LL night the dreadlefs argel, unpurfu'd, Through heav'n's wide champain held his way; till morn,
Wak'd by the circling hours, with rofy hand
Unbarr'd the gates of light. There is a cave
Within the mount of God, faft by his throne,
Where light and darkness, in perpetual round,
Lodge and diflodge by turns, which makes through heav'n
Grateful viciffitude, like day and night;
Light iffues forth, and at the other door
Obfequious darkness enters, till her hour
To veil the heav'n, though darkness there might well
Seem twilight here and now went forth the morn,
Such as in highest heav'n, array'd in gold.
Empyreal; from before her vanish'd night,
Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain 15
Cover'd with thick imbattled fquadrons bright,
Chariots and flaming arms, and fiery steeds,
Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view.
War he perceiv'd, war in procinct; and found
Already known what he for news had thought
To have reported: gladly then he mix'd
Among those friendly pow'rs, who him receiv'd
•-war in procin.] As if you fhould fay, ready girded,, in allufion to the ancients, who, juft before the battle, ufed to gird their garments clofe to them, which, on other occafions, they wore very loofe. See Feftus. Richardson.
With joy and acclamations loud, that one,
That of fo many myriads fall'n, yet one
Return'd not loft. On to the facred hill
They led him high applauded, and present
Before the feat fupreme; from whence a voice,
From midft a golden cloud, thus mild was heard:
Servant of God, well done! well haft thou fought
The better fight, who fingle haft maintain'd
Against revolted multitudes the caufe
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms
And for the teftimony' of truth. haft borne
Univerfal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence; for this was all thy care,.
To stand approv'd in fight of God, though worlds
Judg'd thee perverfe. The cafier conqueft now
Remains thee, aided by this hoft of friends,
Back on thy foes more glorious to return,
Than fcorn'd thou didft depart; and to fubdue
By force, who reafon for their law refufe,
Right reafon for their law, and for their King
Meffiah, who by right of merit reigns.
Go, Michael! of celestial armies prince;
And thou in military prowess next,
Gabriel! lead forth to battle these my fons
Invincible; lead forth my armed saints,
By thousands and by millions, rang'd för fight;
Equal in number to that godless crew
Rebellious them with fire and hoftile arms
Fearless affault; and to the brow of heav'n
Pursuing, drive them out from God and blifs,
Into their place of punishment, the gulf
Of Tartarus; which ready opens wide
His fiery chaos to receive their fall.
So fpake the fov'reign voice, and clouds began
To darken all the hill, and fmoke to roll
In dufky wreaths reluctant flames; the fign
Of wrath awak'd! nor with lefs dread the loud
Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow:
At which command, the powers militant,
That flood for heav'n, in mighty quadrate join'd
Of union irresistible, mov'd on
In filence their bright legions, to the found
Of inftrumental harmony, that breath'd
Heroick ardour to advent'rous deeds,
Under their godlike leaders, in the cause
Of God and his Meffiah. On they move
Indiffolubly firm; nor obvious hill,.
Nor ftrait'ning vale, nor wood, nor ftream, divides
Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground
Their march was, and the paffive air upbore
Their nimble tread: as when the total kind
Of birds, in orderly array on wing,
Came fummon'd over Eden, to receive
Their names of thee; fo, over many a tra&t
Of heav'n they march'd, and many a province wide,
Tenfold the length of this terrene.
Far in th' horizon to the north appear'd
From skirt to fkirt a fiery region, ftretch'd
In battailous aspect, and nearer view
Briftled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid fpears, and helmets throng'd, and shields
Various, with boastful argument portray'd,
The banded pow'rs of Satan hafting on
With furious expedition; for they ween'd
That felf-fame day, by fight, or by furprize,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To fet the envier of his ftate, the proud
Afpirer; but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain
In the mid-way. Though ftrange to us it feem'd
At first, that angel fhould with angel war,
And in fierce hofting meet, who wont to meet
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