Adverse, that they shall fear we have disarm'd The Thunderer of his only dreaded bolt. Nor long shall be our labour; yet ere dawn, Effect shall end our wish. Mean while revive; Abandon fear; to strength and counsel join'd Think nothing hard, much less to be despair'd.' "He ended, and his words their drooping cheer Enlighten'd, and their languish'd hope reviv'd. The invention all admir'd, and each, how he To be the inventor miss'd; so easy it seem'd Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought
Impossible: yet, haply, of thy race
In future days, if malice should abound, Some one intent on mischief, or inspir'd With devilish machination, might devise Like instrument to plague the sons of men For sin, on war and mutual slaughter bent. Forthwith from council to the work they flew; None arguing stood; innumerable hands Were ready; in a moment up they turn'd Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath The originals of nature in their crude Conception; sulphurous and nitrous foam They found, they mingled, and, with subtle art, Concocted and adusted they reduc’d
To blackest grain, and into store convey'd : Part hidden veins digg'd up (nor hath this Earth Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone, Whereof to found their engines and their balls Of missive ruin; part incentive reed Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire. So all ere day-spring, under conscious night, Secret they finish'd, and in order set, With silent circumspection, unespied.
A while; but suddenly at head appear'd Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud.
""Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold; That all may see who hate us, how we seek Peace and composure, and with open breast Stand ready to receive them, if they like Our overture, and turn not back perverse: But that I doubt; however witness Heaven! Hoaven, witness thou anon! while we discharge Freely our part: ye, who appointed stand, Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch What we propound, and loud that all may hear! "So scoffing in ambiguous words, he scarce Had ended; when to right and left the front Divided, and to either flank retir'd: Which to our eyes discover'd, new and strange, A triple mounted row of pillars laid On wheels (for like to pillars most they seen'd, Or hollow'd bodies made of oak or fir, With branches lopt, in wood or mountain fell'd,) Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gap'd onus wide, Portending hollow truce: at each behind A seraph stood, and in his hand a reed Stood waving tipt with fire; while we, suspense, Collected stood within our thoughts amus'd, Not long ; for sudden all at once their reeds Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame, But soon obscur'd with smoke, all Heaven ap- [roar
From these deep-throated engines belch'd, whose Embowell'd with outrageous noise the air, And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul Their devilish glut, chain'd thunderbolts and hail
"Now when fair morn orient in Heaven ap- Of iron globes; which, on the victor host
Up rose the victor-angels, and to arms
The matin trumpet sung: in arms they stood Of golden panoply, refulgent host, Soon banded; others from the dawning hills Look'd rotund, and scouts each coast light-armed Each quarter, to descry the distant foe, [scour, Where lodg'd, or whither fled, or if for fight, In motion or in halt: him soon they met. Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow But firm battalion : back with speediest sail Zophiel, of cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, ani in mid air aloud thus cried. "Arm, warriors, arm for fight; the foe at hand,
Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit This day; fear not his flight; so thick a cloud He comes, and settled in his face I see Sad resolution, and secure: let each His adamantine coat gird well, and each Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbed shield, Borne even or high; for this day will pour down, If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower, But rattling storin of arrows barb'd with fire.' "So war'd be them, aware themselves, and In order, quit of all impediment; Instant without disturb they took alarm, And onward mov'd embattled: when behold! Not distant far with heavy pace the foe Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube Training his devilish enginery, impal'd On every side with shadowing squadrons deep, To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
Levell'd, with such impetuous fury smote, That, whom they hit, none on their feet might
Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell By thousands, angel on arch-angel roll'd; The sooner for their arms; unarm'd, they might Have easily, as spirits, evaded swift
By quick contraction or remove; but now Foul dissipation follow'd, and fore'd rout; Nor serv'd it to relax their serried files. What should they do? if on they rush'd, repulse Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubled, would render them yet more despis'd, And to their foes a laughter; for in view Stood rank'd of seraphim another row, In posture to displode their second tire Of thunder: back defeated to return They worse abhorr'd. Satan beheld their plight, And to his mates thus in derision call'd.
