And now their mightiest quell'd, the battle swerv'd,
With many an inroad gor'd; deformed rout Enter'd, and foul disorder; all the ground With shiver'd armour strown, and on a heap Chariot and charioteer lay overturn'd, And fiery foaming steeds; what stood, recoil'd O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanic host Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surpris'd, Then first with fear surpris'd and sense of pain,
Fled ignominious, to such evil brought By sin of disobedience, till that bour Not liable to fear or flight or pain. Far otherwise 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 sinn'd, Not to have disobey'd; in fight they stood Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain'd By wound, though from their place by vio- lence mov'd.
Now Night her course began, and over
Inducing darkness grateful truce impos'd, And silence on the odious din of war: Under her cloudy covert both retir'd, Victor and vanquish'd: on the foughten field Michael and his Angels prevalent Incamping, plac'd in guard their watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on th' other part Satan with his rebellious disappear'd, Far in the dark dislodg'd; and void of rest, His potentates to council call'd by night; And in the midst thus undismay'd began.
O now in danger try'd, now known in arms Not to be overpow'r'd, companions dear, Found worthy not of liberty alone, Too mean pretence, but what we more affect, Honour, dominion, glory, and renown; Who have sustain'd one day in doubtful fight (And if one day, why not eternal days?) What Heaven's Lord had pow'rfullest to send Against us from about his throne, and judg'd Sufficient to subdue us to his will, But proves not so: then fallible, it seems Of future we may deem him, though till now Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arni'd,
Some disadvantage we endur'd and pain, Till now not known, but known as soon con- temn'd,
Since now we find this our empyrean form Incapable of mortal injury, Imperishable, and though pierc'd with wound, Soon closing, and by native vigour heal'd, Of evil then so small as easy think
| The remedy; perhaps more valid arms, Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May serve to better us, and worse our foes, Or equal what between us made the odds, In nature none: if other hidden cause Left them superior, while we can preserve Unhurt our minds and understanding sound, Due search and consultation will disclose.
Hesat; and in th' assembly next upstood Nisroch, of principalities the prime; As one he stood escap'd from cruel fight, Sore toil'd, his riven arms to havoc hewn, And cloudy in aspect thus answ'ring spake. 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 unpain'd, impassive; from which evil Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails Valour or strength, though matchless, quell'd with pain
Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands
Of mightiest? Sense of pleasure we may well Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, But live content, which is the calmest life: But pain is perfect misery, the worst Of evils, and excessive, overturns All patience. He who therefore can invent With what more forcible we may offend Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves No less than for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto with look compos'd Satan reply'd, Not uninvented that, which thou aright Believ'st so main to our success, I bring. Which of us who beholds the bright surface Of this ethereous mould whereon we staud, This continent of spacious Heav'n, adorn'd With plant, fruit, flow'r ambrosial, gems and gold;
Whose eye so superficially surveys
These things, as not to mind from whence they
Deep under ground, materials dark and crude, Of spirituous and fiery spume, till touch'd With Heaven's ray, and temper'd they shoot forth
So beauteous, opening to the ambient light? These in their dark nativity the deep Shall yield us pregnant with infernal flame; Which into hollow engines long and round Thick ramm'd, at th' other bore with touch of fire
Dilated and infuriate, shall send forth
From far with thund'ring noise among our foes
Such implements of mischief, as shall dash To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever stands
Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarm'd The Thund'rer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labour: yet ere 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. He ended, and his words their drooping
Enlighten'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 seem'd Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought
Impossible: yet haply of thy race
In future days, if malice should abound, Some one intent on mischief, or inspir'd With devilish machination, might devise Like instrument to plague the sous of men For sin, ou war and mutual slaughter 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 celestial soil, and saw beneath Th' originals of nature in their crude Conception; sulphurous and nitrous foam They found, they mingled, and with subtle art, Concocted and adusted 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 engines and their balls Had ended; when to right and left the front
Of missive ruin; part incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day spring, under conscious night, Secret they finish'd and in order set,
With silent circumspection unespy'd.
Divided, and to either flank retir'd: Which to our eyes discover'd, new and
A triple mounted row of pillars laid
On wheels (for like to pillars most they seem'd,
Now when fair morn orient in Heav'n ap- Or hollow'd bodies made of oak or fir,
Up rose the victor Angels, and to arms The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood Of golden panoply, refulgent host,
Soon banded; others from the dawning bills Look'd round, and scouts each coast lightarm'd scour
Each quarter, to descry the distant foe Where lodg'd, or where fled, or if for fight, In motion or in halt: him soon they met Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow But firm battalion; back with speediest sail Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, and mid-air aloud thus cry'd.
