But Satan, far into the dark,
With his rebellious ranks,
And arm'ry riv'n in ev'ry part,
Retir'd with galled flanks,
And called to council under shade
Of night each potentate,
And in their midst thus undismay'd
Without prefacing spake :

Now tri'd in arms, companions dear,
In arms our power now known,
Not overpower'd in battles drear

Nor yet by force o'erthrown,
Who have sustain'd with matchless might
All Heav'n had forth to send
One day, which if in doubtful strife,
Why not days without end.
True is indeed less firmly arm'd
Some disadvantage small

We did endure, tho slightly harm'd,
But yet no loss at all:

Perhaps when next we meet again
Better weapons than those
May better serve us to maintain
Our ground what tho' oppose;
Or equal what between us made
The odds, in nature none,
This let's consult, while yet the shade
Of night be o'er us thrown.'

This he, and sat, nor further said

And next Nisroah arose,

Of princes bad, a chief that led
Legions of rebel foes.

Hard with unequal arms to fight
Against our foes in pain;

Not better arm'd, no more their might,
Nor could advantage gain :-
Who can th' invention find for war,
Whereby to worse our foes,
To me deserves no less than for
Deliverance for what we owe.'
This said whereto Satan again:
'That uninvented thing,
Which thou aright believ'st so main
To our success I bring;
For which of us that does behold,
Of all these heav'nly pow'rs,
The face of this ethereous mould,
Adorn'd with plants and flow'rs:
And does not mind from whence they grow,
From beds down under ground
Materials crude, not far below,
So easy to be found,

Of spiritous and fiery spume,

Till touch'd with Heaven's ray,
And mingled so as shall consume,
And sudden flames display,
Which into engines, long and round,

Thick ramm'd at th' other bore,
With slight'st touch of fire shall drown'd
All Heav'n with horrid roar,
And dreadful implement shall send
From far among our foes,

And to distructive ruin send

Whoever durst oppose.

Meanwhile revive abandon'd fear,
To strength and council join'd
Think nothing hard; but cheer
This sinking hope forlorn'd.'
This said, and from debate they flew
Innum'rable to toil,

And in a moment quick upthrew
Wide the celestial soil,

And nitrous foam beneath they found,
Sulphur in bed or vein,

Which they by subtle art compound,
And form to blackest grain;
Part hidden ore of min'rals crude,
They dig in narrow vein,
Whereof to found their engines huge
And balls of massive ruin :
And part incentive reed provide,
One end with fire they light.
So all was finish'd unespi'd

Under the shade of night.

And now when morn in Heav'n upsprung,
Up rose the victor host,
And t' arms the matin trumpet sung
Thro' all th' empyrean coast;

And scouts each way the search began
Where to descry the foe,

When soon, they meet the rebel band
Onward now moving slow;

When Zaphiel back through ether sky,
O'er provinces wide,

Came flying in mid air on high,

And thus aloud he cried:

Arm, arm, warriors, instant arm,
The rebel foe at hand!

Our distant files with speed alarm,
Alarm the valiant band;

The foe is nigh, we though him fled,
He'll save us long pursuit ;
Wide o'er the fields his banners spread,
And vengeance in his look:
Let each his flinty coat gird well,
Fit well his helm and shield,
And drive his forces back to Hell;
In triumph take the field.'
So warn'd he them, themselves aware
And quick they onward go,
Into the field, in columns square
To meet the stubborn foe:

Him soon they meet, in vengeance clad,
In firm battalion nigh,

Each a dolorous weapon had,

Their new ones could not spy;
In hollow cube slow pace they keep,
Empal'd on every side,

And with broad spreading squadrons deep,
With dev'lish fraud to hide.
The face to face both stood; nor heard
Each other give command,

Till suddenly, at head appeared
Prince of the rebel band

Who, with voice ostentatious bold
To vanguard gives command:
To right and left the front uphold,
And show what here we've plann'd

To teach our foes we earnest seek
Peace and soft composure,
Or now stand ready them to meet
If pleased with the overture;
But this I doubt: but witness Heaven,
While we our part discharge,
Do ye as charge to you is giv'n:
Touch th' engines, small and large,
And send our terms to Heav'n's far bound,
And loud that all may hear,
That who receive will feel a wound,
However far or near.'

So ended he his scornfull speech;
And quick the front retir'd
To either flank, with speedy feet,
And heart with vengeance fir'd;
Which quick to us the cheat disclos'd,
An object strange and new,
Pillars on wheels in tripple rose,

Large, long, and hollow, too:

Their hideous mouths gap'd on us wide,

Protending hollow truce,

While Satan in his highest pride,
Let all his malice loose;

While we suspense collected stood,
Within our thoughts amus'd,
Strange things, by us not understood,
Or what could be their use;
But short was our amazement quite,
For soon seraphim tall

Their reeds put forth with magic slight,
At narrow vent let fall: