Flatly unjust, to bind with laws the free, And equal over equals to let reign, One over all with unsucceeded power.
Shalt thou give law to God? shalt thou dispute With Him the points of liberty, who made
Thee what thou art, and form'd the powers of Heaven Such as he pleased, and circumscribed their being? Yet, by experience taught, we know how good,
And of our good and of our dignity
How provident he is, how far from thought To make us less; bent rather to exalt
Our happy state, under one head more near United. But to grant it thee unjust
That equal over equals monarch reign:
Thyself, though great and glorious, dost thou count, Or all angelic nature joined in one,
Equal to him, begotten Son? by whom,
As by his Word, the mighty Father made
All things, even thee, and all the Spirits of Heaven By him created in their bright degrees, Crown'd them with glory, and to their glory named Thrones, Dominations, Princedoms, Virtues, Powers, Essential Powers; nor by his reign obscured, But more illustrious made; since he, the head, One of our number thus reduced becomes; His laws our laws; all honour to him done Returns our own. Cease, then, this impious rage, And tempt not these; but hasten to appease The incensed Father and the incensed Son While pardon may be found, in time besought.' "So spake the fervent Angel; but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judged, Or singular and rash; whereat rejoiced
The Apostate, and more haughty thus replied:
"That we were form'd then say'st thou? and the work
Of secondary hands, by task transferr'd
From Father to his Son? Strange point and new!
Doctrine which we would know whence learn'd: who saw
When this creation was? Remember'st thou
Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now; Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised By our own quickening power, when fatal course Had circled his full orb, the birth mature Of this our native Heaven, Ethereal Sons. Our puissance is our own; our own right hand Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold Whether by supplication we intend
Address, and to begirt the Almighty throne Beseeching or besieging. This report, These tidings, carry to the anointed King; And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.'
"He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, Hoarse murmur echoed to his words applause Through the infinite host; nor less for that The flaming Seraph, fearless, though alone, Encompass'd round with foes, thus answer'd bold: "O alienate from God, O Spirit accurst, Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall Determined, and thy hapless crew involved In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread Both of thy crime and punishment. Henceforth No more be troubled how to quit the yoke Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws Will not be now vouchsafed; other decrees Against thee are gone forth without recall; That golden sceptre which thou didst reject Is now an iron rod to bruise and break Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise; Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath Impendent, raging into sudden flame, Distinguish not: for soon expect to feel His thunder on thy head, devouring fire. Then who created thee lamenting learn, When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.' "So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found; Among the faithless, faithful only he; Among innumerable false, unmoved,
Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,
His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor number nor example with him wrought
To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, Though single. From amidst them forth he pass'd, Long way through hostile scorn, which he sustain'd Superior, nor of violence fear'd aught;
And with retorted scorn his back he turn'd
On those proud towers, to swift destruction doom'd."
Raphael continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his Angels. The first fight described : Satan and his Powers retire under night; he calls a council; invents devilish engines, which, in the second day's fight, put Michael and his Angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan. Yet, the tumult not so ending, God, on the third day, sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory. He, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep. Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.
"ALL night the dreadless Angel, unpursued,
Through Heaven's wide champain held his way, till Morn, Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand Unbarr'd the gates of light. There is a cave Within the mount of God, fast by his throne,
Where light and darkness in perpetual round
Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through Heaven Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour
To veil the Heaven, though darkness there might well Seem twilight here. And now went forth the Morn Such as in highest Heaven, array'd in gold Empyreal; from before her vanish'd Night,
Shot through with orient beams; when all the plain Cover'd with thick embattled squadrons bright, Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view: War he perceived, war in procinct, and found Already known what he for news had thought To have reported; gladly then he mix'd Among those friendly powers, who him received With joy and acclamations loud, that one, That of so many myriads fall'n yet one, Return'd not lost. On to the sacred 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 hast thou fought The better fight, who single hast maintain'd
Against revolted multitudes the cause
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; And for the testimony of truth hast borne Universal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence; for this was all thy care,
To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds Judged 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 Messiah, who by right of merit reigns. Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince, And thou, in military prowess next, Gabriel; lead forth to battle these my sons Invincible; lead forth my armed Saints, By thousands and by millions ranged for fight, Equal in number to that godless crew
Rebellious; them with fire and hostile arms Fearless assault, 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 To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll In dusky wreaths reluctant flames, the sign
Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow: At which command the powers militant
That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate join'd Of union irresistible, moved on
In silence their bright legions, to the sound Of instrumental harmony, that breathed Heroic ardour to adventurous deeds
Under their godlike leaders, in the cause Of God and his Messiah. On they move, Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides
Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground
Their march was, and the passive air upbore Their nimble tread; as when the total kind Of birds, in orderly array, on wing
Came summon'd over Eden to receive
Their names of thee; so over many a tract
Of Heaven they march'd, and many a province wide, Tenfold the length of this terrene. At last, Far in the horizon to the North, appear'd From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretch'd In battailous aspect; and, nearer view, Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid spears, and helmets throng'd, and shields Various, with boastful argument portray'd, The banded powers of Satan hasting on With furious expedition; for they ween'd That self-same day, by fight or by surprise, To win the mount of God, and on his throne To set the envier of his state, the proud
« 이전계속 » |