Against such hellish mischief fit to oppose. Forthwith (behold the excellence, the power, Which God hath in his mighty angels plac'd!) Their arms away they threw, and to the hills (For Earth hath this variety from Heaven Of pleasure situate in hill and dale,) Light as the lightning glimpse they ran, they flew, From their foundations loosening to and fro, They pluck'd the seated hills, with all their load, Rocks, waters, woods, and by the shaggy tops Up-lifting bore them in their hands: amaze, Be sure, and terrour, seiz'd the rebel host, When coming towards them so dread they saw The bottom of the mountains upward turn'd; Till on those cursed engines' triple row They saw them whelm'd, and all their confidence Under the weight of mountains buried deep; Themselves invaded next, and on their heads Main promontories flung, which in the air Came shadowing, and oppress'd whole legions arm'd ; [bruis'd Their armour help'd their harm, crush'd in and Into their substance pent, which wrought them Implacable, and many a dolorous groan; [pain Long struggling underneath, ere they could wind
Out of such prison, though spirits of purest light, Purest at first, now gross by sinning grown. The rest, in imitation, to like arms Betook them, and the neighbouring hills uptore: So bills amid the air encounter'd hills, Hari'd to and fio with jaculation dire; That under ground they fought in dismal shade; Infernal noise! war seein'd a civil game To this uproar; horrid confusion heap'd Upon confusion rose: and now all Heaven Had gone to wrack, with ruin overspread; Had not the Almighty Father, where he sits Shrin'd in his sanctuary of Heaven secure, Consulting on the sum of things, foreseen This tumalt, and permitted all, advis'd : That his great purpose he might so fulfil, To honour his anointed Son aveng'd Upon his enemies, and to declare
All power on him transferr'd: whence to his
The assessor of his throne, he thus began. "Effulgence of my glory, Son beiov'd, Son, in whose face invisible is beheld Visibly, what by Deity Iam; And in whose hand what by decree I do, Second Omnipotence! two days are past, Two days, as we compute the days of Heaven,
Since Michael and his powers went forth to
These disobedient: sore hath been their fight, As likeliest was, when two such foes met arm'd; For to themselves I left them; and thou know'st,
Equal in their creation they were form'd, Save what sin hath impair'd; which yet hath Insensibly, for I suspend theic doom; [wrought Whence in perpetual fight they needs must last Endless, and no solution will be found: War wearied hath perform'd what war can do, And to disorder'd rage let loose the reins, With mountains, as with weapons, arm'd; which makes [maiu, Wild work in Heaven, and dangerous to the Two days are therefore past, the third is thine; For thee I have ordain'd it; and thus far Have suffer'd, that the glory inay be thine Of ending this great war, since none but thou Can end it. Into thee such virtue and grace Immense I have transfus'd, that all may know In Heaven and Hell thy power above compare; And, this perverse conmotion govern'd thus, To manifest thee worthiest to be Heir Of all things; to be Heir, and to be King By sacred unction, thy deserved right. Go then, thou Mightiest, in thy Father's might; Ascend my chariot, guide the rapid wheels That shake Heaven's basis, bring forth all my My bow and thunder, my almighty arms [war, Gard on, and sword upon thy puissant thigh; Pursue these sons of darkness, drive them out From all Heaven's bounds into the utter deep: There let them learn, as likes them, to despise God, and Messiah, his anointed king.'
"He said, and on his son with rays direct Shone full; he all his Father full express d Ineffably into his face receiv'd; And thus the filial godhead answering spake.
