William Blake (1757–1827), Satan Calling up His Legions (from John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’) (c 1805-09), tempera on canvas, 53.5 x 40.5 cm, Petworth House and Park (National Trust), Petworth, Sussex, England. William Blake (1757–1827), Satan Arousing the Rebel Angels (Butts Set) (1808), paper, 50 x 39 cm, The Victoria and Albert Museum, London. William Blake (1757–1827), Satan Arousing the Rebel Angels (Thomas Set) (1807), paper, 25 x 21 cm, The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA. Satan awakens all his legions, who lay till then in the same manner confounded they rise, their numbers, array of battle, their chief leaders named, according to the idols known afterwards in Canaan and the countries adjoining. Artist not known, Illustration to Book 1 of ‘Paradise Lost, John Milton (1688), engraving by Michael Burghers, 1695 edition, dimensions not known, The British Library, London. In billows, leave in the midst a horrid vale. On each hand the flamesĭriven backward slope their pointing spires, and, rolled Treble confusion, wrath and vengeance pouredįorthwith upright he rears from off the pool How all his malice served but to bring forth Heap on himself damnation, while he sought Left him at large to his own dark designs, Had risen or heaved his head, but that the will So stretched out huge in length the Arch-Fiend lay,Ĭhained on the burning lake, nor even thence Gustave Doré (1832–1883), Forthwith Upright He Rears from off the Pool His Mighty Stature (Book 1, 221-222) (1866), engraving for ‘Paradise Lost’, John Milton, Cassell, Petter and Galpin, further details not known. Which action passed over, the poem hastens into the midst of things, presenting Satan with his Angels now fallen into Hell, described here, not in the Centre, (for heaven and earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly not yet accursed,) but in a place of utter darkness, fitliest called Chaos: here Satan, with his Angels lying on the burning lake, thunder-struck and astonished, after a certain space recovers, as from confusion, calls up him who next in order and dignity lay by him they confer of their miserable fall. Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky. Raised impious war in Heaven and battle proud,
He trusted to have equalled the Most High, Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host
The mother of mankind, what time his pride Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived Gustave Doré (1832–1883), Him the Almighty Power Hurled Headlong Flaming from the Ethereal Sky (Book 1, 44-45) (1866), engraving for ‘Paradise Lost’, John Milton, Cassell, Petter and Galpin, further details not known. This First Book proposes, first in brief, the whole subject, Man’s disobedience, and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed: then touches the prime cause of his fall, the Serpent, or rather Satan in the serpent who revolting from God, and drawing to his side many legions of Angels, was by the command of God driven out of Heaven, with all his crew, into the great Deep. Milton is a superb wordsmith, and I have only adjusted a few of his spellings to their modern forms. Those given in verse are taken from the body of the poem. Excerpts given as prose are from Milton’s own summaries at the start of each book. Rather than attempt my own summary of John Milton’s poem, I give selected excerpts from his original, with my comments given, where necessary, in italics.
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