4. 1-31

The Speaker is introducing the reader to Earth for the first time. Satan is just arriving to Earth. The Book starts with a warning about Satan's coming, calling him the "secret foe". The next lines go on to say that Satan was enraged when he first arrived on Earth and speaks of him tempting Eve. It goes on to say that he wasn't rejoicing afterward, that he was horrified and doubting himself, but he can't get away from Hell, no matter where he goes, because Hell is within him. On line 23 the speaker starts talking about Satan's conscience and how it evokes the memory of what he used to be and raises the despair of knowing that he isn't an angel anymore and that worse sufferings are still to come. The passage seems to me to be pretty melancholy. Despair seems to be used a lot in this poem, and I'm not sure what exactly Satan is despondent over. Also these lines introduce the idea of Satan having a conscience which tells us that he knows right from wrong, but his conscience is provoking despair for himself, I think, not remorse for what he's done. He's upset about the consequences not regretting the bad act the prompted the consequences.

4. 32-113:

The speaker in this section of the poem I understand to be Satan as these lines take place during his passionate speech to the sun. This occurs right before he enters paradise.

These lines focus on Satan and what he reveals as he talks. In 3.37-41 Satan is reflecting on when he lived in heaven while at the same time questioning Gods motives for sending him out of heaven. In 3.40 he says ìTill pride and worse Ambition threw me downî which is his recollection of God at the moment Satan himself was sent from Heaven to Hell.

Later in the passage around 3.61-72 Satan does some thinking on his situation and it becomes evident that to some degree he has self-knowledge of what it is he did. However there is an irony to it because he still sees God as the one to blame and sees him as unjust and unfair, for example 3.68 ìBut Heavínís free Love dealt equally to all?î, where he points out what he feels to be one of Gods injustices and examples of unfair treatment because there are ìtemptations armedî (3.65). Here Satan also thinks that even if he did not lead the revolt he still would have fallen anyway. This reminded me of how some people believe that their lives are predetermined for them at birth and that they really do not have control over what they do and what happens to them.

An important part in this passage I think is 3.75 ì Which way I fly is Hell; myself am Hellî, where Satan notices that he is trapped by what it is he has done and by what he is. Where he realizes that he is bad and that hell is also bad because it is where he and the fallen angels live. He sees it as bad because he sees himself as hell and if he is hell and he is bad than hell must be equally as bad as he is.

Following this section he goes through a range of emotions, He is desperate in the sense that he wants to get back to Heaven. For Satan there are things ìstill threatíning to devour me opens wide,/To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heavínî (3.77-78) However he is also very prideful and notes that by boasting too much and by being overly confident in himself he has made large promises to many people such as seen in 3.82-86.

This passage demonstrates how ones ways can have consequences for themselves later on. It show how one character is based off of their continual actions. That through repetition we define who we are. Satan does this to some degree when in 3.91-97 where he notices he is trapped in his particular approach and that since he continues to be evil he will continue to fall and never regain his status that he had before.

The last thing is through this passage there is a general bad or sinister tone to what is being said. In some of the last lines Satan choses to be evil. He has no choice but to hate so defines his character as one who is sinister and evil. He decides to see himself as the victim and God as the one who has done him wrong. In 3.104 ìFrom granting hee, as I from begging peaceî is a clear start to Satanís final decision to be cast hope and God aside and to continue on his mission to get to Gods new creation of human kind. Satan by this point knows that God will not forgive him for his actions and feels as if he and the fallen angels have been replaced by the creation of humans. Satanís attitude here reminds me of earlier class discussion how humans on earth appear to be a bit of a pawn in the way of direct access between God and Satan.

4. 114 - 357:

i. 4.114-283
In this passage the speaker Satan's entrance into Eden and a description of the physical details in the garden. Satan is able to enter Eden with minimal effort, "one slight bound" (4.181) is all that takes for him to enter the garden. He is compared to the likes of a wolf and a thief, filled with greed for new prey and bountiful treasures, respectively. Additionally, the speaker compares Satan to the cormorant, a bird which symbolizes greed.

The description of Eden adheres to the style conventionally found in epics, a lengthy list containing plenty of allusions. The speaker illustrates Eden as a utopian paradise focusing primarily on the natural bliss which the garden possesses. He invokes multiple references from the classics to reinforce his image. The Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge occupy the center of Eden.