"O Father, O Supreme of heavenly thrones, First, Highest, Holiest, Best; thou always To glorify thy Son; I always thee, [seek'st As is most just: this I my glory account, My exaltation, and my whole delight, That thou, in me well pleas'd, declar'st thy will
Fulfill'd, which to fulfil is all my bliss. Sceptre and power, thy giving, I assume, And gladlier shall resign, when in the end Thou shalt be all in all, and I in thee
For ever; and in me all whom thou lov'st: Bot whom thou hat'st, I hate, and can put on Thy terrears, as I put thy mildness on, Image of thee in all things; and shall soon, Aru'd with thy might, rid lieaven of these rebell'd;
To their prepar'd ill mansion driven down, To chains of darkness, and the undying worm; That from thy just obedience could revolt, Whom to obey is happiness entire.
Then shall thy saints unmix'd, and from the
Far separate, circling thy holy mount, Unfeigned halleluiahs to thee sing,
Hymns of high praise, and I among them
"So said, he, o'er his sceptre bowing, rose From the right hand of Glory where he sat;
And the third sacred morn began to shine, Dawning through Heaven. Forth rush'd with whirlwind sound
The chariot of Paternal Deity, [drawn, Flashing thick flames, wheel within wheel un- Itself instinct with spirit, but convoy'd By four cherubic shapes; four faces each Had wonderous; as with stars, their bodies all And wings were set with eyes; with eyes the wheels
Of beril, and careering fires between; Over their heads a crystal firmament, Whereon a sapphire throne, inlaid with pure Amber, and colours of the showery arch. He, in celestial panoply all arm'd Of radiant Urim, work divinely wrought, Ascended; at his right hand Victory Sat eagle-wing'd; beside him hung his bow And quiver with three bolted thunder stor❜d; And from about him fierce effusion roll'd Of smoke, and bickering flame, and sparkles dire:
Attended with ten thousand thousand saints, He onward came; far off his coming shone; And twenty thousand (I their number heard) Chariots of God, half on each hand, were seen: He on the wings of cherub rode sublime On the crystalline sky, in sapphire thron'd, Illustrious far and wide; but by his own First seen them unexpected joy surpris'd, When the great ensign of Messiah blaz'd Aloft by angels borne, his sign in Heaven; Under whose conduct Michael soon reduc'd His army, circumfus'd on either wing, Under their head imbodied all in one. Before him Power Divine his way prepar'd; At his command the uprooted hills retir'd Each to his place; they heard his voice, and
Obsequious; Heaven his wonted face renew'd, And with fresh flowerets hill and valley smil'd. This saw his hapless foes, but stood obdur'd, And to rebellious fight rallied their powers, Insensate, hope conceiving from despair. In heavenly spirits could such perverseness dwell?
But to convince the proud what signs avail, Or wonders move the obdurate to relent? They, harden'd more by what might most re- claim,
Grieving to see his glory, at the sight Took envy; and, aspiring to his height, Stood re-embattled fierce, by force or fraud Weening to prosper, and at length prevail Against God and Messiah, or to fall In universal ruin last; and now To final battle drew, disdaining flight, Or faint retreat; when the great Son of God To all his host on either hand thus spake. "Stand still in bright array, ye saints; here stand,
Ye angels arm'd; this day from battle rest: Faithful hath been your warfare, and of God Accepted, fearless in his righteous cause; And as ye have receiv'd, so have ye done, Invincibly but of this cursed crew The punishment to other hand belongs; Vengeance is his, or whose he sole appoints : Number to this day's work is not ordain'd,
Nor multitude; stand only, and behold God's indignation on these godless pour'd By me; not you, but me, they have despis'd, Yet envied; against me is all their rage, Because the Father, to whom in Heaven su- preme
Kingdom, and power, and glory appertains, Hath honour'd me, according to his will, Therefore to me their doom he bath assign'd; That they may have their wish to try with me In battle which the stronger proves; they all, Or I alone against them; since by strength They measure all, of other excellence Not emulous, nor care who them excels; Nor other strife with them do I vouchsafe.'
