Latest / Philosophy and Faith / 13 - Paradise Lost - John Milton
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Book six, Part one. All night, the dreadless angel unpursued
- 0:07Speaker 1: through Heaven's wide Champagne held his way till morn, waked
- 0:11Speaker 1: by the circling hours, with rosy hand unbarred the gates
- 0:14Speaker 1: of light. There is a cave within the mount of God,
- 0:17Speaker 1: fast by his throne, where light and darkness, in perpetual
- 0:21Speaker 1: round lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through heaven
- 0:25Speaker 1: grateful vicissitude like day and night light issues forth, and
- 0:29Speaker 1: at the other door obsequious darkness enters till her hour
- 0:32Speaker 1: to veil the heaven, though darkness there might well seem
- 0:35Speaker 1: twilight here and now went forth the morn, such as
- 0:39Speaker 1: in highest Heaven, arrayed in gold imperial from before her
- 0:43Speaker 1: vanished night, shot through with orient beams, when all the
- 0:47Speaker 1: plain covered with thick embattled squadrons, bright chariots, and flaming
- 0:51Speaker 1: arms and fiery steeds reflecting blaze on blaze first met
- 0:55Speaker 1: his view war, He perceived war in procinct, and found
- 1:00Speaker 1: already known what he, for news had thought to have
- 1:02Speaker 1: reported gladly. Then he mixed among those friendly powers whom
- 1:06Speaker 1: him received with joy and acclamations loud that one that
- 1:10Speaker 1: of so many myriads fallen, yet one return not lost,
- 1:15Speaker 1: on to the sacred hill. They led him high, applauded,
- 1:17Speaker 1: and present before the Seat Supreme. From whence a voice
- 1:21Speaker 1: from midst a golden cloud. Thus mild was heard, servant
- 1:25Speaker 1: of God. Well done, Well, hast thou fought the better fight,
- 1:28Speaker 1: who single hast maintained against revolted multitudes the cause of
- 1:32Speaker 1: truth in word, mightier than they in arms, And for
- 1:36Speaker 1: the testimony of truth, hast borne universal reproach, far worse
- 1:40Speaker 1: to bear than violence. For this was all thy care
- 1:43Speaker 1: to stand approved in sight of God. Though worlds judge
- 1:46Speaker 1: THEE perverse, the easier conquest now remains THEE, aided by
- 1:50Speaker 1: this host of friends, back on thy foes, more glorious
- 1:54Speaker 1: to return than scorned Thou didst depart and to subdue
- 1:57Speaker 1: by force, who reason for their law refused right reason
- 2:00Speaker 1: for their law and for their king Messiah, who by
- 2:04Speaker 1: right of merit reigns, Go Michael of celestial armies, Prince,
- 2:09Speaker 1: and Thou, in military prowess next to Gabriel, Lead forth
- 2:12Speaker 1: to battle these my sons invincible. Lead forth my armored
- 2:16Speaker 1: saints by thousands and by millions, ranged for fight equal
- 2:20Speaker 1: in number to that godless crew, rebellious them with fire
- 2:24Speaker 1: and hostile arms, fearless assault, and to the brow of Heaven,
- 2:27Speaker 1: pursuing drive them out from God and bliss into their
- 2:31Speaker 1: place of punishment, the gulf of Tartarus, which ready opens
- 2:34Speaker 1: wide his fiery chaos to receive their fall. So spake
- 2:39Speaker 1: the sovereign voice, and clouds began to darken all the
- 2:42Speaker 1: hill and smoke to raul in dusky wreaths, reluctant flames,
- 2:46Speaker 1: the sign of wrath awaked, nor with less dread. The
- 2:50Speaker 1: loud ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow at which
- 2:53Speaker 1: command the power's militant that stood for Heaven in mighty
- 2:57Speaker 1: quadrit join'd of union. Irresistible moved on in silence, their
- 3:01Speaker 1: bright legions to the sound of instrumental harmony that breathed
- 3:05Speaker 1: heroic ardor to adventurous deeds under their godlike leaders in
- 3:09Speaker 1: the cause of God and his Messiah. On they move indissolubly, firm,
- 3:14Speaker 1: nor obvious hill, nor straitening vale, nor wood nor stream
- 3:18Speaker 1: divides their perfect ranks. For high above the ground their
- 3:21Speaker 1: march was and the passive air upbore their nimble tread
- 3:25Speaker 1: as when the total kind of birds, in orderly array
- 3:28Speaker 1: on wing, came summoned over Eden to receive their names
- 3:31Speaker 1: of thee. So over many a tract of heaven they march'd,
- 3:35Speaker 1: and many a province wide tenfold the length of this terrain.
