Rafael. Lucifer

Rafael:

Oh! Stadtholder. Voice of the Power Divine, What thus hath driven thee beyond the path Of duty? Wouldst thou now thyself oppose To Him, the source of all thy pomp? Wouldst thou Now rashly waver, and thus change thy faith? I hope this ne'er shall be. Alas! I faint With grief, and hang upon thy neck oppressed And wan.

Lucifer:

Most righteous Rafael!

Rafael:

O my joy. My longing, hear me now, I pray.

Lucifer:

Speak on. So long it pleaseth thee.

Rafael:

O Lucifer, Be merciful! Oh I save thyself; nor bear Thy weapons thus 'gainst me, who sadly melt In tears, and pine in sorrow for thy sake. I come with medicine and mercy's balm, Sprung from the bosom of the Deity, "Who, as within His Council He decreed, Hath made thee chief of myriad crowned Powers, And thee, anointed, placed upon thy throne As Stadtholder. What folly this, that thus Deprives thee of thy wit? God hath His seal And image stamped upon thy hallowed head And forehead, where all beauty seemed outpoured, With wisdom and benevolence and all That flows in streams unbounded from the fount Of every precious thing. In Paradise, Before the countenance of God's own sun, Thou shon'st from clouds of dew and roses fresh; Thy festal robes stood stiff with pearl, turquoise. And diamond, ruby, emerald, and fine gold; 'Twas thy right hand the weightiest sceptre held; And as soon as thou didst mount into the light, Throughout the blazing firmament and through These shining vaults the sounds began to roll Of trumpet and of drum. And wouldst thou now So rashly hurl thyself from thy great throne? —Thus jeopardize thy glory, all this pomp? Wouldst thou thy splendors that the Heavens adorn And that obscure our glow so heedlessly Now cause to change into a shapeless lump And complication of all beasts and monsters In one, with claw of griffin, dragon's head, And other horrors terrible? And shall The eyes of Heaven, the stars, see thee so low, Deprived of all thy power, thy honor, worth, And majesty, through perjuring thine oath? Prevent it, O good God, whose countenance, Amid the Blessed Light, I gaze upon, Where we, the hallowed Seven, do Him serve, Before His Throne, and shake and tremble 'neath That Majesty that on our forehead beams, That quickens, and that life doth give to all That live and breathe. Lord Stadtholder, let now My prayers affect thy heart. Thou know'st my pure Intent, and heart distressed for thee. Tear off That shining crest so proud, that armor toss Aside. The battle-axe cast from this hand, Thy shield then from the other: nay, not thus, Not higher. Oh! throw it now aside. I pray. Oh! cast it down. Let fall thy streaming standard Of thine own free will, also thine outstretched wings, Before God and His splendor, ere He shall From cut His Throne, the highest firmament O honor, swoop to grind thee into dust: Yea, so that of the race of Spirits, nor branch Nor root, nor life nor even memory, Remain; unless it be a state of woe, Of pain, of death and of despair, the worm Endless remorse, and a gnashing dire of teeth Should bear the name of life. Submit thou, then. Cease this attempt. I offer thee God's grace, Even with this olive-branch. Accept, or else 'Twill be too late.

Lucifer:

Lord Rafael, I nor threat Nor wrath deserve. My heroes both by God And Lucifer have sworn, and under oaths To Heaven have raised this standard thus aloft. Let rumors, therefore, far and wide be spread Throughout the Heavens: I battle under God For the defence of these His choristers, And for the Charter and the Rights which were Their lawful heritage ere Adam saw The rising sun: yea, ere o'er Paradise The daylight shone. No human power, no yoke Of man, shall plague the necks of Spirits, nor shall The Angel world, like any servile slave, Support the throne of Adam with its neck, Unfettered now, unless in some abyss The Heavens shall bury us, together with The sceptres, crowns, and splendors that to us The Godhead from His bosom gave, for time And for eternity! Let burst what will, I shall maintain the holy Right, compelled By high necessity, thus urged at length, Though much against my will, by the complaints And mournful groans of myriad tongues. Go hence, This message bear unto the Father, whom I serve, and under whom I thus unfurl This warlike standard for our Fatherland.

Rafael:

O Stadtholder, why thus disguise thy thoughts Before the all-seeing Eye? Thy purpose thou Canst not conceal. The rays flashed from His face Lay bare the darkness, the ambition that Thy pregnant spirit reveals in all its shape. And lo! even now its travail hath begun This monster to bring forth. Where shall I hide Me in my fright? How rise my hairs with fear! Thou erring Morning-star, oh! spare thyself! Thou canst not satisfy Omniscience With such deceit.

Lucifer:

Ambition? Say me, then, Where hath my duty suffered through neglect?

Rafael:

What hast thou in thy heart of hearts resolved!— shall mount up from here beneath, through all The clouds, aye, even above God's galaxies, Into the top of Heaven, like unto God Himself; nor shall the beams of mercy fall On any Power, unless before my seat It kneel in homage down! No majesty Shall sceptre dare, nor crown, unless I shall First grant it leave out of my towering throne!" Oh! hide thy face. Fall down and fold thy wings. Have care to know a higher Power above.