The better fight, who fingle haft maintain'd
Againft revolted multitudes the Cause
Of Truth, in word mightier than they in Arms;
And for the teftimony of Truth haft born
Univerfal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence: for this was all thy care
To ftand approv'd in fight of God, tho' Worlds
Judg'd thee perverfe: the eafier conqueft now
Remains thee, aided by this hoft of friends,
Back on thy fees more glorious to return
Than fcorn'd thou didst depart, and to fubdue
By force, who reafon for their Law refuse,
Right reason for their Law, and for their King
Meffiah, who by right of merit Reigns.
Go Michael of Celestial Armies Prince,
And thou in Military prowefs next
Gabriel, lead forth to Battel these my Sons
Invincible, lead forth my armed Saints
By Thoufands and by Millions rang'd for fight;
Equal in number to that Godless crew
Rebellious, them with Fire and hoftile Arms
Fearless affault, and to the brow of Heav'n
Purfuing drive them out from God and blifs
Into their place of punishment, the Gulph
Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide
His fiery Chaos to receive their fall.
So fpake the Sov'reign voice, and Clouds began To darken all the Hill, and fimoak to rowl In dusky wreathes, reluctant flames, the fign Of wrath awak'd; nor with lefs dread the loud
Ethereal Trumpet from on high gan blow:
At which command the Powers Militant,
That ftood for Heav'n, in mighty Quadrate joyn'd
Of Union irresistible, `mov'd on
In filence their bright Legions, to the found
Of instrumental Harmony that breath'd
Heroic Ardor to adven'trous deeds
Under their God-like Leaders, in the Cause
Of God and his Meffiah. On they move
Indiffolubly firm: nor obvious Hill,
Nor ftreit'ning Vale, nor Wood, nor Stream divides
Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground 71
Their march was, and the paffive Air upbore
Their nimble tread, as when the total kind
Of Birds in orderly array on wing
Came fummon'd over Eden to receive
Their names of thee; fo over many a tract
Of Heav'n they march'd, and many a Province wide
Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last
Far in th' Horizon to the North appear'd
From skirt to skirt a fiery Region, stretcht
In battailous afpect, and nearer view
Briftl'd with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid Spears, and Helmets throng'd, and Shields
Various, with boaftful Argument portraid,
The banded Powers of Satan hafting on
With furious expedition; for they ween'd
That felf fame day by fight, or by furprize
To win the Mount of God, and on his Throne
To fet the envier of his State, the proud
Afpirer, but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain go
In the mid way; though ftrange to us it seem'd
At first, that Angel fhould with Angel war,
And in fierce hofting 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 fhout
Of Battel now began, and rushing found
Of onfet ended foon each milder thought.
High in the midst exalted as a God
Th'Apoftat in his Sun-bright Chariot fate
Idol of Majefty Divine, enclos'd
With flaming Cherubim, and golden Shields;
Then lighted from his gorgeous Throne, for now
'Twixt Hoft and Hoft but narrow space was left,
A dreadful interval, and Front to Front-
Prefented ftood in terrible array
Of hideous length: before the cloudy Van,
On the rough edge of battel e'er it joyn'd,
Satan with vaft and haughty ftrides advanc'd,
Came towring, arm'd in Adamant and Gold; 110
Abdiel that fight endur'd not, where he food
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores.
O Heav'n! that fuch refemblance of the Higheft
Should yet remain, where faith and realty
Remain not; wherefore should not ftrength and might
There fail where Virtue fails, or weakest prove
Where boldeft; though to fight unconquerable?
His puiffance, trufting in th'Almighty's aid,
I mean to try, whose Reason I have try'd
Unfound and false; nor is it aught but juft,
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 Reafon hath to deal with force, yet fo 125
Moft reason is that Reafon overcome.
So pondering, and from his armed Peers
Forth stepping oppofite, half way he met
His daring foe, at this prevention more
Incens'd, and thus fecurely him defy'd.
Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reacht
The heighth of thy afpiring unoppos'd,
The Throne of God ungarded, and his fide
Abandon'd at the terror of thy Power
Or potent tongue; fool, not to think how vain 135
Against th' Omnipotent to rife in Arms;
Who out of smallest things could without end
Have rais'd inceffant Armies to defeat
Thy folly; or with folitary hand
Reaching beyond all limit at one blow
Unaided could have finisht thee, and whelm'd
Thy Legions under darkness; but thou feest
All are not of thy Train; there be who Faith
Prefer, and Piety to God, though then
To thee not vifible, when I alone
Seem'd in thy World erroneous to diffent
From all my Sect thou feeft, now learn too late How few fometimes may know, when thousands err.
Whom the grand foe with scornful eye askance
Thus anfwer'd. Ill for thee, but in wifht hour 150
Of my revenge, firft fought for thou returnst
From flight, feditious Angel, to receive
Thy merited reward, the firft affay
Of this right hand provokt, since first that tongue
Infpir'd with contradiction durft oppose
A third part of the Gods, in Synod met
Their Deities to affert, who while they feel
Vigour Divine within them, can allow
Omnipotence to none. But well thou comft
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win
From me fome Plume, that thy fuccefs may show
Deftruction to the reft: this paufe between
(Unanswer'd left 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 165
I fee that most through floth had rather serve,
Miniftring Spirits, train'd up in Feast and Song;
Such haft thou arm'd, the Minstrelfie of Heav'n,
Servility with freedom to contend,
As both their deeds compar'd this day fhall prove.
To whom in brief thus Abdiel ftern reply'd.
Apoftat, fill thon err'ft, nor end wilt find
Of erring, from the path of truth remote:
Unjustly thou deprav'ft it with the name
Of Servitude to ferve whom God ordains,
Or Nature; God and Nature bid the fame,
When he who rules is worthieft, and excels
Them whom he governs. This is fervitude,
To ferve th' unwife, or him who hath rebell'd
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