From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to foft Pipes that charm'd
Thir painful steps o're the burnt foyle; and now
Advanc't in view they stand, a horrid Front
Of dreadful length and dazling Arms, in guise
Of Warriers old with order'd Spear and Shield,
Awaiting what command thir mighty Chief
Had to impose: He through the armed Files
Darts his experienc't eye, and foon traverse
The whole Battalion views, thir order due,
Thir visages and stature as of Gods,
Thir number laft he fumms. And now his heart Distends with pride, and hardning in his strength Glories: For never fince created man,
Met fuch imbodied force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more then that small infantry
Warr'd on by Cranes: though all the Giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' Heroic Race were joyn'd
That fought at Theb's and Ilium, on each fide
Mixt with auxiliar Gods; and what resounds
In Fable or Romance of Uthers Son
Begirt with British and Armoric Knights;
And all who fince, Baptiz'd or Infidel
Joufted in Afpramont or Montalban,
Damafco, or Marocco, or Trebifond,
Or whom Biferta fent from Afric shore
When Charlemain with all his Peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond
Compare of mortal prowess, yet obferv'd
Thir dread Commander: he above the rest
In shape and gesture proudly eminent
Stood like a Towr; his form had yet not loft
All her Original brightness, nor appear'd
Less then Arch Angel ruind, and th' excess
Of Glory obfcur'd: As when the Sun new ris'n
Looks through the Horizontal misty Air
Shorn of his Beams, or from behind the Moon
In dim Eclips disastrous twilight sheds
On half the Nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes Monarchs. Dark'n'd so, yet shon
Above them all th' Arch Angel: but his face 600
Deep scars of Thunder had intrencht, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under Browes
Of dauntless courage, and confiderate Pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorse and passion 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 Spirits for his fault amerc't
Of Heav'n, and from Eternal Splendors flung 610
For his revolt, yet faithfull how they stood,
Thir Glory witherd. As when Heavens Fire
Hath fcath'd the Forrest Oaks, or Mountain Pines,
With finged top their ftately growth though bare
Stands on the blafted Heath. He now prepar'd
To speak; whereat their doubl'd Ranks they bend
From Wing to Wing, and half enclose him round
With all his Peers: attention held them mute.
Thrice he affayd, and thrice in spite of scorn, 619
Tears fuch as Angels weep, burst forth at last
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.
O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O Powers
Matchless, but with th' Almighty; and that strife
Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies, and this dire change
Hateful to utter: but what power of mind
Foreseeing or prefaging, from the Depth
Of knowledge past or present, could have fear'd,
How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch
As stood like these, could ever know repulfe? 630
For who can yet beleeve, though after lofs,
That all these puiffant Legions, whose exile
Hath emptied Heav'n, fhall faile to re-ascend
Self-rais'd, and repoffefs their native seat.
For me, be witness all the Hoft of Heav'n,
If counfels different, or danger fhun'd
By me, have loft our hopes. But he who reigns
Monarch in Heav'n, till then as one secure
Sat on his Throne, upheld by old repute,
Confent or custome, 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 warr, provok't; our better part remains
To work in close defign, by fraud or guile
What force effected not: that he no less
At length from us may find, who overcomes
By force, hath overcome but half his foe.
Space may produce new Worlds; whereof fo rife
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 Sons of Heaven :
Thither, if but to prie, shall be perhaps
Our firft eruption, thither or elsewhere:
For this Infernal Pit fhall never hold
Cæleftial Spirits in Bondage, nor th' Abyffe
Long under darkness cover.
But these thoughts
Full Counsel must mature: Peace is despaird, 660
For who can think Submiffion? Warr then, Warr
Open or understood must be refolv'd.
He spake 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 Highest, and fierce with grasped arms
Clash'd on their founding shields the din of war,
Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heav'n.
There ftood a Hill not far whose griefly top 670
Belch'd fire and rowling smoak; the rest entire
Shon with a gloffie scurff, undoubted fign
That in his womb was hid metallic Ore,
The work of Sulphur. Thither wing'd with speed
A numerous Brigad haften'd. As when bands
Of Pioners with Spade and Pickaxe arm'd
Forerun the Royal Camp, to trench a Field,
Or caft a Rampart. Mammon led them on,
Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell
From heav'n, for ev'n in heav'n his looks & thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more 681
The riches of Heav'ns pavement, trod'n Gold,
Then aught divine or holy else enjoy'd
In vision beatific: by him first
Men alfo, and by his fuggeftion taught,
Ranfack'd the Center, and with impious hands
Riff'd the bowels of thir mother Earth
For Treasures better hid. Soon had his crew
Op'nd into the Hill a fpacious wound
And dig'd out ribs of Gold. Let none admire 690
That riches grow in Hell;
Deserve the pretious bane.
that foyle may best And here let those
Who boast in mortal things, and wondring tell
Of Babel, and the works of Memphian Kings,
Learn how thir greatest Monuments of Fame,
And Strength and Art are easily outdone
By Spirits reprobate, and in an hour
What in an age they with inceffant toyle
And hands innumerable scarce 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
With wondrous Art founded the maffie Ore,
Severing each kinde, and fcum'd the Bullion drofs:
A third as foon had form'd within the ground
A various mould, and from the boyling cells
By strange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook,
As in an Organ from one blaft of wind
To many a row of Pipes the found-board breaths.
A non out of the earth a Fabrick huge
Rose like an Exhalation, with the found
Of Dulcet Symphonies and voices sweet,
Built like a Temple, where Pilafters round
Were fet, and Doric pillars overlaid
With Golden Architrave; nor did there want
Cornice or Freeze, with boffy Sculptures grav'n,
The Roof was fretted Gold. Not Babilon,
Nor great Alcairo fuch magnificence
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