Arm, warriors, arm for fight; the foe at hand,
Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit
This day; fear not his flight; so thick a cloud He comes, and settled in his face I see Sad resolution and secure; let each
With branches lopt, in wood or mountain
Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gap'd on us wide, Portending hollow truce: at each behind A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed Stood waving tipt with fire; while we suspense Collected stood within our thoughts amus'd, Not long, for sudden all at once their reeds Put forth, and to a narrow vent apply'd With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, But soon obscur'd with smoke, all Heav'n ap. pear'd,
From those deep-throated engines belch'd, whose roar
Imbowel'd with outrageous noise the air, And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul Their devilish glut, chain'd thunderbolts and bail
Of iron globes; which on the victor host Levell'd, with such impetuous fury smote,
That whom they hit, none on their feet might | stand, [fell Though standing else as rocks, but down they By thousands, Angel on Arch-angel roll'd; The sooner for their arms; unarm'd they might
Have easily as Spirits evaded swift
By quick contraction or remove; but now Foul dissipation follow'd and forc'd rout; Nor serv'd it to relax their serried files. What should they do? If on they rush'd, re- pulse
Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Of pleasure situate in hill and dale) Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew;
From their foundation loos'ning to and fro They pluck'd the seated hills, with all their load,
Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy topa Uplifting bore them in their hands: ainaze, Be sure, and terror seiz'd the rebel host, When coming towards them so dread they
The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd; Till on those cursed engins' triple-row
Doubled, would render them yet more de- They saw them whelm'd, and all their confi
Of composition, strait they chang'd their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries feil, As they would dance; yet for a dance they seem'd
Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps For joy of offer'd peace: but 1 suppose, If our proposals once again were heard, We should compel them to a quick result.
To whom thus Balial in like gamesome mood. Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight, Of hard contents, and full of force urg'd home, Such as we might perceive amus'd them all, And stumbled many; who receives them right,|| Had need from head to foot well understand; Not understood, this gift they have besides, They show us when our foes walk not upright, So they among themselves in pleasant vein Stood scoffing, heighten'd in their thoughts beyond
All doubt of victory; Eternal might
To match with their intentions they presum'd So easy, and of his thunder made a scorn, And all his host derided, while they stood A while in trouble: but they stood not long; Rage prompted them at length, and found
Against such bellish mischief fit to oppose. Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power, Which God hath in his mighty angels plac'd) Their arms away they threw, and to the hills (For Earth hath this variety from Heav'n
Under the weight of mountains buried deep; Themselves invaded next, and on their heads Main promontories flung, which in the air Came shadowing, and oppress'd whole legions arm'd; [bruis'd Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan, Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind
Out of such pris'n, though Spirits of purest light,
Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown. The rest in imitation to like arms Betook them, and the neighb'ring hills up- tore;
So hills amid the air encounter'd hills, Hurl'd to and fro with jaculation dire, That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
Infernal noise; war seem'd a civil game To this uproar; horrid confusion heap'd Upon confusion rose: and now all Heav'u Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread, Had not th' almighty Father, where he sits Shrin'd in his sanctuary of Heav'n secure, Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen This tumult, and permitted all, advis'd: That his great purpose he might so fulfil, To honour his anointed Son aveng'd Upon his enemies, and to declare All power on him transferr'd: whence to his Son,
Th' assessor of his throne, he thus began : Effulgence of my glory, Sou belov'd, Son in whose face invisible is beheld Visibly, what by Deity I am,
And in whose hand what by decree I do, Second Omnipotence, two days are past, Two days, as we compute the days of Heav'n, Since Michael and his powers went forth to
These disobedient: sore had been their fight,
As likeliest was, when two such foes met arm'd;
For to themselves I left them, and thou know'st, Equal in their creation they were form'd, Save what sin hath impair'd, which yet hath wrought
Insensibly, for I suspend their doom; Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last
Endless, and no solution will be found: War wearied bath perform'd what War can do, And to disorder'd Rage let loose the reins, With mountains as with weapons arm'd, which makes
Wild work in Heav'n, and dang'rous to the main.
Two days are therefore past, the third is thine : For thee I bave ordain'd it, and thus far Have suffer'd, that the glory may be thine Of ending this great war, since none but thou Can end it. Into thee such virtue and grace Immense I have transfus'd, that all may know In Heav'n and Hell thy power above com-
Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, Arm'd with thy might, rid Heav'n of these rebell'd,
To their prepar'd ill mansion driven down, To chains of darkness, and the undying worm, That from thy just obedience could revolt, Whom to obey is happiness entire, Then shall thy saints unmix'd, and from th’ impure
Far separate, circling the holy Mount Unfeign'd halleluiahs to thee sing,
Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.
