کتاب 6

BOOK VI

THE ARGUMENT

Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his angels. The first fight described: Satan and his powers retire under night: he calls a council, invents devilish engines, which in the second day’s fight put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length pulling up mountains overwhelmed both the forces and machines of Satan. Yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory. He in the power of his Father coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them unable to resist towards the wall of Heaven, which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep. Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.

“All night the dreadless angel unpursued

Through Heav’n’s wide champaign held his way, till Morn, Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand

Unbarr’d the gates of light. There is a cave

Within the Mount of God, fast by his throne,

Where light and darkness in perpetual round

Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heav’n Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;

Light issues forth, and at the other door

Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour

To veil the Heav’n, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here; and now went forth the Morn Such as in highest Heav’n, arrayed in gold

Empyreal, from before her vanished night,

Shot through with orient beams: when all the plain Covered with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots and flaming arms, and fiery steeds

Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: War he perceived, war in procinct, and found

Already known what he for news had thought

To have reported: gladly then he mixed

Among those friendly powers who him received

With joy and acclamations loud, that one

That of so many myriads fall’n, yet one

Returned not lost: on to the sacred hill

They led him high applauded, and present

Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice

From midst a golden cloud thus mild was heard.

“ ‘Servant of God, well done, well hast thou fought The better fight, who single hast maintained

Against revolted multitudes the cause

Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; And for the testimony of truth hast borne

Universal reproach, far worse to bear

Than violence: for this was all thy care

To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds Judged thee perverse: the easier conquest now Remains thee, aided by this host of friends,

Back on thy foes more glorious to return

Than scorned thou didst depart, and to subdue By force, who reason for their law refuse,

Right reason for their law, and for their King Messiah, who by right of merit reigns.

Go Michael of celestial armies prince,

And thou in military prowess next

Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons

Invincible, lead forth my armèd Saints

By thousands and by millions ranged for fight; Equal in number to that godless crew

Rebellious, them with fire and hostile arms

Fearless assault, and to the brow of Heav’n

Pursuing drive them out from God and bliss,

Into their place of punishment, the gulf

Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide

His fiery chaos to receive their fall.’

“So spake the sov’reign voice, and clouds began To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll

In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign

Of wrath awaked: nor with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow:

At which command the powers militant,

That stood for Heav’n, in mighty quadrate joined Of union irresistible, moved on

In silence their bright legions, to the sound Of instrumental harmony that breathed

Heroic ardor to advent’rous deeds

Under their godlike leaders, in the cause

Of God and his Messiah. On they move

Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill,

Nor strait’ning vale, nor wood, nor stream divides Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground Their march was, and the passive air upbore

Their nimble tread, as when the total kind

Of birds in orderly array on wing

Came summoned over Eden to receive

Their names of thee; so over many a tract

Of Heav’n they marched, and many a province wide Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last

Far in th’ horizon to the north appeared

From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched In battailous aspect, and nearer view

Bristled with upright beams innumerable

Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and shields Various, with boastful argument portrayed,

The banded powers of Satan hasting on

With furious expedition; for they weened

That selfsame day by fight, or by surprise

To win the Mount of God, and on his throne

To set the envier of his state, the proud

Aspirer, but their thoughts proved fond and vain In the mid way: though strange to us it seemed At first, that angel should with angel war,

And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet

So oft in festivals of joy and love

Unanimous, as sons of one great Sire

Hymning th’ Eternal Father: but the shout

Of battle now began, and rushing sound

Of onset ended soon each milder thought.

High in the midst exalted as a god

Th’ Apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat

Idol of majesty divine, enclosed

With flaming Cherubim, and golden shields;

Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now ‘Twixt host and host but narrow space was left, A dreadful interval, and front to front

Presented stood in terrible array

Of hideous length: before the cloudy van,

On the rough edge of battle ere it joined,

Satan with vast and haughty strides advanced, Came tow’ring, armed in adamant and gold;

Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,

And thus his own undaunted heart explores.

“ ‘O Heav’n! That such resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and realty

Remain not; wherefore should not strength and might There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove Where boldest; though to sight unconquerable?

