Of rigid spears, and helmets throng'd, and shields
Various, with boastful argument portray'd,

The banded Pow'rs of Satan hasting on
With furious expedition; for they ween'd
That felf-fame day by fight, or by surprise,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To fet the envier of his ftate, the proud
Afpirer, but their thoughts prov'd fond and vain
In the mid way: though strange to us it seem'd
At first, that Angel should with Angel war,
And in fierce hofting meet, who wont to meet
So oft in feftivals of joy and love
Unanimous, as fons of one great fire

Hymning th' eternal Father: but the fhout
Of battel now began, and rushing sound
Of onfet ended foon each milder thought.
High in the midst exalted as a God

Th' Apoftate in his fun-bright chariot fat,
Idol of majesty divine, inclos'd

With flaming Cherubim and golden fhields;
Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now
"Twixt hoft and hoft but narrow space was left,
A dreadful interval, and front to front
Prefented stood in terrible array

Of hideous length: before the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battel ere it join'd,
Satan with vast and haughty strides advanc'd
Came towring, arm'd in adamant and gold;
Abdiel that fight endur'd not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,

And

And thus his own undaunted heart explores.

O Heav'n! that fuch resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and reälty

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Remain not: wherefore should not strength and might
There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove
Where boldeft, though to fight unconquerable ?
His puiffance, trusting in th' Almighty's aid,
I mean to try, whofe reason I have try'd
Unfound and falfe; nor is it ought but just,
That he who in debate of truth hath won
Should win in arms, in both difputes alike
Victor; though brutish that contést and foul,
When reafon hath to deal with force, yet fo
Moft reafon is that reafon overcome.

So pondering, and from his armed peers
Forth stepping oppofit, half way he met
His daring foe, at this prevention more
Incens'd, and thus fecurely him defy'd.

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Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reach'd

The highth of thy afpiring unoppos'd,

The throne of God unguarded, and his fide

Abandon'd at the terror of thy power

Or potent tongue: fool, not to think how vain

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Against th' Omnipotent to rife in arms;

Who out of smallest things could without end
Have rais'd inceffant armies to defeat

Thy folly; or with solitary hand

Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow

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Unaided could have finish'd thee, and whelm'd
Thy legions under darkness: but thou feeft

VOL. I.

N

All

All are not of thy train; there be who faith
Prefer, and piety to God, though then

To thee not visible, when I alone

Seem'd in thy world erroneous to diffent

145

From all my fect thou seeft; now learn too late
How few fometimes may know, when thousands err.
Whom the grand foe with fcornful eye afkance
Thus answer'd. Ill for thee, but in wish'd hour 150
Of my revenge, first sought for thou return'st

From flight, feditious Angel, to receive

Thy merited reward, the first assay

Of this right hand provok'd, fince first that tongue

Infpir'd with contradiction durft oppose

A third part of the Gods, in fynod met

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Their deities to affert, who while they feel

Vigor divine within them, can allow

Omnipotence to none. But well thou com'ft
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win

From me fome plume, that thy fuccefs may fhow
Destruction to the reft: this pause between
(Unanswer'd left thou boaft) to let thee know;
At first I thought that Liberty and Heaven
To heav'nly fouls had been all one; but now
I see that most through sloth had rather serve,
Miniftring Spirits, train'd up in feast and fong;
Such haft thou arm'd, the minstrelfy of Heaven,
Servility with freedom to contend,

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165

As both their deeds compar'd this day fhall prove. 170

To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern reply'd. Apoftate, ftill thou err'ft, nor end wilt find

of

Of erring, from the path of truth remote :
Unjustly thou deprav'ft it with the name
Of fervitude to ferve whom God ordains,
Or Nature: God and Nature bid the fame,
When he who rules is worthieft, and excels
Them whom he governs. This is fervitude,
To ferve th' unwife, or him who hath rebell'd
Against his worthier, as thine now ferve thee,
Thyself not free, but to thyself inthrall'd;
Yet lewdly dar'ft our miniftring upbraid.
Reign thou in Hell thy kingdom; let me ferve
In Heav'n God ever bleft, and his divine
Behefts obey, worthiest to be obey'd;

Yet chains in Hell, not realms expect: mean while
From me return'd, as erft thou faidft, from flight,
This greeting on thy impious creft receive.

So faying, a noble stroke he lifted high,
Which hung not, but so swift with tempeft fell
On the proud crest of Satan, that no fight,
Nor motion of swift thought, lefs could his fhield
Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge

He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee
His mafly spear upftay'd; as if on earth
Winds under ground, or waters forcing way
Sidelong had push'd a mountain from his feat
Half funk with all his pines. Amazement feiz'd
The rebel Thrones, but greater rage to fee

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Thus foil'd their mightieft; ours joy fill'd, and shout,
Prefage of victory, and fierce defire

Of battel; whereat Michael bid found

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Th' Arch-Angel trumpet; through the vast of Heaven It founded, and the faithful armies rung Hofannah to the High'ft: nor ftood at gaze The adverfe legions, nor lefs hideous join'd The horrid fhock: now ftorming fury rofe, And clamor fuch as heard in Heav'n till now Was never; arms on armour clashing bray'd Horrible difcord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noise Of conflict; over head the difmal hifs Of fiery darts in flaming volies flew, And flying vaulted either hoft with fire. So under fiery cope together rush'd Both battels main, with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage; all Heaven Refounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth Had to her center fhook. What wonder? when Millions of fierce encountring Angels fought On either fide, the leaft of whom could wield Thefe elements, and arm him with the force Of all their regions: how much more of power Army' against army numberless to raise Dreadful combustion warring, and disturb, Though not destroy, their happy native feat; Had not th' eternal King omnipotent

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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 seem'd
A numerous hoft, in ftrength each armed hand
A legion, led in fight yet leader feem'd

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Each