154
Of this right hand provoked, since first that tongue,
155
Inspired with contradiction, durst oppose
156
A third part of the gods, in synod met
157
Their deities to assert,3781 who while they feel
158
Vigor divine within them, can allow
159
Omnipotence to none. But well thou com’st
160
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win
161
From me some plume, 3782 that thy success3783 may show
162
Destruction3784 to the rest. This pause between
163
(Unanswered lest thou boast) to let thee know:
164
At first I thought that liberty and Heav’n
165
To Heav’nly souls had been all one, but now
166
I see that most through sloth had rather serve,
167
Minist’ring Spirits, trained up in feast and song!
168
Such hast thou armed, the minstrelsy of Heav’n,
169
Servility with freedom to contend,
170
As both their deeds compared this day shall prove.
171
To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied:
172
“‘Apostate! Still thou err’st, nor end wilt find
173
Of erring, from the path of truth remote.
174
Unjustly thou deprav’st 3785 it with the name
175
Of servitude, to serve whom God ordains,
176
Or Nature: God and Nature bid 3786 the same,
177
When he who rules is worthiest, and excels
178
Them whom he governs. This is servitude,
179
To serve the unwise, or him who hath rebelled
180
Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee,
181
Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled.3787
182
Yet lewdly 3788 dar’st our minist’ring 3789 upbraid.3790
183
Reign thou in Hell, thy kingdom! Let me serve
184
In Heav’n God ever blest, and His divine
185
Behests3791 obey, worthiest to be obeyed.
186
Yet chains in Hell, not realms, expect. Meanwhile,
187
From me returned, as erst thou saidst, from flight,
188
This greeting on thy impious crest 3792 receive.
189
“So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high,
190
Which hung not, but so swift with tempest 3793 fell
191
On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight
192
Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield,
193
Such ruin3794 intercept. Ten paces huge3795
194
He back recoiled; the tenth on bended knee,
195
His massy spear upstaid,3796 as if on earth
196
Winds under ground, or waters forcing way,
197
Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat,
198
Half sunk with all his pines. Amazement seized
199
The rebel Thrones, but greater rage, to see
200
Thus foiled 3797 their mightiest; ours joy filled, and shout,
201
Presage of victory, 3798 and fierce desire
202
Of battle. Whereat Michael 3799 bid sound
203
The Arch-Angel trumpet. Through the vast 3800 of Heav’n
204
It sounded, and the faithful armies rung
205
Hosanna to the Highest.
“Nor stood at gaze3801
206
The adverse legions, nor less hideous, joined,3802
207
The horrid shock. Now storming fury rose,
208
And clamor such as heard in Heav’n till now
209
Was never. Arms on armor clashing brayed3803
210
Horrible discord, and the madding3804 wheels
211
Of brazen3805 chariots raged. Dire3806 was the noise
212
Of conflict. Overhead the dismal hiss
213
Of fiery darts3807 in flaming vollies flew,
214
And flying vaulted 3808 either host with fire.
215
So under fiery cope3809 together rushed
216
Both battles3810 main,3811 with ruinous assault
217
And inextinguishable rage. All Heav’n
218
Resounded, and had earth been then, all earth
219
Had to her center shook.
“What wonder, when
220
Millions of fierce encount’ring Angels fought
221
On either side, the least of whom could wield
222
These elements, and arm him with the force
223
Of all their regions? How much more of power
224
Army against army numberless to raise
225
Dreadful combustion3812 warring, and disturb,
226
Though not destory, their happy native seat,
227
Had not the Eternal King Omnipotent,
228
From His stronghold of Heav’n high, over-ruled3813
229
And limited their might, though numbered 3814 such
230
As each divided3815 legion might have seemed
231
A numerous host, in strength each armèd band
232
A legion. Led in fight, yet leader seemed
233
Each warrior single as in chief, expert
234
When to advance, or stand, or turn the sway
235
Of battle, open when, and when to close
236
The ridges3816 of grim3817 war. No thought of flight,
237
None of retreat, no unbecoming deed
238
That argued fear. Each on himself relied,
239
As3818 only in his arm the moment 3819 lay
240
Of victory. Deeds of eternal fame
241
Were done, but infinite, for wide was spread
242
That war and various. Sometimes on firm ground
243
A standing fight; then soaring on main3820 wing
244
Tormented 3821 all the air. All air seemed then
245
Conflicting3822 fire.
