465
With what more forcible we may offend
Our yet unwounded Enemies, or arm
Our selves with like defence, to me deserves
No less then for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto with look compos’d Satan repli’d.
470
Not uninvented that, which thou aright
Beleivst so main to our success, I bring;
Which of us who beholds the bright surface
Of this Ethereous mould whereon we stand,
This continent of spacious Heav’n, adornd
475
With Plant, Fruit, Flowr Ambrosial, Gemms 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 fierie spume,25 till toucht
480
With Heav’ns ray, and temperd they shoot forth
So beauteous, op’ning to the ambient light.
These in thir dark Nativitie the Deep
Shall yeild us, pregnant with infernal flame,
Which into hollow Engins long and round
485
Thick-rammd, at th’ other bore with touch of fire
Dilated and infuriate shall send forth
From far with thundring noise among our foes
Such implements of mischief as shall dash
To pieces, and orewhelm whatever stands
490
Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarmd
The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt.
Nor long shall be our labour, yet ere dawn,
Effect shall end our wish. Mean while revive;
Abandon fear; to strength and counsel joind
495
Think nothing hard, much less to be despaird.
He ended, and his words thir drooping chere26
Enlight’n’d, and thir languisht hope reviv’d.
Th’ invention all admir’d, and each, how hee
To be th’ inventer miss’d, so easie it seemd
500
Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought
Impossible: yet haply of thy Race
In future dayes, if Malice should abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or inspir’d
With dev’lish machination might devise
505
Like instrument to plague the Sons of men
For sin, on warr and mutual slaughter bent.
Forthwith from Councel to the work they flew,
None arguing stood, innumerable hands
Were ready, in a moment up they turnd
510
Wide the Celestial soil, and saw beneath
Th’ originals of Nature in thir crude
Conception; Sulphurous and Nitrous Foam
They found, they mingl’d, and with suttle Art,
Concocted and adusted27 they reduc’d
515
To blackest grain, and into store convey’d:
Part hidd’n veins digg’d up (nor hath this Earth
Entrails unlike) of Mineral and Stone,
Whereof to found thir Engins and thir Balls
Of missive ruin;28 part incentive reed
520
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day-spring, under conscious Night
Secret they finish’d, and in order set,
With silent circumspection unespi’d.
Now when fair Morn Orient in Heav’n appeerd
525
Up rose the Victor Angels, and to Arms
The matin Trumpet Sung: in Arms they stood
Of Golden Panoplie, refulgent Host,
Soon banded; others from the dawning Hills
Look’d round, and Scouts each Coast light-armed scour,
530
Each quarter, to descrie the distant foe,
Where lodg’d, or whither fled, or if for fight,
In motion or in alt:29 him soon they met
Under spred Ensignes moving nigh, in slow
But firm Battalion; back with speediest Sail
535
Zophiel,30 of Cherubim the swiftest wing,
Came flying, and in mid Air aloud thus cri’d.
Arm, Warriours, 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
540
He comes, and settl’d in his face I see
Sad31 resolution and secure:32 let each
His Adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his Helm, gripe fast his orbed Shield,
Born eevn or high, for this day will pour down,
545
If I conjecture aught, no drizling showr,
But ratling storm of Arrows barb’d with fire.
So warnd he them aware themselves, and soon
In order, quit of all impediment;
Instant without disturb they took Allarm,
550
And onward move Embattell’d; when behold
Not distant far with heavie pace the Foe
Approaching gross and huge; in hollow Cube
Training his devilish Enginrie, impal’d33
On every side with shaddowing Squadrons Deep,
555
To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
A while, but suddenly at head appeerd
Satan: And thus was heard Commanding loud.
Vanguard, to Right and Left the Front unfould;
That all may see who hate us, how we seek
560
Peace and composure,34 and with open brest
Stand readie to receive them, if they like
Our overture, and turn not back perverse;
But that I doubt, however witness Heav’n,
Heav’n witness thou anon, while we discharge
565
Freely our part; yee 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
570
Divided, and to either Flank retir’d.