"So spake the Son, and into terrour chang'd His countenance too severe to be beheld, And full of wrath bent on his enemies. At once the Four spread out their starry wings With dreadful shade contiguous, and the orbs Of his fierce chariot roll'd, as with the sound Of torrent floods, or of a numerous host. He on his impious foes right onward drove, Gloomy as night, under his burning wheels The stedfast empyréan shook throughout, All but the throne itself of God. Full soon Among them he arriv'd; in his right hand Grasping ten thousand thunders, which he sent Before him, such as in their souls infix'd Plagues: they, astonish'd, all resistance lost, All courage; down their idle weapons dropt: O'er shields, and helms, and helmed heads he rode
Of thrones and mighty seraphim prostráte, That wish'd the mountains now might be again Thrown on them, as a shelter from his ire. Nor less on either side tempestuous fell His arrows, from the fourfold-visag'd Four Distinct with eyes, and from the living wheels Distinct alike with multitude of eyes; One spirit in them rul'd; and every eyé Glar'd lightning, and shot forth pernicious fire Among the accurs'd, that wither'd all their strength,
And of their wonted vigour left them drain'd, Exhausted, spiritless, afflicted, fall'n. Yet half his strength he put not forth, but His thunder in mid volley; for he meant (check'd Not to destroy, but root them out of Heaven: The overthrown he rais'd, and as a herd Of goats or timorous flock together throng'd Drove them before him thunder-struck, pursued With terrours, and with furies, to the bounds And crystal wall of Heaven; which, opening wide,
Roll'd inward, and a spacious gap disclos'd Into the wasteful deep: the monstrous sight Struck them with horrour backward, but far worse Urg'd them behind: headlong themselves they threw
Down from the verge of Heaven; eternal wrath Burnt after them to the bottomless pit,
"Hell heard the unsufferable noise, Hell w Heaven ruining from Heaven, and would have fled Affrighted; but strict Fate had cast too deep Her dark foundations, and too fast had bound. Nine days they fell: confounded Chaos roar'd, And felt tenfold confusion in their fall Through his wild anarchy, so huge a rout
Encumber'd him with ruin: Hell at last Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them Hell, their fit habitation, fraught with fire clos'd; Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain. Disburden'd Heaven rejoic'd, and soon repair'd Her mural breach, returning whence it roll'd. Sole victor, from the expulsion of his foes, Messiah his triumphal chariot turn'd: To meet him all his saints, who silent stood Eye-witnesses of his almighty acts,
With jubilee advane'd; and, as they went, Shaded with branching palm, each order bright, Sung triumph, and him sung victorious King, Son, Heir, and Lord, to him dominion given, Worthiest to reign: He, celebrated, rode [courts Triumphant through mid Heaven, into the And temple of his mighty Father thron'd On high; who into glory him receiv'd, Where now he sits at the right hand of bliss. "Thús measuring things in Heaven by things on Earth,
At thy request, and that thou may'st beware By what is past, to thee I have reveal'd What might have else to human race been hid; The discord which befel, and war in Heaven Among the angelic powers, and the deep fall Of those too high aspiring, who rebell'd With Satan; he who envies now thy state, Who now is plotting how he may seduce Thee also from obedience, that, with him Bereav'd of happiness, thou may'st partake His punishment, eternal misery ;
Which would be all his solace and revenge, As a despite done against the Most High, Thee once to gain companion of his woe. But listen not to his temptations, warn Thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard, By terrible example, the reward
Of disobedience; firm they might have stood, Yet fell; remember, and fear to transgress."
Raphael, at the request of Adam, relates how and wherefore this world was first created; that God, after the expelling of Satan and his angels out of Heaven, déclared his pleasure to create another world, and other creatures to dwell therein; sends his Son with glory, and attendance of angels, to perform the work of creation in six days: the angels celebrate with hymns the performance thereof, and his reascension into Heaven.
