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 centre fhook. What wonder? when
Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought
On either fide, the leaft of whom could wield
These elements, and arm him with the force
Of all their regions: how much more of pow'r
Army against army, numberlefs, to raise
Dreadful combuftion warring, and disturb,
Though not deftroy, their happy native feat!
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 warrior; fingle, as in chief, expert
When to advance, or ftand, or turn the fway
Of battle, 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
Of victory. Deeds of eternal fame
Were done, but infinite; for wide was fpread
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 scale
The battle hung; till SATAN, (who that day
Prodigious pow'r had fhewn, and met in arms
No equal) ranging through the dire attack
Of fighting Seraphim confus'd, at length
Saw where the fword of MICHAEL fmote, & fell'd Squadrons at once; with huge two-handed fway 254
Brandish'd aloft, the horrid edge came down
Wide-wafting! fuch deftruction to withstand
He hafted, and oppos'd the rocky orb
Of ten-fold adamant, his ample shield,
A vaft circumference! At his approach
The great Arch-Angel from his warlike toil
Surceas'd; and glad, as hoping here to end
Inteftine war in Heav'n, th' arch-foe fubdu'd,
Or captive drag'd in chains, with hottile frown, 260
And vifage all inflam'd, firft thus began.
Author of evil! unknown till thy revolt,
Unnam'd in Heav'n, now plenteous, (as thou feeft)
These 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'n's bleffed peace, and into nature brought
Mifery, uncreated till the crime
Of thy rebellion! how haft thou inftill'd
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
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;
E're 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 these To flight, or if to fall, but that they rife 285 Unvanquish'd, easier to tranfact with me, That thou shouldft hope, imperious! and with threats
To chafe me hence? Err not that so shall end
The ftrife which thou call's evil, but we style
The ftrife of glory; which we mean to win
Or 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 fly 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 height
Of Godlike pow'r? For likeft Gods they feem'd,
Stood they or mov'd, ip ftature, motion, arms,
Fit to decide the empire of great Heav'n.
Now wav'd their fiery fwords, and in the air
Made horrid circles; two broad funs their fhields 305.
Blaz'd oppofite, while expectation stood
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 finall) if Nature's concord broke,
Among the conftellations war were fprung,
Two planets rushing from afpect malign
Of fierceft oppofition, in mid-sky,
Should combat, and their jarring fphears confound.
Together both, with next t'almighty arm
Up-lifted imminent, one ftroke they aim'd
That might determine, and not need repeat,
(As not of pow'r, at once) nor odds appear'd
In might or fwift prevention: but the fword
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 steep force to fmite
|