Rather than human. Nor did Ifrael 'scape
Th' infection, when their borrow'd gold compos'd The calf in Oreb; and the rebel king Doubled that fin in Bethel and in Dan, Likening his Maker to the grazed ox, Jehovah, who in one night when he pass'd From Egypt marching, equal'd with one stroke Both her firft-born and all her bleating Gods. Belial came last, than whom a Spi'rit more lewd Fell not from Heaven, or more grofs to love Vice for itfelf: to him no temple food Or altar fmok'd; yet who more oft than he In temples and at altars, when the priest Turns atheist, as did Eli's fons, who fill'd With luft and violence the houfe of God? In courts and palaces he alfo reigns And in luxurious cities, where the noise Of ri'ot afcends above their loftieft towers, And injury and outrage: and when night Darkens the streets, then wander forth the fons Of Belial, flown with infolence and wine, Witness the streets of Sodom, and that night In Gibeah, when the hofpitable door Expos'd a matron to avoid worse rape. These were the prime in order and in might ; The reft were long to tell, though far renown'd, Th' Ionian Gods, of Javan's iffue held
Gods, yet confefs'd later than Heav'n and Earth,
Their boafted parents: Titan Heav'n's first born, 510
With his enormous brood, and birthright feis'd
By younger Saturn; he from mightier Jove
His own and Rhea's fon like méafure found;
So Jove ufurping reign'd: thefe first in Crete
And Ida known, thence on the fnowy top
Of cold Olympus rul'd the middle air,
Their highest Heav'n; or on the Delphian cliff,
Or in Dodona, and through all the bounds
Of Doric land; or who with Saturn old
Fled over Adria to th' Hefperian fields,
And o'er the Celtic roam'd the utmost ifles.
All these and more came flocking; but with looks
Down caft and damp, yet fuch wherein appear'd
Obfcure fome glimpie of joy, to' have found their chief
Not in defpair, to' have found themfelves not loft 525
In lofs itself; which on his count'nance caft
Like doubtful hue: but he his wonted pride
Soon recollecting, with high words, that bore
Semblance of worth not fubftance, gently rais'd
Their fainting courage, and difpell'd their fears. 530
'Then ftrait commands that at the warlike found
Of trumpets loud and clarions be uprear'd
His mighty ftandard: that proud honor claim'd
Azazel as his right, a cherub tall;
Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurl'd 535
'Th' imperial enfign, which full high advanc'd
Shone like a meteor ftreaming to the wind,
With gems and golden luftre rich imblaz'd,
Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while
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 through 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 fhields 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 highth of nobleft temper heroes old
Arming to battle, and instead of rage
Deliberate valor breath'd, firm and unmov'd
With dread of death to flight or foul retreat;
Nor wanting pow'r to mitigate and swage
With folemn touches troubled thoughts, and chase
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 shield, 565
Awaiting what command their mighty chief
Had to impose: He through the armed files
Darts his experienc'd eye, and foon traverse
The whole battalion views, their order due,
Their vifages and ftature as of Gods,
Their number last he fums. And now his heart
Diftends with pride, and hard'ning in his ftrength
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; though 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 Afpraniont or Montalban,
Damafco, or Marocco, or Trebifond,
Or whom Biferta fent from Afric fhore,
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 rest
In fhape and gesture proudly eminent
Stood like a tow'r; his form had yet not lost
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 rifen
Looks through the horizontal mifty air
Shorn of his beams, or from behind the moon
In dim eclipse difaftrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs. Darken'd so, yet shone
Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face
Deep fears of thunder had intrench'd, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under brows
Of dauntless courage, and confiderate pride
Waiting revenge: cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorfe and paflion to behold.
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather
(Far other once beheld in bliss) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain,
Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc'd
Of Heav'n, and from eternal fplendors flung
For his revolt, yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory wither'd: as when Heaven's fire
Hath feath'd the foreft oaks, or mountain pines,
With finged top their stately growth though 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 inclofe him round
With all his peers: attention held them mute.
'Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in fpite of scorn
Tears, fuch as Angels weep, burft forth: at laft 620
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.
O Myriads of immortal Spi'rits, O Powers
Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty, and that strife
Was not inglorious, though th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies, and this dire change
Hateful to utter: but what pow'r of mind
Foreseeing or prefaging, from the depth
Of knowledge paft or prefent, could have fear'd,
How fuch united force of Gods, how fuch
As flood like thefe, could ever know repulfe?
For who can yet believe, though after lofs,
That all these puiffant legions, whofe exile
Hath emptied Heav'n, fhall fail to re-afcend
Self-rais'd, and repoffefs their native feat?
For me be witnefs all the hoft of Heaven,
If counfels different, or danger fhunn'd
By me, have loft our hopes. But he who reigns
Monarch in Heav'n, till then as once fecure
Sat 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
New war, provok'd; our better part remains 645
To work in close defign, 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.
Space may produce new worlds; whereof fo 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 favour equal to the fons of Heaven:
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