DESCEND from Heaven, Urania, by that name If rightly thou art call'd, whose voice divine Following, above the Olympian hill I soar, Above the flight of Pegaséan wing. The meaning, not the name, I call: for thou Nor of the Muses nine, nor on the top Of old Olympus dwell'st; but, heavenly-born, Before the hills appear'd, or fountain flow'd, Thou with eternal Wisdom didst converse,
Wisdom thy sister, and with her didst play In presence of the Almighty Father, pleas'd With thy celestial song. Up led by thee, Into the Heaven of Heavens I have presum'd, An earthly guest, and drawn empyreal air, Thy tempering: with like safety guided down Return me to my native element:
Lest from this flying steed unrein'd, (as once Bellerophon, though from a lower clime,) Dismounted, on the Aleian field 1 fall, Erroneous there to wander, and forlorn. Half yet remains unsung, but narrower bound Within the visible diurnal sphere; Standing on earth, not rapt above the pole, More safe I sing with mortal voice, unchang'd To hoarse or mute, though fall'n on evil days, On evil days though fall'n, and evil tongues; In darkness, and with dangers compass'd round, And solitude; yet not alone, while thou Visit'st my slumbers nightly, or when morn Purples the east: still govern thou my song, Urania, and fit audience find, though few. But drive far off the barbarous dissonance Of Bacchus and his revellers, the race Of that wild rout that tore the Thracian bard In Rhodope, where woods and rocks had ears To rapture, till the savage clamour drown'd Both harp and voice; nor could the Muse defend Her son. So fail not thou, who thee implores : For thou art heavenly, she an empty dream.
Say, goddess, what ensued when Raphaël, The affable arch-angel, had forewarn'd Adam, by dire example, to beware Apostacy, by what befel in Heaven To those apostates; lest the like befall In Paradise to Adam or his race, Charg'd not to touch the interdicted tree, If they transgress, and slight that sole command, So easily obey'd amid the choice
Of all tastes else to please their appetite, Though wandering. He, with his consorted Eve, The story heard attentive, and was fill'd With admiration and deep muse, to hear
Of things so high and strange; things, to their thought
So unimaginable, as hate in Heaven, And war so near the peace of God in bliss, With such confusion: but the evil, soon Driven back, redounded as a flood on those From whom it sprung; impossible to mix With blessedness. Whence Adam soon repeal'd The doubts that in his heart arose and now Led on, yet sinless, with desire to know Of Heaven and Earth conspicuous first began ; What nearer might concern him, how this world When, and whereof created; for what cause; What within Eden, or without, was done Before his memory: as one whose drought Yet scarce allay'd still eyes the current stream, Whose liquid murmur heard new thirst excites, P.oceeded thus to ask his heavenly guest.
"Great things, and full of wonder in our ears, Far differing from this world, thou hast reveal'd, Divine interpreter! by favour sent
Down from the empyréan, to forewarn
Us timely of what might else have been our loss, Unknown, which human knowledge could not
For which to the infinitely Good we owe Immortal thanks, and his admonishment
Receive with solemn purpose to observe Immutably his sovran will, the end
Bat since thou hast vouchsaf'd Goutly, for our instruction, to impart [cern'd Things above earthly thought, which yet con- Our knowing, as to bighest Wisdom seem'd, Deign to descend now lower, and relate What may no less perhaps avail us known, How first began this Heaven which we behold Distant so high, with moving fires adorn'd Innumerable; and this which yields or fils All space, the ambient cir wide interfus'd Embracing round this florid Earth? what cause Mov'd the Creator in his holy, rest Through all eternity so late to build In Chaos; and the work begun, how scon Absolv'd; if unforbid thou nay's unfold What we, not to explore the secrets ask Of his eternal empire, but the more To magnify his works, the more we know. And the great light of day yet wants to run Much of his race though steep; suspense in Heaven,
Held by thy voice, thy potent voice, he hears, An longer will delay to hear thee tell His generation, and the rising birth Of Nature from the unapparent deep: Or if the star of evening and the Moon Haste to thy audience, Night with her will bring Silence; and Sleep, listening to thee, will watch; Or we can bid his absence, till thy song End, and dismiss thee ere the morning shine." Thus Adam his illustrious guest besought: And thus the godlike angel answer'd mild. "This also thy request, with caution ask'd, Obtain; though to recount almighty works What words or tongue of seraph can suffice, Or heart of nian suffice to comprehend? Yet what thou canst attain, which best may scrve To glorify the Maker, and infer Thee also happier, shall not be withheld Thy hearing; such commission from above I have receiv'd, to answer thy desire Or knowledge within bonds; beyond, abstain To ask; por let thine own inventions hope Things not reveal'd, which the invisible King, Caly Omaiscient, hath suppress'd in night; To none communicable in Farth or Heaven: Enough is left besides to search and know. But knowledge is as food, and needs no less Her temperance over appetite, to know In mea ure what the mind may well contain; Oppresses else with surfeit, and soon turns Wisdota to folly, as nourishment to wind.
