"So spake the fervent angel; but his zeal None seconded, as out of season judged

Or singular and rash; whereat rejoiced

850

The Apostate, and more haughty thus replied: 'That we were formed then say'st thou? and the work

Of secondary hands, by task transferred

From Father to his Son? Strange point and new! Doctrine which we would know whence learned. Who

saw

When this creation was? remember'st thou

Thy making, while the Maker gave thee being?
We know no time when we were not as now;
Know none before us, self-begot, self-raised
By our own quickening power, when fatal course
Had circled his full orb, the birth mature
Of this our native Heaven, ethereal sons.
Our puissance is our own; our own right hand
Shall teach us highest deeds, by proof to try
Who is our equal: then thou shalt behold
Whether by supplication we intend
Address, and to begirt the almighty throne
Beseeching or besieging. This report,
These tidings carry to the anointed king;
And fly, ere evil intercept thy flight.'

"He said; and, as the sound of waters deep, Hoarse murmur echoed to his words applause Through the infinite host; nor less for that The flaming Seraph, fearless though alone, Encompassed round with foes, thus answered bold :

"O alienate from God, O spirit accursed, Forsaken of all good! I see thy fall

861. fatal course, course of fate. 864. Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our

856

860

865

870

875

lips are our own; who is lord over us?" Psalm xii. 4.

Determined, and thy hapless crew involved
In this perfidious fraud, contagion spread
Both of thy crime and punishment. Hencef
No more be troubled how to quit the yoke
Of God's Messiah; those indulgent laws
Will not be now vouchsafed, other decrees
Against thee are gone forth without recall;
That golden sceptre which thou didst reject
In now an iron rod to bruise and break
Thy disobedience. Well thou didst advise;
Yet not for thy advice or threats I fly
These wicked tents devoted, lest the wrath
Impendent, raging into sudden flame,
Distinguish not; for soon expect to feel
His thunder on thy head, devouring fire.
Then who created thee lamenting learn,
When who can uncreate thee thou shalt know.

"So spake the seraph Abdiel, faithful found
Among the faithless, faithful only he;
Among innumerable false, unmoved,
Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,

His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal;
Nor number nor example with him wrought
To swerve from truth, or change his constant m
Though single. From amidst them forth he pa
Long way through hostile scorn, which he susta
Superior, nor of violence feared aught;
And with retorted scorn his back he turned
On those proud towers to swift destruction doon

890. See Numbers xvi. 23-26. -devoted, doomed.

891. Impendent, threate 906. retorted, thrown ba

BOOK VI.

THE ARGUMENT.

RAPHAEL continues to relate how Michael and Gabriel were sent forth to battle against Satan and his angels. The first fight described. Satan and his powers retire under night. He calls a council, invents devilish engines, which in the second day's fight put Michael and his angels to some disorder; but they at length, pulling up mountains, overwhelmed both the force and machines of Satan. Yet the tumult not so ending, God on the third day sends Messiah his Son, for whom he had reserved the glory of that victory he, in the power of his Father, coming to the place, and causing all his legions to stand still on either side, with his chariot and thunder driving into the midst of his enemies, pursues them, unable to resist, towards the wall of Heaven; which opening, they leap down with horror and confusion into the place of punishment prepared for them in the deep. Messiah returns with triumph to his Father.

"ALL night the dreadless angel, unpursued, Through Heaven's wide champain held his way, Morn,

till

5

Waked by the circling Hours, with rosy hand
Unbarred the gates of light. There is a cave
Within the mount of God, fast by his throne,
Where light and darkness in perpetual round
Lodge and dislodge by turns, which makes through
Heaven

Grateful vicissitude, like day and night;
Light issues forth, and at the other door
Obsequious darkness enters, till her hour

10

1. the dreadless angel. See V. entrusted with the task of keep. 396-907.

2. Morn. See V. 1.

3. The Hours (see IV. 267) were

ing the gates of Heaven.
5. fast by. See I. 12.
10. till, and remains till.

To veil the heaven; though darkness there mi Seem twilight here. And now went forth the Such as in highest Heaven, arrayed in gold Empyreal; from before her vanished night, Shot through with orient beams; when all the p Covered with thick embattled squadrons brigh Chariots, and flaming arms, and fiery steeds, Reflecting blaze on blaze, first met his view. War he perceived, war in procinct, and found Already known what he for news had thought To have reported: gladly then he mixed Among those friendly powers, who him receive With joy and acclamations loud, that one, That of so many myriads fallen yet one Returned not lost.

On to the sacred hill

They led him high applauded, and present Before the seat supreme; from whence a voice From midst a golden cloud thus mild was hear

"Servant of God, well done; well hast thou The better fight, who single hast maintained Against revolted multitudes the cause

Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms;
And for the testimony of truth hast borne
Universal reproach, far worse to bear
Than violence; for this was all thy care,
To stand approved in sight of God, though wor
Judged thee perverse: the easier conquest now
Remains thee, aided by this host of friends,
Back on thy foes more glorious to return
Than scorned thou didst depart, and to subdue

19. in procinct, in preparation. The Latin"in procinctu" means girded in readiness to fight. 29. Servant of God. the signification of the Hebrew word Abdiel. See V. 896.

30. The better fight. the good fight of faith." vi. 12.

36. approved. See 2 T

This is

15.

38. thee, to thee.

By force who reason for their law refuse,
Right reason for their law, and for their king
Messiah, who by right of merit reigns.

Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince,
And thou, in military prowess next,

Gabriel, lead forth to battle these my sons
Invincible; lead forth my armèd saints

By thousands and by millions ranged for fight,
Equal in number to that godless crew
Rebellious; then with fire and hostile arms
Fearless assault, and to the brow of Heaven `
Pursuing drive them out from God and bliss
Into their place of punishment, the gulf
Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide
His fiery chaos to receive their fall.'

"So spake the sovran voice, and clouds began
To darken all the hill, and smoke to roll
In dusky wreaths reluctant flames, the sign
Of wrath awaked; nor with less dread the loud
Ethereal trumpet from on high gan blow :
At which command the powers militant
That stood for Heaven, in mighty quadrate joined
Of union irresistible, moved on

In silence their bright legions to the sound
Of instrumental harmony, that breathed
Heroic ardor to adventurous deeds,
Under their godlike leaders, in the cause
Of God and his Messiah. On they move
Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill,

45

50

55

60

65

Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream divides 70