His puissance, trusting in th’ Almighty’s aid, I mean to try, whose reason I have tried

Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just,

That he who in debate of truth hath won,

Should win in arms, in both disputes alike

Victor; though brutish that contest and foul, When reason hath to deal with force, yet so

Most reason is that reason overcome.’

“So pondering, and from his armèd peers

Forth stepping opposite, half way he met

His daring foe, at this prevention more

Incensed, and thus securely him defied.

“ ‘Proud, art thou met? Thy hope was to have reached The highth of thy aspiring unopposed,

The throne of God unguarded, and his side

Abandoned at the terror of thy power

Or potent tongue; fool, not to think how vain Against th’ Omnipotent to rise in arms;

Who out of smallest things could without end

Have raised incessant armies to defeat

Thy folly; or with solitary hand

Reaching beyond all limit at one blow

Unaided could have finished thee, and whelmed Thy legions under darkness; but thou seest

All are not of thy train; there be who faith

Prefer, and piety to God, though then

To thee not visible, when I alone

Seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent

From all: my sect thou seest, now learn too late How few sometimes may know, when thousands err.’ “Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance Thus answered. ‘Ill for thee, but in wished hour Of my revenge, first sought for thou return’st From flight, seditious angel, to receive

Thy merited reward, the first assay

Of this right hand provoked, since first that tongue Inspired with contradiction durst oppose

A third part of the gods, in synod met

Their deities to assert, who while they feel

Vigor divine within them, can allow

Omnipotence to none. But well thou com’st

Before thy fellows, ambitious to win

From me some plume, that thy success may show Destruction to the rest: this pause between

(Unanswered lest thou boast) to let thee know; At first I thought that liberty and Heav’n

To Heav’nly souls had been all one; but now

I see that most through sloth had rather serve, Minist’ring spirits, trained up in feast and song; Such hast thou armed, the minstrelsy of Heav’n, Servility with freedom to contend,

As both their deeds compared this day shall prove.’ “To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied.

‘Apostate, still thou err’st, nor end wilt find Of erring, from the path of truth remote:

Unjustly thou deprav’st it with the name

Of servitude to serve whom God ordains,

Or Nature; God and Nature bid the same,

When he who rules is worthiest, and excels

Them whom he governs. This is servitude,

To serve th’ unwise, or him who hath rebelled Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled;

Yet lewdly dar’st our minist’ring upbraid.

Reign thou in Hell thy kingdom, let me serve

In Heav’n God ever blest, and his divine

Behests obey, worthiest to be obeyed,

Yet chains in Hell, not realms expect: meanwhile From me returned, as erst thou saidst, from flight, This greeting on thy impious crest receive.’

“So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high,

Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight,

Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge

He back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee

His massy spear upstayed; as if on Earth

Winds under ground or waters forcing way

Sidelong, had pushed a mountain from his seat Half sunk with all his pines. Amazement seized The rebel Thrones, but greater rage to see

Thus foiled their mightiest, ours joy filled, and shout, Presage of victory and fierce desire

Of battle: whereat Michael bid sound

Th’ archangel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven It sounded, and the faithful armies rung

Hosanna to the Highest: nor stood at gaze

The adverse legions, nor less hideous joined

The horrid shock: now storming fury rose,

And clamor such as heard in Heav’n till now

Was never, arms on armor clashing brayed

Horrible discord, and the madding wheels

Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise

Of conflict; overhead the dismal hiss

Of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew,

And flying vaulted either host with fire.

