Therefore eternal filence be their doom. 385 390 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; 395 400 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 404 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 O now in danger try'd, now known in arms Too mean pretence, but what we more affect, 415 420 525 But proves not fo: then fallible, it seems, Till now not known, but known as foon contemn'd; Imperishable, and though pierc'd with wound, 435 440 Or Or equal what between us made the odds, He fat; and in th'assembly next upflood· 445 450 455 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 460 Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, All patience. He who, therefore,can invent Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm Ourselves with like defense, to me deserves 465 470 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 476 With Heaven's ray, and temper'd,they shoot forth 480 Shall yield us,pregnant with infernal flame; From far, with thund'ring noise, among our foes 486 Adverse; that they shall fear we have disarm'd 490 Inlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd. 499 (thought In future days, if malice should abound, To blackest grain, and into store convey'd: Whereof to found their engins, and their balls 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. 505 510 515 520 Now when fair morn orient in Heav'n appear'd, |