The Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow opposing But firm battalion: back with speediest sail hosts Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing,
Came flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried :- "Arm, Warriors, arm for fight! The foe at hand,
Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit This day; fear not his flight; so thick a cloud He comes, and settled in his face I see Sad resolution and secure. Let each His adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield, Borne even or high; for this day will pour down, If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower, But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire." 'So warned he them, aware themselves, and
In order, quit of all impediment.
Instant, without disturb, they took alarm, And onward move embattled: when, behold, 550 Not distant far, with heavy pace the foe Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube Training his devilish enginry, impaled
On every side with shadowing squadrons deep, To hide the fraud. At interview both stood A while; but suddenly at head appeared Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud :- Vanguard, to right and left the frons unfold, That all may see who hate us how we seek Peace and composure, and with open breast 560 Stand ready to receive them, if they like Our overture, and turn not back perverse: But that I doubt. However, witness Heaven! Heaven, witness thou anon! while we discharge
Freely our part. Ye, who appointed stand, Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch What we propound, and loud that all may
The engines ›› belch their glut
'So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce Had ended, when to right and left the front Divided, and to either flank retired; Which to our eyes discovered, new and strange, A triple mounted row of pillars laid
On wheels (for like to pillars most they seemed, Or hollowed bodies made of oak or fir, With branches lopt, in wood or mountain felled), Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gaped on us wide, Portending hollow truce. At each, behind, A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed Stood waving tipt with fire; while we, suspense, Collected stood within our thoughts amused. 581 Not long! for sudden all at once their reeds Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, But soon obscured with smoke, all Heaven ap- peared,
From those deep-throated engines belched, whose
Embowelled with outrageous noise the air, And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul Their devilish glut, chained thunderbolts and hail Of iron globes; which, on the victor host Levelled, with such impetuous fury smote, That whom they hit none on their feet might stand
Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell
By thousands, Angel on Archangel rolled,
Satan The sooner for their arms.
mocks at might
the Angels Have easily, as Spirits, evaded swift
thrown By quick contraction or remove; but now Foul dissipation followed, and forced rout; Nor served it to relax their serried files.
What should they do? If on they rushed, repulse
Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubled, would render them yet more despised, And to their foes a laughter-for in view Stood ranked of Seraphim another row, In posture to displode their second tire Of thunder; back defeated to return
They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight, And to his mates thus in derision called:-
""O friends, why come not on these victors proud?
Erewhile they fierce were coming; and, when we, To entertain them fair with open front And breast (what could we more?), propounded
Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,
As they would dance. Yet for a dance they
Somewhat extravagant and wild; perhaps For joy of offered peace.
If our proposals once again were heard,
We should compel them to a quick result."
To whom thus Belial, in like gamesome
"Leader, the terms we sent were terms of
Angels uproot the mountains
Of hard contents, and full of force urged home, The 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 show us when our foes walk not upright.' So they among themselves in pleasant vein Stood scoffing, highthened in their thoughts beyond
All doubt of victory; Eternal Might
To match with their inventions they presumed and of his thunder made a scorn, 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
Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose. Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power, Which God hath in his mighty Angels placed!) Their arms away they threw, and to the hills (For Earth hath this variety from Heaven 640 Of pleasure situate in hill and dale)
Light as the lightning-glimpse they ran, they flew ;
From their foundations, loosening to and fro, They plucked the seated hills, with all their load, Rocks, waters, woods, and, by the shaggy tops Uplifting, bore them in their hands. Amaze, Be sure, and terror, seized the rebel host, When coming towards them so dread they saw The bottom of the mountains upward turned, Till on those cursed engines' triple row They saw them whelmed, and all their confidence Under the weight of mountains buried deep;
Confusion Themselves invaded next, and on their heads heaped Main promontories flung, which in the air
upon Came shadowing, and oppressed whole legions armed.
Their armour helped their harm, crushed in and bruised,
Into their substance pent-which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,
Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light,
Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown. The rest, in imitation, to like arms
Betook them, and the neighbouring hills uptore; So hills amid the air encountered hills, Hurled to and fro with jaculation dire,
That underground they fought in dismal shade: Infernal noise! war seemed a civil game To this uproar; horrid confusion heaped Upon confusion rose. Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread, 670 Had not the Almighty Father, where he sits Shrined in his sanctuary of Heaven secure, Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen This tumult, and permitted all, advised, That his great purpose he might so fulfil, To honour his Anointed Son, avenged Upon his enemies, and to declare
power on him transferred. Son,
The assessor of his throne, he thus began :
""Effulgence of my glory, Son beloved, 680 Son in whose face invisible is beheld
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