That of fo many myriads fall'n, yet one Return'd not loft. On to the facred hill- They led him high applauded, and present Before the feat fupreme; from whence a voice,, From midst a golden cloud, thus mild was heard. Servant of God, well done, well haft thou fought The better fight, who fingle haft maintain'd Against revolted multitudes the caufe
Of truth, in word mightier than they in arms; And for the testimony' of truth haft borne Univerfal reproach, far worfe to bear Than violence; for this was all thy care, To ftand approv'd in fight of God, tho' worlds Judge'd thee perverfe. The easier conqueft now Remains thee, aided by this hoft of friends, Back on thy foes more glorious to return, Than fcorn'd thou didst depart; and to subdue By force, who reason for their law refuse, Right reafon for their law, and for their King Meffiah, who by right of merit reigns. Go, Michael, of celeftial armies prince; And thou in military prowefs next, Gabriel, lead forth to battle thefe my fons Invincible, lead forth my armed faints,
By thousands and by millions, rang'd for fight, Equal in number to that godless crew Rebellious: them with fire and hoftile arms Fearlefs affault; and to the brow of heaven Pursuing, drive them out from God and blifs, Into their place of punishment, the Gulf Of Tartarus, which ready opens wide His fiery chaos to receive their fall.
So fpake the Sov'reign Voice, and clouds began
To darken all the hill, and fmoke to roll In dusky wreaths, reluctant flames, the fign
Of wrath awak'd; nor with lefs dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on high 'gan blow: At which command the powers militant, That flood for heaven, in mighty quadrate join'd Of union irrefiftible, mov'd on
In filence their bright legions, to the found Of inftrumental harmony, that breath'd Heroic ardour to advent'rous deeds, Under their godlike leaders, in the cause Of God and his Meffiah. On they move Indiffolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor strait'ning vale, nor wood, nor ftream divides 70. Their perfect ranks; for high above the ground
Their march was, and the paffive air upbore
Their nimble tread; as when the total kind Of birds, in orderly array on wing,
Came fummon'd over Eden, to receive. Their names of thee; fo over many a tract
Of heaven they march'd, and many a province wide, Tenfold the length of this terrene: at last Far in th' horrizon to the north appear'd From skirt to skirt a fiery region, stretch'd In battailous afpéct, and nearer view Bristled with upright beams innumerable Of rigid fpears, and helmets throng'd, and fhields Various, with boaftful argument portray'd, The banded powers of Satan hafting on With furious expedition; for they ween'd That felf-fame day, by fight, or by furprise, 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 90 In the mid-way: though ftrange to us it feem'd At first, that angel fhould 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 Sire, Hymning th' eternal Father: but the fhout Of battle now began, and rufhing found Of onfet ended foon each milder thought. High in the midft 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 host but narrow fpace was left, A dreadful interval, and front to front Prefented ftood in terrible array
Of hideous length: before the cloudy van, On the rough edge of battle ere it join'd, Satan with vaft and haughty strides advance'd Came tow'ring, arm'd in adamant and gold; Abdiel that fight endur'd not, where he stood Among the mightieft, bent on highest deeds, And thus his own undaunted heart explores. O Heaven! that fuch resemblance of the Highest Should yet remain, where faith and reälty 115 Remain not: wherefore fhould not ftrength and might There fail where virtue fails, or weakest prove Where boldest, tho' to fight unconquerable? His puiffance, trufting in th' Almighty's aid, I mean to try, whose reason I have try'd Unfound and falfe; nor is it aught but juft, That he who in debate of truth hath won, Should win in arms, in both disputes alike Victor; tho' brutish that contéft, and foul, When reafon hath to deal with force, yet fo Most reafon is that reafon overcome.
So pondering, and from his armed peers Forth ftepping oppofite, half-way he met
His daring foe, at this prevention more
Incens'd, and thus fecurely him defy'd..
Proud, art thou met? thy hope was to have reach'd
The height of thy afpiring unoppos'd,
The throne of God unguarded, and his fide.. Abandon'd at the terrour of thy power
Or potent tongue: fool, not to think how vain
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 folitary hand
Reaching beyond all limit, at one blow,,
Unaided could have finish'd thee, and whelm'd Thy legions under darkness: but thou feest All are not of thy train; there be who faith. Prefer, and piety to God, though then To thee not vifible, when I alone
Seem'd in thy world erroneous to diffent
From all my fect thou feeft; 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 wifh'd hour 150 Of my revenge, first fought, for thou return'ft From flight, feditious angel, to receive
Thy merited reward, the firft affay
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 Their deities to affert, who while they feel Vigour 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
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 heavenly fouls had been all one; but now I fee that most through floth had rather serve, Minist'ring fpi'rits, train'd up in feast and fong; Such haft thou arm'd, the minftrelfy of heaven, Servility with freedom to contend,
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 wild find Of erring; from the path of truth remote: Unjustly thou deprav'ft it with the name Of fervitude, to serve whom God ordains, Or Nature; God and Nature bid the fame, When he who rules is worthieft, and excells Them whom he governs. This is fervitude, To ferve th' unwife, or him who hath rebell'd Against his worthier, as thine now serve thee, Thyfelf not free, but to thyfelf inthrall'd; Yet lewdly dar'ft our minift'ring upbraid. Reign thou in hell, thy kingdom; let me ferve In heaven God ever blefs'd, and his divine. Beheits obey, worthieft 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 crest receive.
So fay'ing, a noble stroke he lifted high,
Which hung not, but fo fwift with tempeft fell 190 On the proud creft of Satan, that no fight Nor motion of fwift thought, lefs could his field, 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 pufh'd a mountain from his feat, Half funk with all his pines. Amazement feiz'd
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