So Eevn and Morn recorded the Third Day.
Again th Almightie spake: Let there be Lights
High in th expanse of Heaven to divide [ 340 ]
The Day from Night; and let them be for Signes,
For Seasons, and for Dayes, and circling Years,
And let them be for Lights as I ordaine
Thir Office in the Firmament of Heavn
To give Light on the Earth; and it was so. [ 345 ]
And God made two great Lights, great for thir use
To Man, the greater to have rule by Day,
The less by Night alterne: and made the Starrs,
And set them in the Firmament of Heavn
To illuminate the Earth, and rule the Day [ 350 ]
In thir vicissitude, and rule the Night,
And Light from Darkness to divide. God saw,
Surveying his great Work, that it was good:
For of Celestial Bodies first the Sun
A mightie Spheare he framd, unlightsom first, [ 355 ]
Though of Ethereal Mould: then formd the Moon
Globose, and every magnitude of Starrs,
And sowd with Starrs the Heavn thick as a field:
Of Light by farr the greater part he took,
Transplanted from her cloudie Shrine, and placd [ 360 ]
In the Suns Orb, made porous to receive
And drink the liquid Light, firm to retaine
Her gatherd beams, great Palace now of Light.
Hither as to thir Fountain other Starrs
Repairing, in thir goldn Urns draw Light, [ 365 ]
And hence the Morning Planet guilds her horns;
By tincture or reflection they augment
Thir small peculiar, though from human sight
So farr remote, with diminution seen.
First in his East the glorious Lamp was seen, [ 370 ]
Regent of Day, and all th Horizon round
Invested with bright Rayes, jocond to run
His Longitude through Heavns high rode: the gray
Dawn, and the Pleiades before him dancd
Shedding sweet influence: less bright the Moon, [ 375 ]
But opposite in leveld West was set
His mirror, with full face borrowing her Light
From him, for other light she needed none
In that aspect, and still that distance keepes
Till night, then in the East her turn she shines, [ 380 ]
Revolvd on Heavns great Axle, and her Reign
With thousand lesser Lights dividual holds,
With thousand thousand Starres, that then appeerd
Spangling the Hemisphere: then first adornd
With thir bright Luminaries that Set and Rose, [ 385 ]
Glad Eevning and glad Morn crownd the fourth day.
And God said, let the Waters generate
Reptil with Spawn abundant, living Soule:
And let Fowle flie above the Earth, with wings
Displayd on the opn Firmament of Heavn. [ 390 ]