Sonorous metal blowing martial founds:
At which the univerfal hoft up fent
A fhout that tore hell's concave; and beyond
Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night.
All in a moment thro' the gloom were seen
Ten thousand banners rife into the air,
With orient Colours waving: with them rofe
A foreft huge of fpears; and thronging helms
Appear'd, and ferried shields in thick array,
Of depth immeasurable: anon they move
In perfect Phalanx, to the Dorian mood
Of flutes, and foft recorders; fuch as rais'd
To height of nobleft temper Heroes old
Arming to battel; and instead of rage,
Deliberate valor breath'd, firm, and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight, or foul retreat; 555
Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and fwage,

560

With folemn touches, troubled thoughts, and chafe
Anguish, and doubt, and fear, and forrow, and pain,
From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they
Breathing united force, with fixed thought
Mov'd on in filence to foft pipes, that charm'd
Their painful steps o'er the burnt foil: and now
Advanc'd in view, they ftand, a horrid front
Of dreadful length, and dazling arms, in guife
Of warriors old with order'd fpear and fhield, 565
Awaiting what command their mighty Chief

Had to impofe: he thro' the armed files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse
The whole battalion views their order due;

540

545

550

Their vifages and stature as of Gods;

570

Their number laft he fums. And now his heart Diftends with pride, and hard'ning in his strength Glories for never fince created, man

Met fuch imbodied force, as nam'd with these
Could merit more than that small infantry
Warr'd on by cranes; tho' all the Giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' Heroic race were join'd,
That fought at Thebes and Ilium on each fide,
Mix'd with auxiliar Gods: and what refounds
In fable or romance of Uther's fon,
Begirt with British and Armoric Knights;
And all who fince, baptiz'd or infidel,
Joufted in Afpramont, or Montalban,
Damafco, or Morocco, or Trebiford ;
Or whom Biferta sent from Afric shoar,
When Charlemain with all his Peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far these beyond
Compare of mortal prowess, yet observ'd
Their dread commander: he, above the reft
In fhape and gesture proudly eminent,
Stood like a tow'r: his form had yet not loft
All her original brightness, nor appear'd
Lefs than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excefs
Of glory obfcur'd: as when the fun new-ris'n
Looks thro' the horizontal mifty air,
Shorn of his beams; or from behind the moon,
In dim eclipfe, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs; darken'd so, yet shone

4

575

580

585

590

595

Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face
Deep scars of thunder had intrench'd, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and confid'rate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorfe and paffion, to behold
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather,
(Far other once beheld in blifs!) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain;
Millions of fpirits, for his fault amerc'd
Of heav'n, and from eternal splendors flung
For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory wither'd: as when heaven's fire
Hath scath'd the foreft oaks, or mountain pines,
With finged top their stately growth, tho' bare,
Stands on the blafted heath. He now prepar'd 615
To speak, whereat their doubled ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half inclose him round
With all his Peers: attention held them mute:
Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in spight of scorn,
Tears fuch as Angels weep, burst forth; at last 620
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.

600

605

610

625

O myriads of immortal spirits! O Pow'rs
Matchless, but with th' Almighty, and that strife
Was not inglorious, tho' th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies, and this dire change,
Hateful to utter: but what pow'r of mind,
Foreseeing, or presaging, from the depth
Of knowledge past or present, could have fear'd,
How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch

630

As ftood like thefe, could ever know repulse?
For who can yet believe, tho' after lofs,
That all these puiffant legions, whofe exile
Hath emptied heav'n, fhall fail to re-ascend,
Self-rais'd, and re-poffefs their native seat?
For me be witness all the hoft of heav'n,
If counfels different, or danger fhun'd
By me, have loft our hopes: but he who reigns
Monarch in heav'n, till then as one fecure
Sate on His throne, upheld by old repute,
Confent, or custom, and his regal state
Put forth at full, but ftill His ftrength conceal'd,
Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.
Henceforth His might we know, and know our own;
So as not either to provoke, or dread

640

New war, provok'd. Our better part remains 645
To work in close design, by fraud or guile,
What force effected not: that He no lefs
At length from us may find, who overcomes
By force, hath overcome but half his foe.

635

Space may produce new worlds; whereof so rife 650
There went a fame in heav'n, that He ere-long
Intended to create; and therein plant
A generation, whom His choice regard
Should favor equal to the fons of heav'n:
Thither, if but to pry, fhall be perhaps
Our first eruption, thither or elsewhere:
For this infernal pit shall never hold
Celestial fpirits in bondage, nor th' Abyss
Long under darkness cover. ----- But thefe thoughts

Full

655

Full counsel must mature: Peace is defpair'd, 660 For who can think fubmiffion? War then, war Open or understood must be refolv'd.

He fpake: and to confirm his words out-flew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim: the fudden blaze 665 Far round illumin'd Hell; highly they rag'd Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms Clash'd on their founding shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of heav'n.

675

There stood a hill not far, whofe grifly top 670 Belch'd fire and rowling smoke; the rest entire, Shone with a gloffy fcurf; (undoubted fign That in his womb was hid metallick ore, The work of fulphur) thither wing'd with speed A numerous brigad haften'd: as when bands Of pioneers, with spade and pickax arm'd, Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, Or caft a Rampart: Mammon led them on, Mammon, the least erected spirit that fell From heav'n: for ev'n in heav'n his looks and thoughts, Were always downward bent; admiring more 681 The riches of heav'n's pavement, trodden gold, Than ought divine or holy elfe, enjoy'd

In vifion beatific: by him first

Men alfo, and by his suggestion taught,
Ranfack'd the centre, and with impious hands
Rifled the bowels of their mother earth

For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew
Open'd into the hill a fpacious wound,

C

685