Stand ready to receive them, if they like So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce On wheels (for like to pillars most they seem'd, 565 570 With branches lopt, in wood or mountain fell'd) 575 With hideous orifice gaped on us wide, Stood waving, tipt with fire: while we suspense 580 Put forth, and to a narrow vent apply'd With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, 584 But soon obscured with smoke, all Heav'n appear'd, From those deep-throated engines belch'd, whose roar Their dev'lish glut, chain'd thunderbolts and hail 590 That whom they hit, none on their feet might stand, Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel roll'd; The sooner for their arms; unarm'd they might 595 By quick contraction or remove; but now 576. Mold, substance. There are stone cannon, it is said, at Delft in Holland, and Milton is supposed to have taken this idea from having seen them, 580. Held, instead of stood, is proposed as a new readin. 599. Serriel, from the Italian serrato; close, compact. What should they do? If on they rush'd, repulse 600 Doubled, would render them yet more despised, They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight, 605 611 O Friends, why come not on these victors proud? Ere while they fierce were coming; and when we To entertain them fair with open front And breast (what could we more?) propounded terms Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell, 616 As they would dance; yet for a dance they seem'd 625 To whom thus Belial, in like gamesome mood: 620 Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight, Of hard contents, and full of force urged home, Such as we might perceive amused them all, And stumbled many; who receives them right, Had need from head to foot well understand; Not understood, this gift they have besides, They shew us when our foes walk not upright. So they among themselves in pleasant vein, Stood scoffing, heighten'd in their thoughts beyond All doubt of victory; Eternal Might To match with their inventions they presumed So easy', and of his thunder made a scorn, 630 And all his host derided, while they stood A while in trouble: but they stood not long; Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms Against such hellish mischief fit to' oppose Forthwith (behold the excellence, the pow'r, 636 Which God hath in his mighty Angels placed!) 640 620. Belial was most fitted by his character to make the answer 635. See Virgil, An. i. 150, here Of pleasure situate in hill and dale) 645 Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew; 650 654 They saw them whelm'd, and all their confidence Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind The rest in imitation to like arms Betook them, and the neighb'ring hills uptore: So hills amid the air encounter'd hills, Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire, 665 That under ground they fought in dismal shade; 670 675 661. It is hardly necessary to call the reader's attention to the admirable moral lesson given by the idea in this line. 669. It should be observed how the horrors thicken as this war of angels proceeds: no poet ever equalled the terrible sublimity of these descriptions. Homer we cannot doubt would have done so, had he had Milton's subject and the prophets' light which revelation gave him, but as it was, he could soar no higher than the hignest point of earth, which though he made it the very throne of sublimity was still but earth. Upon his enemies, and to declare All pow'r on him transferr'd: whence to his Son Effulgence of my glory, Son beloved, Son in whose face invisible is beheld Visibly what by Deity I am, 680 685 And in whose hand what by decree I do, 690 War wearied hath perform'd what war can do, 695 And to disorder'd rage let loose the reins, 700 With mountains as with weapons arm'd, which makes 705 Go then, thou Mightiest in thy Father's might, 710 Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels 715 That shake Heav'n's basis, bring forth all my war, God and Messiah his anointed King. He said, and on his Son with rays direct Shone full; he all his Father full express'd Ineffably into his face received; And thus the filial Godhead answ'ring, spake : O Father, O Supreme of Heav'nly Thrones, As is most just; this I my glory' account, That thou in me well pleased, declar'st thy will 720 725 730 But whom thou hat'st, I hate, and can put on, Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on, 735 Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, Arm'd with thy might, rid Heav'n of these rebell'd, To their prepared ill mansion driv'n down, To chains of darkness, and th' undying worm, That from thy just obedience could revolt, 740 Then shall thy Saints unmix'd, and from th' impure Hymns of high praise: and I among them Chief. 745 So said, he o'er his sceptre bowing, rose From the right hand of glory where he sat ; And the third sacred morn began to shine, Dawning through Heav'n. Forth rush'd with whirlThe chariot of paternal Deity, [wind sound Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with Spirit, but convoy'd By four Cherubic shapes: four faces each Had wondrous; as with stars their bodies all And wings were set with eyes, with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and careering fires between; 732. 1 Cor. xv. 24. and John xvii. 756 748. Milton is supposed, by making the contest last three days, to allude to the time occupied by the death and resurrection of Christ 749. See Ezekiel i. 4, also Isa. lxvi. 15. |