I found lines 201-204 particularly interesting. I fail to understand what the speaker is conveying but my best guess would be that the speaker is suggesting that only God is able to correctly value what is good, and that anyone else would misuse the "best things" (4.203).


ii. 4.283-357
In this passage the speaker goes onto describing the nature of Adam and Eve. The two humans are portrayed as superior beings in comparison to the animals in Eden. Adam and Eve are beings "of nobler shape [who stand] erect and tall" (4.288). However the humans are not the most superior beings. They are created in "the image of thir glorious Maker" (4.292), rendering them as imitations rather than authentic. The speaker asserts that like the animals to the humans, Adam and Eve are not equals:

For contemplation hee and valor form'd,
For softness shee and sweet attractive Grace,
Hee for God only, shee for God in him:
His fair large Front and Eye sublime declar'd
Absolute rule. (4.297-301)

The excerpt suggests that Adam is formed for thought while Eve is created for physical appearance. Adam only worships God but Eve worships Adam because he is closer to God than she is. The speaker subsequently describes Eve's submissive and subjective nature. Through this passage the speaker definitively sets the hierarchy among beings as God over man, who rules over woman, followed by animals.

4. 358 - 92:

As Satan watches Adam and Eve, he starts to feel guilty about what he plans to do. He decides that they aren't spirits, but are something close to it. He says that he could love them, and that they have such a close resemblance to God, and that God made them have so much beauty. He talks to them wistfully in his mind as he realizes they are so unaware that soon all of the joys that they currently get to experience in the Garden of Eden will soon vanish and will be replaced with sorrow, where it's implied that it's all his fault that it will happen. They will experience more sorrow than they currently are experiencing in joy. He tells them regretfully that Heaven did not fence in the area well enough to protect Heaven from enemies like him. But then he says that he is not their enemy, as he pities them in their weakness to defend themselves against him. However, nobody pities him. He wants to have a close mutual friendship with Adam and Eve that is so strong that they must all live together, either he with them or them with him. He reminds Adam and Eve that although Hell might not be as nice a place as Heaven, they must accept it, as it was God, their creator, who gave him Hell to live in. He says that there will be more space there for their children than in this narrow place, and if they don't like it, he tells them to blame the one who made him take this revenge on them, as the fault is his (God's), and not Satan's. He confesses that he is touched by Adam and Eve's harmless innocence, but that it is more important to take revenge against God, and enlarge the size of Hell by conquering Heaven. He says this now makes him do something now which he otherwise would hate. I think what's going on in this passage is that Satan is realizing some of the good that God has done, like creating the flawless and pure creatures as Adam and Eve, and to lessen the guilt that the realization brings him he starts telling himself the reasons why it's God's fault that he has to take revenge, and not his own fault.

4. 393 – 410:

In this passage, the speaker addresses how Satan descends the Tree of Life and begins to approach Adam and Eve. He walks among the animals of Eden and changes his shape into an animal's form so as to be "nearer to view his prey" (4. 399). He becomes first a lion and then a tiger. Here, Adam and Eve are very much his prey and are seen as "two gentle fawns at play" (4. 404) while Satan himself takes on the appearance of a large and vicious creature. Satan's transformations are a key aspect as they emphasize his trickery and foreshadow his infamous deception over Adam and Eve. As he nears them, it is noted that "whence rushing he might surest seize them both" (4. 407). However, when Adam begins to speak he turns "all ear to hear new utterance flow" (4. 410).

4. 411 – 39:

This brief passage is spoken by Adam, the first man, to Eve, the first woman, as Satan observes from his shifting forms. Adam tells Eve that their work—to tend the garden of Eden and its bounty—though technically toil is nothing to complain of. They have dominion over the earth, plenty of food and luxuries to keep them happy, and are loved and blessed by their creator. Adam extols God, saying that, since God’s power that ‘rais’d [them] from dust and plac’t [them] here’ (4.416) is infinite, so too his goodness and generosity must be, to give them such a world and ask so little in return. The only charge is ‘not to taste that onely Tree / Of knowledge, planted by the Tree of Life’ (4.423-4), which seems to Adam an ‘easie prohibition’ (4.433). It’s a unique sort of dramatic irony; though it’s never explicitly stated in the text up to this point, anyone with even a basic knowledge of biblical lore knows that that prohibition is going to be broken, the fruit will be eaten, and that it was not such an easy promise to keep, despite Adam’s insistence (and Eve’s agreement a few lines later). The result is, from my view, sort of tragi-comic; Adam and Eve are clearly delighted with their lot, as their tempter watches from nearby, but knowledge of what will come makes the speech seem foolishly short-sighted.