So said, he o'er his sceptre bowing, rose From the right hand of Glory where he sat ; And the third sacred morn began to shine, Dawning through Heav'n: forth rush'd with whirlwind sound
The chariot of paternal Deity, Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel un drawn,
Itself instinct with spirit, but convoy'd By four cherubic shapes; four faces each Had wond'rous; as with stars their bodies all And wings were set with eyes, with eyes the wheels
Of beril, and carreering fires between; Over their head a crystal firmament, Whereon a saphire throne, inlaid with pure Amber, and colours of the show'ry arch. He in celestial panoply all arm'd Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought, Ascended; at his right hand Victory Sat eagle-wing'd; beside him hung his bow And quiver with three-bolted thunder stor'd, And from about him fierce effusion roll'd Of smoke and bickering flame and sparkles
Attended with ten thousand thousand saints, He onward came, far off his coming shone; And twenty thousand (I their number heard) Chariots of God, half on each hand were seen He on the wings of Cherub rode sublime On the crystaline sky, in sapphire thron❜d, Illustrious far and wide, but by his own First seen; then unexpected joy surpris'd, When the great ensign of Messiah blaz'd Aloft by angels borne, his sign in Heav'n; Under whose conduct Michael soon reduc'd His army circumfus'd on either wing, Under their head embodied all in one. Before him pow'r divine his way prepar'd: At his command th' uprooted hills retir'd Each to his place; they heard his voice, and
Obsequious; Heav'n his wonted face renew'd, And with fresh flow'rets hill and valley smil'd. This saw his hapless foes but stood obdur'd, And to rebellious fight rallied their powers
Jusensate, hope conceiving from despair. In heav'nly Spirits could such perverseness dwell?
But to convince the proud what signs avail, Or wonders move th' obdurate to relent? They harden'd more by what might most re- claim,
Grieving to see his glory, at the sight Took envy; and aspiring to his height, Stood re-embattl'd fierce, by force or fraud Weening to prosper, and at length prevail Against God and Messiah, or to fall In universal ruin last; and now To final battle drew, disdaining flight, Or faint etreat; when the great Son of God To all his host on either hand thus spake: Stand still in bright array, ye Saints, here stand
Ye Angels arm'd, this day from battle rest; Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause, And as ye have receiv'd, so have ye done Invincibly; but of this cursed crew The punishment to other hand belongs; Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints: Number to this day's work is not ordain'd Nor multitude; stand only and behold God's indignation on these Godless pour'd By me; not you but me they have despis'd, Yet envied; against me all their rage, Because the Father, t'whom in Heav'n su-
Kingdom and pow'r and glory appertains, Hath honour'd me according to his will. Therefore to me their doom he hath assign'd; That they may have their wish to try with me In battle which the stronger proves, they all, Or I alone against them, since by strength They measure all, of other excellence Not emulous, nor care who them excels; Nor other strife with them do I vouchsafe. So spake the Son, and into terror chang'd His count'nance too severe to be beheld, And full of wrath bent on his enemies. At once the Four spread out their starry wings With dreadful shade contiguous, and the orbs Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the sound Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host. He on his impious foes right onward drove, Gloomy as night; under his burning wheels The stead empyrean shook throughout,
All but the throne itself of God. Full soon Among them he arriv'd, in his right hand Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent Before him, such as in their souls infix'd Plagues; they astonish'd all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropt; O'er shields and holms and helmed heads he
Of Thrones and mighty Seraphim prostrate, That wished the mountains now might be again
Thrown on them as a shelter from his ire. Nor less on either side tempestuous fell His arrows from the fourfold-visag'd Four Extinct with eyes, and from the living wheels Distinct alike with multitude of eyes; One spirit in them rul'd, and every eye Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire Among th' accurs'd, that wither'd all their strength,
And of their wonted vigour left them drain'd, Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fali'n.
Yet half his strength he put not forth, but check'd
His thunder in mid volley; for he meant Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven: The overthrown he rais'd and as a herd Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd Drove them before him thunder-struck, pur-
With terrors and with furies to the bounds And crystal wall of Heav'n, which opening wide,
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap disclos'd Into the wasteful deep; the monstrous sight Struck them with horror backward, but far [threw
Urg'd them behind; headlong themselves they Down from the verge of Heav'n; eternal wrath Burnt after them to the bottomless pit.
Hell heard th' unsufferable noise, Hell saw Heav'n ruining from Heav'n, and would have fled
Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. Nine days they fell; confounded Chaos roar'd, And felt tenfold confusion in their fall Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout Iuçumber'd him with ruin: Hell at last Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd;
Hell their fit habitation, fraught with fire Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain. Disburden'd Heav'n rejoic'd, and soon re
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