Gabriel monologue (Act 1) — Vondel's Lucifer

So be ye faithful, ever rendering thus Both God and man your service: since mankind So well belovèd are by God Himself. Who honors Adam wins his Father's heart. And men and Angels, issuing from one stem. Are brothers and companions, chosen for One lot, the sons and heirs of the Most High, A stainless line. One undivided will, One undivided love, be this your law. 290 Ye know how all the Angel hosts into Three Hierarchies and lesser Orders nine Are duly separate: of Seraphim And Cherubim and Thrones, the highest, they Who form God's inmost Council and confirm All His commands; the second Hierarchy, Of Dominations. Virtues. Powers, that on The mandates of God's secret Council wait And minister to man's well-being and bliss. The third and lowest Hierarchy, composed 300 Of Principalities and all Archangels And Angels, is unto the middle rank Subordinate, and service finds beneath The sphere of purest crystalline, in their Particular charge, that wide is as the vault Of starry space. And when the world shall spread Its widening bounds without, shall unto each Of these some province there allotted be, Or he shall know what town or house or being Is to his care committed, to the praise 310 And honor of God's crown. Ye faithful ones, Ye Gods immortal, go then and obey Chief Lucifer, bound by your God's commands. Bring glory to high Heaven in serving man, Each in his own retreat, each on his watch. Let some before the Godhead incense burn And lay before His towering Throne their prayers, Their wishes and their offerings for mankind, Singing the Godhead praise until the sounds Re-echo through the corridors of Heaven, 320 In endless jubilation. Let some whirl The constellations and the globes of Heaven, Or open wide the skies, or pile them high With pregnant clouds, to bless the mount below With sunshine, or with soft, refreshing showers Of manna and of pure mellifluous dews; Where God is by the happy pair adored, The primal innocence 'mid Eden's bowers. Let those that air and fire and earth and sea O'er range, each, in his element, his pace 330 So moderate, as Adam may require; Or chain in bands the lightnings, curb the storm, Or break the ocean's fury on the strand. Let others make a charge of man himself. Even to a hair the sovran Deity Knoweth the hairs upon his head. Then bear Him gently on your hands, lest he should dash His foot against a stone. Let one now as Ambassador from the Omnipotent Be sent below to Adam. King of Earth. 340 That he perform his bounden charge. I voice The orders to my trump on high enjoined. To these the Godhead holds you firmly bound.