4. 440-491:

In these lines Eve describes how she was created and her reaction to waking up to being in paradise. Firstly, she finds a pond and looks at herself, startled but then pleased with how she looks. When she sees Adam, she is startled again because he is not as soft looking as her. However, he then explains that she is his other half, saying "His flesh, his bone; to give thee being I lent / Out of my side to thee, nearest my heart" (4. 483-484) This reminds me of the description of Sin being born from Satan's head due to his evil thoughts, however Adam did not simply create Eve. God took the flesh and bones from Adam to make Eve, while Sin simply burst from Satan's skull. Further down, Satan seems to be analyzing the similarities as well, as he compares his own situation to the paradise Adam and Eve live in.

These lines also give an idea to how compliant and passive Eve is, as she is drawn to Adam's voice and although she turns away from him at first she is immediately responsive to what he tells her and accepts instantly that she is his other half. I do not know if any of the future books will mention Lilith, as most of the time she is left out and there is plenty of debate about her, however I did want to note Eve's submissive ways because it contrasts so greatly with the defiance she shows by eating from the tree of knowledge later on.

4. 492-504:

This passage is essentially a sex scene between Adam and Eve as the speaker describes how innocent Eve is with words like "meek" and "submissive". I thought this was interesting because in my experience with Christianity, Eve is usually described as the curious and sinful one right from the start while Adam is the innocent. They also make a point of saying that their sex is without sin with lines like "and with eyes / Of conjugal attraction unreprov'd,"" (492-493) or "and press'd her Matron lip" (501). Satan then sees them together and glares at them out anger and jealousy of what I'm guessing is their happiness and purity since he can never feel or be like them.

4. 505 – 35:

Satan is talking to himself as to how best to spoil Adam and Eve for God. Having discovered that they are forbidden to eat from the Tree of Knowledge Satan figures that he ought to make them partake of the tree, but not before he looks through the rest of the grden, just incase there are other options for corruption. Satan expresses his views of the unfairness of God in sending Satan to hell while the humans get to live happily in a paradice and uses that to harden his resolve to force humanity's fall. With that he contemplates the reasoning of God in forbidding the tree stating:

"One fatal Tree there stands of Knowledge call'd,
Forbidden them to taste: Knowledge forbidd'n?
Suspicious, reasonless. Why should thir Lord
Envy them that? can it be sin to know,
Can it be death? and do they only stand
By Ignorance, is that thir happy state,
The proof of thir obedience and thir faith? (4. 99. 514-520.)

After this comment to himself Satan seems content in his plan, and it seems clear that unless something more painful to God were to become possible then he would alter his plan to inflict the most pain possible.

4. 536 – 60:

In lines 536 – 560, the speaker returns and begins describing how Satan has gone off “through wood, through waste, o’er hill”, so as to further explore the new world. Following Satan’s departure, the poem shifts focus and gives us a description of heaven. The speaker describes a heaven that is similar in appearance to that of Diodorus’ being one made “Of Alabaster, pil’d up to the clouds”. Amongst these clouds is the Archangel Gabriel: “Chief of th' Angelic Guards”. Gabriel is described as playing “Heroic Games” with “Th’unarmed youth of Heav’n”, providing a stark contrast to the corrupt and warlike athletics that the demons in Hell were practicing in Book 2. Uriel then comes gliding in toward the gates of Heaven on a sunbeam, swift as a shooting star. This suggests that a storm is brewing, as the speaker explains that when mariners would see shooting stars that they would become weary of “Impetuous winds”. With his final words the speaker indicates that Uriel will speak next.

