“ ‘Silence, ye troubled waves, and, thou Deep, peace!’ Said then the omnific Word: ‘your discord end!’ Nor stayed; but, on the wings of Cherubim Uplifted, in paternal glory rode Far into Chaos and the World unborn; For Chaos heard his voice. Him all his train Followed in bright procession, to behold Creation, and the wonders of his might. Then stayed the fervid wheels and in his hand He took the golden compasses, prepared In God’s eternal store, to circumscribe This Universe, and all created things, One foot he centred, and the other turned Round through the vast profundity obscure, And said, ‘Thus far extend, thus far thy bounds; This be thy just circumference, O World!’ Thus God the heaven created, thus the Earth, Matter unformed and void. Darkness profound Covered the Abyss; but on the watery calm His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread, And vital virtue infused, and vital warmth, Throughout the fluid mass, but downward purged The black, tartareous, cold, infernal dregs, Adverse to life; then founded, then conglobed