- 3:39Speaker 1: At last, far in the horizon to the north, appeared
- 3:42Speaker 1: from skirt to skirt of fiery regions, stretched in battalious aspect,
- 3:47Speaker 1: and nearer view, bristled with upright beams, innumerable of rigid
- 3:51Speaker 1: spears and helmets, thronged, and shields various. With boastful argument,
- 3:55Speaker 1: portrayed the banded powers of Satan, hasting on with the
- 4:00Speaker 1: furious expedition. For they weened that self same day, by
- 4:03Speaker 1: fight or by surprise, to win the mount of God
- 4:07Speaker 1: and on his throne, to set the envier of his state,
- 4:10Speaker 1: the proud aspirer. But their thoughts proved fond and vain
- 4:14Speaker 1: in the midway. Though strange to us, it seemed at
- 4:16Speaker 1: first that Angel should with Angel war and in fierce
- 4:20Speaker 1: hosting meat, who wont to meet so oft in festivals
- 4:23Speaker 1: of joy and love, unanimous as sons of one great sire,
- 4:27Speaker 1: hymning the eternal Father. But the shout of battle now began,
- 4:31Speaker 1: and rushing sound of onset ended. Soon each milder thought
- 4:35Speaker 1: high in the midst exalted as a god, the postat
- 4:38Speaker 1: in his sun bright chariot, sate idle of majesty, divine
- 4:42Speaker 1: inclosed with flaming cherubim and golden shields, then lighted from
- 4:47Speaker 1: his gorgeous throne for now TwixT host and host. But
- 4:50Speaker 1: narrow space was left a dreadful interval, and front to
- 4:53Speaker 1: front presented stood in terrible array of hideous length before
- 4:57Speaker 1: the cloudy van on the rough edge of battle. Ere
- 5:00Speaker 1: it join'd Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced came towering,
- 5:05Speaker 1: armed in adamant and gold abdeal that sight endured not
- 5:09Speaker 1: where he stood among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds.
- 5:12Speaker 1: And thus his own undaunted heart explores O Heaven, that
- 5:17Speaker 1: such resemblance of the highest should yet remain where faith
- 5:20Speaker 1: and realty remain not. Wherefore should not strength and might
- 5:24Speaker 1: there fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove where boldest
- 5:28Speaker 1: though to sight unconquerable his puissance, trusting in the Almighty's aid,
- 5:32Speaker 1: I mean to try, whose reason I have tried unsound
- 5:36Speaker 1: and false, Nor is it aught, but just that he who,
- 5:39Speaker 1: in debate of truth hath one should win in arms
- 5:42Speaker 1: in both disputes alike victor, though brutish that contest, and
- 5:46Speaker 1: foul when reason hath to deal with force. Yet so
- 5:49Speaker 1: most reason is that reason overcome. So pondering, and from
- 5:53Speaker 1: his armed peers forth, stepping opposite half way, he met
- 5:57Speaker 1: his daring foe. At this prevention more sensed, and thus
- 6:00Speaker 1: securely him defied proud art. Thou met thy hope was
- 6:05Speaker 1: to have reached the height of thy aspiring unopposed, the
- 6:08Speaker 1: throne of God, unguarded, and his side abandoned at the
- 6:12Speaker 1: terror of thy power or potent tongue. Fool not to
- 6:15Speaker 1: think how vain against omnipotent to rise in arms, who
- 6:19Speaker 1: out of smallest things, could without end have raised incessant
- 6:22Speaker 1: armies to defeat thy folly, or with solitary hand, reaching
- 6:26Speaker 1: beyond all limit at one blow, unaided, could have finished
- 6:30Speaker 1: thee and whelmed thy legions under darkness. But thou seest
- 6:34Speaker 1: all are not of thy train. There be who faith
- 6:37Speaker 1: prefer and piety to God, though then to THEE not visible.
