Their vifages and ftature as of Gods,
Their number laft he fumms. And now his heart
Diftends with pride, and hard'ning in his strength
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; tho' all the Giant brood
Of Phlegra with th' Heroick Race were join'd,
That fought at Theb's and Ilium, on each fide
Mix'd with auxiliar Gods; and what resounds
In Fable or Romance of Uther's Son,
Begirt with British and Armoric Knights;
And all who fince, Baptiz'd or Infidel
Joufted in Afprament or Mentalban,
Damafco, or Marocco, or Trebifond,
Or whom Biferta fent from Afric Shoar
When Charlemain with all his Peerage fell
By Fontarabbia. Thus far thefe beyond
Compare of mortal prowels, yet obferv'd
Their dread commander: he, above the reft
In fhape and gefture proudly eminent
Stood like a Tow'r; his Form had yet not loft
All her Original brightness, nor appear'd
Lefs than Arch-Angel ruin'd, and th' excess
Of Glory obfcur'd: As when the Sun new-ris'n,
Looks thro' the Horizontal misty Air
Shorn of his Beams, or from behind the Moon,
In dim Eclipse, disastrous Twilight sheds
On half the Nations, and with fear of Change
Perplexes Monarchs. Darken'd fo, yet shone
Above them all th' Arch-Angel: But his face
Deep fears of Thunder had intrencht, and care
Sat on his faded cheek, but under Brows
Of dauntless courage, and confid'rate Pride
Waiting revenge cruel his eye, but caft
Signs of remorfe and paffion to behold
The fellows of his crime, the followers rather
(Far other once beheld in blifs) condemn'd
For ever now to have their lot in pain,
Millions of Spirits for his fault amerc't
Of Heav'n, and from Eternal Splendors Alung 610
For his revolt, yet faithful how they stood,
Their Glory wither'd. As when Heaven's Fire
Hath fcath'd the Forreft Oaks, or Mountain Pines,
With finged top their stately growth tho' bare
Stands on the blafted Heath. He now prepar'd 615
To speak; whereat their doubl'd Ranks they bend
From wing to wing, and half inclofe him round
With all his Peers: Attention held them mure.
Thrice he affay'd, and thrice in fpight of Scorn,
Tears such as Angels weep, burft forth; at last 620
Words interwove with fighs found out their way.
O Myriads of immortal Spirits, O Powers
Matchlefs, but with th' Almighty, and that ftrife
Wa not inglorious, tho' th' event was dire,
As this place teftifies, and this dire change,
Hateful to utter: but what power 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 these, could ever know repulse?
For who can yet believe, tho' after lofs,
That all these pwiffant Legions, whofe exile
Hath emptied Heav'n, frall fail to re-afcend
Self-rais'd, and re-poffefs their native feat ?
For me be witnefs all the Hoft of Heav'n
If counfels different, or danger fhun'd
By me, have loft our hopes. But he who reigns
Monarch in Heav'n, 'till then as one fecure
Sare 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't; our better part remains
To work in close defign, by fraud or guile,
What force effected not: that he no less
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 e'er long
Intended to create, and therein plant
A generation, whom his choice regard
Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven:
Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps
Our first Eruption, thither or elsewhere:
For this Infernal Pit fhall never hold
Celestial Spirits in Bondage, nor th' Abyss
Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts
Full Counsel muft mature: Peace is defpair'd, 660
For who can think Submission? War then, War
Open or understood must be refolv'd.
He fpake and to confirm his words out-flew
Millions of flaming Swords, drawn from the Thighs
Of mighty Cherubim; the fudden blaze
Far round illumin'd Hell: highly they rag'd Against the Highefl, and fierce with grafped Arms Clash'd on their founding Shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the Vault of Heav'n.
There stood a Hill not far, whofe grifly Top 670 Belch'd fire and rowling fmoak; the rest entire Shone with a gloffy fcurf, undoubted sign That in his womb was hard metallick Ore, The work of Sulphur. Thither wing'd with speed A numerous brigad haften'd. As when Bands Of Pioneers with Spade and Pickax arm'd Fore-run the Royal Camp, to trench a Field, Or caft a Rampart. Mammon led them on, Mammon, the leaft erected Spirit that fell
= FromHeav'n,for e'en in Heav'n his looks and thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more
The riches of Heav'n's pavement, trodden Gold,
Than aught divine or holy else enjoy'd
In vision beatifick: by him first
Men alfo, and by his fuggeftion taught,
Ranfack'd the Center, and with impious hands
Rifled the Bowels of their mother Earth
For Treasures better hid. Soon had his crew
Open'd into the Hill a fpacious wound,
And dig'd out ribs of Gold. Let none admire 690
That riches grow in Hell; that foyle may best
Deferve the precious bane. And here let thofe
Who boaft in mortal things, and wond'ring tell
Of Babel, and the works of Memphian Kings,
Learn how their greatest Monuments of Fame, 695
And Strength and Art are eafily out-done
By Spirits reprobate, and in an hour
What in an age they with inceffant toyle
And hands innumerable fcarce perform.
Nigh on the Plain in many cells prepar'd,
That underneath had veins of liquid fire
Sluc'd from the Lake, a fecond multitude
With wondrous Art found out the maffy Ore,
Severing each kind, and scum'd the Bullion dross:
A third as foon had form'd within the ground 705
A various mould, and from the boiling cells
By ftrange conveyance fill'd each hollow nook,
As in an Organ from one blaft of Wind
To many a row of Pipes the found-board breaths.
Anon out of the Earth a Fabrick huge
Rofe like an Exhalation, with the found
Of dulcet Symphonies and voices fweet,
Built like a Temple where Pilafters round
Were fet, and Doric Pillars overlaid
With golden Architrave; nor did there want
Cornice or Freeze, with boffy Sculptures grav`n,
The Roof was fretted Gold. Not Babylon,
Nor great Alcairo fuch magnificence
Equall'd in all their glories, to infhrine
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