POETRY-1 (ENG403)

LECTURE – 20

REVIEW OF LECTURE 19

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

REVIEW OF LECTURE 19

• 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

RECAP OF LECTURE 19• Satan and Beelzebub Fly to Land• Hell is Described• Satan’s Speech• Satan Proposes to Summon his Followers• Description of Satan 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

REVIEW OF LECTURE 19

• Description: Rebel Angels• Description: Satan and his Followers

O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O PowersMatchless, but with th' Almighty, and that strifeWas not inglorious, though th' event was dire,

As this place testifies, and this dire change [ 625 ]

• Strife- conflict • Inglorious- disgraceful • The event- result• Dire- terrible

Hateful to utter: but what power of mindForeseeing or presaging, from the Depth

Of knowledge past or present, could have fear'd,How such united force of Gods, how such

As stood like these, could ever know repulse? [ 630 ]

• Presaging-anticipating• Repulse-defeat

For who can yet beleeve, though after loss,That all these puissant Legions, whose exileHath emptied Heav'n, shall fail to re-ascendSelf-rais'd, and repossess thir native seat?

For mee be witness all the Host of Heav'n, [ 635 ]

• Puissant- powerful• Self-raised- by their own efforts• Native-original

If counsels different, or danger shun'dBy me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns

Monarch in Heav'n, till then as one secureSat on his Throne, upheld by old repute,

Consent or custome, and his Regal State [ 640 ]

• Different-difference of opinion• Shun’d- avoided • Secure-free from care• Consent-agreement

Put forth at full, but still his strength conceal'd,Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.Henceforth his might we know, and know our own

So as not either to provoke, or dreadNew warr, provok't; our better part remains [ 645 ]

• Put forth-displayed• Tempted-proved, incited• Attempt-rebellion• Wrought-brought about• Better part-• Discretion- wisdom

To work in close design, by fraud or guileWhat force effected not: that he no less

At length from us may find, who overcomesBy force, hath overcome but half his foe.

Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife[650]

• In close design- in secrecy• Effected- achieved• Rife- prevalent

There went a fame in Heav'n that he ere longIntended to create, and therein plantA generation, whom his choice regard

Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven:Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps

Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere: [ 655 ]

• Fame- rumour• Generation- race• Sons of Heaven- angels• Pry- interfere, satisfy our curiosity• Eruption- breaking forth

For this Infernal Pit shall never holdCælestial Spirits in Bondage, nor th' Abyss

Long under darkness cover. But these thoughtsFull Counsel must mature: Peace is despaird, [ 660 ]

• Infernal Pit- Hell• Spirits- angels• In bondage- in chains• The Abyss- chaos• Counsel- deliberation• Mature- develop

For who can think Submission? Warr then, WarrOpen or understood must be resolv'd.

He spake: and to confirm his words, out-flewMillions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs

Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze [ 665 ]

• Resolved- decided upon• Confirm- support• Flaming- shinning

Far round illumin'd hell: highly they rag'dAgainst the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms

Clash'd on thir sounding Shields the din of war,Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heav'n.

There stood a Hill not far whose griesly top [ 670 ]

• Din- noise• Vault- arch• Griesly- horrible• Defiance- rebelliousness

Belch'd fire and rowling smoak; the rest entireShon with a glossie scurff, undoubted sign

That in his womb was hid metallic Ore,The work of Sulphur. Thither wing'd with speed

A numerous Brigad hasten'd. As when Bands[ 675 ]

• Belched- ejected, expelled• Glossie scurff- bright scaly surface• Ore- native mineral• Winged- flew• Brigad- soldiers

Of Pioners with Spade and Pickax arm'dForerun the Royal Camp, to trench a Field,Or cast a Rampart. Mammon led them on,

Mammon,the least erected Spirit that fell [679] From heav'n, for ev'n in heav'n his looks and thoughts

• Pioners- foot soldiers• Forerun- precede• Camp- army• Trench- dugout• Cast- throw up• Rampart- defensive wall

Were always downward bent, admiring moreThe riches of Heav'ns pavement, trod'n Gold,

Then aught divine or holy else enjoy'dIn vision beatific: by him first

Men also, and by his suggestion taught, [ 685 ]

