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Like a Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent timorous Before him, such as in their souls infixed flock Plagues. They, astonished, all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropt; O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode 840

they flee

Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostráte,
That wished the mountains now might be
again

Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire.
Nor less on either side tempestuous fell

His arrows, from the fourfold-visaged Four,
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels,
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;
One spirit in them ruled, and every eye
Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among the accursed, that withered all their
strength,

850

And of their wonted vigour left them drained,
Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen.

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but

checked

His thunder in mid-volley; for he meant
Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven.
The overthrown he raised, and, as herd
Of goats or timorous flock together thronged,
Drove them before him thunderstruck, pursued
With terrors and with furies to the bounds
And crystal wall of Heaven; which, opening
wide,

860

Rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed
Into the wasteful Deep. The monstrous sight
Strook them with horror backward; but far

worse

Urged them behind: headlong themselves they Messiah

threw Down from the verge of Heaven: eternal wrath Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

Hell heard the unsufferable noise; Hell saw Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled

Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep
Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. 870
Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roared,
And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

Through his wild Anarchy; so huge a rout
Encumbered him with ruin. Hell at last,
Yawning, received them whole, and on them
closed-

880

Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire
Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.
Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired
Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled.
Sole victor, from the expulsion of his foes
Messiah his triumphal chariot turned.
To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood
Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,
With jubilee advanced; and, as they went,
Shaded with branching palm, each order bright
Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King,
Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given,
Worthiest to reign. He celebrated rode,
Triumphant through mid Heaven, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father throned
On high; who into glory him received,
Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.
Thus, measuring things in Heaven by things
on Earth,

890

returns sole

victor

Like a Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent timorous Before him, such as in their souls infixed flock Plagues. They, astonished, all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropt; O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode 840

they flee

Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostráte,
That wished the mountains now might be
again

Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire.
Nor less on either side tempestuous fell

His arrows, from the fourfold-visaged Four,
Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels,
Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

One spirit in them ruled, and every eye
Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire
Among the accursed, that withered all their
strength,
And of their wonted vigour left them drained,
Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fallen.

850

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but
checked

His thunder in mid-volley; for he meant
Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven.
The overthrown he raised, and, as a herd
Of goats or timorous flock together thronged,
Drove them before him thunderstruck, pursued
With terrors and with furies to the bounds
And crystal wall of Heaven; which, opening
wide,

860

Rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed
Into the wasteful Deep. The monstrous sight
Strook them with horror backward; but far

worse

Urged them behind: headlong themselves they Messiah

threw Down from the verge of Heaven: eternal wrath Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.

'Hell heard the unsufferable noise; Hell saw Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled

Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep
Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. 870
Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roared,
And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

Through his wild Anarchy; so huge a rout
Encumbered him with ruin. Hell at last,
Yawning, received them whole, and on them
closed-

Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire
Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.
Disburdened Heaven rejoiced, and soon repaired
Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled.
Sole victor, from the expulsion of his foes
Messiah his triumphal chariot turned.
To meet him all his Saints, who silent stood
Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,

880

With jubilee advanced; and, as they went,
Shaded with branching palm, each order bright
Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King,
Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given,
Worthiest to reign. He celebrated rode,
Triumphant through mid Heaven, into the courts
And temple of his mighty Father throned
On high; who into glory him received,
Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.
'Thus, measuring things in Heaven by things
on Earth,

890

returns sole

victor

They At thy request, and that thou may'st beware might By what is past, to thee I have revealed have What might have else to human race been hid— stood, The discord which befell, and war in Heaven yet fell Among the Angelic Powers, and the deep fall Of those too high aspiring who rebelled

With Satan: he who envies now thy state, 900
Who now is plotting how he may seduce
Thee also from obedience, that, with him
Bereaved of happiness, thou may'st partake
His punishment, eternal misery;

Which would be all his solace and revenge,
As a despite done against the Most High,
Thee once to gain companion of his woe.
But listen not to his temptations; warn
Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard,
By terrible example, the reward

910

Of disobedience. Firm they might have stood,
Yet fell. Remember, and fear to transgress.'

THE END OF THE SIXTH BOOK,

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