Angels with Harps

In Paradise Lost Book III, Lines 344-371, God pronounces the glory of his Son, who has signaled his astonishing offer of his self as sacrifice to redeem Man. The angels respond by throwing down their circlets, described as crowns interwoven with red flowers and golden beams of light. The flowers are Amarant, which the poet describes as a blossom first found at the foot of the Tree of Life, but after Man's Fall native only to Heaven, where they grow around the Fountain of Life from which flows the amber river of Bliss, winding through heavenly fields. At the angels' feet the pavement of red crystal (Revelation 21:11) is enhanced by the beauty of the garlands, now described as purple--the admixture of blossoms and light, which contributes new beauty to their crowns. Delighting in the beauty around them, the angels retrieve their circlets, place them again around their flying hair, take up their harps and produce melodious preludes as they prepare to sing.

No sooner had th' Almighty ceas't, but all
The multitude of Angels with a shout 
Loud as from numbers without number, sweet
As from blest voices, uttering joy, Heav'n rung
With Jubilee, and loud Hosanna's filld
Th' eternal Regions: lowly reverent
Towards either Throne they bow, and to the ground
With solemn adoration down they cast
Thir Crowns inwove with Amarant and Gold,
Immortal Amarant, a Flour which once
In Paradise, fast by the Tree of Life
Began to bloom, but soon for mans offence   
To Heav'n remov'd where first it grew, there grows,
And flours aloft shading the Fount of Life,
And where the river of Bliss through midst of Heavn
Rowls o're Elisian Flours her Amber stream;
With these that never fade the Spirits elect   
Bind thir resplendent locks inwreath'd with beams,
Now in loose Garlands thick thrown off, the bright
Pavement that like a Sea of Jasper shon
Impurpl'd with Celestial Roses smil'd.
Then Crown'd again thir gold'n Harps they took,
Harps ever tun'd, that glittering by thir side
Like Quivers hung, and with Præamble sweet
Of charming symphonie they introduce
Thir sacred Song, and waken raptures high;
No voice exempt, no voice but well could joine     
Melodious part, such concord is in Heav'n.

      Paradise Lost, Book III, Lines 344-371