And ignominy, yet to glory' afpires
Vain-glorious, and through infamy seeks fame: Therefore eternal filence be their doom.
And now their mightiest quell'd, the battel fwerv'd,
With many an inroad gor'd; deformed rout Enter'd, and foul diforder; all the ground With shiver'd armour ftrown, and on a heap Chariot and charioteer lay overturn'd, And fiery foaming steeds; what ftood, recoil'd O'er-wearied, through the faint Satanic host Defenfive fcarce, or with pale fear furpriz`d, Then first with fear furpriz'd and sense of pain,
Fled ignominious, to fuch evil brought By fin of difobedience, till that hour Not liable to fear or flight or pain. Far otherwife th' inviolable Saints In cubic phalanx firm advanc'd entire, Invulnerable, impenetrably arm'd; Such high advantages their innocence
Gave them above their foes; not to have finn'd,
Not to have difobey'd; in fight they stood
Unwearied, unobnoxious to be pain'd
By wound, though from their place by violence mov'd. Now night her courfe began, and over Heaven Inducing darknefs, grateful truce impos'd, And filence on the odious din of war;
Under her cloudy covert both retir'd,
Victor and vanquish'd; on the foughten field 410 "Michaël and his Angels prevalent
Incamping, plac'd in guard their watches round,
Cherubic waving fires: on th' other part Satan with his rebellious difappear'd,
Far in the dark diflodg'd: and void of rest, His potentates to council call'd by night; And in the midst thus undifmay'd began.
O now in danger try'd, now known in arms Not to be overpow'r'd, Companions dear, Found worthy not of liberty alone,
Too mean pretence, but what we more affect, Honor, dominion, glory and renown; Who have fuftain'd one day in doubtful fight (And if one day, why not eternal days?) What Heaven's Lord had pow'rfulleft to fend Against us from about his throne, and judg'd Sufficient to fubdue us to his will, But proves not fo: then fallible, it feems, Of future we may deem him, though till now Omnifcient thought. True is, lefs firmly arm'd, 430 Some difadvantage we indur'd and pain,
Till now not known, but known as foon contemn'd ; Since now we find this our empyreal form
Incapable of mortal injury,
Imperishable, and though pierc'd with wound,
Soon clofing, and by native vigor heal'd. Of evil then fo fmall as cafy think The remedy; perhaps more valid arms, Weapons more violent, when next we meet, May ferve to better us, and worfe our foes, Or equal what between us made the odds, In nature none; if other hidden caufe
Left them fuperior, while we can preserve Unhurt our minds and understanding sound, Due fearch and confultation will difclofe.
He fat; and in th' affembly next upstood Nifroch, of Principalities the prime; As one he stood escap'd from cruel fight, Sore toil'd, his riven arms to havoc hewn, And cloudy in aspéct thus anfw'ring spake. Deliverer from new Lords, leader to free Enjoyment of our right as Gods; yet hard For Gods, and too unequal work we find, Against unequal arms to fight in pain,
Against unpain'd, impaffive; from which evil
Ruin must needs enfue; for what avails
Valor or ftrength, though matchlefs, quell'd with pain Which all fubdues, and makes remifs the hands
Of mightieft? Senfe of pleasure we may well Spare out of life perhaps, and not repine, But live content, which is the calmeft life: But pain is perfect mifery, the worst Of evils, and exceffive, overturns
All patience. He who therefore can invent With what more forcible we may offend Our yet unwounded enemies, or arm Ourselves with like defenfe, to me deferves No lefs than for deliverance what we owe.
Whereto with look compos'd Satan reply'd. Not uninvented that, which thou aright Believ'ft fo main to our fuccefs, I bring. Which of us who beholds the bright surface
Of this ethereous mold whereon we stand,
This continent of fpacious Heav'n, adorn'd
With plant, fruit, flow'r ambrofial, gems and gold; Whofe eye fo fuperficially furveys
These things, as not to mind from whence they grow Deep under ground, materials dark and crude, Of fpiritous and fiery fpume, till touch'd
With Heaven's ray, and temper'd they fhoot forth 480 So beauteous, opening to the ambient light? Thefe in their dark nativity the deep
Shall yield us pregnant with infernal flame; Which into hollow engins long and round Thick-ramm'd, at th' other bore with touch of fire Dilated and infuriate, fhall fend forth From far with thund'ring noife among our foes Such implements of mifchief, as fhall dash To pieces, and o'erwhelm whatever ftands Adverfe, that they fhall fear we have difarm'd The Thund'rer of his only dreaded bolt. Nor long fhall be our labor; yet ere dawn, Effect thall end our wifh. Mean while revive; Abandon fear; to ftrength and counsel join'd Think nothing hard, much lefs to be defpair'd.
He ended, and his words their drooping chear Inlighten'd, and their languifh'd hope reviv'd. Th' invention all admir'd, and each, how he To be th' inventor mifs'd; fo eafy' it feem'd Once found, which yet unfound moft would have thought Impotlible yet haply of thy race
In future days, if malice fhould abound,
Some one intent on mischief, or infpir'd With devilish machination, might devise Like inftrument to plague the fons of men For fin, on war and mutual slaughter bent. Forthwith from council to the work they flew: None arguing ftood; innumerable hands Were ready; in a moment up they turn'd Wide the celeftial foil, and faw beneath
Th' originals of nature in their crude
Conception; fulphurous and nitrous foam
They found, they mingled, and with fubtle art, Concocted and adufted they reduc'd
To blackest grain, and into store convey'd :
Part hidden veins digg'd up (nor hath this earth
Entrails unlike) of mineral and stone,
Whereof to found their engins and their balls
Of miffive ruin; part incentive reed
Provide, pernicious with one touch to fire.
So all ere day-fpring, under confcious night,
Look'd round, and fcouts each coaft light-armed fcour,
Each quarter, to defcry the diftant foe,
Where lodg'd, or whither fled, or if for fight,
In motion or in halt: him foon they met
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