Level'd 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 roll'd,
The sooner for their arms; unarm'd they might
Have easily as spirits evaded swift
By quick contraction or remove: but now
Foul dissipation follow'd and forc'd rout:
Nor serv'd it to relax their serried files.
What should they do? if on they rush'd, repulse 600
Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubled, would render them yet more despis'd,
And to their foes a laughter: for in view
Stood rank'd of seraphim another row,
In posture to displode their second tire
Of thunder: back defeated to return
They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight,
And to his mates thus in derision call'd.
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 [terms And breast (what could we more?) propounded Of composition, straight they chang'd their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,
As they would dance: yet for a dance they seem'd Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps
For joy of offer'd peace: but I
If our proposals once again were heard,
We should compel them to a quick result.
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 urg'd home
Such as we might perceive amus'd 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 presum'd
So easy, 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. [arms
Forthwith, behold the excellence, the power
Which God hath in his mighty angels plac'd!
Their arms away they threw, and to the hills,
For earth hath this variety from heaven
Of pleasure situate in hill and dale,
Light as the light'ning glimpse they ran, they flew,
From their foundations loos'ning to and fro
They pluck'd the seated hills with all their load,
625 understand] This equivocation adopted from Shakespeare's Two G. of Verona, ii. 5.
'My staff understands me,' &c. Johnson.
626 understood] under-stoop. Bentl. MS.
642 light'ning] See Nonni Dionysiaca, ii. 393, xiv. 55.
644 pluck'd] Compare Statii Theb. ii. 559.
'Saxum ingens, quod vix plena cervice gementes
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops 645
Up lifting bore them in their hands. Amaze,
Be sure, and terror seiz'd the rebel host,
When coming towards them so dread they saw
The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd;
Till on those cursed engines triple-row
They saw them whelm'd, and all their confidence
Under the weight of mountains buried deep,
Themselves invaded next, and on their heads
Main promontories flung, which in the air
Came shadowing, and opprest whole legions arm'd ;
Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and
bruis'd
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 encounter'd hills,
Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire,
That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
Infernal noise; war seem'd a civil game
To this uproar; horrid confusion heap'd
Upon confusion rose: and now all heaven
Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread,
Had not th' Almighty Father, where he sits
Vertere humo, murisque valent inferre juvenci,
Rupibus avellit: dein toto sanguine nixus
Sustinet,' &c.
Shrin'd in his sanctuary of heaven secure,
Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd:
That his great purpose he might so fulfil,
To honour his anointed Son aveng'd
Upon his enemies, and to declare
All power on him transferr'd: whence to his Son Th' assessor of his throne he thus began.
Effulgence of my glory, Son belov'd,
Son in whose face invisible is beheld
Visibly, what by Deity I am,
And in whose hand what by decree I do,
Second Omnipotence! two days are past,
Two days, as we compute the days of heaven, 685
Since Michael and his powers went forth to tame
These disobedient; sore hath been their fight,
As likeliest was, when two such foes met arm'd;
For to themselves I left them, and thou know'st,
Equal in their creation they were form'd,
Save what sin hath impair'd,which yet hath wrought
Insensibly, for I suspend their doom;
Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last
Endless, and no solution will be found.
War wearied hath perform'd what war can do, 695 And to disorder'd rage let loose the reins, [makes With mountains as with weapons arm'd, which Wild work in heaven and dangerous to the main. Two days are therefore past, the third is thine;
674 advis'd] A participle adverbial, and very elegant; it means advisedly, as Hor. Ode I. iii. 21. Richardson.
For thee I have ordain'd it, and thus far
Have suffer'd, that the glory may be thine
Of ending this great war, since none but thou
Can end it. Into thee such virtue and grace
Immense I have transfus'd, that all
may know
In heaven and hell thy power above compare; 705
And this perverse commotion govern'd thus,
To manifest thee worthiest to be heir
Of all things, to be heir and to be king
By sacred unction, thy deserved right.
Go then, thou Mightiest, in thy Father's might, 710
Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels
That shake heaven's basis, bring forth all my war;
My bow and thunder, my almighty arms
Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh;
Pursue these sons of darkness, drive them out 715
From all heaven's bounds into the utter deep :
There let them learn, as likes them, to despise
GOD and Messiah his anointed king.
He said, and on his Son with
rays direct
Shone full; he all his Father full exprest
Ineffably into his face receiv'd;
And thus the filial Godhead answering spake.
O Father, O Supreme of heavenly thrones, First, Highest, Holiest, Best, thou always seek'st To glorify thy Son, I always thee,
As is most just; this I my glory account,
My exaltation, and my whole delight,
That thou in me well pleas'd declar'st thy will
Fulfill'd, which to fulfill is all my bliss.
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