So under fiery cope together rushed

Both battles main, with ruinous assault

And inextinguishable rage; all Heav’n

Resounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth Had to her center shook. What wonder? When

Millions of fierce encount’ring angels fought On either side, the least of whom could wield These elements, and arm him with the force

Of all their regions: how much more of power

Army against army numberless to raise

Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb,

Though not destroy, their happy native seat;

Had not th’ Eternal King omnipotent

From his stronghold of Heav’n high overruled

And limited their might; though numbered such As each divided legion might have seemed

A numerous host, in strength each armèd hand

A legion; led in fight, yet leader seemed

Each warrior single as in chief, expert

When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway

Of battle, open when, and when to close

The ridges of grim war; no thought of flight, None of retreat, no unbecoming deed

That argued fear; each on himself relied,

As only in his arm the moment lay

Of victory; deeds of eternal fame

Were done, but infinite: for wide was spread

That war and various; sometimes on firm ground A standing fight, then soaring on main wing

Tormented all the air; all air seemed then

Conflicting fire: long time in even scale

The battle hung; till Satan, who that day

Prodigious power had shown, and met in arms

No equal, ranging through the dire attack

Of fighting Seraphim confused, at length

Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and felled Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed sway

Brandished aloft the horrid edge came down

Wide-wasting; such destruction to withstand

He hasted, and opposed the rocky orb

Of tenfold adamant, his ample shield

A vast circumference: at his approach

The great archangel from his warlike toil

Surceased, and glad as hoping here to end

Intestine war in Heav’n, the arch-foe subdued Or captive dragged in chains, with hostile frown And visage all enflamed first thus began.

“ ‘Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,

Unnamed in Heav’n, now plenteous, as thou seest These acts of hateful strife, hateful to all, Though heaviest by just measure on thyself

And thy adherents: how hast thou disturbed

Heav’n’s blessèd peace, and into nature brought Misery, uncreated till the crime

Of thy rebellion? How hast thou instilled

Thy malice into thousands, once upright

And faithful, now proved false? But think not here To trouble holy rest; Heav’n casts thee out

From all her confines. Heav’n the seat of bliss Brooks not the works of violence and war.

Hence then, and evil go with thee along

Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell,

Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broils, Ere this avenging sword begin thy doom,

Or some more sudden vengeance winged from God Precipitate thee with augmented pain.’

“So spake the prince of angels; to whom thus

The Adversary. ‘Nor think thou with wind

Of airy threats to awe whom yet with deeds

Thou canst not. Hast thou turned the least of these To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise

Unvanquished, easier to transact with me

That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats To chase me hence? Err not that so shall end

The strife which thou call’st evil, but we style The strife of glory: which we mean to win,

Or turn this Heav’n itself into the Hell

Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,

If not to reign: meanwhile thy utmost force,

And join him named Almighty to thy aid,

I fly not, but have sought thee far and nigh.’ “They ended parle, and both addressed for fight Unspeakable; for who, though with the tongue

Of angels, can relate, or to what things

Liken on Earth conspicuous, that may lift

Human imagination to such highth

Of godlike power: for likest gods they seemed, Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms Fit to decide the empire of great Heav’n.

Now waved their fiery swords, and in the air

Made horrid circles; two broad suns their shields Blazed opposite, while expectation stood

In horror; from each hand with speed retired

Where erst was thickest fight, th’ angelic throng, And left large field, unsafe within the wind

Of such commotion, such as to set forth

Great things by small, if nature’s concord broke, Among the constellations war were sprung,

Two planets rushing from aspect malign

Of fiercest opposition in mid sky,

Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.

Together both with next to almighty arm,

Uplifted imminent one stroke they aimed

That might determine, and not need repeat,

As not of power, at once; nor odds appeared

In might or swift prevention; but the sword

Of Michael from the armory of God

Was giv’n him tempered so, that neither keen

Nor solid might resist that edge: it met

The sword of Satan with steep force to smite

Descending, and in half cut sheer, nor stayed, But with swift wheel reverse, deep ent’ring shared All his right side; then Satan first knew pain, And writhed him to and fro convolved; so sore The griding sword with discontinuous wound

Passed through him, but th’ ethereal substance closed Not long divisible, and from the gash

A stream of nectarous humor issuing flowed

Sanguine, such as celestial spirits may bleed, And all his armor stained erewhile so bright.

Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run

By angels many and strong, who interposed

Defense, while others bore him on their shields Back to his chariot, where it stood retired

From off the files of war; there they him laid Gnashing for anguish and despite and shame

To find himself not matchless, and his pride

Humbled by such rebuke, so far beneath

His confidence to equal God in power.

