Vondel's Lucifer Part 36

Lucifer:

My star to plunge in shame And darkness: yea, to see my enemies Defiant on my throne?

Rafael:

O Lucifer, Beware! I see the lake of brimstone down Below, with opened mouth, gape horribly.

Shalt thou, the fairest far of all things ever By G.o.d created, henceforth serve as food 380 For the devouring bowels of h.e.l.l's abyss-- Flames never satisfied nor quenched? May G.o.d Forbid! Oh! oh! yield to our prayers. Receive This branch of peace: we offer thee G.o.d's grace.

Lucifer:

What creature else so wretched is as I?

On the one side flicker feeble rays of hope, While on the other yawns a flaming horror.

A triumph is most dubious; defeat Most hard to shun. In such uncertainty, G.o.d and His banner to oppose?--the first 390 To be a standard to unfurl 'gainst G.o.d, His trump celestial and revealed command?

--Of rebels thus to make myself the chief, And 'gainst the law of Heaven another law To oppose?--to fall into the dreadful curse Of a most base ingrat.i.tude?--to wound The mercy, love, and majesty of Him, The Father bountiful, source of all good That e'er was given or may yet be received?

How have I erred so far from duty's path? 400 I have abjured my Maker: how can I Before that Light disguise my blasphemy And wickedness? Retreat availeth not.

Nay, I have gone too far. What remedy?

What best to do amid this hopelessness?

The time brooks no delay. One moment's time Is not enough, if time it may be called, This brevity 'twixt bliss and endless doom.

But 'tis too late. No cleansing for my stain Is here. All hope is past. What remedy? 410 Hark I there I hear G.o.d's trumpet blow without,

APOLLION. LUCIFER. RAFAEL.

Apollion:

Lord Stadtholder, awake! not now the time For loitering. G.o.d's Marshal Michael nears, With all his stars and legions, and defies Thee in the open field. The time demands That thou array for battle. Come, advance!

Advance with us: we see the battle won.

Lucifer:

Won? Ah! that is too soon: 'tis not commenced.

The heavy bolt of war should not be weighed Too lightly.

Apollion:

I saw even in Michael's face 420 The hue of fright, while all his legions pale Looked backwards. Ah! we long. O doubt it not, To humble and destroy them. Lo! here come The various chieftains with our streaming standard.

Lucifer:

Each in his rank! Let each his banner ward.

Now let the trump and bugle boldly blow.

Apollion:

We wait upon thy word.

Lucifer:

Then follow on, As I this signal give.

Rafael:

Alas! but now He stood in doubt suspended: now, despair Incites him on. In what calamities, 430 Alas! shall soon the proud Archangel plunge His followers? Now may he nevermore In joy appear on high unless G.o.d shall In His compa.s.sion this prevent. Oh! come, Ye Heavenly choristers, and breathe your prayers.

It may be that your supplications, rising, May yet avert this dire, impending blow: Oft prayer can break a heart of adamant.

CHORUS OF ANGELS. RAFAEL.

Chorus:

O Father, who no incense, gold, Or hymnal praise dost dearer hold 440 Than the tranquil trust and soul-reposing Calmness of him who humbly heeds Thy word, and where Thy spirit leads Doth leave himself in Thy disposing: Thou seest. O Author of us all, Our Spirit-Chief his banners tall 'Gainst Thee so wickedly unfurling; And how, 'mid roar of trump and drum, On battle-chariot he doth come, So blind, and fierce defiance hurling! 450 Ah! heed not their wild blasphemy, And save from endless misery The thousand thousand ones deluded, Who, weak, and woefully misled By their proud and rebellious head, Are 'mong his legions now included.

Rafael:

Spare in Thy mercy, spare, ah! spare The Stadtholder, who now would wear Thy crown of crowns, who, deifying Himself, would triumph over all: 460 From such foul stain, oh! where else shall The cleansing come, him purifying?

Chorus:

Oh! suffer not that soul to die.

The fairest e'er seen by Thine eye Oh I keep the Archangel e'er in Heaven; Let him atone this impious deed.

And still retain his rank, we plead Let not his guilt be unforgiven. 468

Act V.

RAFAEL. URIEL.

Rafael:

The whole of Heaven, from base to topmost crown Of her chief palaces, resounds with joy, As Michael's trumpets blow and banners wave.

The field is won. Our s.h.i.+elds s.h.i.+ne splendidly, Shaping new suns. From every s.h.i.+eld-sun streams A day triumphant forth. Lo! from the fight, See, Uriel proud, the armor-bearer, comes; And waves the flaming, keen, two-edged sword, That, whet with Heaven's wrath and vengeance, flashed, Amid the fray, through s.h.i.+eld and mail and helm 10 Of diamond, left and right, through all that dared Oppose the all-piercing Power, Omnipotence.

O armor-bearer, most austere, who art The executioner on high, and dost With one strong, righteous stroke compose the Wrong That would rebel against eternal Right, Blest be thy sword and arm, that thus maintain And guard the honor of our Angel Realm.

What praise reserved for thee by Majesty Supreme! Oh! pray relate to us the strife: 20 Unfold to us the management of this, The first campaign in Heaven. We listen, then, In expectation rapt.

Uriel:

Your wish inflames My spirit to begin, this fearful fray In calmness to describe, with sequence just, Success the army crowns that fights with G.o.d.

The Field-marshal, great Michael (being warned By the envoy of Heaven, who from above Flew downward, downward swifter than a star That shoots athwart the sky, with the tidings how, 30 Against the high decree proud Lucifer Himself so openly opposed, prepared To lead his incense-swinging wors.h.i.+ppers-- All who his standard and his morning-star Had sworn their bold allegiance), quickly donned, At Gabriel's report--that Herald true-- His scaly coat of mail, and with firm voice He forthwith then gave charge to all his chiefs, His captains, lords, and officers to place, In the name of G.o.d, the troops in battle rank, 40 That, with united forces and with all Their strength, they might sweep from the airy vast Of purest crystalline this perjured sc.u.m: To cast in darkness all those Spirits vile, Ere unawares they us surprise. Upon This charge the legions rapidly deployed Themselves in battle-line, as speedily As flies the nimble arrow from the bow.

We saw there countless throngs together swarm In bright array and glowing martial pomp, 50 Until they formed, in serried rank, one firm Trilateral host that, like a triangle, Thrust out its edges sharp upon the eye.

We saw a solid ma.s.s, like one dense light, Three-pointed, polished mirror-smooth, even like To diamond, and a battle-front advance By G.o.d more than by Spirit understood.

The Field-marshal towered in the army's heart, Full-faced before G.o.d's banner, with the glow Of lurid lightnings in his lifted hand. 60 Who courage would preserve.--would victory And triumph e'er attain.--should first have care To make sure of and then to gain the heart.

Rafael:

But where the host accursed that us would storm?