Explanation:
“The broad circumference,
Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb
Through optic glass the Tuscan artist views
At evening from the top of Fesole
Or in Valdarno, to descry new lands,
Rivers, or mountains in her spotty globe.”
(Lines 286-291)

Answer: This passage has been taken from Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ Book- I, the most notable epic in English literature. In this passage, the poet by means of an epic simile, describes the large shield hung on the shoulders of Satan as he is seen moving towards the shore of the burring Lake in Hell, soon after the speech of Beelzebub is over. His purpose is to indicate the huge statue of Satan.

Beelzebub has expressed great faith in Satan’s leadership and hoped that the moment Satan spoke, his followers and the fallen angels would rally around him at his stirring call of action. Soon after Beelzebub’s speech, Satan rises up and without saying anything he starts moving towards the lake in which the fallen angels are lying dazed and stupefied. Satan’s shield hung at his back on his shoulders. It is a huge shield, made in Heaven, round, solid and large. The broad circular shield of Satan resembles the circular disc of the moon as it was seen by Tuscan astronomer Galileo from the hilltop of Fesole or from the valley of the Arno in the evening and looked through his telescope to see new lands, rivers and mountains in the spotted sphere of the moon.

Milton has depicted the character of Satan on two levels: physical and intellectual. The depiction of Satan’s physical stature is done by various techniques. One of these techniques is to describe the objects he carries. For example, his shield is one object which proves his gigantic figure.