Against his worthier, as thine now ferve thee, 180
Thy felf not free, but to thy felf enthrall'd;
Yet leudly dar'ft our miniftring upbraid.

Reign thou in Hell thy Kingdom, let me ferve
In Heav'n God ever bleft, and his Divine
Behefts obey, worthieft to he obey'd,

185

Yet Chains in Hell, not Realms expect: mean while From me return'd, as erft thou faidft, from flight, This greeting on thy impious Crest receive.

So faying, a noble stroke he lifted high,

Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell 190
On the proud Creft of Satan, that no fight,
Nor motion of swift thought, less could his Shield
Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge

195

He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee
His maffie Spear upstaid; as if on Earth
Winds under ground or waters forcing way"
Sidelong, had pufh'd a Mountain from his feat
Half funk with all his Pines. Amazement feis'd
The Rebel Thrones, but greater rage to fee
Thus foil'd their mightieft, ours joy fill'd, and shout,
Prefage of Victory and fierce defire

201

205

Of Battel: whereat Michael bid found
Th'Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vaft of Heaven
It founded, and the faithful Armies rung
Hofanna to the Higheft: nor ftood at gaze
The adverfe Legions, nor lefs hideous joyn'd
The horrid fhock: now forming fury rofe,
And clamour fuch as heard in Heav'n till now
Was never, Arms on Armour clashing bray'd

210

Horrible difcord, and the madding Wheels
Of brazen Chariots rag'd; dire was the noife
Of Conflict; over head the difmal hifs
Of fiery Darts in flaming vollies flew,
And flying vaulted either Hoft with fire.
So under fiery Cope together rush'd -
Both Battels main, with ruinous affault-
And inextinguishable rage; all Heav'n
Refounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth-
Had to her Center hook. What wonder? when
Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought 220
On either fide, the least of whom could weild
Thefe Elements, and arm him with the force
Of all their Regions: how much more of Power
Army against Army numberless to raise
Dreadful combuftion warring, and disturb,
Though not destroy, their happy Native seat ;
Had not th' Eternal King Omnipotent
From his ftrong hold of Heav'n high over-rul'd
And limited their might; though number'd fuch
As each divided Legion might have feem'd
A numerous Hoft, in ftrength each armed hand
A Legion, led in fight, yet Leader feem'd
Each Warriour fingle as in Chief, expert
When to advance, or ftand, or turn the fway
Of Battel, open when, and when to close
The ridges of grim War; no thought of flight,
None of retreat, no unbecoming deed
That argu'd fear; each on himself rely'd,
As only in his arm the moment lay,

225

230

235

Of victory; deeds of Eternal fame

240

were done, but infinite; for wide was fpred
That War and various; fometimes on firm ground
A ftanding fight, then foaring on main wing
Tormented all the Air; all Air feem'd then
Conflicting Fire: long time in eeven fcale.
The Battel hung; till Satan, who that day
Prodigious Power had fhewn, and met in Arms
No equal, raunging through the dire Attack
Of fighting Seraphim confus'd, at length

245

255

Saw where the Sword of Michael fmote, and fell'd
Squadrons at once, with huge too-handed fway 251
Brandifht aloft the horrid edge came down
Wide wafting; fuch deftruction to withstand
He hafted, and oppos'd the rocky Orb
Of tenfold Adamant, his ample Shield
A vait circumference: At his approach
The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toile
Surceas'd, and glad as hoping here to end
Inteftine War in Heav'n, the arch foe fubdu'd
Or Captive drag'd in Chains, with hoftile frown 260
And visage all enflam'd first thus began.
Author of evil, unknown till thy revolt,
Unnam'd in Heav'n, now plenteous, as thou seeft
Thefe Acts of hateful ftrife, hateful to all,
Though heaviest by just measure on thy felf 265
And thy adherents: how haft thou disturb'd
Heav'ns bleffed peace, and into Nature brought
Mifery, uncreated till the crime

Qf thy Rebellion? how halt thou instill'd

270

Thy malice into thoufands, once upright
And faithful, now prov'd falfe. But think not here
To trouble Holy Reft; Heav'n cafts thee out
Heav'n the place of blifs

From all her Confines.
Brooks not the works of violence and War.
Hence then, and evil go with thee along

275

Thy offspring, to the place of evil, Hell,
Thou and thy wicked crew; there mingle broiles,
E'er this avenging Sword begin thy doom,
Or fome more fudden vengeance wing'd from God
Precipitate thee with augmented pain.

280

So fpake the Prince of Angels; to whom thus The Adverfary. Nor think thou with wind Of aerie threats to awe whom yet with deeds Thou canft not. Haft thou turn'd the leaft of thefe To flight, or if to fall, but that they rife Unvanquisht, easier to tranfact with me

285

That thou should hope, imperious, and with threats
To chafe me hence? err not that fo fhall end
The ftrife which thou call'ft evil, but we ftyle
The ftrife of Glory: which we mean to win, 250
Of turn this Heav'n it felf into the Hell
Thou fableft, here however to dwell free,

If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force,
And join him nam'd Almighty to thy aid,

I flie not, but have fought thee far and nigh. 295
They ended parle, and both addreft for fight
Unfpeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of Angels, can relate, or to what things
Liken on Earth confpicuous, that may lift

Human imagination to fuch heighth

300

Of Godlike Power: for likeft Gods they feem'd,
Stood they or mov'd, in ftature, motion, arms
Fit to decide the Empire of great Heav'n.
Now wav'd their fiery Swords, and in the Aire
Made horrid Circles; two broad Suns their Shields
Blaz'd oppofite, while expectation stood

306

In horror; from each hand with speed retir'd
Where erft was thickest fight, th' Angelic throng,
And left large field, unfafe within the wind
Of fuch commotion, fuch as to fet forth
Great things by fmall, If Natures concord broke,
Among the Conftellations war were sprung,
Two Planets rushing from afpect malign

Of fierceft oppofition in mid Sky,

310

316

320

Should combat, and their jarring Sphears confound.
Together both with next to Almighty Arm,
Uplifted imminent one ftroke they aim'd
That might determine, and not need repeat,
As not of power, at once; nor odds appear'd
In might or fwift prevention; but the word
Of Michael from the Armory of God
Was giv'n him temper'd fo, that neither keen
Nor folid might refift that edge: it met
The fword of Satan with fteep force to fmite
Defcending, and in half cat fheere, nor ftaid, 325
But with fwift wheele reverfe, deep entring fhar'd
All his right fide; then Satan first knew pain,
And writh'd him to and fro convolv'd; fo fore
The griding fword with difcontinuous wound