Yet soon he healed; for spirits that live throughout Vital in every part, not as frail man

In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,

Cannot but by annihilating die;

Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound

Receive, no more than can the fluid air:

All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear, All intellect, all sense, and as they please, They limb themselves, and color, shape or size Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.

“Meanwhile in other parts like deeds deserved Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,

And with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array Of Moloch furious king, who him defied,

And at his chariot wheels to drag him bound

Threatened, nor from the Holy One of Heav’n

Refrained his tongue blasphemous; but anon

Down clov’n to the waste, with shattered arms And uncouth pain fled bellowing. On each wing Uriel and Raphael his vaunting foe,

Though huge, and in a rock of diamond armed,

Vanquished Adramelec, and Asmadai,

Two potent Thrones, that to be less than gods Disdained, but meaner thoughts learned in their flight, Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail.

Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy

The atheist crew, but with redoubled blow

Ariel and Arioch, and the violence

Of Ramiel scorched and blasted overthrew.

I might relate of thousands, and their names

Eternize here on Earth; but those elect

Angels contented with their fame in Heav’n

Seek not the praise of men: the other sort

In might though wondrous and in acts of war,

Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom

Cancelled from Heav’n and sacred memory,

Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell.

For strength from truth divided and from just, Illaudable, naught merits but dispraise

And ignominy, yet to glory aspires

Vainglorious, and through infamy seeks fame:

Therefore eternal silence be their doom.

“And now their mightiest quelled, the battle swerved, With many an inroad gored; deformèd rout

Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground

With shivered armor strown, and on a heap

Chariot and charioteer lay overturned

And fiery foaming steeds; what stood, recoiled O’erwearied, through the faint Satanic host

Defensive scarce, or with pale fear surprised, Then first with fear surprised and sense of pain Fled ignominious, to such evil brought

By sin of disobedience, till that hour

Not liable to fear or flight or pain.

Far otherwise th’ inviolable saints

In cubic phalanx firm advanced entire,

Invulnerable, impenetrably armed:

Such high advantages their innocence

Gave them above their foes, not to have sinned, Not to have disobeyed; in fight they stood

Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained

By wound, though from their place by violence moved.

“Now night her course began, and over Heav’n

Inducing darkness, grateful truce imposed,

And silence on the odious din of war:

Under her cloudy covert both retired,

Victor and Vanquished: on the foughten field

Michael and his angels prevalent

Encamping, placed in guard their watches round, Cherubic waving fires: on th’ other part

Satan with his rebellious disappeared,

Far in the dark dislodged, and void of rest,

His potentates to council called by night;

And in the midst thus undismayed began.

“ ‘O now in danger tried, now known in arms

Not to be overpowered, companions dear,

Found worthy not of liberty alone,

Too mean pretense, but what we more affect,

Honor, dominion, glory, and renown,

Who have sustained one day in doubtful fight, (And if one day, why not eternal days?)

What Heaven’s Lord had powerfullest to send

Against us from about his throne, and judged

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 armed, Some disadvantage we endured and pain,

Till now not known, but known as soon contemned, Since now we find this our empyreal form

Incapable of mortal injury

Imperishable, and though pierced with wound,

Soon closing, and by native vigor healed.

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.’

“He sat; and in th’ assembly next upstood

Nisroch, of Principalities the prime;

As one he stood escaped from cruel fight,

Sore toiled, his riven arms to havoc hewn,

And cloudy in aspect thus answering 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 unpained, impassive; from which evil

Ruin must needs ensue; for what avails

Valor or strength, though matchless, quelled 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 defense, to me deserves

No less than for deliverance what we owe.’

“Whereto with look composed Satan replied.

‘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 mold whereon we stand,

This continent of spacious Heav’n, adorned

With plant, fruit, flow’r ambrosial, gems and gold, Whose eye so superficially surveys

These things, as not to mind from whence they grow Deep under ground, materials dark and crude,

Of spiritous and fiery spume, till touched

With Heav’n’s ray, and tempered they shoot forth So beauteous, op’ning 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-rammed, 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 disarmed The thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.