4. 561 – 75:

Lines 561-575 are spoken by Uriel and directed to Gabriel. Uriel starts by reminding Gabriel of his duty to protect Eden so that "No evil thing approach or enter in" (l.563). He recounts that he saw a zealous spirit earlier that day, and that the spirit knew a suspicious amount about "th' Almighty's works, and chiefly Man / God's latest image" (ll.566-567). Uriel's statement that the being was an "Alien from Heav'n, with passions foul obscur'd" (l.571) reflects the earlier description of Satan's failing disguise in Book IV, lines 114-117. While Uriel is right to deduce that the being he has seen is there "to raise / New troubles" (ll.574-575), he only thinks that it is "one of the banisht crew" (l.573), not Satan himself. This section has a similarly foreboding tone as earlier sections of Paradise Lost, as it is clearly leading to the climax of Satan's corruption of Man.

4. 576 – 88:

Gabriel is replying to Uriel's news in this passage. He first praises Uriel for his amazing sight, but assures him that there is nothing to worry. He says to Uriel, "in at this Gate non pass/The vigilance here plac't, but such as come/Well known from Heav'n" (4.579-581) which leads me to believe that he is saying that Heaven already knows of the entrance of this new spirit (AKA God knows). This would relate back to God's speech in how he already knows the plan for Adam and Eve. However, this could simply be that ìNon pass by here without my knowledge (God's knowledge). He assures Uriel that by the morning he will find the spirit hiding in Paradise no matter what shape he shall take.

This passages makes me wonder what the point is in having Angels guard the Gates when God can tell who can go in and out of Paradise? If God is all mighty, and can see everything, and already knows the outcome, why would he need his Angels to stand around and watch to just in the end deliver redundant information?

4. 589 – 609:

In this passage, Uriel returns from the gate where he conferred with Gabriel on the subject of Lucifer's invasion of Earth to his place in or around the sun (4.589-593). A pause in the story follows as the shift from day to night in Eden is described. In significant contrast to the violent descriptions of the landscape of hell, this is a description of a gentle beauty, with a sky like glowing sapphires (4.605) and animals slumbering happily.

4. 610-633:

This piece is being spoken by Adam and it is being directed solely towards Eve. Adam is explaining that God has created day and night so that Mankind is able to rest in succession, thus they should rest. This shows to Adamís acceptance of Gods rule over him. Then Adam explains that the animals are not laboring in body or mind, unlike Mankind, and because of this God is not interested in their affairs because they do not contain the same dignity as Mankind. At one point the inability of Adam and Eve to do all of the work is highlighted, foreshadowing to procreation.

4. 634-658:

Eve is described again as beautiful, but this time in regards to her compliancy. She states that she will do what is asked with no argument, as God is Adam's law, and Adam is Eve's law, and nothing would make her happier than to follow Adam's command. She then says that when they are talking, she forgets all time, and it feels like they are constantly living in the 'Spring' phase of their relationship: the sky is always clear, the sun always up and warm, the Earth always fertile... Eve then states that the Earth would never feel like that to her if she didn't have Adam, none of these things would be sweet. She finishes her monologue with the question of why the night is so beautiful, with its moon and stars, the "Gems of Heaven" (lls 649), if no one is awake to see them?

4. 659 – 88:

In this section, Adam responds to Eve as to why the stars and heavens shine. He explains to her that the sun must shine over all the earth, for those who will inhabit it in the future. They sleep at night, so that they may work harder in the day. He also talks about various "celestial voices"(4. 682) that he has heard at night, praising the glory of God. This heavenly chorus will protect them, as they “divide the night”(4. 688) to keep watch over Adam and Eve, while continuing to exalt their Creator. While reading this section, it seemed to me that the difference between night and day was emphasised heavily. This is an important distinction to make, as God is attributed as the giver of light, and Satan as a bringer of darkness.

4. 689 - 724:

In this section the speaker is describing Adam and Eveís wedding ceremony. It is described as being decorated beautifully with flowers, stones and precious metals (ll.697-702). All of Earth and Heaven are at a standstill for this ceremony. No creatures on Earth dared to even enter because of how sacred the ceremony is (ll.702-3). The ceremony is considered to be more beautiful than Pandora herself (l.715). Pandora was given to Epimetheus to revenge humans because of Epimetheus' brother, Prometheus stealing fire from the heavens for man. Pandora is sent with a box that contains life's disasters. There is a connection between God and Hermes, they both give men a beautiful woman who ultimately is given fault for bringing evil into the world. There is also a link between Eve and Pandora, which foreshadows that Eve, will be blamed with unleashing evil onto earth.