“Long time in even scale
246
The battle hung, till Satan, who that day
247
Prodigious3823 power had shown, and met in arms
248
No equal, ranging through the dire attack
249
Of fighting Seraphim confused,3824 at length
250
Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and felled
251
Squadrons at once: with huge two-handed sway 3825
252
Brandished aloft, the horrid 3826 edge came down
253
Wide-wasting. Such destruction to withstand
254
He hasted, and opposed 3827 the rocky orb
255
Of tenfold adamant, his ample shield,
2
56
A vast circumference. At his approach
257
258
Surceased,3828 and glad, as hoping here to end
259
Intestine3829 war in Heav’n, th’ arch-foe subdued
260
Or captive dragged in chains, with hostile frown
261
And visage all inflamed first thus began:
262
“‘Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,
263
Unnamed in Heav’n, now plenteous, as thou see’st—
264
These acts of hateful strife, hateful to all,
265
Though heaviest by just measure3830 on thyself
266
And thy adherents! How hast thou disturbed
267
Heav’n’s blessèd peace, and into Nature brought
268
Misery, uncreated till the crime
269
Of thy rebellion! How hast thou instilled
270
Thy malice into thousands, once upright
271
And faithful, now proved false! But think not here
272
To trouble holy rest.3831 Heav’n casts thee out
273
From all her confines.3832 Heav’n, the seat of bliss,
274
Brooks3833 not the works of violence and war.
275
Hence then, and evil go with thee along,
276
Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell,
277
Thou and thy wicked crew! There mingle3834 broils,3835
278
Ere this avenging sword begin thy doom,
279
Or some more sudden vengeance, winged from God,
280
Precipitate thee with augmented pain.
281
“So spoke the Prince of Angels, to whom thus
282
The adversary:
“‘Nor think thou with wind
283
Of airy threats to awe whom yet with deeds
284
Thou canst not. Hast thou turned the least of these
285
To flight, or if to fall, but that they rise
286
Unvanquished? Easier to transact 3836 with me
287
That thou shouldst hope, imperious, and with threats
288
To chase me hence? Err not, that so shall end
289
The strife which thou call’st evil, but we style
290
The strife of glory, which we mean to win,
291
Or turn this Heav’n itself into the Hell
292
Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,
293
If not to reign. Meanwhile, thy utmost force
294
(And join Him named Almighty to thy aid)
295
I fly not, but have sought thee far and nigh.
296
“They ended parle, 3837 and both addressed 3838 for fight
297
Unspeakable, for who, though with the tongue
298
Of Angels, can relate, or to what things
299
Liken on earth conspicuous,3839 that may lift
300
Human imagination to such height
301
Of godlike power? For likest gods they seemed,
302
Stood they or moved, in stature, motion, arms,
303
Fit to decide the empire of great Heav’n.
304
Now waved their fiery swords, and in the air
305
Made horrid circles: two broad suns their shields
306
Blazed opposite, while expectation stood
307
In horror. From each hand 3840 with speed retired,
308
Where erst was thickest3841 fight, th’Angelic throng,
309
310
Of such commotion—such as, to set forth
311
Great things by small, if Nature’s concord broke,
312
Among the constellations war were sprung,
313
Two planets, rushing from aspect3844 malign
314
Of fiercest opposition, in mid sky
315
Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound.3845
316
Together both with next to almighty arm
317
Up-lifted imminent, one stroke they aimed
318
That might determine, 3846 and not need repeat,
319
As not of power at once, nor odds3847 appeared
320
In might or swift prevention.3848 But the sword
321
Of Michael from the armory of God
322
Was giv’n him tempered so that neither keen
323
Nor solid might resist that edge. It met
324
The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite
325
Descending, and in half cut sheer, 3849 nor stayed,
326
But with swift wheel reverse, deep ent’ring, shared 3850
327
All his right side. Then Satan first knew pain,
328
And writhed him to and fro convolved,3851 so sore
329
The griding3852 sword with discontinuous3853 wound
330
Passed through him. But the ethereal substance closed,
331
Not long divisible, and from the gash
332
A stream of nectarous humor 3854 issuing flowed
333
Sanguine, 3855 such as celestial Spirits may bleed,
334
And all his armor stained, erewhile so bright.
335
Forthwith on all sides to his aid was run
336
By Angels many and strong, who interposed
337
Defence, while others bore him on their shields
338
Back to his chariot, where it stood retired 3856
339
From off the files of war. 3857 There they him laid
340
Gnashing for anguish and despite3858 and shame
341
To find himself not matchless, and his pride
342
Humbled by such rebuke, 3859 so far beneath
343
His confidence to equal God in power.
344
Yet soon he healed, for Spirits that live throughout
345
Vital in every part, not as frail man
346
In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,3860
347
Cannot but3861 by annihilating die,
348
Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound
349
Receive, no more than can the fluid air.
350
All heart they live, all head, all eye, all ear,
351
All intellect, all sense, and as they please
352
They limb themselves, and color, shape, or size
353
Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare.
354
“Meanwhile in other parts like3862 deeds deserved
355
Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought,
356
And with fierce ensigns3863 pierced the deep array3864
357
Of Moloch, furious king, who him defied,
&n
bsp; 358
And at his chariot-wheels to drag him bound
359
Threat’ned, nor from the Holy One of Heav’n
360
Refrained his tongue blasphemous. But anon3865