To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
A while, but fuddenly at head appeer'd
Satan and thus was heard commanding loud.

Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold ;
That all may fee who hate us, how we feek
Peace and compofure, and with open breast
Stand readie to receive them, if they like
Our overture, and turn not back perverse;
But that I doubt, however witness heav'n,
Heav'n witness thou anon, while we discharge
Freely our part; ye who appointed stand
Do as ye have in charge, and briefly touch
What we propound, and loud that all may hear.
So fcoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce
Had ended; when to right and left the front
Divided, and to either flank retir'd.

Which to our eyes discover'd new and strange,
A triple mounted row of pillars laid

On wheels (for like to pillars most they seem'd
Or hollow'd bodies made of oak or fir

With branches lopt, in wood or mountain fell'd.)
Brafs, iron, ftonnie mould, had not their mouths
With hideous orifice gap't on us wide,
Portending hollow truce; at each behind
A feraph stood, and in his hand a reed
Stood waving tipt with fire; while we fufpenfe,
Collected stood within our thoughts amus'd,
Not long, for fudden all at once their reeds
Put forth, and to a narrow vent appli'd
With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,

But foon obfcur'd with fmoak, all heav'n appeer'd.

From those deep-throated engines belcht, whese roar
Embowel'd with outragious noise the air,

And all her entrails tore, difgorging foule
Their devilish glut, chain'd thunder-bolts and hail
Of iron globes, which on the victor hoft
Level'd, with fuch impetuous furie fmote,

That whom they hit, none on their feet might stand,
Though ftanding effe as rocks, but down they fell
By thousands, angel on arch-angel rowl'd;
The fooner for their arms, unarm'd they might
Have easily as spirits evaded (wift

By quick contraction or remove; but now
Foule diffipation follow'd and forc't rout;
Nor ferv'd it to relax their ferried files.
What should they do? if on they rusht, repulse
Repeated, and indecent overthrow

Doubl'd, would render them yet more despis'd,
And to their foes a laughter; for in view
Stood rankt of feraphim another row
In pofture to difplode their fecond tire

Of thunder: back defeated to return

They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight,
And to his mates thus in derifion 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

And breft, (what could we more?) propounded terms
Of composition, ftrait they chang'd their minds,
Flew off, and into frange vagaries fell,

As they would dance, yet for a dance they feem'd
Somewhat extravagant and wilde, perhaps

H

For joy of offer'd peace: but I fuppofe
If our proposals once again were heard
We should compell them to a quick result.

To whom thus Belial in like gamefom mood;
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 stumbl'd many, who receives them right,
Had need from head to foot well understand;
Not understood, this gift they have befides,
They fhew us when our foes walk not upright.

So they among themselves in pleasant veine
Stood fcoffing, highthn'd in their thoughts beyond
All doubt of victorie, eternal might

To match with their inventions they prefum'd
So eafie, and of his thunder made a fcorn,
And all his hoft derided, while they stood
A while in trouble; but they stood not long,
Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms
Against fuch hellish mischief fit to oppose.

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 varietie from heav'n

Of pleasure situate in hill and dale)

Light as the lightning glimps, they ran, they flew,
From their foundations loofning to and fro
They pluckt the feated hills with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the fhaggie tops
Uplifting bore them in their hands: amaze,
Be fure, and terrour feis'd the rebel hoft,

When coming towards them fo dread they faw
The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd,
Till on those curfed engins 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 oppreft whole legions arm'd,
Their armor help'd their harm, crush't in and bruis'd
Into their fubftance pent, which wrought them paîn
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,

Long ftrugling underneath, ere they could wind
Out of fuch prison, though spirits of pureft light,
Pureft at first, now grofs by finning grown.
The reft in imitation to like arms

Betook them, and the neighbouring hill 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 noife; war feem'd a civil game

To this uproar ; horrid confufion heapt

Upon confusion rofe; and now all heav'n
Had gone to wrack, with ruin overfpred,
Had not th'almightie father where he fits
Shrin'd in his fanctuarie of heav'n fecure,
Confulting on the fum of things, forefeen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd :
That his great purpose he might so fulfill,
To honour his anointed fon aveng'd

Upon his enemies, and to declare

All power on him transferr'd: whence to his fon

Th'affeffor of his throne he thus began.
Effulgence of my glorie, fon belov'd,
Son in whose face invifible is beheld
Vifibly, what by deitie I am,

And in whofe hand what by decree I doe,
Second omnipotence, two days are past,

Two days, as we compute the days of heav'n,
Since Michael and his powers went forth to tame
Thefe difobedient; fore hath been their fight,

As likelieft was, when two such foes met arm'd ;
For to themselves I left them, and thou knowit,
Equal in their creation they were form'd,

Save what fin hath impair'd, which yet hath wrought
Infenfibly, for I fufpend their doom;

Whence in perpetual fight they needs muft laft
Endless, and no folution will be found:

War wearied hath performed what war can do,
And to disorder'd rage let lose the reines,

With mountains as with weapons arm'd, which makes
Wild work in heav'n, and dangerous to the maine.
Two days are therefore paft, the third is thine;

For thee I have ordain'd it, and thus far
Have fuffer'd, that the glorie may be thine
Of ending this great war, fince none but thou
Can end it. Into thee fuch virtue and grace
Immenfe I have transfus'd, that all may know
In heav'n and hell thy power above compare,
And this perverse commotion govern'd thus,
To manifeft thee worthieft to be heir
Of all things, to be heir and to be king
By facred unction, thy deserved right.