4. 724 - 35:

In this section, Adam and Eve are standing in front of their "Lodge" or "bower" before going to bed for the night, and saying a prayer of thanks to God. They call him "Maker Omnipotent", and remind us of how he made the Night and the Day. They inform him that they have finished their appointed work for that day with each other's help and love - this love being "the Crown of all [their] bliss/ Ordain'd by thee". I find these two lines interesting in that they highlight mutual love as the pair's greatest blessing from God, while we already know that this love will not be enough to save them from the opposite force in the form of Satan and his rancor.

Adam and Eve continue by thanking God for Eden, a place "too large" for just the two of them, and recognize that he wants them to reproduce so that Man may fill the garden and maintain it in its full glory, since "uncropt" trees will fall to the ground. (Another, smaller meaning I read in "this delicious place/ For us too large" was something along the lines of 'Really, you do too much for us'.) They recall God's promise to fulfill this wish and to eventually completely populate the Earth with Man. The couple then reassures God by telling him that all their kin will praise him and his goodness both when they wake and when they seek "the gift of sleep", as they do now. The concept of sleep being a "gift" is also interesting, but apparently of wide use in texts such as those of Homer and Virgil.

4. 736-781:

In these lines, the narrator praises the purity and beauty in the act of wedded love making. The narrator begins by saying, “and eas’d the putting off/ These troublesome disguises which wee wear” (4.739-40). This refers to the fact that neither Adam nor Eve worry about the removal of clothing before making love, as they are habitually naked. This quote also foretells the necessity of clothes by referring to clothing (an item that does not yet exist) as “troublesome disguises”. It is important to note that in the Bible, only once Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit do they feel the need to cover themselves, in an attempt to hide their shame. It is possible that these lines are foreshadowing that event.
The narrator then speaks negatively towards those who deem sexual love impure, and defends the act by referring to it as something “God declares/ Pure” (4.746-7). Furthermore he refers to God when he says, “By thee adulterous lust was driven from men/ Among the bestial herds to range, by thee/ Founded in Reason, Loyal, Just and Pure” (4.753-5). In these lines the narrator is stating that wedded love is both pure and beautiful; however, adulterous lust should be shamed among mankind. In short, wedded love should be celebrated; whereas, adulterous lust should be condemned.
In the final lines of this section the narrator says, “Sleep on,/ Blest pair: and O yet happiest if ye seek/ no happier state, and know to know no more” (4.773-5). These lines recall the theme of “blissful ignorance” previously brought about by Satan in lines 515-520. The idea that God views knowledge as sinful or death causing seems like a form of mind control. When Satan says, “and do they stand/ By Ignorance, is that thir happy state,/ The proof of thir obedience and their faith?” (4. 518-20), he raises a valid point about obedience, faith, and happiness. Does the happiness of Adam and Eve stem from their overwhelming ignorance?

4. 782-84:

In this section, it seems to be Gabriel speaking and is commanding Uzziel to get his troops prepared and to split the search in half to the North and South while his troops, Gabriel's, goes West to find the evil spirit.

4. 784- 787:

With these few lines, the speaker relates angelic maneuvers en masse, then focuses on Gabriel's selection of "two strong and subtle Spirits" (4.786) for a special task described in the next section. Having been directed to sweep the globe "with strictest watch" (4.783), the ranks led by Gabriel's "next in power" (4.781), Uzziel, dutifully obey. A militaristic tone prevails through this passage; the flame simile signifies swift, intense action (cf. Ps. 104:4), and vectors are given in terse clauses illustrated by the armaments of Shield (left) and Spear (right) (4.785) rather than more ordinary markers of direction. Turning to the latter lines, the reader is presented with the complimentary duality of mind and body - perhaps foreshadowing that a twofold approach will be necessary to apprehend and ultimately defeat Satan. A virtuous instance of this combination is found in Adam, in whom Eve's "beauty is excelled by manly grace/And wisdom, which alone is truly fair" (4.490-491). More pointedly, since Satan's sufficient strength, art and evasion safely bore him through Chaos and past "strict Sentries and Stations" (2.412) "of Angels watching round" (2.413), any challenging heavenly powers need to favorably match up with his formidable traits.

