John Milton – “Paradise Lost ” Book 1 (the end)

The other group of devils melts the ore into metal and yet another pours the liquid metal into molds in order to make construction elements for the future palace. Milton seems to have anticipated here the cast-iron architecture of the 19th century, except that this building is made of gold. It is a mixture of classical Greek form and baroque ornaments, reminiscent, as the Helpful Footnote points out, or Saint Peter’s in Rome. It surpasses anything that Egyptians or Assyrians ever built. Once it is done, the summons are sent about the general meeting and the gates are open. The thronging crowd admires the beauty of the interior. There are so many of them they are like swarming bees in May, but then miraculously they shrink into the size smaller than dwarves, because they can change their size at will. However, those highest in the hierarchy retain their size. They sit in a secret chamber and they start “the great consult”.