Welcome to Cosmographia. This post is part of our Holy Land series. For the full map of Cosmographia posts, see here.
Of that infernal pit, the one call’d HELL Whose capital be PANDÆMONIUM — That city first erect’d on shores aflame In wake of heaven’s horrid war whence HE Unnam’d and dæmons more, by SWORD cast out, Hurl’d headlong down through VOID to foul ABYSS, Its adamantine gates kept shut by SIN And DEATH; do sing heroic poet, John! For our guide to that sulphurous DEN Be not Virgil, Dante nor — but Milton.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. (Genesis I:1-2)
But the deep would not be void for long.
For upon the fair fields of heaven, ere even the earth was fully formed, there was waged a war the likes of which Man can scarce imagine. It was him, that Morning Star, the Shining One, Phosphorus himself — else known as Lucifer — who at the Almighty’s side was not content. Eyes blacked with gleaming malice, mouth contorted in cruel smile, he coveted still a greater glory. Pride cometh before the Fall. And who amongst us has ever been so proud, or fallen so far, as al-Shayṭān? In jealous ambition he led his revolt; a third part of heaven’s host1 waged rebellion against the throne…of God.2
Dire was the noise,3 as millions of fierce encountering angels fought.4 Though dreadful in multitude those apostate legions were, there are none who can challenge the force of [YHWH’s] dire arms.5 After three days of pitched battle, He sent forth his Son. The Messiah King, his countenance too severe to be beheld,6 drove the fallen angels before him, who upon reaching heaven’s edge, preferred to cast themselves off than face that eternal wrath,7 burning after them to the bottomless pit.8
When later Man was made, a dread promise was given: all those tempted to stray would join the fallen in eternal torment.
But what awaits, down there, below the bottomless Dark, below the Void, below even Chaos?