4. 788 – 96:

These few lines are Gabriel’s instructions to the searchers (Ithuriel and Zephon) to search every part of Paradise possible, especially the area where Adam and Eve are sleeping. He tells them that Uriel came and warned them that there was a spirit from hell, and it is as if Gabriel is confused as to how this spirit entered through the gates or even why it should be here. [Late submission]

4. 797 – 822:

In lines 797-822, the speaker is describing what the two angels find when looking for Satan in the garden. When Ithuriel and Zephon get to the garden, they find Satan “squat like a Toad, close at the ear of Eve” (800). Satan is tempting Eve with illusions and dreams as she sleeps. Ithuriel approaches Satan and touches him with his spear and Satan is “discover’d and surprise’d” (814). When Satan begins to stand up, the two angels take a step back with amazement but also with fear. The lines end with the two angels approaching Satan. Satan is deceiving Eve in her sleep the same as in book III when he deceives Uriel into telling him where man is located.

4. 823 – 26:

In lines 823-6, the Angels Ithuriel and Zephon are speaking. The Angels find Satan beside Eve in the form of a toad. Ithuriel and Zephon do not recognize him as Satan, and ask him who he is. They also ask Satan why he is watching Adam and Eve sleep.

4. 827 – 33:

4. 834 – 43:

In order to understand this section it is important to look to the line before (i.e. line 834) to grasp the context. Zephon, one of the guardian angels sent to look for Satan, is speaking or rather retaliating to Satan’s scornful rant. In the true essence of fighting fire with fire Zephon returns “answering scorn with scorn” (834). In a derogatory fashion the angel explains to the “revolted Spirit” (835) that he no longer embodies the same image that he had in Heaven.

Zephon points out that Satan now resembles his “sin and [the] place of doom” where he was cast. His brightness has become dull and his original shape has become deformed and distorted. Not even allowing time for Satan to wallow in self-pity Zephon moves on to the matter that brought about their meeting- Satan’s presence in Paradise. He ensures Satan that he “shalt give account” to Gabriel who sent them.

Zephon’s firm and defiant attitude towards Satan dims the grandeur which has been attributed to the fiend up to this point in the plot. Unlike the face-off with Death Zephon didn’t even see the point in engaging in a battle that he knew he was going to win. Instead he simply demoted Satan to his inferior place and carried on with his personal agenda.

4. 844-851:

In this passage it is the angel Zephon speaking to Satan about how he no longer looks the same as he did in Heaven. He talks about how Satan once shone with undiminished brightness, about how he was pure and now he resembles his sin and hell, his "place of doom obscure and foule (840)". Then he says that Satan must come to explain to the oen who sent them whose duty it is to protect Eden and Adam and Eve, I'm guessing this is Gabriel. Zephon's tone seems to me to start off as scornful and contemptuous and becomes superior in the last lines. [Submitted late]

4. 851 – 4:

The speaker in these few lines is Satan. He is talking with some of the angels who were sent to find him. The conversation is between Satan, Gabriel, and Zaphon. The lines are part of the scene where Satan is being apprehended. In this section Satan Is saying that if he is to deal with anybody in particular he wants to/ should deal with God. He like he should not deal with those who work for God. As a fallen angel Satan has not entirely become the Devil with no Heavenly connections. In 4.852 the "best with the best" is Satan's way of showing his power. Satan is the best of the worst and God is the best of the good, and for that reason because they are both at the top they should have direct contact in conversation. Satan is the best of the fallen angels. Satan sees it more appropriate for this reason to deal with the "sender" (4.852) God than the "sent" (4.852) who are the angels previously mentioned. From Satan's point of view to win against God or God and his angels would be more glorious and would be better for himself personally than if it were to be just Satan against God's angels whom were sent in search of Satan. From the last line 4.854 I understood that in relation to the previous line. If more were to be won against God and all the others than less would be lost if her were not able to go up against God.

4. 854 - 56:

In this passage the angel Zephon is speaking. He responds to Satan's demands to speak directly to God with a derogatory remark. The angel essentially states that Satan's weakness is evident through his fear; the angels have no need to hold him trial since the wicked will flee. Zephon effectively counters Satan's insult in the previous passage regarding the angel being lesser in status than the fallen angel.

