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Therefore eternal filence be their doom.

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And now, their mightieft quell'd, the battel fwerv'd, With many an inroad gor'd; deformed rout Enter'd, and foul diforder; all the ground With fhiver'd armour strown; and on a heap Chariot and charioteer lay overturn'd, And fiery foaming fteeds; what flood, recoil'd O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanic host, Defensive scarce, or with pale fear furpris'd; Then first with fear furpris'd,and sense of pain, Fled ignominious; to fuch evil brought By fin of difobedience; till that hour Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain. Far otherwise th' inviolable Saints In cubic phalanx firm advanc'd entire, Invulnerable, impenetrably arm'd;

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Such high advantages their innocence

Gave them above their foes, not to have finn'd,

Not to have disobey'd; in fight they stood

Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain'd

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By wound, though from their place by violence mov’d. Now night her course began, and over Heaven Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos'd,

And filence on the odious din of war:

Under her cloudy covert both retir'd,

Victor and vanquish'd: on the foughten field 410

Michaël and his Angels prevalent

Incamping, plac'd in guard their watches round,

Cherubic

Cherubic waving fires: on th' other part
Satan with his rebellious disappear'd,
Far in the dark diflodg'd; and void of rest,
His potentates to council call'd by night;
And in the midft thus,undifmay'd,began.

O now in danger try'd, now known in arms
Not to be overpow'rd, Companions dear,
Found worthy not of liberty alone,

Too mean pretence, but what we more affect,
Honor, dominion, glory, and renown;
Who have fuftain'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 fubdue us to his will;

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But proves not fo: then fallible, it seems,
Of future we may deem him, though till now
Omniscient thought. True is, less firmly arm'd, 430
Some difadvantage we indur'd, and pain,

Till now not known, but known as foon contemn'd;
Since now we find this our empyreal form
Incapable of mortal injury,

Imperishable, and though pierc'd with wound, 435
Soon closing, and by native vigor 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,

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Or

Or equal what between us made the odds,
In nature none: if other hidden cause
Left them fuperior, while we can preserve
Unhurt our minds, and understanding found,
Due fearch and consultation will disclose.

He fat; and in th'assembly next upflood·
Nifroch, of Principalities the prime;
As one he flood escap'd from cruel fight,
Sore toil'd, his riven arms to havoc hewn;
And,cloudy in aspéct,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, impaffive; from which evil
Ruin muft needs enfue; for what avails

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Valor or ftrength, though matchlefs, quell'd with pain Which all fubdues, and makes remifs the hands

Of mightieft? Sense of pleasure we may well

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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 exceffive, overturns

All patience. He who, therefore,can invent
With what more forcible we may offend

Our

yet

unwounded enemies, or arm

Ourselves with like defense, to me deserves
No less than for deliverance what we owe.

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Whereto, with look compos'd,Satan reply'd. Not uninvented that, which thou aright Believ'ft so main to our fuccefs, I bring. Which of us, who beholds the bright surfáce Of this ethereous mold whereon we ftand, This continent of spacious Heav'n, adorn'd With plant, fruit, flow'r ambrofial, gems and gold; Whose eye fo fuperficially furveys

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These things, as not to mind from whence they grow
Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,
Of spiritous and fiery fpume, till touch'd

With Heaven's ray, and temper'd,they shoot forth 480
So beauteous, opening to the ambient light?
These in their dark nativity the deep

Shall yield us,pregnant with infernal flame;
Which into hollow engins,long and round,
Thick-ramm'd, at th'other bore, with touch of fire
Dilated and infuriate, fhall fend forth

From far, with thund'ring noise, among our foes
Such implements of mischief, as shall dash
To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever ftands

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Adverse; that they shall fear we have disarm'd 490
The Thund'rer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labor; yet ere dawn,
Effect fhall end our wish. Mean while revive;
Abandon fear; to ftrength and counsel join'd
Think nothing hard; much less to be despair'd. 495
He ended, and his words their drooping chear

Inlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd.
Th'invention all admir'd, and each, how he
To be th'inventor mifs'd; fo easy' it seem'd
Once found, which yet, unfound, most would have
Impoffible: yet haply of thy race,

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(thought

In future days, if malice should abound,
Some one, intent on mischief, or inspir'd
With devilish machination, might devise
Like inftrument to plague the fons of men
For fin, on 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 celeftial foil, and faw beneath
Th'originals of nature in their crude
Conception; fulphurous and nitrous foam
They found, they mingled, and with fubtle art,
Concocted, and adufted,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 engins, and their balls
Of miffive 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 fet,

With filent circumfpection, unespy'd.

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Now when fair morn orient in Heav'n appear'd,

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