- 6:41Speaker 1: When I alone seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent
- 6:44Speaker 1: from all my sect, thou seest now learn too late,
- 6:47Speaker 1: how few sometimes may know when thousands err whom the
- 6:52Speaker 1: grand foe with scornful eye askance. Thus answered ill for thee,
- 6:57Speaker 1: but in wisht hour of my revenge, first sought for
- 7:00Speaker 1: thou return'st from flight seditious angel, to receive thy merited reward.
- 7:04Speaker 1: The first essay of this right hand provoked, since first
- 7:08Speaker 1: that tongue inspired with contradiction, drest oppose. A third part
- 7:12Speaker 1: of the gods in Synod met their deities to assert who,
- 7:16Speaker 1: while they feel vigor divine within them, can allow omnipotence
- 7:20Speaker 1: to none. But well thou comest before thy fellows ambitious
- 7:24Speaker 1: to win from me, some plume that thy success may
- 7:27Speaker 1: show destruction to the rest. This pause between unanswer'd least
- 7:31Speaker 1: thou boast to let thee know. At first I thought
- 7:35Speaker 1: that liberty and heaven to heav'nly souls had been all one.
- 7:38Speaker 1: But now I see that most through sloth had rather
- 7:41Speaker 1: serve ministering spirits train'd up in feast and song. Such
- 7:46Speaker 1: hast thou arm'd the ministrelsy of heaven servility with freedom
- 7:50Speaker 1: to contend as both their deeds compared this day shall
- 7:54Speaker 1: prove to whom in brief Thus abd'al Stern replied apostat,
- 7:59Speaker 1: Still thouer nor end will find of erring from the
- 8:02Speaker 1: path of truth remote unjustly. Thou deprav'est it with the
- 8:06Speaker 1: name of servitude, to serve whom God ordains or nature.
- 8:10Speaker 1: God and Nature bid the same, when he who rules
- 8:13Speaker 1: is worthiest and excels them whom he governs. This is
- 8:16Speaker 1: servitude to serve thee unwise o'er him that hath rebelled
- 8:19Speaker 1: against his worthier as thine. Now serve thee thyself not free,
- 8:24Speaker 1: but to thy self enthralled. Yet lewdely dareest our ministering
- 8:28Speaker 1: upbraid reign thou in hell thy kingdom. Let me serve
- 8:31Speaker 1: in heaven, God ever blest, and his divine behests obey,
- 8:35Speaker 1: worthiest to be obeyed. Yet chains in hell not realms,
- 8:39Speaker 1: expect Meanwhile from me return'd as erst thou saidst from
- 8:43Speaker 1: flight this greeting on thy impious crest, receive so, saying
- 8:48Speaker 1: a noble stroke, he lifted high which hung not, but
- 8:52Speaker 1: so swift with tempest, fell on the proud crest of Satan,
- 8:55Speaker 1: that no sight nor motion of swift thought lest could
- 8:59Speaker 1: his shields such ruin intercept ten paces huge he back
- 9:03Speaker 1: recoil'd the tenth on bended knee, his massy spear upstay'd
- 9:08Speaker 1: as if on earth, winds under ground or waters forcing
- 9:11Speaker 1: way sidelong had push'd a mountain from his seat, half
- 9:15Speaker 1: sunk with all his pines. Amazement seized the rebel thrones,
- 9:19Speaker 1: but greater rage to see thus foil'd their mightiest ours,
- 9:23Speaker 1: joy fill'd and shout presage of victory and fierce desire
- 9:27Speaker 1: of battle. Whereat Michael bid sound the archangel trumpet through
- 9:31Speaker 1: the vast of heaven. It sounded, and the faithful armies
- 9:34Speaker 1: rung Hosanna to the highest, nor stood it gaze the
- 9:37Speaker 1: adverse legions, nor less hideous join'd the horrid shock, now
- 9:42Speaker 1: storming fury rose and clamor such as heard in heaven
- 9:45Speaker 1: till now was never Arms on armor clashing brayed, horrible discord,
- 9:50Speaker 1: and the madding wheels of brazen chariots raged dire was
- 9:54Speaker 1: the noise of conflict overhead, the dismal hiss of fiery
- 9:58Speaker 1: darts in flaming volley flew and flying vaulted either host
- 10:03Speaker 1: with fire sounder fiery cope together rushed both battles Maine
- 10:07Speaker 1: with ruinous assault and inextinguishable rage. All heaven resounded, And
- 10:12Speaker 1: had earth been then all earth had to her center shook.