"Know then, that, after Lucifer from Heaven (So call him, brighter once amidst the host Of angels, then that siar the stars among.) Fell with is flaming legions through the deep Into his place, and the great Son return'd Victorious with his saints, the Omnipotent Eternal Father from his throne beheld Their multitude, and to his Son thus spake.
"At least our envious foe hath fail'd, who Al like has if rebellious, by whose aid [thought This inaccessible high strength, the seat Of Deity supreme, us disposse-s'd,
I trusted to have seiz'd, and into fraud Drew many, whom their place knows here no Yet far the greater part have kept, I see, [more:
Their station; Heaven, yet populous, retains Number sufficient to possess her realms Though wide, and this high temple to frequent With ministeries due, and solemn rites: But, lest his heart exalt him in the harm Already done, to have dispeopled Heaven, My dainage fondly deem'd, I can repair That detriment, if such it be to lose Self-lost; and in a moment will create Another world, out of one man a race Of men innumerable, there to dwell, Not here; till, by degrees of merit rais'd, They open to themselves at length the way Up hither, under long obedience tried; [Earth, And Earth be chang'd to Heaven, and Heaven to One kingdom, joy and union without end. Mean while inhabit lax, ye powers of Heaven; And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee This I perform; speak thou, and be it done! My overshadowing spirit and might with thee I send along; ride forth, and bid the deep Within appointed bounds be Heaven and Earth; Boundless the deep, because I am who fill Infinitude, nor vacuous the space, Though I, uncircunscrib'd myself, retire, And put not forth my goodness, which is free To act or not, necessity and chance Approach not me, and what I will is fate.'
"So spake the Almighty, and to what he spake His Word, the filial Godhead, garc effect. Immediate are the acts of God, more swift Than time or motion, but to human ears Cannot without process of speech be told, So told as earthly notion can receive. Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven, When such was heard declared the Almighty's
Glory they sung to the Most High, good will To future men, and in their dwellings peace: Glory to him, whose just avenging ire Had driven out the ungodly from his sight And the habitations of the just; to him Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordain'd Good out of evil to create; instead. Of spirits malign, a better race to bring Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse His good to worlds and ages infinite.
"So sang the hierarchies: wean while the Son On his great expedition now appear'd, Girt with omnipotence, with radiance crown'd. Of majesty divine; sapience and love Immense, and all his Father in him shone. About his chariot numberless were pour'd Cherub, and scraph, potentates, and thrones, And virtues, winged spirits, and chariots wing'd From the armoury of God; where stand of okt Myriads, between two brazen mountains lodg Against a solemn day, harness'd at hand, Celestial equipage; and now came forth Spontaneous, for within them spirit liv'd, Attendant on their Lord: Heaven open'd wide Her ever-during gates, harmonious sound On golden hinges moving, to let forth The King of Glory, in his powerful Word And Spirit, coming to create new worlds. On heavenly ground they stood; and from the They view'd the vast immeasureable abyss shore Outrageous as a sea, dark, wasteful, wild, Up from the bottom turn'd by furious weds
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