Season 3 Podcast 208 Milton's Paradise Lost Bk IX, Pt XIX Satan Enters the Snake

Bk IX, Pt XIX, “Lucifer Enters the Snake” In the beginning of each Book Milton provides an abstract.  In Milton’s words.Satan, having compassed the earth, with meditated guile returns, as a mist, by night into paradise; enters into the serpent sleeping.The King James Version of the Bible is very succinct. In Chapter 3, verse 1, we read the following:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?Perhaps it is a good thing that Milton didn’t translate the Bible into English for he is not going to bypass a chance like that. He turns it into high, unforgettable drama. It is a humiliating moment for Lucifer who once was called “son of the morning” or “shining one.” It is clear that he once had a very high position in the presence of God. Isaiah tells us“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the North; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14)First of all if Lucifer persuaded a third part of the hosts heaven to follow him, it is obvious that he was known by all the spirits in heaven. “Son of the Morning” is clearly a high title.  He apparently had reason to think he could “ascend into heaven and exalt his throne above the stars of God.’  The ‘stars of God’ refer to all the children of God. Lucifer wanted to be the greatest star in heaven, In fact, he aimed for the highest office, “I will be like the most High.” It was Christ who was referred to as the “bright and morning star.” Satan wanted to replace Christ and be our savior, the ‘bright and morning star.’ Now he has to lower himself into possessing the body of a snake. It was a humiliation he was willing to endure to bring about the fall of man.  Milton continues his epic.I now must changeThose Notes to Tragic; foul distrust, and breachDisloyal on the part of Man, revoltAnd disobedience: On the part of Heav’nNow alienated, distance and distaste,Anger and just rebuke, and judgement giv’n,That brought into this World a world of woe,Sin and her shadow Death, and MiseryDeaths Harbinger: Sad task,  After being threatened by Gabriel, Satan sneaks back into the garden under the cover of darkness.The Sun was sunk, and after him the StarOf Hesperus, whose Office is to bringTwilight upon the Earth, short ArbiterTwixt Day and Night, and now from end to endNights Hemisphere had veiled the Horizon round:When Satan who late fled before the threatsOf Gabriel out of Eden, now improvedIn meditated fraud and malice, bentOn man’s destruction, maugre what might hapOf heavier on himself, fearless returned.Protected by the veil of night, Satan circles the globe seven times, always under darkness, and finally he returns to Eden where he knows of a deep underground cavern that leads to the tree of life. By Night he fled, and at Midnight return’dFrom compassing the Earth, cautious of day,Since Uriel Regent of the Sun descriedHis entrance, and forewarned the CherubimThat kept their watch; thence full of anguish driven,The space of seven continued Nights he rodeWith darkness, thrice the Equinoctial LineHe circled, four times crossed the Carr of NightFrom Pole to Pole, traversing each Colure;On the eighth returned, and on the Coast averseFrom entrance or Cherubic Watch, by stealthFound unsuspected way.