- 10:16Speaker 1: What wonder when millions of fierce, encountering angels fought on
- 10:20Speaker 1: either side, the least of whom could weld these elements
- 10:23Speaker 1: and arm him with the force of all their regions.
- 10:26Speaker 1: How much more of power army against army numberless to
- 10:29Speaker 1: raise dreadful combustion, warring and disturb, though not destroy their
- 10:34Speaker 1: happy native seat. Had not the eternal king, omnipotent from
- 10:38Speaker 1: his stronghold of Heaven High o'er ruled and limited their might.
- 10:42Speaker 1: Though numbered, such as each divided legion might have seemed
- 10:45Speaker 1: a numerous host in strength, each armed hand a legion
- 10:49Speaker 1: led in fight, Yet leaders seemed, each warrior single, as
- 10:52Speaker 1: in chief, expert when to advance or stand, or turn
- 10:56Speaker 1: the sway of battle open, when and when to close
- 10:59Speaker 1: the bridge of grim war. No thought of flight, none
- 11:03Speaker 1: of retreat, no unbecoming deed that argued fear. Each on
- 11:06Speaker 1: himself relied as only in his arm the moment lay
- 11:09Speaker 1: of victory, deeds of eternal fame were done, but infinite
- 11:14Speaker 1: for wide was spread that war, and various, sometimes on
- 11:17Speaker 1: firm ground, a standing fight, then soaring on main wing,
- 11:21Speaker 1: tormented all the air, all air seem'd, then conflicting fire
- 11:26Speaker 1: long time in even scale. The battle hung till Satan,
- 11:29Speaker 1: who that day prodigious power, had shone and met in
- 11:32Speaker 1: arms no equal ranging through the dire attack of fighting
- 11:36Speaker 1: Seraphim confused at length saw where the sword of Michael
- 11:39Speaker 1: smote and felled squadrons at once with huge two handed
- 11:43Speaker 1: sway brandished aloft, the horrid edge came down wide, wasting
- 11:48Speaker 1: such destruction to withstand. He hasted and opposed the rocky
- 11:52Speaker 1: orb of tenfold, adamant his ample shield, a vast circumference.
- 11:57Speaker 1: At his approach, the great Archangel from his warlike Tori,
- 12:00Speaker 1: surceased and glad as hoping here to end in testin
- 12:03Speaker 1: war in heaven, the arch foe subdued or captive, dragged
- 12:07Speaker 1: in chains with hostile frown and visage, all inflame. First
- 12:11Speaker 1: Thus began author of evil unknown till thy revolt, unnamed
- 12:16Speaker 1: in heaven. Now plenteus as thou seest these acts of
- 12:19Speaker 1: hateful strife, hateful to all, though heaviest by just measure.
