And injury and outrage: and when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine. Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night In Gibeah, when the hospitable door Exposed a matron, to avoid worse rape. These were the prime in order and in might ; The rest were long to tell, though far renown'd, The Ionian gods, of Javan's issue, held Gods, yet confess'd later than heaven and earth, Their boasted parents: Titan, heaven's first-born, With his enormous brood, and birthright seized By younger Saturn; he, from mightier Jove, His own and Rhea's son, like measure found; So Jove usurping reign'd: these first in Crete And Ida known, thence on the snowy top Of cold Olympus ruled the middle air,
Their highest heaven; or on the Delphian cliff, Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old Fled over Adria to the Hesperian fields, And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost isles.
All these and more came flocking; but with looks Downcast and damp; yet such wherein appear'd Obscure some glimpse of joy, to have found their chief Not in despair, to have found themselves not lost In loss itself: which on his countenance cast Like doubtful hue: but he, his wonted pride Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore Semblance of worth, not substance, gently raised Their fainting courage, and dispell'd their fears. Then straight commands that, at the warlike sound Of trumpets loud and clarions, be uprear'd His mighty standard: that proud honour claim'd
Azazel as his right, a cherub tall;
Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurl'd The imperial ensign; which, full high advanced, Shone like a meteor, streaming to the wind, With gems and golden lustre rich emblazed, Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds : At which the universal host up-sent
A shout, that tore hell's concave, and beyond Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night. All in a moment, through the gloom, were seen Ten thousand banners rise into the air, With orient colours waving with them rose A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms Appear'd, and serried shields in thick array Of depth immeasurable: anon they move In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood Of flutes and soft recorders such as raised To height of noblest temper heroes old Arming to battle; and, instead of rage, Deliberate valour breathed, firm and unmoved With dread of death to flight or foul retreat : Nor wanting power to mitigate and 'suage, With solemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chase Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and sorrow, and pain, From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they, Breathing united force, with fixed thought, Moved on in silence, to soft pipes that charm'd Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil: and now Advanced in view they stand; a horrid front Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise Of warriors old, with order'd spear and shield! Awaiting what command their mighty chief Had to impose: he through the armed files
Darts his experienced eye, and soon travérse The whole battalion views, their order due, Their visages and stature as of gods;
Their number last he sums. And now his heart Distends with pride, and, hardening in his strength, Glories for never since created man
Met such embodied force as, named with these, Could merit more than that small infantry Warr'd on by cranes: though all the giant brood Of Phlegra with the heroic race were join'd That fought at Thebes and Ilium, on each side Mix'd with auxiliar gods; and what resounds In fable or romance of Uther's son, Begirt with British and Armoric knights; And all who since, baptized or infidel, Jousted in Aspramont, or Montalban, Damasco, or Morocco, or Trebisond, Or whom Biserta sent from Afric shore, When Charlemain, with all his peerage, fell By Fontarabia. Thus far these beyond Compare of mortal prowess, yet observed Their dread commander: he, above the rest In shape and gesture proudly eminent, Stood like a tower; his form had yet not lost All its original brightness: nor appear'd Less than archangel ruin'd, and the excess Of glory obscured: as when the sun, new risen, Looks through the horizontal misty air Shorn of his beams; or, from behind the moon, In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs. Darken'd so, yet shone Above them all the archangel: but his face Deep scars of thunder had intrench'd; and care
Sat on his faded cheek; but under brows Of dauntless courage, and considerate pride Waiting revenge; cruel his eye, but cast Signs of remorse and passion, to behold The fellows of his crime, the followers rather (Far other once beheld in bliss), condemn'd For ever now to have their lot in pain : Millions of spirits for his fault amerced Of heaven, and from eternal splendours flung For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood, Their glory wither'd: as when heaven's fire Hath scathed the forest oaks, or mountain pines, With singed top, their stately growth, though bare, Stands on the blasted heath. He now prepared To speak whereat their double ranks they bend From wing to wing, and half enclose him round With all his peers: attention held them mute. Thrice he assay'd, and thrice, in spite of scorn, Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth at last Words, interwove with sighs, found out their way.
"O myriads of immortal spirits! O powers Matchless, but with the Almighty; and that strife Was not inglorious, though the event was dire, As this place testifies, and this dire change, Hateful to utter! but what power of mind, Foreseeing or presaging, from the depth Of knowledge, past or present, could have fear'd, How such united force of gods, how such As stood like these could ever know repulse? For who can yet believe, though after loss, That all these puissant legions, whose exile Hath emptied heaven, shall fail to re-ascend, Self-raised, and re-possess their native seat? For me, be witness all the host of heaven,
If counsels different, or dangers shunn'd By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns Monarch in heaven, till then as one secure Sat on his throne upheld by old repute,
Consent or custom; and his regal state
Put forth at full, but still his strength 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, provoked; our better part remains To work in close design, 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 so rife There went a fame in heaven 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 pry, shall be, perhaps, Our first eruption; thither, or elsewhere; For this infernal pit shall never hold Celestial spirits in bondage, nor the abyss Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts Full counsel must mature: peace is despair'd; For who can think submission? War, then, war, Open or understood, must be resolved."
He spake; and, to confirm his words, out-flew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty cherubim; the sudden blaze
Far round illumined hell; highly they raged Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms Clash'd on their sounding shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of heaven.
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