To be the inventor missed; so easy it seemed
Once found, which yet unfound most would have thought
Impossible : yet haply of thy race
In future days, if malice should abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or inspired
With devilish 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 turned
Wide the celestial soil, and saw beneath
The originals of nature in their crude
Conception; sulphurous and nitrous foam
They found, they mingled, and, with subtle art
Concocted and adjusted, they reduced
To blackest grain, and into store conveyed :
Part hidden veins digged up (nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,
Whereof to found their engines and their balls
Of missive ruin; part incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day-spring, under conscious night,
Secret they finished, and in order set,
With silent circumspection, unespied.
“ Now when fair morn orient in Heaven appeared,
Up rose the victor angels, and to arms
The matin trumped sung: in arms they stood
Of golden panoply, refulgent host,
Soon banded; others from the dawning hills
;
Looked round, and scouts each coast light-arméd scour,
Each quarter, to descry the distant foe,
Where lodged, or whither fled, or if for fight,
In motion or in halt: him soon they meet
Under spread ensigns moving nigh, in slow
But firm battalion; back with speediest sail
Zophiel, of cherubim the swiftest wing,
Come flying, and in mid air aloud thus cried :
"• Arm, warriors, arm for fight! the foe at hand, Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit
This day ; fear not his flight; so thick a cloud
He comes, and settled in his face I see
Sad resolution and secure: let each
His adamantine coat gird well, and each
Fit well his helm, gripe fast his orbéd shield,
Borne even or high; for this day will pour down,
If I conjecture aught, no drizzling shower,
But rattling storm of arrows barbed with fire.'
“So warned he them, aware themselves, and soon
In order, quit of all impediment,
Instant without disturb they took alarm,
And onward moved embattled: when, behold,
Not distaut far, with heavy pace, the foe
Approaching gross and huge, in hollow cube
Training his devilish enginery, impaled
On every side with shadowing squadrons deep,
To hide the fraud. At interview both stood
Awhile; but suddenly at head appeared
Satan, and thus was heard commanding loud:
“. Vanguard, to right and left the front unfold; That all may see who bate us, how we seek Peace and composure, and with open breast Stand ready to receive them, if they like Our overture, and turn not back perverse; But that I doubt; however, witness Heaven, Heaven witness thou anon, while we discharge Freely out part; ye who appointed stand, Do as you have in charge, and briefly touch What we propound, and loud, that all may hear.'
“So scoffing, in ambiguous words, he scarce Had ended, when to right and left the front Divided, and to either flank retired : Which to our eyes discovered, new and strange, A triple mounted row of pillars laid On wheels (for like to pillars most they seemed, Or hollowed bodies made of oak or fir, With branches lopped, in wood or mountain felled) Brass, iron, stony mould, had not their mouths With hideous orifice gaped on us wide, Portending hollow truce; at each behind
“This turn hath made amends: thou hast fulfill'd Thy words, Creator bounteous and benign, Giver of all things fair, but fairest this Of all Thy gifts, nor enviest.”
A seraph stood, and in his hand a reed
Stood waving, tipped with fire; while we, suspense,
Collected stood within our thoughts amused,
Not long; for sudden all at once their reeds
Put forth, and to a narrow vent applied
With nicest touch. Immediate in a flame,
But soon obscured with smoke, all Heaven appeared,
From those deep-throated engines belched, whose roar
Embowelled with outrageous noise the air,
And all her entrails tore, disgorging foul
Their devilish glut, chained thunderbolts and hail
Of iron globes; which, on the victor host
Levelled, with such impetuous fury smote,
That whom they hit, none on their feet inight stand,
Though standing else as rocks, but down they fell
By thousands, angel on archangel rolled,
The sooner for their arms: unarmed they might
Have easily, as spirits, evaded swift
By quick contration or remove; but now
Foul dissipation followed, and forced rout;
Nor served it to relax their serried files.
What should they do? if on they rushed, repulse
Repeated, and indecent overthrow
Doubled, would render them yet more despised.
And to their foes a laughter; for in view
Stood ranked of seraphim another row,
In posture to displode their second tire
Of thunder: back defeated to return
They worse abhorred. Satan beheld their plight,
And to his mates thus in derision called :
“O friends, why come not on these victors proud ? Erewhile they fierce were coming; and when we, To entertain them fair with
front And breast (what could we more ?) propounded terms Of composition, straight they changed their minds, Flew off, and into strange vagaries fell, As they would dance; yet for a dance they seemed Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps For joy of offered peace: but I suppose, If our proposals once again were heard,
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