Here the ruined Archangel first strikes out the idea of existing for ever after as the Devil. It is important to observe that his becoming a Devil was not the mere inevitable consequence of his being a ruined Archangel. Beelzebub, for instance, could see in the future nothing but a prospect of continued suffering, until Satan communicated to him his conception of a way of enjoying action in the midst of suffering. Again, some of the Angels appear to have been ruminating the possibility of retrieving their former condition by patient enduring. The gigantic scheme of becoming a Devil was Satan's. At first it existed in his mind only as a vague perception that the way in which he would be most likely to get the full worth of his existence was to employ himself thenceforward in doing evil. The idea afterwards became more definite. After glancing round their new domain, Beelzebub and he aroused their abject followers. In the speech which Satan addresses to them after they had all mustered in order we find him hint an opening into a new career, as if the idea had just occurred to him:-- "Space may produce new worlds; whereof so rife There went a fame in Heaven that He ere long Intended to create, and therein plant A generation whom His choice regard Should favour equal to the sons of Heaven: Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps Our first eruption." Here is an advance in definiteness upon the first proposal--that, namely, of determining to spend the rest of existence in doing evil. Casting about in his mind for some specific opening, Satan had recollected the talk they used to have in Heaven about the new World that was to be cut out of Chaos, and the new race of beings that was to be created to inhabit it; and it instantly struck his scheming fancy that _this_ would be the weak point of the Universe. If he could but insert the wedge here! He did not, however, announce the scheme fully at the moment, but went on thinking. In the council of gods which was summoned some advised one thing, some another. Moloch was for open war; Belial had great faith in the force of circumstances; and Mammon was for organizing their new kingdom so as to make it as comfortable as possible. No one, however, could say the exact thing that was wanted. At last Beelzebub, prompted by Satan, rose and detailed the project of their great leader:-- "There is a place (If ancient and prophetic fame in Heaven Err not), another world, the happy seat Of some new race called Man, about this time To be created, like to us, though less In power and excellence, but favoured more Of Him who rules above. So was His will Pronounced among the gods, and by an oath That shook Heaven's whole circumference confirmed. Thither let us bend all our thoughts, and learn What creatures there inhabit, of what mould Or substance, how endued, and what their power And where their weakness: how attempted best; By force or subtlety."