Perdere (fiquid adhuc perdendum reftat) Averno?
Hæc Satanas. Cui fic Balzebus: Magne Cohortum Latè effulgentum Ductor, quas noverat unus
Viciffe Omnipotens ! Illam fimul Agmina Vocem Audierint, pignus femper prædulce falutis, Bellorum extremâ rabie ancipitique tumultu Auditam toties; figno quo protinus omnes Tot quondam in cædes, discrimina tanta ruebant; Illa repente alacrefque animos agilemque vigorem Reftituet; quanquam ignito jam gurgite pronos Urget iners, qualem & dudum nos fenfimus, Horror: Tantâ deciderunt vaftum per Inane ruinâ !
Finierat: magnâque ad littora mole fuperbus Lenta tulit Satanas veftigia: grande retortum A tergo, massâ ætheriâ, vastum atque rotundum, Pendebat Scutum, immanes radiantibus oris Amplectens humeros, qualis cum vefpere Luna Fæfuled fuper arce, aut lætis vallibus Arni
With rallied arms to try, what may be yet Regain'd in heav'n, or what more loft in hell? So Satan fpake, and him Beelzebub Thus anfwer'd: Leader of thofe armies bright, Which but th' Omnipotent none could have foil'd! If once they hear that voice, their livelieft pledge Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft In worst extremes, and on the perilous edge Of battel when it rag'd, in all affaults
Their fureft fignal, they will foon resume New courage, and revive, tho' now they lye Grov'ling and proftrate on yon lake of fire, (As we erewhile,) aftounded and amaz'd; No wonder, fall'n fuch a pernicious height!
He fcarce had ceas'd, when the superior fiend Was moving tow'rd the fhore: his pond'rous fhield, Ethereal temper, maffie, large and round, Behind him caft; the broad circumference
Cernitur Artifici Thufco, dum lumine vitri Dædaleo adjutus maculofo explorat in orbe Montefque fluviofque vagos terrafque recentes. Innixus fublimi Hastæ, (cui maxima Pinus Norvegiis fi ftrata jugis componitur, illo Utatur malo quanquam Prætoria Puppis, Virgula erit,) fuper arva gradus fuftentat iniquos Ignea, quantùm illis placidi per cærula cœli Diffimiles! Omni intereà regione furentes Incubuere acres ardenti à fornice flammæ.
Ille autem tulit intrepidus, dum littora ponti Tangeret ignivomi: clamat focia Agmina, formæ Agmina cœleftis, jam prona jacentia Auctu Atque oblita fui; numero tot, lapfa fenili Quot folia Autumno fternuntur littoris oris Valle sub Umbrosâ, fcenam quà Thufca virentem Ædificant nemora, atque altos curvantur in arcus: Aut Rubro quàm multa Mari natat Ulva, procellis
Hung on his shoulders like the Moon, whose Orb Thro' Optick Glafs the Tufcan Artist views At Ev'ning from the top of Fefole, Or in Valdarno, to defcry new Lands, Rivers, or Mountains, in her spotty Globe. His Spear, (to equal which the tallest Pine Hewn on Norwegian Hills, to be the Maft Of fome great Ammiral, were but a wand) He walk'd with, to fupport uneafie steps
Over the burning Marle (not like those steps On Heaven's azure!) and the torrid Clime Smote on him fore befides, vaulted with Fire. Nathlefs he so endur'd, 'till on the Beach Of that inflamed Sea he stood, and call'd His Legions, Angel-forms, who lay intranc'd, Thick as autumnal Leaves that ftrow the Brooks In Vallombrofa, where th' Etrurian shades High over-arch'd imbow'r; or scatter'd fedge
Æquora cum verrit rapidis nimbofus Orion; Quà Regem malefanum undæ ftravere fecutum Ifacidas: Illi ex tutâ fpeculantur arenâ Currusque excussasque rotas & pallida ponto Corpora multa Virûm volvi. Tam densa jacebat Mæfta Cohors fluvium occultans, horrore fepulta, Mutatamque ftupens fedem & fqualentia regna. Intendit vocem Satanas, fonitumque dedere Antra profunda Erebi: O ingentibus inclyta sceptris Regum excelfa Manus, bello imperiifque potentûm, Flos cœli, quondam heu veftri! Nunc arcibus illis Cedendum, tantus corda immortalia torpor Si teneat. Sed fortè libet decumbere fluctu, Scilicet hic Virtus bellis ut laffa quiefcat, Utque levem hìc ineat, cœli ceu valle, foporem! An certum eft adeò abjecto fuccumbere gestu Victori, fuperâ infultans qui fpectat ab arce Illuftres cœli Indigenas & celfa Seraphum
