Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found Of trumpets loud, and clarions, be uprear'd His mighty ftandard: that proud honour claim'd AZAZEL as his right, a cherub tall;
Who forthwith from the glittering ftaff unfurl'd 535 Th' imperial enfign; which, full high advanc'd, Shone like a meteor ftreaming to the wind, With gems and golden luftre rich imblaz'd, Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while Sonorous metal blowing martial founds : At which the univerfal host up fent
A fhout that tore hell's concave; and beyond Frighted the reign of CHAOS and old NIGHT. All in a moment thro' the gloom were seen Ten thoufand banners rife into the air, With orient colours waving with them rofe A foreft huge of fpears; and thronging helms Appear'd, and ferried fhields in thick array, Of depth immeafurable: anon they move In perfect Phalanx, to the DORIAN mood Of flutes, and foft recorders; fuch as rais'd To height of noblest temper Heroes old Arming to battel; and instead of rage, Deliberate valor breath'd, firm and unmov'd With dread of death to flight, or foul retreat; Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and fwage,
With folemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chafe
Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and forrow, and pain, From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they Breathing united force, with fixed thought Mov'd on in filence to foft pipes, that charm'd Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil and now Advanc'd in view, they fland, a horrid front Of dreadful length, and dazling arms, in guife Of warriors old with order'd fpear and shield,
Awaiting what command their mighty Chief Had to impose: he thro' the armed files Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse The whole battalion views, their order due, Their vifages and ftature as of Gods;
Their number laft he fums. And now his heart Distends with pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength Glories for never fince created man
Met fuch imbodied force, as nam'd with these Could merit more than that fmall infantry Warr'd on by cranes; tho' all the Giant brood Of PHLEGRA with th' Heroic race were join'd, That fought at THEBES and ILIUM, on each fide Mix'd with auxiliar Gods; and what refounds In fable or romance of UTHER'S fon, Begirt with BRITISH and ARMORIC Knights; And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel, Joufted in ASPRA MONT, or MONTALBAN, DAMASCO, or MOROCCO, or TREBISOND; Or whom BISERTA fent from AFRIC fhoar, When CHARLEMAIN with all his peerage fell By FONTAR ABBIA. Thus far thefe beyond Compare of mortal prowefs, yet obferv'd Their dread Commander: he, above the rest In fhape and gefture proudly eminent, Stood like a tow'r his form had yet not loft All her original brightness, nor appear'd Lefs than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excess
Of glory obfcur'd as when the fun new-ris'n Looks thro' the horizontal misty air,
Shorn of his beams; or from behind the moon,
In dim eclipfe, difaftrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs; darken'd fo, yet shone Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face
Deep fears of thunder had intrench'd, and care Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows Of dauntless courage, and confid'rate pride Waiting revenge; cruel his eye, but caft Signs of remorfe and paffion, to behold The fellows of his crime, the followers rather, (Far other once beheld in blifs!) condemn'd For ever now to have their lot in pain; Millions of fpirits, for his fault amerc'd Of heav'n, and from eternal fplendors flung For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood, Their glory wither'd as when heaven's fire Hath fcath'd the foreft oaks, or mountain pines, With finged top their ftately growth, tho' bare, Stands on the blafted heath. He now prepar'd 615 To fpeak, whereat their doubled ranks they bend From wing to wing, and half inclofe him round With all his Peers: attention held them mute : Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in fpight of fcorn, Tears, fuch as Angels weep, burft forth; at last Words, interwove with fighs, found out their way.
O MYRIADS of immortal fpirits! O Pow'rs Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty! and that ftrife Was not inglorious, tho' th' event was dire, As this place teftifies, and this dire change, Hateful to utter but what pow'r of mind, Foreseeing, or prefaging, from the depth Of knowledge paft or prefent, could have fear'd, How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch
As flood like thefe, could ever know repulfe? 630. For who can yet believe, tho' after lofs, That all these puiffant legions, whofe exile Hath emptied heav'n, fhall fail to re-afcend, Self-rais'd, and re-poffefs their native feat?
For me be witness all the host of heav'n, If councils different, or danger fhun'd By me, have loft our hopes; but he who reigns Monarch in heav'n, 'till then as one fecure Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, Confent, or custom, and his regal state Put forth at full, but ftill his ftrength conceal'd, Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall. Henceforth his might we know, and know our own; So as not either to provoke, or dread
New war, provok'd. Our better part remains To work in clofe defign, by fraud or guile, What force effected not that he no lefs At length from us may find, who overcomes By force, hath overcome but half his foe.
Space may produce new worlds; whereof fo rife 650 There went a fame in heav'n, that he ere-long Intended to create; and therein plant A generation, whom his choice regard Should favour equal to the fons of heav'n: Thither, if but to pry, fhall be perhaps Our firft eruption, thither or elsewhere: For this infernal pit fhall never hold Cœleftial fpirits in bondage, nor th' Abyss Long under darkness cover. But thefe thoughts Full counfel muft mature: peace is despair'd, For who can think fubmiffion? War then, war, Open or understood, must be refolv'd.
HE fpake and to confirm his words out-flew Millions of flaming fwords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim: the fudden blaze Far round illumin'd hell; highly they rag'd Against the Higheft, and fierce with grafped arms Clash'd on their founding fhields the din of war,
Hurling defiance toward the vault of heav'n.
THERE ftood a hill not far, whofe grifly top 670 Belch'd fire and rowling fmoke; the reft entire, Shone with a gloffy fcurf; (undoubted fign That in his womb was hid metallic ore, The work of fulphur) thither wing'd with fpeed A numerous brigad haften'd: as when bands Of pioneers, with fpade and pick-ax arm'd, Fore-run the royal camp, to trench a field, Or caft a rampart: MAMMON led them on, MAMMON, the leaft erected fpirit that fell
From heav'n; for ev'n in heav'n his looks, and thoughts, Were always downward bent; admiring more The riches of heav'n's pavement, trodden gold, Than ought divine or holy elfe, enjoy'd In vifion beatific by him firft
Men alfo, and by his fuggeftion taught, Ranfack'd the centre, and with impious hands Rifled the bowels of their mother earth, For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew Open'd into the hill a fpacious wound,
And digg'd out ribs of gold. (Let none admire 690 That riches grow in hell; that foil may best Deferve the precious bane.) And here let those Who boaft in mortal things, and wond'ring tell Of BABEL, and the works of MEMPHIAN kings, Learn how their greatest monuments of fame, 695 And ftrength, and art, are easily out-done By fpirits reprobate, and in an hour, What in an age they with inceffant toil, And hands innumerable, fcarce perform. Nigh on the plain in many cells prepar'd, That underneath had veins of liquid fire Sluc'd from the lake, a fecond multitude
« PreviousContinue » |