4. 857 – 65:

The speaker informs us that Satan does not answer the guards' question, and is full of rage. The speaker compares Satan's impatience towards the guards to a horse tied up in reins, chewing on his bit, and tells us Satan is debating whether he should fight or escape. But as he says "he held it vain", it sounds like Satan can't really do either one at the moment as he is trapped by the two guards. The verb "to champ" means "very noisily", and there apparently is an actual expression "to champ at the bit", which means to be very impatient. When the speaker says "awe from above had quelld" his heart, it means that Satan's fear of Heaven has killed his heart. Next the speaker says that the two guards get together to wait for their chief (Gabriel) to announce his next commands of them, and the passage ends with Gabriel starts to talk to them.

4. 866 - 873:

In this passage, Gabriel announces to the other angels that Ithuriel and Zephron are returning with Satan, whom Gabriel refers to as "a third of Regal port, / but faded splendor wan" (4. 869-70). He recognizes that Satan is no longer as he was in Heaven and explains that his fierce demeanor exposes him as "the Prince of Hell" (4. 871). Though the other fallen angels self-proclaimed themselves as princes in book II, Gabriel's use of the word "prince" is of importance here because he does not refer to Satan as a king or ruler of Hell, emphasizing his constant inferiority to God. As they approach, Gabriel recognizes Satan's determination to overthrow God and is "not likely to part hence without contest" (4. 872). He then encourages the angels to stand their ground and prepare for a confrontation with Satan. This speaks to Satan's character as it foreshadows Satan's many future attempts to corrupt humanity and overthrow God. Their preparation to "stand firm" (4. 873) against Satan is something that must be upheld not only in this moment, but in the future as well.

4. 874 - 876:

After Gabriel speaks to his fellows, Satan, Zephron, and Ithuriel approach, and the latter two give the archangel an account of the intruder in Eden, who he is and what they found him doing. Though Satan is understood to be an excellent liar and deceiver, it is unlikely he will successfully talk away the fact that he was crouched as a toad by Eve’s ear. Though a very short passage, the narrator makes it clear that Satan has been quite effectively found out, and brought to a clear authority figure to whom his captors report.

4. 877 - 84:

These lines are spoken by Gabriel, as he asks Satan why he has broken out of Hell. Gabriel is understandably unimpressed with Satan being out, saying, "To thy transgressions, and disturb'd the charge / Of others, who approve not to transgress / By thy example, but have power and right / To question thy bold entrance on this place" (4.879-882). By asking this, Gabriel truly displays how honest and obedient he is towards God, because he understands Hell as a prison for Satan and the other fallen angels to stay in because of their acts against God, but does not understand why they would break out. His thought process would be that if you were placed in a prison by God, then you would stay there as an obedient follower to God. However, logic should tell him that if Satan was obedient to God, then he would not have been sent to Hell in the first place. Gabriel seems a little confused by how subservient he is to God. However, another reading could also be noted if we consider how we have been analyzing the idea of fate and free will. Gabriel could be puzzled by the fact that Satan escaped Hell and is wondering why God did not prevent this, or if he knew that by creating this human race Satan would make a plan to destroy them. That reading gives Gabriel a little more range of free thinking, and paints him as trying to figure it out rather than simply baffled by Satan acting against God.

4. 885 - 901:

Satan is speaking to Gabriel in this passage and is trying to manipulate and sweet-talk his way out of appearing malicious towards the Garden of Eden and its inhabitants. Satan does this by sucking up to Gabriel and calling him wise, as well as claiming that he only wanted to get as far away from the agony of Hell as possible and makes a point that if Gabriel was in the same situation he would do the same (888-894). Satan follows this up by saying, "But evil hast not tri'd: and wilt object / His will who bound us? Let him surer bar / His Iron Gates, if he intends our stay / In that dark durance" (896-899). Meaning that if God really wanted the fallen angels to stay in Hell he could put them back at any time, which is Satan's way of making his serious situation seem to be less of a big deal. Satan ends his speech by coming back to his main point that he is not in Eden to cause any trouble, which of course is a lie.

4. 902 - 923:

Gabriel is speaking to Satan in this section, trying to understand why Satan is there alone, and not with an Army in tow. Gabriel asks: "But Wherefore thou alone? wherefore with thee / Came not all Hell broke loose? (4. 917-918)" The fact that Satan came along seems to be of great suprise, it would seem as if the Angels seem their now exiled brothers as brutes, incapable of complicated plans or delayed gratifiction. This seems to demonstrate arrogance on the part of the Angels and thus helps to further the idea that they may not be completly in the right.

