"Defence; while others bore him on their shields "Yet soon he healed; for Spirits that live throughout "In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,) "Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound They limb themselves, and colour, shape, or size 66 Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare. Meanwhile in other parts like deeds deserved "Memorial, where the might of Gabriel fought, "And with fierce ensigns pierced the deep array "Of Moloch, furious king; who him defied, "And at his chariot-wheels to drag him bound "Threatened, nor from the Holy One of Heaven "Refrained his tongue blasphemous; but anon, "Down cloven to the waist, with shattered arms "And uncouth pain, fled bellowing. On each wing, "Uriel, and Raphaël, his vaunting foe, 66 66 Though huge and in a rock of diamond armed, Vanquished,-Adramelech and Asmodai, "Two potent Thrones, that to be less than Gods 66 Disdained, but meaner thoughts learned in their flight, "Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail. "Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy "The atheist crew; but with redoubled blow 66 Ariel, and Arioch, and the violence "I might relate of thousands, and their names "Etérnize here on Earth; but those elect 66 Angels, contented with their fame in Heaven, "Seek not the praise of men; the other sort, 340 350 360 370 "In might though wondrous and in acts of war, 66 "And ignominy; yet to glory aspires "Vainglorious, and through infamy seeks fame: "Therefore eternal silence be their doom. 380 "And now, their mightiest quelled, the battle swerved, "With many an inroad gored: deformed rout "Entered, and foul disorder; all the ground "With shivered armour strown; and on a heap "Chariot and charioteer lay overturned, "And fiery-foaming steeds; what stood, recoiled "O'erwearied, through the faint Satanic host, "Defensive scarce; or with pale fear surprised, "(Then first with fear surprised, and sense of pain,) "Fled ignominious—to such evil brought By sin of disobedience; till that hour "Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain. "Far otherwise the inviolable Saints, "In cubic phalanx firm, advanced entire, "Invulnerable-impenetrably armed; "Such high advantages their innocence "Gave them above their foes-not to have sinned, "Not to have disobeyed-in fight they stood "Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pained 66 'By wound, though from their place by violence moved. "And silence, on the odious din of war: 390 400 "Under her cloudy covert both retired, "Victor and vanquished. On the foughten field "Michaël and his angels prevalent 410 "Encamping, placed in guard their watches round, |