Which to our eyes discoverd new and strange,
A triple-mounted row of Pillars laid
On Wheels (for like to Pillars most they seem’d
Or hollow’d bodies made of Oak or Firr
575
With branches lopt, in Wood or Mountain fell’d)
Brass, Iron, Stonie mould,35 had not thir mouths
With hideous orifice gap’t on us wide,
Portending hollow truce; at each behind
A Seraph stood, and in his hand a Reed
580
Stood waving tipt with fire; while we suspense,36
Collected stood within our thoughts amus’d,37
Not long, for sudden all at once thir Reeds
Put forth, and to a narrow vent appli’d
With nicest38 touch. Immediate in a flame,
585
But soon obscur’d with smoak, all Heav’n appeerd,
From those deep-throated Engins belcht, whose roar
Emboweld39 with outragious noise the Air,
And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul
Thir devilish glut, chaind Thunderbolts and Hail
590
Of Iron Globes, which on the Victor Host
Level’d, with such impetuous furie smote,
That whom they hit, none on thir feet might stand,
Though standing else as Rocks, but down they fell
By thousands, Angel on Arch-Angel rowl’d;
595
The sooner for thir Arms, unarm’d they might
Have easily as Spirits evaded swift
By quick contraction or remove; but now
Foul d
issipation follow’d and forc’t rout;
Nor serv’d it to relax thir serried files.
600
What should they do? if on they rusht, repulse
Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubl’d, would render them yet more despis’d,
And to thir foes a laughter; for in view
Stood rankt of Seraphim another row
605
In posture to displode thir second tire40
Of Thunder: back defeated to return
They worse abhorr’d. Satan beheld thir plight,
And to his Mates thus in derision call’d.
O Friends, why come not on these Victors proud?
610
Ere while they fierce were coming, and when wee,
To entertain them fair with open Front
And Brest (what could we more?), propounded terms
Of composition,41 strait they chang’d thir minds,
Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell,
615
As they would dance, yet for a dance they seemd
Somwhat extravagant and wild, perhaps
For joy of offerd peace: but I suppose
If our proposals once again were heard
We should compel them to a quick result.
620
To whom thus Belial in like gamesom mood.
Leader, the terms we sent were terms of weight,
Of hard contents, and full of force urg’d home,
Such as we might perceive amus’d them all,
And stumbl’d many, who receives them right,
625
Had need from head to foot well understand;
Not understood, this gift they have besides,
They shew us when our foes walk not upright.
So they among themselves in pleasant vein
Stood scoffing, highth’n’d in thir thoughts beyond
630
All doubt of Victorie, eternal might
To match with thir inventions they presum’d
So easie, and of his Thunder made a scorn,
And all his Host derided, while they stood
A while in trouble; but they stood not long,
635
Rage prompted them at length, and found them arms
Against such hellish mischief fit t’ oppose.
Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power
Which God hath in his mighty Angels plac’d)
Thir Arms away they threw, and to the Hills
640
(For Earth hath this variety from Heav’n
Of pleasure situate in Hill and Dale)
Light as the Lightning glimps they ran, they flew,
From thir foundations loosning to and fro
They pluckt the seated Hills with all thir load,
645
Rocks, Waters, Woods, and by the shaggie tops
Up lifting bore them in thir hands:42 Amaze,
Be sure, and terrour seis’d the rebel Host,
When coming towards them so dread they saw
The bottom of the Mountains upward turn’d,
650
Till on those cursed Engins triple-row
They saw them whelm’d, and all thir confidence
Under the weight of Mountains buried deep,
Themselves invaded next, and on thir heads
Main Promontories flung, which in the Air
655
Came shadowing, and opprest whole Legions arm’d,
Thir armor help’d thir harm, crush’t in and bruis’d
Into thir substance pent, which wrought them pain
Implacable, and many a dolorous groan,
Long strugling underneath, ere they could wind
660
Out of such prison, though Spirits of purest light,
Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown.
The rest in imitation to like Armes
Betook them, and the neighbouring Hills uptore;
So Hills amid the Air encounterd Hills
665
Hurl’d to and fro with jaculation dire,
That under ground they fought in dismal shade;
Infernal noise; Warr seem’d a civil43 Game
To this uproar; horrid confusion heapt
Upon confusion rose: and now all Heav’n
670
Had gon to wrack, with ruin overspred,
Had not th’ Almightie Father where he sits
Shrin’d in his Sanctuarie of Heav’n secure,
Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen
This tumult, and permitted all, advis’d:44
675
That his great purpose he might so fulfill,
To honour his Anointed Son aveng’d
Upon his enemies, and to declare
All power on him transferr’d: whence to his Son
Th’ Assessor45 of his Throne he thus began.
