om all
fulness dwells of love divine," seeing man will be lost unless he
interferes, declares his willingness to surrender to death all of
himself that can die. He entreats, however, that the Father will not
leave him in the loathsome grave, but will permit his soul to rise
victorious, leading to heaven those ransomed from sin, death, and hell
through his devotion. The angels, hearing this proposal, are seized
with admiration, and the Father, bending a loving glance upon the Son,
accepts his sacrifice, proclaiming he shall in due time appear on
earth in the flesh to take the place of our first father, and that,
just "as in Adam all were lost, so in him all shall be saved." Then,
further to recompense his Son for his devotion, God promises he shall
reign his equal for ever and judge mankind, ere he bids the heavenly
host worship their new master. Removing their crowns of amaranth and
gold, the angels kneel before Christ in adoration, and, tuning their
harps, sing the praises of Father and Son, proclaiming the latter
"Saviour of man."

While the angels are thus occupied, Satan, speeding through Chaos,
passes through a place peopled by the idolatries, superstitions, and
vanities of the world, all of which are to be punished here later on.
Then, past the stairway leading up to heaven, he hurries to a passage
leading down to earth, toward which he whirls through space like a
tumbler pigeon, landing at last upon the sun. There, in the guise of a
stripling cherub, Satan tells the archangel Uriel that, having been
absent at the time of creation, he longs to behold the earth so as to
glorify God. Thereupon Uriel proudly rejoins he witnessed the
performance, and describes how at God's voice darkness fled and solids
converged into spheres, which began to roll around their appointed
orbits. Then he points out to Satan the newly-created earth, whither
the Evil Spirit eagerly speeds.

Thus said, he turned; and Satan, bowing low,
As to superior spirits is wont in heaven,
Where honor due and reverence none neglects,
Took leave, and toward the coast of earth beneath,
Down from the ecliptic, sped with hoped success,
Throws his steep flight in many an airy wheel,
Nor stayed, till on Niphates' top he lights.

_Book IV._ Wishing his voice were loud enough to warn our first
parents of coming woe and thus forestall the misfortunes ready to
pounce upon them, the poet describes how Satan, "with hell raging in
his heart," gaz