John Milton on Devil
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“Swings the scaly horror of his folded tail.”
“Satan exalted sat, by merit raised To that bad eminence.”
“The infernal serpent; he it was whose guile, Stirr'd up with envy and revenge, deceived The mother of mankind.”
“Abashed the Devil stood, And felt how awful goodness is, and saw Virtue in her own shape how lovely; saw And pined his loss.”
“His form had yet not lost All his original brightness, nor appear'd Less than arch-angel ruined, and th' excess Of glory obscured.”
“From morn To noon he fell, from noon to dewy eve, A summer's day; and with the setting sun Dropt from the zenith like a falling star.”
“Black it stood as night, Fierce as ten furies, terrible as hell, And shook a dreadful dart; what seem'd his head The likeness of a kingly crown had on. Satan was now at hand.”
“Incens'd with indignation Satan stood Unterrified, and like a comet burn'd, That fires the length of Ophiucus huge In th' arctic sky, and from his horrid hair Shakes pestilence and war.”