Nor long shall be our labor, yet ere dawn,

Effect shall end our wish. Meanwhile revive;

Abandon fear; to strength and counsel joined

Think nothing hard, much less to be despaired.’ He ended, and his words their drooping cheer

Enlightened, and their languished hope revived.

Th’ invention all admired, and each, how he

To be th’ inventor missed, so easy it seemed

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 inspired

With dev’lish machination might devise

Like instrument to plague the sons of men

For sin, 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 turned

Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath

Th’ originals of nature in their crude

Conception; sulfurous and nitrous foam

They found, they mingled, and with subtle art, Concocted and adusted they reduced

To blackest grain, and into store conveyed:

Part hidden veins digged up (nor hath this Earth Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,

Whereof to found their engines and their balls Of missive ruin; part incentive reed

Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.

So all ere day-spring, under conscious night

Secret they finished, and in order set,

With silent circumspection unespied.

Now when fair morn orient in Heav’n appeared

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 hills

Looked round, and scouts each coast light-armèd scour, Each quarter, to descry the distant foe,

Where lodged, or whither 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 in mid-air aloud thus cried.

“ ‘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

His adamantine coat gird well, and each

Fit well his helm, grip fast his orbèd shield, Borne ev’n or high, for this day will pour down, If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower,

But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.’ So warned he them aware themselves, and soon

In order, quit of all impediment;

Instant without disturb they took alarm,

And onward move embattled; when behold

Not distant far with heavy pace the foe

Approaching gross and huge; in hollow cube

Training his devilish enginery, impaled

On every side with shadowing squadrons deep,

To hide the fraud. At interview both stood

A while, but suddenly at head appeared

Satan: and thus was heard commanding loud.

“ ‘Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold; That all may see who hate us, how we seek

Peace and composure, and with open breast

Stand ready to receive them, if they like

Our overture, and turn not back perverse;

But that I doubt, however witness Heaven,

Heav’n witness thou anon, while we discharge

Freely our part; ye who appointed stand

Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch

What we propound, and loud that all may hear.’ “So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce

Had ended when to right and left the front

Divided, and to either flank retired.

Which to our eyes discovered new and strange, A triple-mounted row of pillars laid

On wheels (for like to pillars most they seemed Or hollowed bodies made of oak or fir

With branches lopped, in wood or mountain felled) Brass, iron, stony mold, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gaped on us wide,

Portending hollow truce; at each behind

A Seraph stood, and in his hand a reed

Stood waving tipped with fire; while we suspense, Collected stood within our thoughts amused,

Not long, for sudden all at once their reeds

Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied

With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,

But soon obscured with smoke, all Heav’n appeared, From those deep-throated engines belched, whose roar Emboweled with outrageous noise the air,

And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul

Their devilish glut, chained thunderbolts and hail Of iron globes, which on the victor host

Leveled, with such impetuous fury smote,

That whom they hit, none on their feet might stand, Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell By thousands, angel on archangel rolled;

The sooner for their arms, unarmed they might Have easily as spirits evaded swift

By quick contraction or remove; but now

Foul dissipation followed and forced rout;

Nor served it to relax their serried files.

What should they do? If on they rushed, repulse Repeated, and indecent overthrow

Doubled, would render them yet more despised, And to their foes a laughter; for in view

Stood ranked of Seraphim another row

In posture to displode their second tire

Of thunder: back defeated to return

They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight, And to his mates thus in derision called.

“ ‘O friends, why come not on these victors proud?

Erewhile they fierce were coming, and when we, To entertain them fair with open front

And breast, (what could we more?) propounded terms Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,

As they would dance, yet for a dance they seemed Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps

For joy of offered peace: but I suppose

If our proposals once again were heard

We should compel them to a quick result.’

“To whom thus Belial in like gamesome mood.

‘Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight, Of hard contents, and full of force urged home, Such as we might perceive amused 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, heightened in their thoughts beyond All doubt of victory, eternal might

To match with their inventions they presumed

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 them arms Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose.

Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power

Which God hath in his mighty angels placed)

Their arms away they threw, and to the hills

(For Earth hath this variety from Heav’n

Of pleasure situate in hill and dale)

Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew, From their foundations loos’ning to and fro

They plucked the seated hills with all their load, Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops

Uplifting bore them in their hands: amaze,

Be sure, and terror seized the rebel host,

When coming towards them so dread they saw

The bottom of the mountains upward turned,

Till on those cursèd engines’ triple-row

They saw them whelmed, and all their confidence Under the weight of mountains buried deep,

Themselves invaded next, and on their heads

Main promontories flung, which in the air

Came shadowing, and oppressed whole legions armed, Their armor helped their harm, crushed in and bruised Into their substance pent, which wrought them pain Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,

Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind Out of such prison, though spirits of purest light, Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.

The rest in imitation to like arms

Betook them, and the neighboring hills uptore; So hills amid the air encountered hills

Hurled to and fro with jaculation dire

That underground they fought in dismal shade; Infernal noise; war seemed a civil game

To this uproar; horrid confusion heaped

Upon confusion rose: and now all Heav’n

Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread,

Had not th’ almighty Father where he sits

Shrined in his sanctuary of Heav’n secure,

Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen

This tumult, and permitted all, advised:

That his great purpose he might so fulfill,

To honor his anointed Son avenged

Upon his enemies, and to declare

All power on him transferred: whence to his Son Th’ assessor of his throne he thus began.

“ ‘Effulgence of my glory, Son beloved,

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 passed,

Two days, as we compute the days of Heav’n,

Since Michael and his powers went forth to tame These disobedient; sore hath been their fight, As likeliest was, when two such foes met armed; For to themselves I left them, and thou know’st, Equal in their creation they were formed,

Save what sin hath impaired, 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 hath performed what war can do,

And to disordered rage let loose the reins,

With mountains as with weapons armed, which makes Wild work in Heav’n, and dangerous to the main.

Two days are therefore passed, the third is thine; For thee I have ordained it, and thus far

Have suffered, 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 transfused, that all may know

In Heav’n and Hell thy power above compare,

And this perverse commotion governed thus,

To manifest thee worthiest to be heir

Of all things, to be heir and to be King

By sacred unction, thy deservèd right.

Go then thou mightiest in thy Father’s might, Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels

That shake Heav’n’s basis, bring forth all my war, My bow and thunder, my almighty arms

Gird on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh;

Pursue these sons of darkness, drive them out From all Heav’n’s bounds into the utter deep: There let them learn, as likes them, to despise God and Messiah his anointed King.’

“He said, and on his Son with rays direct

Shone full, he all his Father full expressed

Ineffably into his face received,

And thus the filial Godhead answering spake:

“ ‘O Father, O supreme of Heav’nly thrones,

First, highest, holiest, best, thou always seek’st To glorifys thy Son, I always thee,

As is most just; this I my glory account,

My exaltation, and my whole delight,

That thou in me well pleased, declar’st thy will Fulfilled, which to fulfill is all my bliss.

Scepter and power, thy giving, I assume,

And gladlier shall resign, when in the end

Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee

Forever, and in me all whom thou lov’st:

But whom thou hat’st, I hate, and can put on

Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on,

Image of thee in all things; and shall soon,

Armed with thy might, rid Heav’n of these rebelled, To their prepared ill mansion driven down

To chains of darkness, and th’ undying worm,

That from thy just obedience could revolt,

Whom to obey is happiness entire.

Then shall thy saints unmixed, and from th’ impure Far separate, circling thy holy mount

Unfeignèd hallelujahs to thee sing,

Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.’ So said, he o’er his scepter bowing, rose

From the right hand of glory where he sat,

And the third sacred morn began to shine

Dawning through Heav’n: forth rushed with whirlwind sound The chariot of paternal deity,

Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel undrawn, Itself instinct with spirit, but convoyed

By four cherubic shapes, four faces each

Had wondrous, as with stars their bodies all

And wings were set with eyes, with eyes the wheels Of beryl, and careering fires between;

Over their heads a crystal firmament,

Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure

Amber, and colors of the show’ry arch.