Afloat, when with fierce Winds Orion arm'd Hath vex'd the Red-Sea Coast, whose waves o'er- Bufiris, and his Memphian Chivalry, While with perfidious hatred they purfu'd The fojourners of Goshen, who beheld From the fafe fhore their floating Carcafes, And broken Chariot Wheels: fo thick beftrown, Abject and loft lay thefe, covering the Flood, Under amazement of their hideous Change. He call'd fo loud, that all the hollow Deep
Of Hell refounded: Princes, Potentates, Warriors, the flow'r of Heav'n! once yours, now If fuch astonishment as this can feize [loft, Eternal Spirits or have ye chos'n this place After the toil of battle to repofe Your wearied virtue, for the eafe you find To flumber here, as in the Vales of Heaven? Or in this abject pofture have ye fworn T'adore the Conqueror? who now beholds Cherub and Seraph rolling in the Flood,
Agmina jactari rapido ludibria ponto,
Armaque fignaque flammantes denfata per undas? Jamque ardens meliorque loco pennata fequentum Turba Inimicorum ruet æthere, femianimesque Calcabit, triplici-ve infixos fulminis ictu
Usque imum premet in barathrum. Quin rumpite fomnos, Surgite, vel fœdâ æternùm torpete ruinâ.
Audierant, puduitque; alifque micantibus omnes Ociùs exiliere: Ut quondam nocte filenti Caftrorum Speculatores, fi fortè fopore Oppreffos metuendi offenderit ira Tribuni, Membra repente levant languentibus excita fomnis. Nec verò immanis non perfensere ruinæ
Pondera, nec gravium stimulis caruere dolorum ; At voci Ducis aufcultant, mora nulla, ruuntque Innumeri. Veluti Amramidis cum Virga, Canopi Littore vibrata infaufto, per rura juberet
Ire locuftarum nubem, quæ urgentibus Euris
With scatter'd Arms and Enfigns; 'till anon His fwift purfuers from Heav'n-gates discern Th' advantage, and defcending tread us down Thus drooping or with linked Thunderbolts Transfix us to the bottom of this Gulph. Awake, arife, or be for ever fall'n!
They heard, and were abash'd, and up they fprung Upon the wing; as when men wont to watch On duty, fleeping found by whom they dread,
Rouze and beftir themselves ere well awake. Nor did they not perceive the evil plight In which they were, or the fierce pains not feel; Yet to their General's Voice they foon obey'd, Innumerable. As when the potent Rod Of Amram's fon, in Egypt's evil day, Wav'd round the coaft, up call'd a pitchy cloud Of locufts, warping on the eaftern Wind, That o'er the Realm of impious Pharaob hung
Denfæ inftar Noctis fævi Pharaonis in oras
Venit, & horrendâ Nilum circumdedit umbrâ. Talis Tartareorum Acies denfiffima Fratrum Ignem inter flammantem infrà circumque fupràque Sufpendit trifti fub fornice lentius alas:
Dum tandem magni Cuspis fublata Tyranni Quò flectant iter oftendit: tum præpete pennâ Æquato demiffi unà libramine terrâ
Sidunt fulphureâ, & latum funduntur in æquor, Turba ingens; quantam haud olim glacialibus Arctos Effùdit lumbis, populorum maxima Mater,
Aut Rhenum super aut Iftrum, cum barbara Pubes Diluvii in morem tepidos undaret in Austros, Ufque ipfam ad Calpem & Lybiæ fitientis arenas. Jamque omni à turmâ celeres atque agmine ab omni Ingentem ftipare Duces fimul undique Regem Approperant: fua quemque & Sceptra, & major Imago Humanâ, æthereæque ornant veftigia formæ.
Like Night, and darken'd all the land of Nile: So numberless were those bad Angels feen Hov'ring on wing under the cope of Hell, 'Twixt upper, nether, and furrounding Fires: Till, as a fignal giv'n, th' up-lifted Spear Of their great Sultan waving to direct Their course, in even balance down they light On the firm brimftone, and fill all the plain: A multitude! like which the populous North
Pour'd never from her frozen loins, to pass Rhene or the Danaw, when her barbarous fons Came like a Deluge on the South, and spread Beneath Gibralter to the Lybian fands. Forthwith from ev'ry fquadron, and each band, The Heads and Leaders thither hafte where flood Their great Commander; God-like shapes and forms Excelling human, Princely Dignities,
And Pow'rs! that erft in Heaven fat on Thrones;
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