One of our number thus reduced becomes; His laws our laws; all honour 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 Apostat, and, more haughty, thus replied:- "That we were formed, then, say'st thou? and the work
Of secondary hands, by task transferred
From Father to his Son?
Doctrine which we would know whence learned! Who
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 begirt the Almighty Throne Beseeching or besieging. This report, These tidings, carry to the Anointed King; And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.'
"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:- "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 voutsafed; 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 wrauth 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;
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."
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
To veil the heaven, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here. And now went forth the Morn Such as in highest heaven, arrayed in gold Empyreal; from before her vanished Night, Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view. War he perceived, war in procinct, and found Already known what he for news had thought To have reported. Gladly then he mixed Among those friendly Powers, who him received With joy and acclamations loud, that one, That of so many myriads fallen yet one, Returned not lost. On to the sacred Hill
They led him, high applauded, and present
Before the Seat supreme; from whence a voice,
From midst a golden cloud, thus mild was heard:
"Servant of God, well done! Well hast thou fought
The better fight, who single hast maintained
Against revolted multitudes the cause
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms,
And for the testimony of truth hast borne
Universal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence; for this was all thy care
To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds Judged thee perverse. The easier conquest now Remains thee-aided by this host of friends, Back on thy foes more glorious to return Than scorned thou didst depart; and to subdue, By force who reason for their law refuse- Right reason for their law, and for their King Messiah, 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 sons Invincible; lead forth my armèd Saints, By thousands and by millions ranged for fight, Equal in number to that godless crew Rebellious. Them with fire and hostile arms Fearless assault; and, to the brow of Heaven Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss Into their place of punishment, the gulf Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide His fiery chaos to receive their fall.'
"So spake the Sovran Voice; and clouds began To darken all the Hill, and smoke to rowl In dusky wreaths reluctant flames, the sign Of wrauth awaked; nor with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow.
At which command the Powers Militant
That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined Of union irresistible, moved on
In silence their bright legions to the sound Of instrumental harmony, that breathed Heroic ardour to adventrous deeds Under their godlike leaders, in the cause Of God and his Messiah. On they move, Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides Their perfet ranks; for high above the ground Their march was, and the passive air upbore Their nimble tread. As when the total kind
Facsimile of a hitherto unpublished poem by John Milton, in the possession of the New York Public Library
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