4. 924 – 45:

In this passage, Satan is speaking to Gabriel after being caught in the Garden of Eden. Satan recounts parts of the war in Heaven saying: “Insulting Angel, well thou knowst I stood Thy fiercest, when in Battel”. Satan carefully chooses his words to emphasize his courageous nature. He is a resilient being that will not “shrink from pain”. He refers to himself as a “faithful Leader” willing to risk the dangers of the “desolate Abyss” in order to spy upon the “new created World”. Satan has portrayed himself as a sacrificial leader willing to endure great hardships for his followers. However, as we previously learned in Book 2, the real reason that Satan volunteers to go to Earth is to retain the power that he has over the other demons in Hell. Satan also suggests that Earth would be a better place to settle with his “afflicted powers”. He then subsequently mocks Gabriel’s “gay Legions”, implying that the grandeur of Heven's armies is merely for show. He then finishes his dialogue by pointing out that Gabriel and the other angels merely serve God, saying that they practice “distances to cringe, not fight". Satan has skillfully created a positive image of himself as someone who is courageous, determined, and of free will. He is a leader in his on right, which is something that none of the Heaven’s Angels can say of themselves.

4. 946 - 967:

Lines 946-967 are spoken by Gabriel, also known as the "warrior Angel" (l.946), to Satan. He begins by criticizing Satan for being a coward and a liar (948-949). Gabriel then says that Satan is a poor leader, faithful only to himself, stating "Army of Fiends, fit body to fit head" (l.953). Satan is then accused of being a hypocrite, as he "Once fawn'd, and cring'd and servilely ador'd / Heav'n's awful Monarch" (4.959-960), but now criticizes God and claims to fight for liberty. Gabriel ends his verbal assault on Satan with a threat; Satan is to return to Hell in the next hour, or else Gabriel will forcibly return him there and make the gates stronger (4.962-967). It is interesting that Gabriel offers Satan the mercy of returning on his own accord - if he were to do so, the gates would remain unchanged, and therefore he could escape again just as he did the first time. Moreover, Gabriel points out that the gates were "facile" and "too slightly barr'd" (l.967), which further implies that God made it too easy for Satan to escape his imprisonment.

4. 968 - 976:

Satan is replying to Gabriel's threats in this passage with rage. I took this section in two different ways:

1) Satan tells Gabriel that he can talk such threats only when he is actually captured. He explains that there is a lot more to capturing him than expected. It will take all of his force and then some from God and all other Angels to take him back.

2) He is telling Gabriel that when he is captured, he will go back to Hell and that is when he will show his unexpected force. He tells Gabriel that even with God and all the other Angels on his side, it will be a hard battle between them.

This section and those before and after are basically a back and forth from Gabriel and Satan who are both proud individuals who stand their ground.

4. 977 - 1005:

In this passage, the speaker is narrating the phalanx of angels' reaction to Satan's flippant reaction to their insults. The angels circle around Satan with spears, which is described as resembling the leaning of wheat in the wind (4.980-85), their countenance like that of a weary farmer worried his crops will be more chaff than wheat. I get the impression the angels are, despite their bluster and their faith, somewhat intimidated by Satan, as their angry reaction to his words does not feel secure.

Satan, on the other hand, is unmoved by the angels' display. He grows to great height (mirroring his growth in Pandemonium) and brandishes a spear and shield, ready for combat (4.985-90). The battle is only held off by God providing a premonition of its outcome in the sky, weighing the combatants against one another and showing Satan will surely fail. (4.995-1005)

4. 1006 - 13:

The speaker is the angel Gabriel and he is speaking to Satan. He states that they are both aware of the others strength but because their strengths were given to them, by God, they have nothing to boast about. Satan's strength cannot do more than what Heaven and God allows, and since Gabriel is stronger because his strength has increased Satan cannot win. Gabriel then tells Satan to look to the celestial signs because that will show his inevitable defeat.

4. 1013-15:

The speaker is speaking in these last two lines, and he is describing Satan looking up into the stars and seeing that his chances are already measured: he is deemed to be on the losing side. Satan then flees, and the shades of the night follow him out. It is interesting to note that Milton reinforces here that the dead are a shadow of their original self, showing that whatever strength they are used to having in their life before "dying" might no longer be a part of them.