Lucifer:

I shall observe it well!

BELZEBUB. LUCIFER.

Belzebub:

The Stadtholder now hears the meaning of This proclamation grave so proudly blown By Gabriel's trumpet bold. How well he showed Thee G.o.d's design! whose purpose thou may'st scent: Thus shall he clip the wings of thy great power. 280

[Ill.u.s.tration: "But here hardby comes Heaven's interpreter."]

Lucifer:

But not so easily: Ah! nay, forsooth; I shall have care this purpose to prevent.

Let not a power inferior thus dream To rule the Powers above.

Belzebub:

He maketh threat Forthwith to crush Rebellion's head and crown.

Lucifer:

Now swear I by my crown, upon this chance To venture all, to raise my seat amid The firmament, the spheres, the splendor of The stars above. The Heaven of Heavens shall then My palace be, the rainbow be my throne, 290 The starry vast, my court, while, down beneath, The Earth shall be my foot-stool and support.

I shall, then swiftly drawn through air and light, High-seated on a chariot of cloud, With lightning stroke and thunder grind to dust Whate'er above, around, below, doth us Oppose, were it G.o.d's Marshal grand himself.

Yea, e'er we yield, these empyrean vaults.

Proud in their towering masonry, shall burst With all their airy arches and dissolve 300 Before our eyes: this huge and joint-racked Earth, Like a misshapen monster, lifeless lie; This wondrous universe to chaos fall.

And to its primal desolation change.

Who dares, who dares defy great Lucifer?

We cite Apollion.

Belzebub:

He is at hand.

APOLLION. LUCIFER. BELZEBUB.

Apollion:

O Stadtholder of G.o.d's unbounded Realm, And Oracle within the Council of The G.o.ds subordinate, I offer thee My service and await thy new commands. 310 What now the word--what of thy subject would Thy Majesty?

Lucifer:

It pleaseth us to hear Thy sense and thy opinion of a grave And weighty plan that cannot fail to win.

Tis our intent to pluck the proudest plume From Michael's wings, that our attempt upon His mightiness shall not rebound as vain.

With his own arm as many oracles He founds, as ever G.o.d Himself hath hewn From deathless diamond with His hand. Behold 320 Now man exalted to the Heaven of Heavens, Through all the circles of the spheres, then see The Spirit world, so deep, so far below, Even 'neath his footcloth there, like feeble worms Already crawling in the dust. I joy To storm this throne with violence, and thus To hazard by one strong, opposing stroke The glory of my state and star and crown.

Apollion:

An undertaking truly to be praised!

May it augment your crown and increase gain, 330 Based on such resolution: so I deem It honors me thus to advise, 'neath thee, The prosecution of a cause so bold.

Let this result for better or for worse, The will is n.o.ble, even though it fail.

But lest we strive in vain and recklessly, How best shall we begin so bold a plan?

How safest meet the point of that resolve?

Lucifer:

We subtly shall oppose our own resolve.

Apollion:

Sooth, there is pith in that. But what, pray, is 340 Our borrowed might, weighed in the scale against The Power Omnipotent? Guard well thy crown; For we fall far too light.

Belzebub:

Yet not so light, But that the matter first shall hang in doubt.

Apollion:

By whom or how or where this plot begun?

Even such intent is treason 'gainst G.o.d's Throne.

Lucifer:

His Throne we'll not disturb; but cautiously Mount up the steep incline, and those high peaks, Ne'er blazed by path and ne'er ascended, climb.

Courage and prudence must, at length, o'ercome 350 And dare all dangers brave.

Apollion:

But not the Power Omnipotent, nor yet His crown: approach Thou not too near, or learn in sorrow that Repentance comes too late. The lesser should Submissively unto the greater yield.

Lucifer:

The great Omnipotent is far beyond Our aim. Set forces like with like together.

Then learn whose sword is weightiest. I see Our enemies in flight, the Heavens all ours By one courageous stroke; our legions, too, 360 O'erladen with the spoil and glorious plunder.

Then let us further now deliberate.

Apollion.

Thou know'st what Michael, G.o.d's Field-marshal may: 'Neath his command are all G.o.d's legions placed.

He bears the key of the armoury here on high.

To him the watch is trusted, and he keeps A faithful, sleepless eye on all the camps; So that of all the galaxies of Heaven Not even one star, in its celestial march, Dare move itself the least, nor stir without 370 Its ranks. 'Tis easy to commence; but in Such warfare to engage exceeds our might, And drags a train of hardships in its wake.

"What ordnance and what martial enginery Could e'er avail his legions proud to quell?

Should Heaven's castle ope its diamond port, Nor stratagem, nor ambush, nor a.s.sault Could bring it fear.