Luciferians monologue (Act 2) — Vondel's Lucifer

Lord Stadtholder, of all the Spirits brave. Retreat and refuge sure, we hope that thou Shalt ne'er, as Michael, doom the neck of the Angels To be thrust 'neath the feet of Adam's brood, And then, as he, go gild and bloom this shame And insult with the show of equity; 510 And with thy might sustain the bold ascent Of man, this gross and Earth-born race. To God, By him so seldom seen, what incense brings he? Why stand we charged to serve a worm so base, To bear him on our hands, to heed his voice? Made God the boundless Heavens and Angels then For him alone? 'Twere better far had we Never been made, sooth, had we never been. Oh! pity, Lucifer, do not permit Our Order now so low to be abased, 520 And, guiltless, to decline, while man, thus made The Chief of Angels, e'er shall shine and glow Amid the splendor inaccessible, Before which Seraphim as shadows fade, With dreadful trembling. If thou'lt condescend So great injustice in this Realm to quell, And shalt maintain our Rights, we swear together E'er to support thy mighty arm. Then grasp This battle-axe. Help us our Rights to ward. We swear, by force, in majesty undimmed, 530 To set thee on the Throne for Adam made. We swear with one accord support. Then grasp This battle-axe. Help us our Rights to ward.