He in celestial panoply all armed

Of radiant urim, work divinely wrought,

Ascended, at his right hand Victory

Sat eagle-winged, beside him hung his bow

And quiver with three-bolted thunder stored,

And from about him fierce effusion rolled

Of smoke and bickering flame, and sparkles dire; 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 crystalline sky, in sapphire throned.

Illustrious far and wide, but by his own

First seen, them unexpected joy surprised,

When the great ensign of Messiah blazed

Aloft by angels borne, his sign in Heav’n:

Under whose conduct Michael soon reduced

His army, circumfused on either wing,

Under their head embodied all in one.

Before him power divine his way prepared;

At his command the uprooted hills retired

Each to his place, they heard his voice and went Obsequious, Heav’n his wonted face renewed,

And with fresh flow’rets hill and valley smiled.

This saw his hapless foes but stood obdured,

And to rebellious fight rallied their powers

Insensate, 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 hardened more by what might most reclaim, Grieving to see his glory, at the sight

Took envy, and aspiring to his highth,

Stood re-embattled 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 retreat; 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 armed, this day from battle rest;

Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God

Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause,

And as ye have received, so have ye done

Invincibly; but of this cursèd crew

The punishment to other hand belongs,

Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints;

Number to this day’s work is not ordained

Nor multitude, stand only and behold

God’s indignation on these godless poured

By me, not you but me they have despised,

Yet envied; against me is all their rage,

Because the Father, t’ whom in Heav’n supreme Kingdom and power and glory appertains,

Hath honored me according to his will.

Therefore to me their doom he hath assigned;

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 changed

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 rolled, 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 steadfast empyrean shook throughout,

All but the throne itself of God. Full soon

Among them he arrived; in his right hand

Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent Before him, such as in their souls infixed

Plagues; they astonished all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropped; O’er shields and helms, and helmèd heads he rode 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-visaged Four,

Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels Distinct alike with multitude of eyes;

One spirit in them ruled, and every eye

Glared lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire Among th’ accursed, that withered all their strength, And of their wonted vigor left them drained,

Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall’n.

Yet half his strength he put not forth, but checked His thunder in mid-volley, for he meant

Not to destroy, but root them out of Heav’n:

The overthrown he raised, and as a herd

Of goats or timorous flock together thronged

Drove them before him thunderstruck, pursued

With terrors and with furies to the bounds

And crystal wall of Heav’n, which op’ning wide, Rolled inward, and a spacious gap disclosed

Into the wasteful deep; the monstrous sight

Strook them with horror backward, but far worse Urged them behind; headlong themselves they threw 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 roared, And felt tenfold confusion in their fall

Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout

“headlong themselves they threw / Down from the verge of Heav’n” (.–). (illustration credit .) Encumbered him with ruin: Hell at last

Yawning received them whole, and on them closed, Hell their fit habitation fraught with fire

Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.

Disburdened Heav’n rejoiced, and soon repaired Her mural breach, returning whence it rolled.

Sole victor from th’ expulsion of his foes

Messiah his triumphal chariot turned:

To meet him all his saints, who silent stood

Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,

With jubilee advanced; and as they went,

Shaded with branching palm, each order bright Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King,

Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion giv’n,

Worthiest to reign: he celebrated rode

Triumphant through mid-Heav’n, into the courts And temple of his mighty Father throned

On high: who into glory him received,

Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss.

“Thus measuring things in Heav’n by things on Earth At thy request, and that thou may’st beware

By what is past, to thee I have revealed

What might have else to human race been hid;

The discord which befell, and war in Heav’n

Among th’ angelic powers, and the deep fall

Of those too high aspiring, who rebelled

With Satan, he who envies now thy state,

Who now is plotting how he may seduce

Thee also from obedience, that with him

Bereaved of happiness thou may’st partake

His punishment, eternal misery;

Which would be all his solace and revenge,

As a despite done against the Most High,

Thee once to gain companion of his woe.

But listen not to his temptations, warn

Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard

By terrible example the reward

Of disobedience; firm they might have stood,

Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress.”