תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub
[graphic]

Their perfect ranks; for high above the grou
Their march was, and the passive air upbore
Their nimble tread: as when the total kind
Of birds, in orderly array on wing,
Came summoned over Eden to receive
Their names of thee; so over many a tract
Of Heaven they marched, and many a provin
Tenfold the length of this terrene. At last,
Far in the horizon to the north appeared
From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretched
In battailous aspéct, and nearer view
Bristled with upright beams innumerable
Of rigid spears, and helmets thronged, and sh
Various with boastful argument portrayed,
The banded powers of Satan hasting on
With furious expedition; for they weened
That selfsame day, by fight or by surprise,
To win the mount of God, and on his throne
To set the envier of his state, the proud
Aspirer; but their thoughts proved fond and v
In the midway. Though strange to us it
At first that angel should with angel war
And in fierce hosting meet, who wont to meet
So oft in festival of joy and love
Unanimous, as sons of one great sire,

seeme

Hymning the eternal Father; but the shout
Of battle now began, and rushing sound
Of onset ended soon each milder thought.
High in the midst, exalted as a god,
The Apostate in his sun-bright chariot sat,
Idol of majesty divine, enclosed

73. the total kind, all the race.
75. Came. See Genesis ii. 19.
78. terrene, earthly province.
82. beams, perhaps shafts.
83. thronged, in throngs.

84. argument, subject; design.

86. weened, thought; posed.

90. fond, foolish.

93. hosting, mustering; bling of troops.

101. Idol, image; coun representation.

With flaming cherubim and golden shields;

Then lighted from his gorgeous throne, for now
'Twixt host and host but narrow space was left,
A dreadful interval, and front to front
Presented stood in terrible array

Of hideous length; before the cloudy van,
On the rough edge of battle ere it joined,
Satan, with vast and haughty strides advanced,
Came towering, armed in adamant and gold :
Abdiel that sight endured not, where he stood
Among the mightiest, bent on highest deeds,
And thus his own undaunted heart explores :

105

110

666 'O Heaven! that such resemblance of the Highest

115

120

Should yet remain, where faith and realty
Remain not wherefore should not strength and might
There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove
Where boldest, though to sight unconquerable?
His puissance, trusting in the Almighty's aid
I mean to try, whose reason I have tried
Unsound and false; nor is it aught but just,
That he who in debate of truth hath won
Should win in arms, in both disputes alike
Victor; though brutish that contést and foul
When reason hath to deal with force, yet so
Most reason is that reason overcome.'

"So pondering, and from his armèd peers Forth stepping opposite, half way he met

[blocks in formation]

125

[blocks in formation]
[graphic]
[ocr errors]

His daring foe, at this prevention more
Incensed, and thus securely him defied :

"Proud, art thou met? thy hope wa
reached

The height of thy aspiring unopposed,
The throne of God unguarded, and his side
Abandoned at the terror of thy power
Or potent tongue : fool, not to think how va
Against the Omnipotent to rise in arms!
Who out of smallest things could without en
Have raised incessant armies to defeat
Thy folly; or with solitary hand,
Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow
Unaided could have finished thee, and whel
Thy legions under darkness. But thou seest
All are not of thy train; there be who faith
Prefer and piety to God, though then
To thee not visible when I alone

Seemed in thy world erroneous to dissent
From all; my sect thou seest: now learn to
How few sometimes may know, when thousa

"Whom the grand foe, with scornful eye a Thus answered: Ill for thee, but in wished 1 Of my revenge, first sought for, thou return'st From flight, seditious angel, to receive Thy merited reward, the first assay

Of this right hand provoked, since first that t Inspired with contradiction, durst oppose

A third part of the gods, in synod met

129. prevention, anticipation.
130. securely, without fear.

139. solitary, single.

146. erroneous, misied; mistaken.

147. my sect, my party.

148. How few, one,

one.

150. Ill, unhappily. 151. first sought for, sought first to meet.

Their deities to assert, who, while they feel
Vigor divine within them, can allow
Omnipotence to none. But well thou com'st
Before thy fellows, ambitious to win

From me some plume, that thy success may show
Destruction to the rest: this pause between
(Unanswered lest thou boast) to let thee know,
At first I thought that liberty and Heaven
To heavenly souls had been all one; but now
I see that most through sloth had rather serve,
Ministering spirits, trained up in feast and song:
Such hast thou armed, the minstrelsy of Heaven,
Servility with freedom to contend,

[ocr errors]

As both their deeds compared this day shall prove.'

"To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern replied:

Apostate, still thou err'st, nor end wilt find

Of erring, from the faith of truth remote:
Unjustly thou deprav'st it with the name
Of servitude, to serve whom God ordains
Or Nature; God and Nature bid the same,
When he who rules is worthiest, and excels
Them whom he governs. This is servitude,
To serve the unwise, or him who hath rebelled
Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee,
Thyself not free, but to thyself enthralled;
Yet lewdly dar'st our ministering upbraid.
Reign thou in Hell, thy kingdom; let me serve
In Heaven God ever blest, and his divine
Behests obey, worthiest to be obeyed:

Yet chains in Hell, not realms, expect; meanwhile

161. success, fortune; ill suc

cess.

167. Ministering spirits, as ministering spirits. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who

160

165

169

175

180

185

shall be heirs of salvation?" He-
brews i. 14.

173. remote, far removed.
174. deprav'st, defamest.
175. whom, him whom.
182. lewdly, wickedly.

[graphic]

From me returned, as erst thou saidst, from This greeting on thy impious crest receive.'

"So saying, a noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, Nor motion of swift thought, less could his sh Such ruin intercept: ten paces huge He back recoiled; the tenth on bended kne His massy spear upstayed; as if on earth Winds under ground, or waters forcing way, Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his sea Half sunk with all his pines. Amazement se The rebel thrones, but greater rage, to see Thus foiled their mightiest; ours joy filled, an Presage of victory, and fierce desire Of battle, whereat Michaël bid sound The archangel trumpet: through the vast of I It sounded, and the faithful armies rung Hosanna to the Highest; nor stood at gaze The adverse legions, nor less hideous joined The horrid shock. Now storming fury rose, And clamor such as heard in Heaven till now Was never; arms on armor clashing brayed Horrible discord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots raged; dire was the noise Of conflict; overhead the dismal hiss Of fiery darts in flaming volleys flew, And flying vaulted either host with fire. So under fiery cope together rushed Both battles main, with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage; all Heaven

190. hung, lingered; delayed. -tempest, fury; violence. 192. less, still less.

195. his massy spear. See I. 292-294.-upstayed, held up, the

tenth being the object verb.

214. vaulted, covered a an arch.

216. battles, hosts.

« הקודםהמשך »