“To whom the Son, with calm aspect and clear, Lightening divine, ineffable, serene, Made answer: ‘Mighty Father, thou thy foes Justly hast in derision, and secure Laugh’st at their vain designs and tumults vain, Matter to me of glory, whom their hate Illustrates, when they see all regal power Given me to quell their pride, and in event Know whether I be dextrous to subdue Thy rebels, or be found the worst in Heaven.’
“So spake the Son; but Satan with his powers Far was advanced on winged speed, an host Innumerable as the stars of night, Or stars of morning, dew-drops which the sun Impearls on every leaf and every flower. Regions they passed, the mighty regencies Of Seraphim and Potentates and Thrones In their triple degrees—regions to which All thy dominion, Adam, is no more Than what this Garden is to all the earth And all the sea, from one entire globose Stretched into longitude; which having passed, At length into the limits of the North They came, and Satan to his royal seat High on a hill, far-blazing, as a mount Raised on a mount, with pyramids and towers From diamond quarries hewn and rocks of gold, The palace of great Lucifer (so call That structure, in the dialect of men Interpreted) which not long after he, Affecting all equality with God, In imitation of that mount whereon Messiah was declared in sight of Heaven, The Mountain of the Congregation called; For thither he assembled all his train, Pretending so commanded to consult About the great reception of their King, Thither to come; and with calumnious art Of counterfeited truth thus held their ears:
“ ‘Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, If these magnific titles yet remain Not merely titular, since by decree Another now hath to