325 "Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor staid, "The griding sword with discontinuous wound 330 "Pass'd through him; but the ethereal substance clos'd, "Not long divisible; and from the gash 335 "A stream of nectarous humour issuing flow'd 66 Sanguine, such as celestial spirits may bleed, "From off the files of war: there they him laid 345 "Yet soon he heal'd; for spirits that live throughout "In entrails, heart or head, liver or reins,) "Nor in their liquid texture mortal wound 66 They limb themselves, and colour, shape, or size, "Assume, as likes them best, condense or rare. "Meanwhile, in other parts, like deeds deserv'd "Down cloven to the waist, with shatter'd arms "Uriel and Raphaël, his vaunting foe "Though huge and in a rock of diamond arm'd, 365" Vanquish'd,-Adramelech and Asmadai, "Two potent thrones, that to be less than gods. “Disdain'd, but meaner thoughts learn'd in their flight, 66 Mangled with ghastly wounds through plate and mail. "Nor stood unmindful Abdiel to annoy 370"The atheist crew; but, with redoubled blow, "Ariel, and Arioch, and the violence "Of Ramiel scorch'd and blasted, overthrew. "I might relate of thousands, and their names "Eternize here on earth; but those elect 375"Angels, contented with their fame in heaven, "Seek not the praise of men: the other sort, "In might though wondrous and in acts of war, "Nor of renown less eager, yet by doom "Cancell'd from heaven and sacred memory, 380"Nameless in dark oblivion let them dwell; "For strength, from truth divided and from just, "Illaudable, nought merits but dispraise "And ignominy; yet to glory aspires, "Vain-glorious, and through infamy seeks fame: 385 "Therefore eternal silence be their doom. "And now, their mightiest quell'd, the battle swerv'd, "With many an inroad gor'd; deformed rout "Enter'd, and foul disorder; all the ground "With shiver'd armour strown; and on a heap 390"Chariot and charioteer lay overturn'd, "And fiery-foaming steeds: what stood recoil'd "O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanic host, "Defensive scarce; or, with pale fear surpris'd, "(Then first with fear surpris'd, and sense of pain,) 395 "Fled ignominious—to such evil brought 66 'By sin of disobedience; till that hour "Not liable to fear, or flight, or pain. "Far otherwise the inviolable saints, "In cubic phalanx firm, advanc'd entire, 400 "Invulnerable-impenetrably arm'd; "Such high advantages their innocence "Gave them above their foes, not to have sinn'd- 405 "By wound, though from their place by violence mov'd. 66 "Now night her course began, and, over heaven Inducing darkness, grateful truce impos'd, "And silence, on the odious din of war: "Under her cloudy covert both retir'd, 410" Victor, and vanquish'd. On the foughten field, ' "Michaël, and his angels prevalent, "Encamping, plac'd in guard their watches round— "Cherubic waving fires: on the other part, "Satan, with his rebellious, disappear'd, 415"Far in the dark dislodg'd; and, void of rest, "His Potentates to council call'd by night; "And, in the midst, thus undismay'd began: 666 'O, now in danger tried, now known in arms "Not to be overpower'd, companions dear! 420"Found worthy not of liberty alone, 425 "Too mean pretence! but, what we more affect, "But proves not so: then fallible, it seems, "Of future we may deem him, though till now 430 "Omniscient thought. True 'tis, less firmly arm'd, "Some disadvantage we endur'd, and pain 435 "Till now not known, but, known, as soon contemn'd "Since now we find this our empyreal form 666 666 Incapable of mortal injury, Imperishable; and, though pierc'd with wound, "The remedy. Perhaps more valid arms, 440 66 6 Weapons more violent, when next we meet, "Left them superior, while we can preserve 66 Nisroch, of Principalities the prime : "As one he stood escap'd from cruel fight, "Sore toil'd; his riven arms to havoc hewn; 450" And, cloudy in aspect, thus answering spake : "Deliverer from new lords! leader to free 66 6 Enjoyment of our right as gods! yet hard "For gods, and too unequal work we find, Against unequal arms to fight in pain, 666 455 "Against unpain'd, impassive; from which evil "Ruin must needs ensue: for what avails "Valour or strength, though matchless, quell'd with pain "Which all subdues, and makes remiss the hands "Of mightiest? Sense of pleasure we may well 460"Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, "But live content, which is the calmest life: "But pain is perfect misery, the worst "Of evils; and, excessive, overturns 66 "All patience. He who therefore can invent 465 "With what more forcible we may offend "Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm "Ourselves with like defence, to me deserves "No less than for deliverance what we owe.' Whereto, with look compos'd Satan replied: 470"Not uninvented that, which thou aright "Believ'st so main to our success, I bring. "Which of us who beholds the bright surface "Of this ethereous mould whereon we stand"This continent of spacious heaven, adorn'd 475"With plant, fruit, flower ambrosial, gems, and gold; "Whose eye so superficially surveys "These things, as not to mind from whence they grow 480 "With heaven's ray, and temper'd, they shoot forth "Shall yield us, pregnant with infernal flame : 485 "Thick-ramm'd, at the other bore with touch of fire 495 "He ended, and his words their drooping cheer 500 "Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought Impossible. Yet, haply, of thy race 505 66 "In future days, if malice should abound, "Some one intent on mischief, or inspir'd "With dev'lish 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 510 "Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath "The originals of nature in their crude 66 66 Conception: sulphurous and nitrous foam 'They found-they mingled; and, with subtle art "Concocted and adjusted, they reduc'd |