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To have reported: gladly then he mix'd
Among those friendly Pow'rs, who him receiv'd
With joy and acclamations loud, that one,
That of fo many myriads fall'n, yet one
Return'd not loft: On to the facred hill
They led him, high applauded, and present
Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice,
From midst a golden cloud, thus mild was heard.
Servant of God, well done, well haft thou fought
The better fight, who single hast maintain'd
Against revolted multitudes the cause

Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms;

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And for the teftimony of truth hast borne

Universal reproach, far worse to bear

Than violence; for this was all thy care

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To fland approv'd in fight of God, though worlds

Judg'd thee perverse: the easier conquest now
Remains thee, aided by this host of friends,
Back on thy foes more glorious to return
Than scorn'd thou didst depart; and to subdue
By force, who reason 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 prowess next,

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Gabriel, lead forth to battel these my fons

Invincible; lead forth my armed Saints,

By thousands and by millions rang'd for fight,

Equal

Equal in number to that Godless crew
Rebellious; them with fire and hostile arms
Fearless affault, and to the brow of Heaven
Pursuing, drive them out from God and bliss
Into their place of punishment, the gulf
Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide

His fiery Chaos to receive their fall.

So spake the sovran voice, and clouds began

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To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll,

In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the sign
Of wrath awak'd; nor with less dread the loud
Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow:
At which command the Powers militant,
That flood for Heav'n, in mighty quadrate join'd
Of union irresistible, mov'd on

In filence their bright legions, to the found
Of inftrumental harmony, that breath'd
Heroic ardor to adventrous deeds

Under their God-like leaders, in the cause
Of God and his Meffiah. On they move
Indiffolubly firm; nor obvious hill,

Nor ftrait'ning vale, nor wood, nór stream divides 70 Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground

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

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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, stretch'd
In battailious afpéct, and nearer view
Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid fpears, and helmets throng'd, and fhields
Various, with boastful argument portray'd,

The banded Pow'rs of Satan hasting on
With furious expedition; for they ween'd
That self-fame day, by fight, or by surprise,

To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To set the envier of his ftate, the proud

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Afpirer; but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain 90 In the mid way: though ftrange to us it seem'd

At first, that Angel fhould with Angel war,

And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet
So oft in festivals of joy and love
Unanimous, as fons of one great fire,
Hymning th'eternal Father: but the shout
Of battel now began, and rushing found
Of onset ended foon each milder thought.
High in the midft, exalted as a God,
Th' Apostate in his fun-bright chariot fat,
Idol of majefty divine, inclos'd

With flaming Cherubim and golden fhields;
Then lighted from his gorgeous throne; for now
'Twixt hoft and hoft but narrow fpace was left,

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A

A dreadful interval, and front to front
Presented stood in terrible array

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Of hideous length: before the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battel,ere it join'd,
Satan, with vaft and haughty strides advanc'd,
Came towring, arm'd in adamant and gold;
Abdiel that fight indur'd not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds;
And thus his own undaunted heart explores.
O Heav'n! that such resemblance of the Highest
Should yet remain, where faith and reälty
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Remain not: wherefore should not strength and might
There fail,where virtue fails, or weakest prove
Where boldeft? though to fight unconquerable,
His puiffance, trusting in th' Almighty's aid,
I mean to try, whose reason I have try'd
Unfound and false; nor is it ought but just,
That he who in debate of truth hath won,
Should win in arms, in both disputes alike
Victor; though brutish that contést and foul,
When reason hath to deal with force, yet fo,
Moft reason is, that reafon overcome.

So pondering, and from his armed peers
Forth stepping oppofit, half way he met
His daring foe, at this prevention more
Incens'd, and thus fecurely him defy'd.

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Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reach'd The highth of thy afpiring unoppos'd,

The

The throne of God unguarded, 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 rise 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,

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Unaided, could have finifh'd thee, and whelm'd
Thy legions under darkness: but thou seest
All are not of thy train; there be who faith
Prefer, and piety to God, though then
To thee not visible, when I alone
Seem'd, in thy world, erroneous, to dissent
From all my fect thou feeft; now learn, too late,
How few fometimes may know, when thousands err.

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Whom the grand foe,with fcornful eye askance, Thus answer'd. Ill for thee, but in wifh'd hour 150 Of my revenge, first sought for,thou return'st From flight, feditious Angel, to receive

Thy merited reward; the first assay

Of this right hand provok'd; since first that tongue, Inspir'd with contradiction,durst oppose

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A third part of the Gods, in fynod met
Their deities to affert; who, while they feel
Vigor divine within them, can allow
Omnipotence to none. But well thou com'ft
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win

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From