Who forthwith from the glittering staff unfurled The The imperial ensign; which, full high advanced, phalanx Shone like a meteor streaming to the wind, With gems and golden lustre rich emblazed, Seraphic arms and trophies; all the while Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds: At which the universal host up-sent A shout that tore Hell's concave, and beyond Frighted the reign of Chaos and old Night. All in a moment through the gloom were seen Ten thousand banners rise into the air, With orient colours waving: with them rose A forest huge of spears; and thronging helms Appeared, and serried shields in thick array Of depth immeasurable. Anon they move In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood Of flutes and soft recorders-such as raised To highth of noblest temper heroes old Arming to battle, and instead of rage Deliberate valour breaded, firm, and unmoved With dread of death to flight or foul retreat; Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage With solemn touches troubled thoughts, and chase Anguish and doubt and fear and sorrow and pain From mortal or immortal minds. Thus they, Breathing united force with fixèd thought, 560 Moved on in silence to soft pipes that charmed Their painful steps o'er the burnt soil. And now Advanced in view they stand-a horrid front Of dreadful length and dazzling arms, in guise Of warriors old, with ordered spear and shield, Awaiting what command their mighty Chief Had to impose. He through the armèd files Darts his experienced eye, and soon traverse
'War That all these puissant legions, whose exile must be Hath emptied Heaven, shall fail to re-ascend, Self-raised, and re-possess their native seat? For me, be witness all the host of Heaven, If counsels different, or danger shunned By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns Monarch in Heaven till then as one secure Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, Consent or custom, and his regal state Put forth at full, but still his strength concealed— Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.
Henceforth his might we know, and know our own,
So as not either to provoke, or dread
New war provoked: our better part remains To work in close design, by fraud or guile, What force effected not; that he no less At length from us may find, Who overcomes By force hath overcome but half his foe. Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife There went a fame in Heaven that he ere long Intended to create, and therein plant A generation whom his choice regard Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven. Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps Our first eruption-thither, or elsewhere; For this infernal pit shall never hold Celestial Spirits in bondage, nor the Abyss Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts Full counsel must mature. Peace is despaired; 660 For who can think submission? War, then,
Open or understood, must be resolved.'
He spake; and, to confirm his words, out- Mammon flew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze Far round illumined Hell. Highly they raged Against the Highest, and fierce with graspèd
Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heaven.
There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top 670 Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire Shone with a glossy scurf-undoubted sign That in his womb was hid metallic ore,
The work of sulphur. Thither, winged with speed,
A numerous brigad hastened: as when bands Of pioneers, with spade and pickaxe armed, Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, Or cast a rampart. Mammon led them on- Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell From Heaven; for even in Heaven his looks and thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more The riches of Heaven's pavement, trodden gold, Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed In vision beatific. By him first
Men also, and by his suggestion taught, Ransacked the Centre, and with impious hands Rifled the bowels of their mother Earth
For treasures better hid.
Opened into the hill a spacious wound, And digged out ribs of gold. That riches grow in Hell; Deserve the precious bane.
Let none admire 690 that soil may best And here let those
'War That all these puissant legions, whose exile must be Hath emptied Heaven, shall fail to re-ascend, Self-raised, and re-possess their native seat? For me, be witness all the host of Heaven, If counsels different, or danger shunned By me, have lost our hopes. But he who reigns Monarch in Heaven till then as one secure Sat on his throne, upheld by old repute, Consent or custom, and his regal state Put forth at full, but still his strength concealed— Which tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall.
Henceforth his might we know, and know our
So as not either to provoke, or dread
New war provoked: our better part remains To work in close design, by fraud or guile, What force effected not; that he no less At length from us may find, Who overcomes By force hath overcome but half his foe. Space may produce new Worlds; whereof so rife There went a fame in Heaven that he ere long Intended to create, and therein plant A generation whom his choice regard Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven. Thither, if but to pry, shall be perhaps Our first eruption-thither, or elsewhere; For this infernal pit shall never hold Celestial Spirits in bondage, nor the Abyss Long under darkness cover. But these thoughts Full counsel must mature. Peace is despaired; 660 For who can think submission? War, then,
Open or understood, must be resolved.'
He spake; and, to confirm his words, out- Mammon
flew Millions of flaming swords, drawn from the thighs Of mighty Cherubim; the sudden blaze Far round illumined Hell. Highly they raged Against the Highest, and fierce with graspèd
Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war, Hurling defiance toward the vault of Heaven.
There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top 670 Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire Shone with a glossy scurf-undoubted sign That in his womb was hid metallic ore, The work of sulphur. Thither, winged with speed,
A numerous brigad hastened: as when bands Of pioneers, with spade and pickaxe armed, Forerun the royal camp, to trench a field, Or cast a rampart. Mammon led them on- Mammon, the least erected Spirit that fell From Heaven; for even in Heaven his looks and thoughts
Were always downward bent, admiring more The riches of Heaven's pavement, trodden gold, Than aught divine or holy else enjoyed In vision beatific. By him first
Men also, and by his suggestion taught, Ransacked the Centre, and with impious hands Rifled the bowels of their mother Earth
For treasures better hid.
Opened into the hill a spacious wound, And digged out ribs of gold. That riches grow in Hell; Deserve the precious bane.
Let none admire 690 that soil may best And here let those
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