The Song of Los

In the first section Blake catalogues the decline of morality in Europe, which he blames on both the African slave trade and enlightenment philosophers.

The story of the work begins in Africa with Los singing of Adam, Noah, and Moses and how they were granted laws by Urizen.

This involve abstractions being granted to Pythagoras, Socrates, and Plato, gospel being given to Jesus, a bible for Mahomet, and a book on war given to Odin.

These caused the world to fail, as they were chains that bound the mind:[8] Thus the terrible race of Los & Enitharmon gave Laws & Religions to the sons of Har binding them more And more to Earth: closing and restraining: Till a Philosophy of Five Senses was complete Urizen wept & gave it into the hands of Newton & Locke[9] In the second half of the work, Asia, Orc creates fire in the mind that causes kings to be startled and an apocalypse of sorts to start: The Grave shrieks with delight, & shakes Her hollow womb, & clasps the solid stem: Her bosom swells with wild desire: And mild & blood & glandous wine In rivers rush & shout & dance, On mountain, dale and plain.

[11] The "Africa" section of the poem summarizes Blake's historical cycles, which describes a three-part tyrannous power of Egypt, Babylon and Rome.

His history relies on Urizen to establish the various historical moments as incidents, and the type of order within the poem is similar to the prophetic narrative.