680
Effulgence of my Glorie, Son belov’d,
Son in whose face invisible is beheld
Visibly, what by Deitie I am,
And in whose hand what by Decree I doe,
Second Omnipotence, two dayes are past,
685
Two dayes, as we compute the dayes of Heav’n,
Since Michael and his Powers went forth to tame
These disobedient; sore hath been thir fight,
As likeliest was, when two such Foes met arm’d;
For to themselves I left them, and thou knowst,
690
Equal in their Creation they were form’d,
Save what sin hath impaird, which yet hath wrought
Insensibly, for I suspend thir doom;
Endless, and no solution will be found:
695
Warr wearied hath perform’d what Warr can do,
And to disorder’d rage let loose the reins,
With Mountains as with Weapons arm’d, which makes
Wild work in Heav’n, and dangerous to the main.
Two dayes are therefore past, the third is thine;
700
For thee I have ordain’d it, and thus farr
Have sufferd, that the Glorie may be thine
Of ending this great Warr, since none but Thou
Can end it. Into thee such Vertue and Grace
Immense I have transfus’d, that all may know
705
In Heav’n and Hell thy Power above compare,
And this perverse Commotion governd thus,
To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir
Of all things, to be Heir and to be King
By Sacred Unction,46 thy deserved right.
710
Go then thou Mightiest in thy Fathers might,
Ascend my Chariot, guide the rapid Wheels
That shake Heav’ns basis, bring forth all my Warr,
My Bow and Thunder, my Almightie Arms
Gird on, and Sword upon thy puissant Thigh;
715
Pursue these sons of Darkness, drive them out
From all Heav’ns 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 Rayes direct
720
Shon full, he all his Father full exprest
Ineffably into his face receiv’d,
And thus the filial Godhead answering spake.
O Father, O Supream of heav’nly Thrones,
First, Highest, Holiest, Best, thou alwayes seekst
725
To glorifie thy Son, I alwayes thee,
As is most just; this I my Glorie account,
My exaltation, and my whole delight,
That thou in me well pleas’d, declarst thy will
Fulfill’d, which to fulfil is all my bliss.
730
Scepter and Power, thy giving, I assume,
And gladlier shall resign, when in the end
Thou shalt be All in All,47 and I in thee
For ever, and in mee all whom thou lov’st:
But whom thou hat’st, I hate, and can put on
735
Thy terrors, as I put thy mildness on,
Image of thee in all things; and shall soon,
Armd with thy might, rid heav’n of these rebell’d,
To thir prepar’d ill Mansion driven down
To chains of darkness, and th’ undying Worm,48
740
That from thy just obedience could revolt,
Whom to obey is happiness entire.
Then shall thy Saints unmixt, and from th’ impure
Farr separate, circling thy holy Mount
Unfained Halleluiahs to thee sing,
745
Hymns of high praise, and I among them chief.
So said, he o’re his Scepter bowing, rose
From the right hand of Glorie where he sate,
And the third sacred Morn began to shine
Dawning through Heav’n: forth rush’d with whirlwind sound
750
The Chariot49 of Paternal Deitie,
Flashing thick flames, Wheel within Wheel undrawn,
It self instinct50 with Spirit, but convoyd
By four Cherubic shapes, four Faces each
Had wondrous, as with Starrs thir bodies all
755
And Wings were set with Eyes, with Eyes the wheels
Of Beril, and careering51 Fires between;
Over thir heads a chrystal Firmament,
Whereon a Saphir Throne, inlaid with pure
Amber, and colours of the showrie Arch.
760
Hee in Celestial Panoplie all armd
Of radiant Urim,52 work divinely wrought,
Ascended, at his right hand Victorie
Sate Eagle-wing’d, beside him hung his Bow
And Quiver with three-bolted Thunder stor’d,
765
And from about him fierce Effusion rowld
Of smoak and bickering53 flame, and sparkles dire;
Attended with ten thousand thousand Saints,