"Midst came their mighty paramount and seemed
Alone th'Antagonist of Heav'n, nor less
Then Hell's dread Emperor with pomp supreme
And God-like imitated state. Him round
A globe of fiery seraphim enclosed
With bright emblazonry and horrent arms."
In Paradise Lost, John Milton lets loose with an astonishing array of names for Satan, including these gems: the Author of All Ill and the Grisly King. Here they are in the order in which they appear in the poem, as I captured them along the way:
Infernal Serpent, Arch Enemy, Apostate Angel, Arch Fiend, Satan, Lost Archangel, Superior Fiend, Author of All Ill, Matchless Chief, Antagonist of Heav’n, Hell’s Dread Emperor, Adversary of God and Man, Flying Fiend, Undaunted Fiend, Traitor Angel, False Fugitive, Hellish Pest, Subtle Fiend, Wary Fiend, Mighty Leading Angel, Adversary, Fiend, Devil, False Dissembler, Fraudulent Imposter Foul, Arch Felon, First Grand Thief, Grisly King, Prince of Hell, Sly Hypocrite, Lucifer, Grand Foe, Tempter, Prince of Darkness, Antagonist of Heav’n’s Almighty King, Adversary Serpent, and Prince of Air.
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