Chariot, and charioteer, lay overturn'd,
And fiery foaming steeds: what stood, recoil'd
O'er-wearied, thro' the faint-Satanic host
Defenfive scarce, or with pale fear surpriz'd;
Then first with fear furpriz'd, and sense of pain,
Fled ignominious: to fuch evil brought
By fin of difobedience; till that hour,
Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain.
Ear otherwife th' inviolable Saints,
In cubic phalanx firm, advanc'd entire,
Invulnerable, impenetrably arm'd:
Such high advantages their Innocence
Gave them above their foes, not to have finn'd,
Not to have disobey'd! in fight they stood'
Un-wearied, un-obnoxious to be pain'd
By wound, tho' from their place by violence mov'd.
Now night her course began, and over heav'n
Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos'd,
And filence, on the odious din of war.
Under her cloudy covert both retir'd,
Victor, and vanquish'd. On the foughten field, 410
Michael, and his Angels, prevalent
Encamping, plac'd in guard their watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on th' other part,
Satan, with his rebellious, disappear'd,
Far in the dark diflodg'd: and void of rest,
His Potentates to council call'd by night;
And in the midft thus un-difmay'd began.
O! now in danger try'd, now known in arms
Not to be over-power'd, companions dear!
<Found worthy not of liberty alone,
(Too mean pretense!) but, what we more affect, Honor, dominion, glory, and renown; Who have fuftain'd one day in doubtful fight (And if one day, why not eternal days? ) What heaven's Lord hath powerfulleft to fend 425 Against us from about His throne, and judg'd Sufficient to fubdue us to His will.
then fallible, it seems, Of future we may deem Him, though till now Omnifcient thought. True is, lefs firmly arm'd, Some difadvantage we indur'd, and pain,
'Till now not known; but known,as foon contemn'd; Since now we find this our empyreal form
Incapable of mortal injury,
Imperishable; and though pierc'd with wound, 435
Soon clofing, and by native vigour heal'd,
Of evil then fo fmall, as eafy think
The remedy: perhaps more valid arms,
Weapons more violent, when next we meet,
May ferve to better us, and worse our foes:
Or equal what between us made the odds;
In nature none: if other hidden caufe
Left them fuperior, while we can preferve
Unhurt our minds, and understanding found,
Due fearch, and confultation, will disclose.
He fat and in th' affembly next upstood
Nifroc, of Principalities the prime;
As one he ftood efcap'd from cruel fight,
Scre toil'd, his riven arms to havoc kewn;
And, cloudy in afpect, thus answering spake. 450
Deliverer from new Lords! Leader to free
Enjoyment of our right, as Gods! yet hard
For Gods, and too unequal work we find,
Against unequal arms to fight in pain,
Against un-pain'd, impaffive; from which evil 455
Ruin must needs enfue! for, what avails
Valor, or strength, tho' matchlefs, quell'd with pain
Which all fubdues, and makes remifs the hands
Of mightiest? Senfe of pleasure we may well
Spare out of life, perhaps, and not repine;
But live content, which is the calmeft life.
But, pain is perfect mifery, the worst
Of evils; and exceffive, overturns
All patience. He who therefore can invent
With what more forcible we may offend
Our yet un-wounded enemies, or arm
Our felves with like defense, to me deserves
No less than for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto, with look compos'd, Satan reply'd. Not un-invented that, which thou aright Believ'st so main to our fuccefs, I bring. Which of us who beholds the bright surface Of this etherecus mould, whereon we stand; This continent of fpatious heav'n, adorn'd With plant, fruit, flow'r ambrofial, gems, and gold; Whofe eye fo fuperficially furveys
476 These things, as not to mind from whence they grow Deep under ground; materials dark, and crude, Of spiritous, and fiery fpume, till touch'd
With heaven's ray, and temper'd, they fhoot forth
So beauteous, op'ning to the ambient light?
Thefe, in their dark nativity, the Deep
Shall yield us, pregnant with infernal flame:
Which into hollow engins, long, and round,
Thick-ramm'd, at th' other bore with touch of fire
Dilated, and infuriate, shall send forth
486
From far, with thund'ring noise, among our foes
Such implements of mischief, as shall dash
To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands
Adverfe: that they fhall fear we have difarm'd 490
The Thunderer of His only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labor; yet e'er dawn,
Effect shall end our wish. Mean-while revive;
Abandon fear; to strength, and counsel join'd,
Think nothing hard, much less to be despair'd. 495
He ended, and his words their drooping chear
Ihlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd.
Th'invention all admir'd, and each, how he
To be th' inventor miss'd, so easy it feem'd
Once found, which yet un-found most would have
Impoffible. Yet haply of thy race
In future days (if malice should abound)
Some one intent on mischief, or infpir'd
With dev'lish machination, might devise
Like inftrument, to plague the fons of men
For fin; on war, and mutual flaughter, bent.
Forthwith from Council to the work they flew,
None arguing stood: innumerable hands.
Were ready; in a moment up they turn'd
Wide the cœleftial foil; and faw beneath
Th' originals of nature, in their crude
Conception: fulphurous, and nitrous foam
They found, they mingled, and with fubtile art,
Concocted, and adufted, they reduc'd
To blackest grain, and into store convey'd.
Part, hidden veins digg'd up (nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike) of mineral, and stone;
Whereof to found their engins, and their balls
Of miffive ruin: part, incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all e'er day-fpring, under conscious night,
Look'd round, and scouts each coaft light-armed fcour Each quarter, to defcry the diftant foe,
Where lodg'd, or whither fled, or if for fight
In motion, or in halt: him foon they met
Under spread enfigns moving nigh, in flow
But firm battalion: back with speediest fail
Zopbiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing,
Came flying, and in mid-air aloud thus cry'd.
Arm, warriors, arm for fight! the foe at hand, Whom fied we thought, will fave us long purfuit This day; fear not his flight; fo thick a cloud
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