• Admiring- wondering at• Pavement- road• Trodden- walked on • aught- anything• vision beatific- sight of god• Suggestion- inducement

Ransack'd the Center, and with impious handsRifl'd the bowels of thir mother Earth

For Treasures better hid. Soon had his crewOp'nd into the Hill a spacious wound

And dig'd out ribs of Gold. Let none admire [ 690 ]

• Ransack’d- searched• Center- earth• Impious- unholy• Rifl’d- robbed• spacious wound- large breach• Ribs- masses, blocks

That riches grow in Hell; that soyle may bestDeserve the precious bane. And here let thoseWho boast in mortal things, and wond'ring tell

Of Babel, and the works of Memphian KingsLearn how thir greatest Monuments of Fame, [ 695 ]

• Precious bane- gold/curse of mankind/nuissance• Boast- take pride• Mortal things- handiworks of man• Babel- Babylon• Works of Memphian Kings- pyramids

And Strength and Art are easily out-doneBy Spirits reprobate, and in an hour

What in an age they with incessant toyleAnd hands innumerable scarce perform.

Nigh on the Plain in many cells prepar'd, [ 700 ]

• Out-done- excelled• Reprobate- wicked• Incessant- unceasing• Hands- workers• nigh- near

That underneath had veins of liquid fireSluc'd from the Lake, a second multitude

With wondrous Art found out the massie Ore,Severing each kind, and scum'd the Bullion dross:

A third as soon had form'd within the ground [ 705 ]

• Sluc’d- drawn off• Found out- melted• Massy- massive• Severing- separating• scum’d- removed impure part off• Bullion dross- unrefined metal

A various mould, and from the boyling cellsBy strange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook,

As in an Organ from one blast of windTo many a row of Pipes the sound-board breaths.

Anon out of the earth a Fabrick huge [ 710 ]

• Various- elaborate• Conveyance- transportation means• Blast of wind- current of air• Breaths- communicate sounds• Anon- soon• Fabric- structure

Rose like an Exhalation, with the soundOf Dulcet Symphonies and voices sweet,

Built like a Temple, where Pilasters roundWere set, and Doric pillars overlaid

With Golden Architrave; nor did there want [ 715 ]• Exhalation- vapour• Dulcet- sweet• Symphonies- harmonious sounds• Pilasters- square pillars• Doric pillars- simple and durable pillars• Overlaid- surmounted, conquer • Architrave- the main beam

Cornice or Freeze, with bossy Sculptures grav'n,The Roof was fretted Gold. Not Babilon,

Nor great Alcairo such magnificenceEqual'd in all thir glories, to enshrine

Belus or Serapis thir Gods, or seat [ 720 ]

• Cornice- part projecting above the frieze• Freeze- part above the main beam• Bossy- prominent• Graven- inscribed• Fretted gold- gold wrought with design• Equal’d- rivalled• Enshrine- put into a temple• Seat- lodge

Thir Kings, when Ægypt with Assyria stroveIn wealth and luxurie. Th'ascending pile

Stood fixt her stately highth, and strait the doresOp'ning thirbrazen foulds discover wide

Within, her ample spaces, o're the smooth [ 725 ]

• Stately- magestic• Strait- immediately

And level pavement: from the arched roofPendant by suttle Magic many a row

Of Starry Lamps and blazing Cressets fedWith Naphtha and Asphaltus yeilded lightAs from a sky. The hasty multitude [ 730 ]

• Arched- vaulted• Pendant- hanging• Suttle- mysterious• Blazing- flaming• Cressets- fire baskets• Fed- supplied• Asphaltus- pitch

Admiring enter'd, and the work some praiseAnd some the Architect: his hand was knownIn Heav'n by many a Towred structure high,Where Scepter'd Angels held thir residence,

And sat as Princes, whom the supreme King [ 735 ]

• Admiring- wondering• Scepter'd- a symbol of sovereignty• Supreme king- God

Exalted to such power, and gave to rule,Each in his Hierarchie, the Orders bright.Nor was his name unheard or unador'dIn ancient Greece; and in Ausonian land

Men call'd him Mulciber; and how he fell [ 740 ]

• Exalted- elevated• Hierarchie- each of 3 divisions of angels• Ausonian land- Italy• Mulciber- Mammon

From Heav'n, they fabl'd, thrown by angry JoveSheer o're the Chrystal Battlements: from Morn

To Noon he fell, from Noon to dewy Eve,A Summers day; and with the setting Sun

Dropt from the Zenith like a falling Star, [ 745 ]

• Sheer- clean over• Chrystal Battlements- shinning parapets• Falling star- shooting star

On Lemnos th' Ægean Ile: thus they relate,Erring; for he with this rebellious rout

Fell long before; nor aught avail'd him nowTo have built in Heav'n high Towrs; nor did he scape

By all his Engins, but was headlong sent [ 750 ]

• Erring- incorrectly• Rout- crowd• Aught- anything• avail'd- to make use of• Scape- escape• Engins- plot• Headlong- with head downwards

With his industrious crew to build in hell.Mean while the winged Haralds by command

Of Sovran power, with awful CeremonyAnd Trumpets sound throughout the Host proclaim

A solemn Councel forthwith to be held [ 755 ]

• Industrious- hard-working• Crew- company• Sovran- supreme• Forthwith- at once

At Pandæmonium, the high CapitalOf Satan and his Peers: thir summons call'd

From every Band and squared RegimentBy place or choice the worthiest; they anon

With hunderds and with thousands trooping came [ 760 ]

• Pandæmonium- place of fallen angels where there is confusion

• Peers- comrades• Squared regiment- squadron• Anon- at once• Trooping- following

Attended: all access was throng'd, the GatesAnd Porches wide, but chief the spacious Hall

(Though like a cover'd field, where Champions boldWont ride in arm'd, and at the Soldans chair

Defi'd the best of Paynim chivalry [ 765 ]

• Access- entrance• Throng’d- crowded• Porches- gateways• cover'd field- lists• Wont- were familiar with• Sodans- Sultan’s• Paynim- Pagan

To mortal combat or carreer with Lance)Thick swarm'd, both on the ground and in the air,

Brusht with the hiss of russling wings. As BeesIn spring time, when the Sun with Taurus rides,

Pour forth thir populous youth about the Hive [ 770 ]

• Mortal- ending in death• carreer with Lance- mock fight• Thick swarm'd- collected in great numbers• Taurus- Zodaic sign

In clusters; they among fresh dews and flowersFlie to and fro, or on the smoothed Plank,

The suburb of thir Straw-built Cittadel,New rub'd with Baum, expatiate and confer

Thir State affairs. So thick the aerie crowd [ 775 ]Swarm'd and were straitn'd; till the Signal giv'n.

• Clusters- groups• Dews and flowers- dewy flowers• Cittadel- little city• Baum- resin• Expatiate- develop• Confer- discuss• Straitn’d- cramped for space

Behold a wonder! they but now who seemdIn bigness to surpass Earths Giant Sons

Now less then smallest Dwarfs, in narrow roomThrong numberless, like that Pigmean Race [ 780 ]

• Surpass- exceed• Dwarfs- having short height

Beyond the Indian Mount, or Faerie Elves,Whose midnight Revels, by a ForrestsideOr Fountain some belated Peasant sees,

Or dreams he sees, while over-head the MoonSits Arbitress, and neerer to the Earth [ 785 ]

• Faerie Elves- small fairies• Belated- returning late at night• Arbitress- spectators

Wheels her pale course, they on thir mirth and danceIntent, with jocond Music charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.Thus incorporeal Spirits to smallest forms

Reduc'd thir shapes immense, and were at large,[790]

• Wheels her pale course- revolves in a career of pale light

• Intent- bent• Jocond- merry• rebounds- leaps/starts• Incorporeal- bodyless• Were at large- had plenty of room

Though without number still amidst the HallOf that infernal Court. But far within

And in thir own dimensions like themselvesThe great Seraphic Lords and Cherubim

In close recess and secret conclave sat [ 795 ]

• Infernal Court- Pandemonium• Dimensions- size• Recess- retirement• Conclave- assembly

A thousand Demy-Gods on golden seats,Frequent and full. After short silence then

And summons read, the great consult began.

• Frequent- crowded together• Consult- advice, discuss

REVIEW OF LECTURE 20

• Satan’s speech• Rumour of the creation of New World• Building of the Pandemonium