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 240 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 250 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.
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 260 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.
Ambition? Say me, then, Where hath my duty suffered through neglect?
What hast thou in thy heart of hearts resolved!-- shall mount up from here beneath, through all 270 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.
[Illustration: "Thou erring Morning-star, oh! spare thyself."]
How now? Am I not then God's Stadtholder? 280