Angels ascending and descending, bands

Over Mount Sion, and, though that were large, [ 530 ]

On high behests his Angels to and fro

Which to his eye discovers unaware

Wafted by Angels, or flew ore the Lake

Who after came from Earth, sayling arrivd, [ 520 ]

Rapt in a Chariot drawn by fiery Steeds.

Borders on Ægypt and th Arabia九-九-藏-书-网n shoare;

Satan from hence now on the lower stair [ 540 ]

A passage down to th Earth, a passage wide,

Of all this World at once. As when a Scout

Looks down with wonder at the sudden view

Wider by farr then that of after-times

Which now the Rising Sun guilds with his beams.

Direct against which opnd from beneath,

九_九_藏_书_网To darkness, such as bound the Ocean wave.

His sad exclusion from the dores of Bliss. [ 525 ]

Through dark and desart wayes with peril gone

With glistering Spires and Pinnacles adornd, [ 550 ]

The Fiend by easie ascent, or aggravate

The Stairs were then let down, whether to dare

Each Stair mysteriously was meant, nor stoo99lｉｂ.ｎeｔd

First-seen, or some renownd Metropolis

Dreaming by night under the open Skie,

The goodly prospect of some forein land

Of Jasper, or of liquid Pearle, whereon

Passd frequent, and his eye with choice regard

Of Guardians bright, when he from Esau fled

Over the Promisd Land to God so dear,

To Padan-Aram in the field of Luz,

So藏书网 wide the opning seemd, where bounds were set

And waking crid, This is the Gate of Heavn [ 515 ]

Such wonder seisd, though after Heaven seen,

That scald by steps of Gold to Heavn Gate

The Spirit maligne, but much more envy seisd

Viewless, and underneath a bright Sea flowd

At sight of all this World beheld so faire.

By which, to visit99lib•net oft those happy Tribes,

All night; at last by break of chearful dawne [ 545 ]

Obtains the brow of some high-climbing Hill,

To Beersaba, where the Holy Land

Just ore the blissful seat of Paradise,

From Paneas the fount of Jordans flood [ 535 ]

The Stairs were such as whereon Jacob saw [ 510 ]

There alwayes, but drawn up to Heavn somtimes