- 12:23Speaker 1: On thyself and thy adherents. How hast thou disturbed Heaven's
- 12:27Speaker 1: blest peace and into nature brought misery uncreated till the
- 12:31Speaker 1: crime of thy rebellion. How hast thou instill'd thy malice
- 12:35Speaker 1: into thousands, once upright and faithful, now proved false. But
- 12:39Speaker 1: think not here to trouble wholy rest Heaven casts THEE
- 12:43Speaker 1: out from all her confines. Heaven the seed of bliss
- 12:46Speaker 1: brooks not the works of violence and war. Hence, then
- 12:50Speaker 1: an evil go with THEE, along thy offspring, to the
- 12:53Speaker 1: place of evil Hell, Thou and thy wicked crew There
- 12:57Speaker 1: mingle broils. Ere this avenging sword, begin thy doom, or
- 13:00Speaker 1: some more sudden vengeance winged from God, precipitate THEE with
- 13:04Speaker 1: augmented pain. So spake the Prince of angels, to whom
- 13:08Speaker 1: thus the adversary. Nor think thou, with wind of aery
- 13:13Speaker 1: threats to all whom. Yet with deeds thou canst not
- 13:16Speaker 1: hast thou turned the least of these to flight, or
- 13:19Speaker 1: if to fall, but that they rise unvanquished, easier to
- 13:22Speaker 1: transact with me, than thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with
- 13:26Speaker 1: threats to chase me. Hence, ere not that so shall
- 13:29Speaker 1: end the strife which thou call'st evil. But we style
- 13:32Speaker 1: the strife of glory, which we mean to win, or
- 13:35Speaker 1: turn this heaven itself into the hell. Thou fablest here, however,
- 13:39Speaker 1: to dwell free, if not to reign. Meanwhile, thy utmost force,
- 13:44Speaker 1: and join him named almighty to thy aid I fly not,
- 13:47Speaker 1: but have sought thee far and nigh. They ended parley,
- 13:51Speaker 1: and both addressed for fight unspeakable. For who, though with
- 13:55Speaker 1: the tongue of angels, can relate or to what things
- 13:58Speaker 1: liken on earth conspicuous that may lift human imagination to
- 14:01Speaker 1: such height of godlike power, For likest gods, they seem'd stood,
- 14:06Speaker 1: they or moved in stature motion, arms fit to decide
- 14:09Speaker 1: the empire of great heaven now waved their fiery swords,
- 14:13Speaker 1: and in the air made horrid circles two broad suns.
- 14:17Speaker 1: Their shields blazed opposite, while expectations stood in horror from
- 14:22Speaker 1: each hand. With speed retired where erst was thickest. Fight
- 14:25Speaker 1: the angelic throng, and left large field unsafe within the
- 14:29Speaker 1: wind of such commotion, such as to set forth great
- 14:32Speaker 1: things by small if nature's concord broke among the constellation's
- 14:37Speaker 1: war were sprung. Two planets rushing from a spectmalign of
- 14:41Speaker 1: fiercest opposition in mid sky should combat, and their jarring
- 14:45Speaker 1: spheres confound together both with next to almighty arm uplifted
- 14:49Speaker 1: imminent one's stroke, they aim'd that might determine and not
- 14:53Speaker 1: need repeat. As not of power at once nor odds
- 14:56Speaker 1: appeared in might or swift prevention. But the sword of
- 15:00Speaker 1: Michael from the armory of God was given him, tempered
- 15:02Speaker 1: so that neither keen nor solid might resist that edge.
- 15:06Speaker 1: It met the sword of Satan with steep force to smite,
- 15:09Speaker 1: descending and in half cut sheer nor stay'd, but with
- 15:13Speaker 1: swift wheel reverse deep entering shared all his right side.
- 15:17Speaker 1: Then Satan first knew pain and writhed him to and
- 15:21Speaker 1: fro convolved so sore. The grinding sword, with discontinuous wound,
- 15:25Speaker 1: passed through him, but the ethereal substance closed, not long divisible,
- 15:30Speaker 1: and from the gash a stream of nectarous humor issuing
- 15:33Speaker 1: flowed sanguine such as celestial spirits may bleed, and all
- 15:38Speaker 1: his armor stain'd ere while so bright forthwith on all
- 15:42Speaker 1: sides to his aid was run by angels. Many and strong,
- 15:45Speaker 1: who interposed defense, while others bore him on their shields.
