Nigh on the plain in many cells prepar'd, That underneath had veins of liquid fire Sluc'd from the lake, a fecond multitude With wondrous art found out the maffy ore; Severing each kind, and fcumm'd the bullion drofs; A third as foon had form'd within the ground 705 A various mold; and from the boiling cells By ftrange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook: As in an Organ from one blaft of wind To many a row of pipes the found-board breaths. Anon out of the earth a fabric huge Rofe like an exhalation, with the found Of dulcet fymphonies, and voices sweet; Built like a Temple, where pilafters round Were fet, and Doric pillars overlaid With golden architrave: nor did there want Cornice or freeze, with boffy fculptures grav'n; The roof was fretted gold. Not BABYLON, Nor great ALCAIRO fuch magnificence Equall'd in all their glories, to infhrine PELUS, or SERAPIS their Gods; or feat
Their King, when ÆGYPT with ASSYRIA ftrove
In wealth and luxury. Th' afcending pile
Stood fixt her ftately height, and ftreight the doors Op'ning their brazen folds, difcover wide Within her ample spaces, o'er the fmooth And level pavement: from the arched roof, Pendent by fubtle magic, many a row Of ftarry lamps and blazing creffets, fed With Naphtha and Afphaltus, yielded light As from a sky. The hafty multitude Admiring enter'd, and the work fome praise And fome the architect: his hand was known In Heav'n by many a towred ftructure high, Where fceptred angels held their refidence, And fate as Princes; whom the fupreme King Exalted to fuch power, and gave to rule, Each in his Hierarchy, the Orders bright.
Nor was his name unheard, or unador'd,
In ancient GREECE; and in AUSONIAN land Men call'd him MULCIER; and how he fell 740 From Heav'n they fabled, thrown by angry JOVE Sheer o'er the chryftal battlements; from morn To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, A fummer's day; and with the setting Sun Dropt from the Zenith like a falling ftar, On LEMNOS th' EGEAN ifle: thus they relate, Erring; for he with this rebellious rout Fell long before; nor aught avail'd him now T have built in Heav'n high tow'rs; nor did he fcape By all his engins, but was headlong fent With his induftrious crew to build in Hell, Mean while the winged heralds by command Of fov'reign pow'r, with awful ceremony
And trumpets found, throughout the hait proclaim A folemn council forthwith to be held At PANDEMONIUM, the high Capital
Of SATAN and his Peers: their fummons call'd From every band and fquared regiment, By place or choice the worthieft; they anon With hundreds and with thoufands trooping came 760 Attended all accefs was throng'd, the gates And porches wide, but chief the fpacious hall (Though like a cover'd field, where champions bold Wont ride in arm'd, and at the SOLDAN'S Chair Defi'd the belt of PANM chivalry 765
To mortal combat, or carriere with lance) Thick fwarm'd, both on the ground and in the air, Brush'd with the hifs of ruling wings. As bees In fpring time, when the Sun with TAURUS rides, Pour forth their populous youth about the hive In clusters; they among fresh dews and flow'rs Fly to and fro, or on the fmoothed plank, The fuburb of their straw built cittadel,.. New rubb'd with baum, expatiate and confer Their ftate affairs: So thick the aery crowd
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