Words which no ear ever to hear in Heaven
Expected, least of all from thee, ingrate,
In place thyself so high above thy peers.
Canst thou with impious obloquy condemn
The just decree of God, pronounced and sworn,
That to his only Son, by right endued
With regal sceptre, every soul in Heaven
Shall bend the knee, and in that honor due
Confess him rightful King? unjust, thou say'st,
Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free,
And equal over equals to let reign,

One over all with unsucceeded power.

Shalt thou give law to God? shalt thou dispute
With him the points of liberty, who made

810

820

Thee what thou art, and formed the powers of Heaven
Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being?
Yet, by experience taught, we know how good,
And of our good and of our dignity

How provident he is, how far from thought

To make us less, bent rather to exalt

Our happy state under one head more near

830

United. But to grant it thee unjust,

That equal over equals monarch reign:

Thyself, thou great and glorious, dost thou count,
Or all angelic nature joined in one,

Equal to him begotten Son? by whom,

As by his word, the mighty Father made

All things, even thee; and all the spirits of Heaven

By him created in their bright degrees,

Crowned them with glory, and to their glory named Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers, 840 Essential powers; nor by his reign obscured,

But more illustrious made; since he, the head,
One of our number thus reduced becomes;

His laws our laws; all honor to him done Returns our own. Cease then this impious rage, And tempt not these, but hasten to appease The incensed Father, and the incensed Son, While pardon may be found in time besought.' "So spake the fervent angel; but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judged, Or singular and rash; whereat rejoiced The apostate, and more haughty thus replied: "That we were formed then, say'st thou? and the work

Of secondary hands, by task transferred

850

From Father to his Son? strange point and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learned: who

saw

When this creation was? remember'st thou

Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised
By our own quickening power, when fatal course
Had circled his full orb, the birth mature
Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons.
Our puissance is our own; our own right hand
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold
Whether by supplication we intend
Address, and to begird the almighty throne
Beseeching or besieging. This report,
These tidings carry to the anointed King;
And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.'

860

870

"He said, and, as the sound of waters deep, Hoarse murmur echoed to his words applause Through the infinite host; nor less for that The flaming seraph fearless, though alone,

Encompassed round with foes, thus answered bold:

66 6

"O alienate from God, O spirit accursed,
Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall
Determined, and thy hapless crew involved
In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread
Both of thy crime and punishment: henceforth
No more be troubled how to quit the yoke
Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws
Will not be now vouchsafed; other decrees
Against thee are gone forth without recall;
That golden sceptre, which thou didst reject,
Is now an iron rod to bruise and break
Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise;
Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly
These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath
Impendent, raging into sudden flame,
Distinguish not; for soon expect to feel
His thunder on thy head, devouring fire.
Then who created thee lamenting learn,
When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.'
"So spake the seraph Abdiel, faithful found
Among the faithless, faithful only he;
Among innumerable false, unmoved,
Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,

His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal;

880

8c0

900

Nor number, nor example, with him wrought

To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind,

Though single. From amidst them forth he passed, Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustained Superior, nor of violence feared aught;

And with retorted scorn his back he turned

On those proud towers to swift destruction doomed.

BOOK VI.

THE ARGUMENT.

RAPHAEL continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his angels. The first fight described: Satan and his powers retire under night: he calls a council, invents devilish engines, which, in the second day's fight, put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan: yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory: he, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep: Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.

"ALL night the dreadless angel, unpursued,

Through Heaven's wide champaign held his way; till Morn,

Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand

Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave

Within the mount of God, fast by his throne,

Where light and darkness in perpetual round
Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through
Heaven

Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;

Light issues forth, and at the other door

Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour

IO

To veil the Heaven, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here and now went forth the morn,