At first I thought that liberty and heaven
To heavenly fouls had been all one; but now
I fee that most through floth had rather ferve,
Minift'ring fpirits, train'd up in feast and song;
Such haft thou arm'd, the minftrelfy of heaven.
Servility with freedom to contend,
As both their deeds compar'd this day fhall prove. 170
To whom in brief thus Abdiel ftern reply'd.
Apoitate ftill thou err'ft, nor end wilt find
Of erring, from the path of truth remote :
Unjustly thou deprav'it it with the name
Of fervitude, to ferve whom God ordains,
Or Nature: God and Nature bid the fame,
When he who rules is worthieft, and excells
Them whom he governs. This is fervitude,
To ferve th' unwife, or him who hath rebell'd
Against his worthier, as thine now ferve thee,
Thyfelf not free, but to thyfelf inthrall'd;
Yet lewdly dar'ft our minift'ring upbraid.
Reign thou in hell, thy kingdom; let me ferve
In heaven God ever bless'd, and his divine
Behefts obey, worthieft to be obey'd;
Yet chains in hell, not realms, expect: mean while From me return'd, as erft thou faidst, from flight, This greeting on thy impious creft receive.
So lay'ing, a noble stroke he lifted high,
Which hung not, but fo fwift with tempeft fell 190 On the proud crest of Satan, that no fight
Nor motion of swift thought, lefs could his fhield,
Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge
He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee
His maffy fpear upftay'd; 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 feiz'd
The rebel thrones, but greater rage, to fee
Thus foil'd their mightiest; ours joy fill'd, and fhout, Prefage of victory, and fierce defire
Of battle: whereat Michaël bid found
Th' archangel trumpet; through the vast of heaven
It founded, and the faithful armies rung
Hofanna to the High'eft: nor ftood at gaze
The adverfe legions, nor lefs hideous join'd
The horrid fhock. Now ftorming fury rofe,
And clamour such as heard in heaven till now
Was never; arms on armour clashing bray'd
Horrible difcord, and the madding wheels
Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noife
Of conflict; over head the dismal hifs
Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew,
And flying vaulted either hoft with fire.
So under fiery cope together rush'd
Both battles main, with ruinous affault
And inextinguishable rage: all heaven
Refounded, and had earth been then, all earth
Had to her centre fhook. What wonder? when
Millions of fierce encount'ring angels fought
On either fide, the least of whom could wield
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 deftroy, their happy native seat ;
Had not th' eternal King omnipotent,
From his ftrong hold of heaven, high over-rul'd
And limited their might; though number'd fuch
As each divided legion might have feem'd
A numerous hoft, in strength each armed hand-
A legion, led in fight, yet leader feem'd
Each warrior fingle as in chief, expert
K.5
When to advance, or ftand, or turn the fway
Of battle, open when, and when to clofe
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
Of victory: deeds of eternal fame
Were done, but infinite; for wide was spread
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 even fcale-
The battle hung; till Satan, who that day
Prodigious power had fhown, and met in arms.
No equal, ranging through the dire attack
Of fighting feraphim confus'd, at length
Saw where the fword of Michael fmote, and fell'd
Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed fway
Brandifh'd 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 vaft circumference. At his approach
The great archangel from his warlike toil
Surceas'd, and glad, as hoping here to end
Inteftine war in heaven, th' arch-foe fubdu'd,
Or captive dragg'd in chains, with hoftile frown 260
And visage all inflam'd first thus began.
Author of ev'il, unknown till thy revolt,
Unnam'd in heaven, now plenteous, as thou feeft
Thefe acts of hateful ftrife, hateful to all,
Though heaviest by just measure on thyfelf
And thy adherents: how haft thou disturb'd
Heaven's blessed peace, and into nature brought
Mifery, uncreated till the crime
Of thy rebellion? how haft thou instill'd
Thy malice into thousands, once upright
And faithful, now prov'd falfe? But think not here
To trouble holy reft; heav'n cafts thee out
From all her confines. Heav'n, the feat of blifs,
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 fword begin thy doom,
Or fome more fudden vengeance, wing'd from God, Precipitate thee with augmented pain.
So fpake the prince of angels; to whom thus The adverfary. Nor think thou, with wind Of aery threats, to awe whom yet with deeds Thou canst not. Haft thou turn'd the least of thefe To flight, or if to fall, but that they rife Unvanquish'd, easier to tranfact with me,
That thou fhould'ft hope, imperious, and with threats".
To chafe me hence? Err not, that so shall end
The ftrife which thou call'st evil, but we style
The ftrife of glory; which we mean to win,
Or turn this heav'n itfelf into the hell
Thou fablest, here however to dwell free,
If not to reign: mean while thy utmost force,
And join him nam'd Almighty to thy aid,
I fly not, but have fought thee far and nigh.
They ended parle, and both addrefs'd for fight
Unfpeakable; for who, though with the tongue
Of angels, can relate, or to what things
Liken on earth confpicuous, that may life
Human imagination to fuch height
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..
K 6
Now wav'd their fiery fwords, and in the air
Made horrid circles; two broad funs their fhields 305.
Blaz'd oppofite, while Expectation ftood
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 nature's concord broke,
Among the conftellations war were sprung,
Two planets, rufhing from afpéct malign
Of fierceft oppofition, in mid fky
Should combat, and their jarring fpheres 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 fword
Of Michael from the armoury of God
Was given him temper'd fo, that neither keen
Nor folid might refift that edge : it met
The fword of Satan, with steep force to fmite
Defcending, and in half cut sheer; nor ftay'd, 325
But with fwift wheel reverfe, deep ent'ring, 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 discontinuous wound
Pafs'd thro' him: but th' ethereal fubftance clos'd,
Not long divifible; and from the gash
A ftream of necta'rous humour issuing flow'd
Sanguine, fuch as celeftial spi'rits may bleed,
And all his armour stain'd, erewhile fo bright.
Forthwith on all fides to his aid was run
By angels many and ftrong, who interpos'd
Defence; while others bore him on their fhields
Back to his chariot, where it stood retir'd
|