- 15:49Speaker 1: Back to his chariot, where it stood, retired from off
- 15:52Speaker 1: the files of war. There they him laid, gnashing for
- 15:56Speaker 1: anguish and despite and shame, to find himself not matchless,
- 15:59Speaker 1: and his pride humbled by such a rebuke, so far
- 16:03Speaker 1: beneath his confidence to equal God in power. Yet soon
- 16:07Speaker 1: he healed, for spirits that live throughout, vital in every part,
- 16:11Speaker 1: not as frail man and entrails hard or head liver
- 16:14Speaker 1: or rihnds cannot but by annihilating die nor in their
- 16:18Speaker 1: liquid texture mortal wound received no more than can the
- 16:22Speaker 1: fluid air all heart. They live, all head, all eye,
- 16:26Speaker 1: all ear, all intellect, all sense, and as they please,
- 16:29Speaker 1: they limb themselves and color, shape or size, assume as
- 16:33Speaker 1: likes them best, condense or rare. Meanwhile, in other parts,
- 16:38Speaker 1: like deeds deserved memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought
- 16:41Speaker 1: and with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array of Moloch,
- 16:44Speaker 1: furious king, who him defied, and at his chariot wheels
- 16:48Speaker 1: to drag him bound, threaten'd nor from the Holy One
- 16:51Speaker 1: of Heaven refrain'd his tongue blasphemous, but anon down, cloven
- 16:56Speaker 1: to the waist, with shattered arms and uncouth pain fled
- 16:59Speaker 1: bellowing on each wing. Uriel and Raphael, his vaunting foe,
- 17:03Speaker 1: though huge and in a rock of diamond, armed, vanquish'd
- 17:07Speaker 1: Adramlek and Asthmadi, two potent thrones that to be less
- 17:10Speaker 1: than God's disdained but meaner thoughts learned in their flight,
- 17:14Speaker 1: mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail, nor stood
- 17:18Speaker 1: unmindful abdel to annoy the atheist crew, but with redoubled
- 17:22Speaker 1: blow Ariel and Arioch, and the violence of Ramielles scorched
- 17:26Speaker 1: and blasted overthrow. I might relate of thousands and their
- 17:30Speaker 1: names eternize here on earth. But those elect angels, contented
- 17:34Speaker 1: with their fame in heaven, seek not the praise of
- 17:37Speaker 1: men the other sword in might, though wondrous and in
- 17:40Speaker 1: acts of war, nor of renown less eager, yet by doom,
- 17:44Speaker 1: canceled from heaven and sacred memory, nameless in dark oblivion.
- 17:48Speaker 1: Let them dwell for strength from truth divided and from
- 17:52Speaker 1: just illaudable, not merits but dispraise and ignominy, yet to
- 17:55Speaker 1: glorious spires, vain, glorious, and through infamy seeks fame. Therefore
- 18:00Speaker 1: eternal silence be their doom. And now their mightiest quelled.
- 18:04Speaker 1: The battle swerved with many an inroad, gored, deformed, rout
- 18:08Speaker 1: enter'd in foul disorder, all the ground with shivered armor strown,
- 18:12Speaker 1: and on a heap, chariot and charioteer lay overturned, and
- 18:16Speaker 1: fiery foaming steeds. What stood recoiled or wearied through the
- 18:20Speaker 1: faint satanic host, defensive, scarce, or with pale fear surprised.
- 18:26Speaker 1: Then first with fear surprised and sense of pain, fled
- 18:29Speaker 1: ignominious to such evil brought by sin of disobedience, till
- 18:33Speaker 1: that hour, not liable to fear or flight or pain.
- 18:37Speaker 1: Far otherwise, the unviolable saints in Cubic phalanx firm advanced, entire, invulnerable,
- 18:43Speaker 1: impenetrably armed, such high advantages their innocence gave them above
- 18:47Speaker 1: their foes, not to have sinned, not to have disobeyed
- 18:51Speaker 1: in fight, they stood, unwearied, unobnoxious, to be pained by wound,
- 18:55Speaker 1: though from their place by violence moved. And of Book six,
- 19:00Speaker 1: Part one