Vondel's Lucifer (Act II, lines 77-127) - Joost van den Vondel

Belzebub:

There hear I Lucifer and him behold.

Who from Heaven's face can drive the night away.

Where he appears, day's glory dawns anew.

His crescent light, the first and nighest God,

Shall ne'er grow dim. His word is stern command;

His will and nod a law by none transgressed.

The Godhead is in him obeyed and served,

Praised, honored, and adored. Should then a voice

More faint than his now thunder from God's Throne?

Than his be more obeyed? Should God exalt

A younger son, begot of Adam's loins,

Even over him? That would most violate

The heirship of the eldest-born and rob

His splendor of its rays. 'Neath God Himself

None is so great as thou. The Godhead once

Set thee the first in glory at His feet.

Then let not man dare thus our order great

Profane, nor thus cast down these vested Rights

"Without a cause, or all of Heaven shall spring

To arms 'gainst one."

Lucifer:

Indeed, thou sayest well:

It is not meet for Dominations grave,

Powers well-disposed in state, thus to give up

So loosely their established rights; and since

The Supreme Power is by His laws most bound.

To change becomes Him least. Am I a son

Of Light, a ruler of the light, my place

I shall maintain, to no usurper bow,

Not even this Arch-usurper. Let all yield

Who will, not one foot shall I e'er retreat.

Here is my Fatherland. Nor hardships dire

Nor yet disaster nor anathemas

But here, hardby, comes Heaven's Interpreter

Shall me intimidate, or tame. To die,

Or to gain port around this dreadful cape,

This is my destiny. Doth fate decree

That I must fall, of rank and honors shorn,

Then let me fall; but fall with this my crown

Upon my brow, this sceptre in my grasp,

With my own retinue of faithful troops,

And with these many thousands on my side.

Aye, thus to fall brings honor and shall shed

Unfading glory on my name: besides,

To be the first prince in some lower court

Is better than within the Blessed Light

To be the second, or even less. 'Tis thus

I weigh the stroke, nor harm nor hindrance fear.

But here, hardby, comes Heaven's Interpreter

And Herald vigilant, with God's own book

Of mysteries, committed to his care.

Most opportune for us his coming hither;

For I would question him. I shall accost

Him then, and from my chariot descend.

---

Joost van den Vondel (1587 – 1679) The Netherlands

Translated by Charles Leonard van Noppen

Act II, lines 77-127

Source: Project Gutenberg: J. van Vondel's Lucifer A tragedy 1654

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