

• Sufferance- permission• Forsake- abandon

Oft to the Image of a Brute, adorn'dWith gay Religions full of Pomp and Gold,

And Devils to adore for Deities:Then were they known to men by various Names,

And various Idols through the Heathen World. [ 375 ]

• Brute- beast• Pomp- solemnity• Heathen- pagan, non-Christian

Say, Muse, thir Names then known, who first, who last,Rous'd from the slumber, on that fiery Couch,At thir great Emperors call, as next in worth

Came singly where he stood on the bare strand,While the promiscuous croud stood yet aloof? [ 380 ]

• Couch- bed• Slumber- sleep• Promiscuous- mixed

The chief were those who from the Pit of HellRoaming to seek thir prey on earth, durst fix

Thir Seats long after next the Seat of God,Thir Altars by his Altar, Gods ador'd

Among the Nations round, anddurst abide [ 385 ]

• Roaming- wandering• durst fix- fasten

Jehovah thundring out of Sion, thron'dBetween the Cherubim; yea, often plac'dWithin his Sanctuary it selfthir Shrines,Abominations; and with cursed things

His holy Rites, and solemn Feasts profan'd, [ 390 ]And with thir darknessdurst affront his light.

• Jehovah- God of the Jews• Cherubim- two winged angelic figures• Sanctuary- temple of god• Shrines- altars • Abominations- idolatries

FirstMoloch, horrid King besmear'd with bloodOf human sacrifice, and parents tears,

Though for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loudThir childrens cries unheard, that past through fire [ 395 ]

• Besmeared- stained• Timbrels- a musical instrument

To his grim Idol. Him the AmmoniteWorshipt in Rabba and her watry Plain,

In Argob and in Basan, to the streamOf utmost Arnon. Nor content with such

Audacious neighbourhood, the wisest heart [ 400 ]

• Grim- terrible• Rabba- capital of the Ammonities• Audacious- daring

Of Solomon he led by fraud to buildHis Temple right against the Temple of God

On that opprobrious Hill, and made his GroveThe pleasant Vally of Hinnom, Tophet thence

And black Gehennacall'd, the Type of Hell. [ 405 ]

• Opprobrious- full of reproach• Hinnom- a deep narrow ravine in south and south

west of Jerusalem

RECAP OF LECTURE 18• Satan and Beelzebub Fly to Land

• Hell is Described

• Satan’s Third Speech

• Satan Proposes to Summon his Followers

• Description of Saran on Shore

• Simile: the angels are compared to leaves

• Satan addresses his followers

• The angels are compared to locusts

• The angels are compared to barbarian hordes

• Major rebel angels are described